PGY4 | PGY3 | PGY2 | PGY1 | Chief Residents
Chase Branstetter, MD |
 Medical School: University of Kansas School of MedicineHometown: Derby, Kansas Career Aspiration: Undecided. Hobbies: Cooking, reading, cycling, and being bad at golf. Why did you choose UMKC: The people. I thoroughly enjoyed my interview and felt like I connected well with faculty and residents! Also, the cohesiveness between the Med-Peds program and the categorical programs was impressive. UMKC offered a balanced, close-knit community with strong leadership and ample opportunity. Plus, the food in Kansas City is incredible! Who inspires you: Too many people inspire me to list here. One that comes to mind, however, is Dr. Paul Uhlig, a cardiothoracic surgeon in Wichita, KS. He spends his nonexistent freetime and extra hours creating nonprofits and spearheading community-helping programs geared to improve healthcare in Sedgwick County. I’m uncertain how he does it all. Where do you live in Kansas City: Prairie Village. |
Jacob Gohdes, MD |
 Medical School: Creighton University School of MedicineHometown: Golden, Colorado Career Aspiration: I am still undecided, but I would like to provide a mix of acute and longitudinal care for all age groups. Hobbies: Hiking, Rock-Climbing, Snow Skiing, Cycling, Running, Binge-Watching Netflix, and Exploring the Local Food Scene. Why did you choose UMKC: I was interested in UMKC for several reasons- training at large academic centers, the diverse patient population, and location. I chose UMKC because of the vibes. The residents are hilarious, kind, and welcoming and the leadership cares and advocates for their residents. It was clear after interviewing that I would get top-tier training in a close-knit, supportive environment. Who inspires you: My family. They have been a constant source love, guidance, and support. Their example always inspires me to be a better person. Where do you live in Kansas City: Union Hill |
Brandi Jungels, MD |
 Medical School: University of Missouri – Kansas CityHometown: St. Louis, Missouri Hobbies: Walking my dog, Daisy, taking care of my houseplants, reading, going to concerts, and exploring new places (coffee shops, parks, countries, you name it!) Why did you choose UMKC: I was lucky enough to go to UMKC as a medical student and loved it so much I wanted to stay for residency. As a student, all of the med-peds residents and faculty were very friendly to me and were awesome people to work with. I also wanted a program with a strong combined med-peds clinic, a free standing children’s hospital, and access to underserved populations, and UMKC checked all of those boxes and then some! Who inspires you: All of my faculty mentors at UMKC who are committed to patient care and medical education. They have taught me all I know and I hope I can be like them one day. Where do you live in Kansas City: South Kansas City |
Jonathan Liau, MD |
 Medical School: University of Queensland-OchsnerHometown: Burbank, California Career Aspiration: Primary care, transitional/complex care, working with underserved. Hobbies: Going to the gym, ice hockey, learning new sports (pickleball, spikeball, basketball), hiking, exploring new restaurants and foods, PC video games, journaling, and trying to improve my Spanish. Why did you choose UMKC: Many reasons, but above all it was the people (cliche I know)! The residents really enjoyed one another’s company at the meet N greet and didn’t take themselves too seriously. They constantly joked with one another, but stayed engaged with the interviewees. I LOVED my interview day. There were 5 interviewers and I found commonalities with each and every one of them. They also had thoroughly read my application, never asked a repeat question, and in general were just very warm and thoughtful people. It’s difficult to explain. I felt very much at home and had a huge positive “gut feeling” about UMKC. Who inspires you: A lot of people! My mom would be one of my biggest; she has always been there for me despite herself being through so much. I would also say I regularly get inspired by people in general telling their unique stories, watching athletes compete through adversity and pressure, even characters from Pixar and DreamWorks movies. Where do you live in Kansas City: Union Hill |
Eun Young Park, MD |
 Medical School: University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of MedicineHometown: Honolulu, Hawaii (But born in Seoul, South Korea and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan) Career Aspiration: Really hoping to do combined endocrinology so that I can work with the adolescent/young adult population and help set them up for success! Hobbies: Traveling with friends, napping, watching movies and K-dramas, karaoke, attempting to be a foodie Why did you choose UMKC: I remember feeling energized after the pre-interview day Zoom social with a bunch of the med-peds residents and asking myself “Am I going to be a Kansas City girl??” Interview day only confirmed what I felt the day before. I loved how down-to-earth, genuine, and welcoming everyone was. I knew that having a strong residency support system would be important to me and felt confident that the residents, faculty, APDs, and PD would all have my back all while making sure we laugh and have fun along the way. Who inspires you: Have you ever heard of Bangtan Sonyeondan? They’re my heroes. Where do you live in Kansas City: Union Hill |
Hank Unterschuetz, MD |
 Medical School: University of Oklahoma-Tulsa School of Community MedicineHometown: Tulsa, OK Career Aspiration: Most likely Primary Care Hobbies: Listening to music, karaoke, baking, making ice cream, reading, running, and playing my playstation Why did you choose UMKC: I really appreciated the supporting community and culture at this program which really showed through in all my interviews and talking with the residents! Additionally, I was so excited to find a place where the pediatrics program is just as strong as the medicine program. I also had a few friends outside medicine who had already moved here and kept raving on about the food and music scene so it just felt like a perfect fit for me. Who inspires you: Miley Cyrus because as a future Med-Peds physician she encourages me to “get the best of both worlds.” But in all seriousness all of my mentors throughout medical school and of course my friends and family who inspire me to be the best person and physician I can be! Where do you live in Kansas City: South of Hospital Hill |