Mercy / Methodist Hospital of Sacramento
Family Practice Residency Program
 

2nd Year Residents

Christel Baljic, MD

University of Illinois College of Medicine

Originally from the rural Midwest, as a teenager I spent about a year in Moscow, Russia, and a year in Paraguay, South America with my parents, who were volunteering as science and art teachers. Later I attended Wheaton College in Illinois and then medical school at the University of Illinois at Chicago. While living in Chicago, I developed an interest in family and community medicine through working with immigrants and refugees.

In 2008, I married my husband Veniamin "Benjamin" Baljic, youth pastor in Sacramento and owner of a beekeeping business. After I graduated from medical school, we traveled for six months in the former USSR, Europe, Canada and Israel, ministering in evangelical churches and youth camps of the Russian-speaking diaspora. Our first child, Tavifa, was born March 15, 2009. As a family, we enjoy church and community activities, the outdoors, gardening, and traveling.

I look forward to caring for people of many ages and backgrounds as a family physician. Following residency, I hope to start a practice in the Sacramento area and pursue interests in geriatrics, family-centered maternity care, and cross-cultural health care. 
Nyonnoweh Greene, MD University Of California Davis

Nyonnoweh is passionate about helping others to reach their full potential: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Her life path, before attending UC Davis School of Medicine, reflects that passion. She has been an alternative healthcare provider, a yoga teacher, a poet and a dancer. She believes universal healthcare coverage and healthcare disparities are two of the most important challenges facing medicine today and looks forward to continuing to be an agent of change in these areas. In her free time, she spends time with her domestic partner and young son. She enjoys gardening, salsa dancing, reading and writing.
David Holt, MD

Loma Linda University

I grew up on beautiful Maui, Hawaii. I learned that my immediate family and good friends are two of the most precious gifts in life. I went to Westmont College and then Loma Linda University for medical school. I credit my wonderful Christian parents and faith-guided, quality friends for guiding me to see the joy in service. As such, I entered family medicine, with an aim to serve any age or gender and employ my interests in multiple medical arenas, both here in the USA and overseas.

I am very excited to enter this next phase in life, and look forward to excellent training at Methodist.
Lyanne Huynh, MD

Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science/Chicago Medical School

After spending over 4 years in Chicagoland, I am glad to be coming home! I grew up just 35 miles south of Methodist Hospital (in　Stockton), completed my undergraduate studies in Biochemistry & Economics at UC Davis, and spent a year doing cancer research at UCDMC in Sacramento before heading to the Midwest. My passion lies in educational outreach, making sure patients are well informed, and working for the underserved (especially for the Hispanic and Asian immigrants). Whenever I have free time you will find me cooking, reading, hiking, meandering about in San Francisco Bay area, hosting dinner parties, and pretending I am an epicure. I look forward to exploring all the new restaurants in Sacramento that has emerged since my departure and the old ones I missed! 
Dao Xiong, MD

Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science/Chicago Medical School

I received my B.A. in Biological Sciences from California State University, Sacramento and M.D. from Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science/Chicago Medical School. I grew up in Marysville, CA, and I am excited to be back in Northern California for residency. Family medicine appeals to me because of the wide variety of patients and diseases. Aside from medicine, I enjoy spending time with my family, reading, cooking, and doing arts and crafts such as crocheting and scrapbooking.
Mee Yang, MD

Creighton University School of Medicine

I grew up in Sacramento and attended college at Berea College in Berea, KY. Inching my way back west, I went to medical school in Omaha, NE. I am excited to be back home and serving my community for residency.

Samuel Ceridon, MD

University of Colorado School of Medicine

I grew up in Colorado very poor and spent most of my childhood helping my dad fabricate motorcycles (think West Coast Choppers). I built my first project bike at the age of 7.  Placing physicians somewhere between Einstein and Mother Theresa, I never thought I could become one, even in my wildest dreams.  However, my parents encouraged me to excel academically and constantly asked me to do more with my life.  After receiving a BS in Industrial Engineering at Colorado State, I worked as an engineer in the aerospace industry.  Yet, I still hadn’t found my true calling.

During that time, I also worked as a wildland firefighter/EMT and found that I LOVED working in the medical field.  The hook was set and eventually I started on the path to becoming a doctor.  It has been an adventure to say the least.  While an MS-II, I was in an MVA, suffering several injuries.  I took a year off – making up classes and taking missed exams as I recovered.  As an MS-III, I met a girl from CA, fell in love and got married.  My fourth year saw a move to Sacramento and the birth of my son.  I did my internship year at the FP program in Redding, CA.   Family obligations brought me back to Sacramento, where I was very fortunate to enter the Methodist program as a second year.  Things look promising and I look forward to working with a great group of people.

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