Residents

Elijah Adedoyin, D.O.
Medical School: Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Auburn Campus
Undergraduate: LaGrange College
Family Life: I am a first-generation American, born and raised in Orlando, Florida. My mother is Haitian, and my father is Nigerian (Yoruba). I have two brothers, both of whom are taller than me, standing at 6'8" and 6’4.
Hobbies: Tennis, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, spending time with family and friends, Business/Finance
Professional Interests: Sports, Interventional, and Lifestyle Psychiatry
Favorite things about Tulsa: Tulsa has a vibrant tennis community, which I am excited to be part of. I also appreciate the city’s diverse and high-quality restaurant scene. Beyond that, Tulsa offers an active lifestyle with plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy.
Why I Chose This Program: I was drawn to this program because it offers the flexibility to explore and cultivate a wide range of interests, including those I may develop over time. From my very first interaction, the residency culture stood out as genuinely warm, supportive, and inclusive, qualities I value deeply in a training environment. On a personal level, I was also looking to explore a new state in a rapidly growing area, while remaining close enough to visit family regularly. Tulsa provides the perfect balance between new opportunities in medicine and staying connected to the things that matter most. 

Cade Church, M.D.
Medical School: The University of Oklahoma School of Community Medicine
Undergraduate: University of Central Oklahoma
Family Life: I was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Hobbies: I enjoy reading, travel photography, and spending time with friends and family.
Professional Interests: I am particularly interested in lifestyle optimization and psychodynamic therapy.
Favorite things about Tulsa: I enjoy the rolling hills of Tulsa, our many restaurants, and our sense of community.
Why I Chose This Program: Our program offers a great variety of training sites, diverse faculty, and treatment modalities that align with my professional interests and goals.

Cerci Danielle Hammons, M.D.
Medical School: Texas A&M College of Medicine
Undergraduate: Texas A&M University
Family Life: I was born and raised in Houston, Texas where most of my family still resides. In Tulsa, it is my husband and I, our daughter and our dog.
Hobbies: Art, painting most often, reading all types of books, many being psychological thrillers, and going for walks and exploring with my little family
Professional Interests: Thinking about specializing in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, but I love the idea of therapy, and the potential of art therapy, especially with community work and inpatient care.
Favorite things about Tulsa: My family and I are excited about how nature-filled and green Tulsa is especially coming from a big city. We just moved to the area, so we are excited to explore, especially starting with the Gathering Place and the Tulsa Botanical Garden. Our daughter seems to enjoy trees, flowers, leaves, and collecting rocks.
Why I Chose This Program: A program with a variety of rotation sites, and a heavy hand in community medicine and community outreach was important to me. I want to be a part of an environment that was supportive of life in all its stages, for all its patients, no matter where they are. Also, coming from an integrated medical school curriculum, I knew that the 2-2 schedule in the curriculum would benefit me and my learning style greatly, despite the steeper learning curve.

Kennedi Nash, D.O.
Medical School: Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Undergraduate: Baylor University
Family Life: My family is originally from rural southern Oklahoma, but I spent most of my time growing up in Norman.
Hobbies: Spending time with my family and pets, cooking, and listening to podcasts and music
Professional Interests: Forensic and general psychiatry
Favorite things about Tulsa: The abundance of coffee shops! My husband and I love searching for and trying new places on the weekends.
Why I Chose This Program: OU-Tulsa, being a smaller program, provides a greater opportunity for mentorship and support from faculty as well as other residents. Additionally, the variety of clinics allows for a more diverse training experience within the community.

Lauren Taylor, M.D.
Medical School: The University of Oklahoma College of Medicine 
Undergraduate: Oklahoma City University
Family Life: I am originally from Oklahoma City and now live in Tulsa with my two cats.
Hobbies: Reading, music, and running
Professional Interests: Reproductive psychiatry, child psychiatry, and psychotherapy
Favorite things about Tulsa: I love discovering new local coffee shops and going for runs on the city's many scenic trails.
Why I Chose This Program: I was drawn to the program’s variety of clinical experiences, supportive culture, and community-oriented mission.

Emily Truong, D.O.
Medical School: University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine
Undergraduate: St. Edward’s University
Family Life: I grew up in the Los Angeles area and spent my summers in Mangum, Oklahoma visiting my grandparents. I now have family in Edmond, and my fiancé and I are excited to explore all that Tulsa has to offer together.
Hobbies: I enjoy staying active, trying new restaurants, experimenting with recipes, and checking out different bands and music venues.
Professional Interests: I am currently exploring various fields within psychiatry, with particular interest in integrative psychiatry and consultation-liaison psychiatry.
Favorite Things About Tulsa: I love the vast array of new restaurants to try and the scenic nature to explore throughout the area.
Why I Chose This Program: I instantly felt supported and connected to the team during my interview, especially seeing the faculty and residents' dedication to creating an inclusive, equitable, and culturally informed environment.

Tanner Johns, D.O.  
Medical School: Kansas City University
Undergraduate: Brigham Young University
Family Life: I grew up in Sammamish, Washington, but my parents and siblings have relocated to Utah near Salt Lake City.
Hobbies: I love spending time with my wife and kids. I like reading, playing videogames, and hanging out with friends.
Professional Interests: I am interested in the neurobiology associated with psychiatric illness. I believe I would enjoy working in child and adolescent psychiatry, but I am excited to see what else I might find interesting during my residency training.
Favorite things about Tulsa: There is a lot to do in Tulsa! My family and I love going to the Gathering Place, Turkey Mountain, the parks, YMCA, and Tulsa Zoo.
Why I Chose This Program: I felt that IMPACT and the 2-2 schedule were unique opportunities that set this program apart.

Brittany Taylor, DO
Medical School: New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University 
Undergraduate: Philander Smith College
Family Life: I grew up in Monticello, Arkansas, and I still have family there that I visit regularly. 
Hobbies: I enjoy hiking, experiencing new adventures, volunteering in the community, and cooking new meals with my son. In my free time I enjoy reading or listening to self-developmental podcasts.  
Professional Interests: I am currently interested in Community Psychiatry.
Favorite things about Tulsa: Tulsa has many free parks and child playgrounds. I enjoy the Gathering Place and Tulsa Zoo. Their Zoo has a plethora of amazing animals in each exhibit. I would have to say the number of free activities for families in the community is my favorite thing about Tulsa.  
Why I Chose This Program: I am interested in pursuing a career in community psychiatry. When I found out my program has an ACT program called IMPACT, I immediately became excited because that is what I hope to help implement in areas with a shortage of Psychiatrist and an increase in mental health disparities. Another reason why I chose this program/school was because it was created to help bridge the disproportionate gap of health disparities in the community of Tulsa. A framework I expect to help build my knowledge and skills in community advocacy.

Corbin Wertz, MD
Medical School: University of Kansas School of Medicine in Kansas City, KS
Undergraduate: John Brown University in Siloam Springs, AR
Family Life: I grew up in Louisburg, KS, a smaller town just south of Kansas City. The majority of my close family lives in the KC or Wichita, KS area. 
Hobbies: I enjoy running, biking, reading, and watching movies. I also enjoy spending time with my wife and friends and taking care of our cat and two dogs.
Professional Interests: I have a lot to learn still, but right now I am interested in both inpatient and outpatient adult psychiatry and psychotherapy. I am also looking forward to learning more about addiction psychiatry, community mental health and rotating with our IMPACT team.
Favorite things about Tulsa: I like the small-town feel of Tulsa while still having so much available to do. There is a good amount of outdoors activities nearby and the cost of living is pretty affordable.
Why I Chose This Program: I liked the diversity of clinical rotation sites and the overall emphasis on resident well-being. The resident culture seemed like a welcoming environment and the attendings seemed passionate about teaching.

Rehan Zafar, MD
Medical School: University of Oklahoma College of Medicine at Oklahoma City
Undergraduate: University of Oklahoma 
Family Life: I was born in Pakistan but raised in Norman, Oklahoma and my immediate family live there, though I have extended family scattered across the US and Canada. 
Hobbies: I love reading, writing, fashion and aesthetics, consuming pop culture content, and constantly shaping a wellness routine!
Professional Interests: I have interests in neurosciences, special populations, and adolescent addiction. 
Favorite things about Tulsa:  I really love the trendiness and youthful energy of Tulsa. I enjoy the restaurants and outdoor activities like the Gathering Place. 
Why I Chose This Program: I chose the program for its wide--range clinical experiences and settings, proximity to family and friends, and the commitment of faculty and residents to social justice and cultural competency. 

Jesse Zeng, MD
Medical School: McGovern Medical School
Undergraduate: The University of Texas at Austin
Family Life: I grew up in the Houston-area and my immediate family still lives in Texas.
Hobbies: I enjoy weightlifting, film photography, and video-editing in my free time
Professional Interests: I’m keeping an open mind, but some of my initial interests include the treatment of mood disorders and PTSD, psychedelic assisted therapy, consult-liaison psychiatry, and forensic psychiatry. I am also interested in community outreach, particularly through tribal healthcare initiatives.
Favorite things about Tulsa: So far, I’ve really enjoyed the greenery of Tulsa and Turkey Mountain. The city itself also has a lot of history and many great locations for food and drink. The traffic is also much better than in Houston, so that’s been refreshing.
Why I Chose This Program: Professionally, I felt this program offered the freedom to pursue any professional interests I may develop, and the culture of the residency program has been warm and welcoming since my initial interview. Location-wise, I also wanted to get out of my home state while still being close enough to regularly visit family, and living in Tulsa offers that opportunity. 

Caroline Barham, MD
Medical School: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Undergraduate: University of Wisconsin – Madison
Hobbies: I enjoy hanging out with my dog, playing video games, and seeing live music.
Professional Interests: I enjoyed general adult and geriatric psychiatry during medical school, however I’m still deciding on my future specialty.
Favorite things about Tulsa: There are so many good restaurants here in town. It takes 10-20 minutes to get anywhere and traffic is almost non-existent.
Why I Chose This Program: The atmosphere is very welcoming. Our program director has created a resident library dedicated to learning about inclusivity and cultural awareness in psychiatry. The residents get along well and are supportive of each other. The faculty and staff are always interested in helping us learn and grow as psychiatrists, not just in us completing our work for the day. I really appreciate the 2-2 schedule that allows us to start working in clinic our 2nd year and continue to longitudinally see our patients through our 4^th year.

Chimezie Okolocha, DO
Medical School: Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Undergraduate: Indiana University Bloomington
Family Life: I grew up in Northwest Indiana where my immediate family currently resides.  I’ve spent about 6 months of my life in Nigeria where my extended family lives
Hobbies: I enjoy health and fitness related activities like strength training and Orange theory.  During my free time I like spending time with friends and family.  I also enjoy financial management and combat sports like UFC.
Professional Interests:  I’ve been curious about how other people thought since I was a child which ultimately lead me to this field.  As of now, I do not have a specific area of interest in psychiatry but I’m looking forward to absorbing as much as I can in these next four years.
Favorite things about Tulsa: I’ve only been here for 6 days but so far the food scene seems great and many of the people I’ve met are down to earth! Gas is under $5 which is bad but good considering most other places in the US.  
Why I Chose This Program:  During the interview, the faculty and residents I spoke with were so welcoming.  I wanted the opportunity to work with the compassionate program director, Dr. Walker.  Also, the program highlighted the importance of wellness and work life balance.