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Caldwell Residency Program


Welcome to the Family Medicine Residency of Idaho – Caldwell program. The program is a branch of the main Full Circle Health Program that is designed especially for broad-spectrum rural family medicine training. Here in Caldwell, our faculty is passionate about the training of Family Medicine Physicians. We are an unopposed program supported by the entire medical community of Caldwell and the surrounding areas. Therefore, we are able to provide an extremely broad training experience for our residents. Trainees essentially become a member of the medical group when they come to Caldwell as a resident, allowing for great professional and personal flexibility. This is very important because we recognize that balance is necessary to make well-rounded, fulfilled physicians.

The Caldwell Residency program began as a Rural Training Track (RTT) back in 1995 with one resident per year, graduating our first resident in 1998. In 2006, due to the program’s success, it was expanded to two residents per year (six residents’ total). In 2011, once again, the program expanded to three residents per year (nine residents’ total). All of our graduates are board certified family medicine physicians. Of our graduates to date, 88% are serving in rural areas.

Starting July 2023, the first year of training will begin in Caldwell with plans of going back to Boise for pediatrics/OB through rotations. 

Check out our latest Scholarly Activity happening organization-wide!

Curriculum

PGY-1 Full Circle Health (1-2) half days per week, 4-6 patients per half day.

RotationWeeksLocation
IM/FM Inpatient(8/8)SA/VA/WV
OB Inpt. /Outpt.8SL/WV
Pediatrics Inpt. / Outpt. 8SL
Geriatrics / Dermatology (2/2)Office
Behavioral Health / Sports Medicine(2/2)Office
Surgery4WV
Emergency Medicine4WV
Gynecology4Office

PGY-2 Caldwell (3) half days per week, 8-10 patients per half day

RotationWeeksLocation
Medicine10WV
Night Float2WV
Obstetrics6WV
Pediatrics2Boise
Art of Family Med./Community Med.4Office
Longitudinal4WV
Elective / Subspecialties(6/6)Office
Ortho / Sports Medicine4Office
Surgery4Office
Rural4Away

PGY-3 Caldwell (3-4) half days per week, 10-12 patients per half day

RotationWeeksLocation
Medicine8WV
Night Float2WV
Obstetrics4WV
GYN4Office
Elective / Subspecialties(12/6)Office
Cardiology / Urology(2/2)Office
Ortho / Sports Medicine4Office
Longitudinal4Office
Rural4Away

SA - Saint Alphonsus RMC |  SL - St. Luke’s Health RMC
VA - Boise VA Medical Center | WV - West Valley RMC

Longitudinal examples - ER, Outpatient Pediatrics, Geriatrics, BH, Procedures, etc.
Subspecialty examples - Ophthalmology, Dermatology, ENT, etc.
Elective - Resident area of interest

Highlighted Curricular Strengths

  • Unopposed
  • Flexibility of a Small Program
  • Medical Community is Dedicated to Teaching
  • Broad scope of practice
  • Focus on Procedures and Obstetrics
  • Treated as a Junior Partner
  • Clinic is Connected to the Hospital

Clinical Locations

Full Circle Health – Caldwell Clinic

315 East Elm Street, Suite 201, Caldwell, ID 83605

The Caldwell Residency Program site is based at the Elm Clinic. The clinic is located in a 56,000 square foot office building physically attached to West Valley Medical Center in Caldwell. This close proximity allows residents to go back and forth between the clinic and the hospital with ease, helping them to be involved with any interesting cases that may be going on in either location.

Visit Website

West Valley Medical Center

1717 Arlington Avenue, Caldwell, ID 83605

Hospital duties during years two and three will be performed at WVMC. West Valley is a 150-bed (ten critical care beds, seven intermediate care beds, eight pediatric beds) community hospital that has been serving the community well for over 50 years. Residents are welcome to gain experience in the entire hospital. They can commonly be seen in the busy ER, the endoscopy suite, the critical care unit, the OR, and even the cardiac catheterization lab. Food is provided for residents in the cafeteria and doctor’s lounge free of charge. The hospital is small enough that one can quickly learn everyone’s name, and large enough to provide a broad experience for trainees.

Visit Website

Idaho Surgery Center

3115 Medical Drive, Caldwell, ID 83605

A number of physicians in our group spend time performing endoscopic procedures at the nearby Caldwell Surgery Center, outpatient surgical facility owned by MVMC. Our local surgeons spend time at the Center as well, and residents receive privileges there, enabling them to participate in procedures when time allows.

Faculty

Ted Epperly, MD

President and CEO

Dr. Ted Epperly is the President and CEO of the Full Circle Health, a large Federally Qualified Teaching Health Center comprised of nine FQHC clinics, four ACGME family medicine residency programs, and five fellowships. He received an undergraduate degree in Biology and Anthropology from Utah State University in 1976. He Graduated from the University of Washington School of Medicine in 1980.  Dr. Epperly completed his residency in Family Medicine at Madigan Army Medical Center, Fort Lewis, Washington in 1983. He completed a faculty development fellowship at the University of North Carolina in 1986 and achieved an additional CAQ in Geriatrics.

Dr. Epperly retired July 2001 as Colonel after serving 21 years in the United States Army.  Dr. Epperly served as the past President and Board Chair of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).  He is a past member of the ACGME Board of Directors that has responsibility of all residency and fellowship training for over 125,000 residents and fellows of all specialties in the United States and currently is the vice-chair of the ACGME Policy Committee.  He currently serves as the Co-Chairman of the Board for the Healthcare Transformation Council of Idaho that is in charge of helping transform healthcare for the State of Idaho.  Dr. Epperly is the Graduate Medical Education Coordinator for the State of Idaho and the author of the State of Idaho’s Ten Year GME Plan to build a vibrant and robust GME system for Idaho.

Dr. Epperly is a member of multiple other Boards of Directors and the President of several non-profit organizations.  He has published over 50 articles and book chapters and he is a staunch supporter of Family Medicine education, research, and both rural and underserved health care. His award-winning book Fractured: America’s Broken Health Care System and What Must Be Done to Heal It provides excellent insight to the U.S healthcare system and can be found on Amazon.com.

He and his wife Lindy celebrated their 46th wedding anniversary in September 2020 and have two sons. Outside of medicine, his interests include golf, skiing, fly-fishing, reading and sports memorabilia.

Samantha Portenier, MD

Program Director Caldwell

Samantha Portenier was born in Ontario, Oregon and grew up in northern Idaho. She went to undergraduate school on a rodeo scholarship and after graduating from Lewis Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho did a year of graduate research at the University of Idaho before going to medical school at the University of Nevada, School of Medicine. In Nevada, she focused on primary care and rural medicine and returned to Idaho to do residency at the Caldwell Rural Training Track. After graduation in 2000, she joined the faculty of the family medicine residency and became the site director of the Caldwell Rural Training Track in 2004. She completed her specialized training as Program Director in 2013. When not at work, she is active with her family ranching, training performance horses and traveling to her three children’s rodeos where they participate.

Jocele Skinner, MD

Associate Program Director - Caldwell

Dr. Jocele Skinner was born in Nampa, Idaho and raised on a ranch in Eastern Oregon. Dr. Skinner graduated from The College of Idaho in Caldwell, Idaho, and then attended medical school in St. Louis, MO at Saint Louis University. The rural lifestyle and love of the high desert and sagebrush brought her back home to Idaho for residency. She attended the Full Circle Health Rural Track in Caldwell, and then stayed on to join the same medical group after graduation. She volunteers as the team physician in Homedale, the small farming town where she now resides. Dr. Skinner is married to George, and has two children, Catie and Jack. She has never been able to really give up ranch life, and her family has collected quite the menagerie of farm animals over the years. In her personal time, she enjoys knitting, cooking, reading, and gardening.

Richard Augustus, MD

Dr. Richard Augustus is a hospital medicine specialist in Caldwell, ID and has been practicing for 23 years. Dr. Augustus has been the Chief Medical Officer of West Valley since 2013.  A graduated from University of Utah School of Medicine in 1996 he specializes in hospital and family medicine. He is passionate in training of the residents and the residency program.

Brenton Baldwin, MD

Dr. Brenton Baldwin attended and graduated from Loma Linda University School of Medicine. He is a 2016 graduate of the Caldwell Rural Training Track Residency program. Caldwell is fortunate to have Dr. Baldwin’s experience and rural training in Family Practice now in our community. He is a highly regarded instructor and devotes many hours of his time to the residency program.

Lindsay Orme, MD

Family Medicine

Dr. Orme is a graduate of the University of Washington Medical School. She is also a 2017 graduate of the Boise Residency Program. Her experience in Family Medicine covers a broad spectrum, from training medical students, in-patient medicine, and obstetrics to providing primary care to a diverse population at a family medical clinic.

Michael Roach, MD

Family Medicine

Dr. Michael Roach, M.D. graduated from the University of Idaho with a B.A. in English, completed additional coursework at both the University of Idaho and Northern Arizona University, and then attended medical school at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, graduating in 1987. He then completed a family medicine residency in 1990 at the Saint Joseph’s Hospital Family Medicine Residency in Phoenix, Arizona.

Current Residents

R3

Trent DeLong, DO

Prior to medical school, Trent obtained both undergraduate and graduate degrees in the arts and humanities. He worked professionally in music for several years, traveling to dozens of countries and nearly every U.S. state. Following a health crisis with his father, Trent was inspired by Dr. Marcus Williams, a cardiothoracic surgeon so much so that he embarked on a path to pursue a career in medicine. 

Trent competed his medical degree at Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine. While in medical school, he found himself drawn to family medicine due to the ability to practice as a full-scope physician. 

His professional interests include gastrointestinal health as well as endoscopy and endoscopic procedures, inpatient and emergency medicine, POCUS, surgical and inpatient-procedures and more. When not fulfilling clinical responsibilities, Trent enjoys spending time with family, exploring the outdoors, community service, medical missions, traveling, aviation, and golf. 

“I am truly honored to be part of Full Circle Health‘s Family Medicine Residency of Idaho. I am blessed to work with such an amazing team of residents, attendings, faculty and staff. Our residency program is truly outstanding and provides the environment, space, and training necessary to practice as a full-scope family medicine physician.” – Trent

Andrew Harding, DO

Caldwell RTT Program 2024

Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

Born in Utah, and raised in Twin Falls, ID where most of my family still lives, I grew up the 4th of 5 kids. Growing up in southern Idaho helped me develop a love for the outdoors and adventure, where I was actively participating in scouting and church activities. After serving a 2 year mission for my church in Australia, where I continued to develop a love for travel, outdoors and camping, I attended Arizona State University and played club waterpolo for Mesa, AZ. 

I am a father of 2 wonderful kids, the best pooch, and an avocado tree. I enjoy working out, boating and playing basically any sport out there. 

My love for family medicine stems from the ability to do so much and not be limited by my specialty. I hope to one day further expand my practice by completing a sports medicine or emergency medicine fellowship. 

Taylor Sorenson, DO

Caldwell RTT Program 2024

Pacific Northwest University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Taylor was born and raised in the small town of Aurora, UT. Growing up in an underserved area is where her passion for rural medicine began. She noticed the hardships her small town community faced when it came to obtaining appropriate medical care and the frequent struggle to find a committed family practitioner. Most of Taylor’s free time growing up was spent outdoors, whether that be on a four-wheeler, go-kart, boat, or wake-surfing. She would not change her small town upbringing for anything as it provided her the opportunity to discover why small town living and its communities are the best.

She attended undergraduate school at Southern Utah University where she majored in Biology and where she also met her husband Noah. She then attended Pacific Northwest University for medical school with her eyes always set on rural family medicine. She served as the Family Medicine Club Vice President, became a member of the Sigma Sigma Phi Honor Society, and was selected to join the Gold Humanism Society by her peers. She also traveled to Uganda, Africa for a global medicine trip during the 1st year of medical school as global medicine is another huge passion of hers. She then completed her clinical training right here in beautiful Boise and the surrounding areas. 

Currently Taylor spends her free time hiking with her husband and two dogs (Maple and Milo), traveling, and spending as much time with her family as possible. Her medical interests are Behavioral Health, Global Health, and Rural Medicine. 

Taylor is thrilled continue her training in Idaho and is so excited to be joining the Full Circle Health family!

R2

David Gardner, DO

Caldwell Program 2025

David Gardner was raised in a small rural community in Northern California, the eldest of four kids. His father worked as a firefighter, and from a young age this inspired him to pursue a career in public service. After turning 19, David spent two years in Mexico as a missionary; this is where he first recognized major health disparities in both urban and rural communities and his desire was born to become a medical provider.

A photo of David Gardner and his family standing in front of stringed lights at an outdoor park.

After returning home from Mexico, David met his amazing wife Katie. Both graduated from Brigham Young University-Idaho and moved to Arkansas for medical school New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine. Two cute kiddos later, they are ecstatic to return to Idaho to be trained by Full Circle Health‘s Family Medicine Residency of Idaho program.

David chose family medicine because of its broad training and the ability to practice in a limited resourced environment. Caring for patients who may have limited access to specialists is important and a passion of his.

In David’s free time he loves; fishing, hunting, backpacking, playing video games with his brothers, and dabbling in an array of sports. He’s beyond excited to return to Idaho; getting some of the best rural family medicine training this country has to offer.

Aryan Sharif, DO

Caldwell Program 2025

A selfie photo of Aryan Sharif and his partner near the coast.

Born and raised in the Silicon Valley of California; Aryan Sharif MD realized at a young age that the culture of a tech-centered community wasn’t for him. He had the chance to explore a number of different communities in the state of California. After moving to almost a dozen new cities, his family finally settled in Berkeley. Residing in farming communities in California and joining numerous volunteering efforts in rural communities, both domestically and internationally, Aryan noticed some of the unique challenges associated with living in the countryside.

This lead to his passion for increasing healthcare accessibility in rural communities, especially with Latinx individuals. As a result, this guided him to pursue his medical education at A.T. Still University in Arizona. The time with the Full Circle Health family will help him accomplish these goals (and have fun doing it!).

While Aryan can find something enjoyable about almost anything, some of his favorite hobbies include rock climbing, playing board games, and chasing sunsets!

Chelsey McCoy, MD

Caldwell Program 2025

Chelsey grew up on a dairy farm in Melba, Idaho until age fifteen. It was then when her family moved to Haiti to do mission work with Maranatha Children’s Ministries. Upon graduating high school, she came back to Idaho where she attended the College of Idaho in Caldwell. There, she majored in biology and minored in chemistry. Concluding her studies, Chelsey then spent two years on the Oregon coast attending Bible school while preparing for medical school. 

In 2015 she made the move to the Dominican Republic to attend the Universidad Iberoamericana School of Medicine, graduating in November 2020. She then spent most of 2021 working and obtaining clinical experience in Oregon, Nebraska, Illinois, and rural Pennsylvania. This experience led her to prepare for the residency application process and was matched with the Caldwell program at Full Circle Health

Chelsey’s clinical interests are around bringing quality healthcare and education to underserved communities in rural America and the developing world. Her years in Haiti and the Dominican Republic have given her passion for humanitarian work and learning about other cultures and languages. She is excited to be back on her “home turf” and receive the broad-spectrum training a rural family residency provides. 

In her free time Chelsey enjoys spending time with friends and family, being outdoors, chasing sunsets, reading novels, playing sports, and dabbling with watercolors. 

Mariellen Van Nieuwenhuyzen, MD

Caldwell Program 2025

Mariellen was raised on a small family farm in Northern California. She grew up actively involved in her family’s beekeeping business, as well as working in the almond orchard and raising sheep. Mariellen spent much of her youth caring for her mom who is severely disable by multiple sclerosis.

Mariellen Van Nieuwenhuyzen and her husband standing in front of their desert OHV.

These experiences; as well as pursuing her undergrad in small-town Iowa (at Dordt College), running the family farm with her brother after college, and frequently spending time in Alaska and other rural communities, encouraged her to combine her strong love for agricultural/farming communities with medicine. She was fortunate to be part of a rural medicine training program at the UC Davis School of Medicine. This program let her explore and serve several smaller communities throughout the state. She is excited to continue exploring rural medicine during her time at Full Circle Health‘s Caldwell family medicine residency program. 

She and her husband are sad to be leaving behind many dear friends (and lots of good desert OHV riding and camping) at their current home near San Diego. But they are eager to build new community and friendships as they make southern Idaho their home. When she has free time, Mariellen loves spending time with her husband and family (especially holding baby lambs or going for runs on her family’s farm), exploring and enjoying the beauty of God’s creation, reading good books, dabbling with creative and expository writing, fellowshipping with her church family, and visiting the many wonderful friends she and her husband have been blessed with.

R1

Dannica Ballard, DO

Caldwell Program 2026

Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences

Dr. Dannica Ballard was raised on a cattle and timber ranch in northwestern Oregon. She grew up riding horses, stacking firewood, working cattle, running equipment during haying season, and showing an array of animals in 4-H. Her upbringing fueled her curiosity of living systems and later inspired her passion for serving others through rural medicine.

Dannica has had the dream of becoming a physician since she was 16 years old. She attended undergrad at George Fox University in Newberg, OR and studied biology while pursuing the pre-med route. After college, she spent several years working at a retirement facility as a caregiver and eventually a Resident Care Manager. She gained valuable experience in healthcare management, as well as hospice care and developed a deep appreciation for caring for the elderly.

Fun photo of Dannica Ballard

She met her husband Kyle during this time and they married the summer prior to her beginning medical school at Pacific Northwest University in Yakima, WA. They spent the first two years of Dannica’s medical school education in Yakima before moving to the Treasure Valley to complete the clinical portion of her training. She and her husband bought a now 110 year old home in Nampa, ID and have since gotten very attached to their humble abode and living in Idaho. They have especially been grateful to trade in all the rain from northwestern Oregon for all the sunshine that southeastern Idaho has to offer! They are so thankful that Dannica matched into the Full Circle Health Caldwell Residency Program, especially because they get to stay in their beloved home and for Dannica to continue to serve in Caldwell and the surrounding communities with a medical family she has already grown quite fond of through her medical school rotations.

Dannica’s clinical interests include rural medicine, gastrointestinal health, endoscopy, dermatology, mental health, and expanding access to equitable healthcare for marginalized populations. In her free time, Dannica enjoys hiking, running, cake-baking, birding, reading, fixing up their old home, playing with her hamster Hanta, and spending time with her husband and friends.

Jeffrey Cardon, MD

Caldwell Program 2026

University of Utah School of Medicine

Dr. Jeff Cardon was born of godly parents in Salt Lake City, Utah.  He completed his undergraduate degree and medical school at the University of Utah. 

Fun photo of Jeff Cardon

The broad experiences which drew Dr. Cardon to medicine in the first place revolved around being able to resolve a medical problem.  This led him to a career in Family Medicine, matching into the Caldwell Family Medicine Program.  His future career goals include broad-spectrum family medicine focusing on ICU, ER, endoscopy, LARCs, and every other procedure that a Family Medicine physician could be credentialed to perform.  He plans to have his own practice and is interested in Direct Primary Care.  Dr. Cardon has created comprehensive pre-operative spine surgery education videos and will continue using his cinematography skills to educate patients throughout his career.

His first and subsequent loves are his wife Krystal, then his three girls, then cooking, then cinematography, then his wife, then being outside, then being in the mountains, then his wife, then barbecuing, then taking his kids on bike rides, then swimming. In that order.  He has a few others, but they are outside the scope of this article. 

Brandon Nguyen, DO

Caldwell Program 2026

Fun photo of Brandon Nguyen

Dr. Brandon Nguyen was born and raised in Boise, Idaho where most of his family still resides. He grew up with an older and younger brother. His parents owned and ran Andy’s Deli in Downtown Boise before retiring which is where he spent a good portion of his childhood helping out. Brandon attended high school at Centennial High School in Boise and undergrad at The College of Idaho in Caldwell (Go Yotes!). While attending undergrad he majored in biology and dedicated time into biomedical toxicology research which led to two summer fellowships and publications. During this period is when he met his wife, Micaela. Between undergrad and medical school Brandon got married and spent his time coaching cross-country skiing and working as a medical assistant at a radiology clinic.

Dr. Nguyen attended medical school at Pacific Northwest University. He completed his didactic years in Yakima Washington and was fortunate enough to return to Southwestern Idaho for his clinical years. Growing up he noticed that there were many health disparities within his community due to the shortage of primary care providers. This gave him the drive and passion to become a family physician. Brandon is ecstatic about being part of Full Circle Health ’s Caldwell Family Medicine Residency as he can continue his medical training while providing care to the communities of his hometown.

Fourth year of medical school is when Dr. Nguyen’s first child was born. He loves raising his son and watching him grow every day. When free time permits, he enjoys cross-country skiing, running, fishing, hiking, cooking, and tinkering with computers.

Michael Samuelson, DO

Caldwell Program 2026

Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine

Dr. Michael Samuelson was born and raised in Northwest Colorado in the small town of Craig in Moffat County.  He attended college at Colorado Mesa University (CMU), in Grand Junction, CO.  Dr. Samuelson graduated with honors, in addition to playing football at CMU.  He quickly realized he wanted to pursue his love for science and focus on a degree in biology. While applying for medical school, he worked as an Emergency Department Tech at a critical access hospital.

Fun photo of Michael Samuelson

Dr. Samuelson earned his medical degree from the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine in Meridian, ID. He knew he wanted to have a career that gave him the ability to best serve his community. This largely came from the example his parents set. His mom was an elementary school teacher, and his family had a hardware store that allowed them to give back and become ingrained into their community. Dr. Samuelson believes that Family Medicine gives him the best platform to serve his community, while having a fulfilling career. He is extremely excited to receive his training from Full Circle Health Family Medicine Residency of Idaho.

Dr. Samuelson moved to Idaho with his wife Lindsey, who has been the best support system throughout his medical education journey. Lindsey is an elementary school teacher in the Treasure Valley. Michael and Lindsey enjoy fly fishing, skiing, and cheering on the Colorado Avalanche NHL team. Michael and Lindsey look forward to becoming a part of and serving their community in Idaho.

Resident Life

Refreshing! Thanks WVMC for providing drinks & nutrition to residents. So many choices!!!

Refreshing! Thanks WVMC for providing drinks & nutrition to residents. So many choices!!! ...

Our very own Ashley Carvalho (Caldwell RTT R3) and Dr. Stutzman (PD - Nampa) presenting at the AAFP National Conference this morning about what it means to be a rural family physician. If you missed it, the recorded session will be available on the AAFP-NC website for 30 days. #FMRI #gorural #familymedicine

Our very own Ashley Carvalho (Caldwell RTT R3) and Dr. Stutzman (PD - Nampa) presenting at the AAFP National Conference this morning about what it means to be a rural family physician. If you missed it, the recorded session will be available on the AAFP-NC website for 30 days. #FMRI #gorural #familymedicine ...

Street tacos from the #Hop House are awesome. Thank you for making our graduation again.

Street tacos from the #Hop House are awesome. Thank you for making our graduation again. ...

The first wellness activity of the residency year to welcome our newly minted R2s: Dr. Cowling, Dr. Adams, and Dr. Hanlon! Residency can be tough, but we enjoyed some ice cream to “sweeten” the deal! Welcome to West Valley. We’re so glad you’re here! #fmricaldwellrtt #indiancreekplaza

The first wellness activity of the residency year to welcome our newly minted R2s: Dr. Cowling, Dr. Adams, and Dr. Hanlon! Residency can be tough, but we enjoyed some ice cream to “sweeten” the deal! Welcome to West Valley. We’re so glad you’re here! #fmricaldwellrtt #indiancreekplaza ...

No frowns allowed on night shift! Current R3 Tyler Starr and recent-grad-turned-attending, Eric Donahue, hanging out in the call room on a busy night shift.

No frowns allowed on night shift! Current R3 Tyler Starr and recent-grad-turned-attending, Eric Donahue, hanging out in the call room on a busy night shift. ...

Evening ride

Evening ride ...

Rural retreat 2020 - learning about history from 10,000 years ago.
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.
Rural medicine#reslience 
#celebrationpark

Rural retreat 2020 - learning about history from 10,000 years ago.
.
.
Rural medicine#reslience
#celebrationpark
...

R2 Stephen Richardson spent his day off exploring Leslie Gulch, only an hour’s drive away. One of the many adventures to be had in SW Idaho! #fmricaldwellrtt #fmridaho

R2 Stephen Richardson spent his day off exploring Leslie Gulch, only an hour’s drive away. One of the many adventures to be had in SW Idaho! #fmricaldwellrtt #fmridaho ...

Beautiful fresh produce straight from the garden of program director Dr. Portenier! Just another perk of living in Caldwell - a generous community with roots in agriculture whose people take care of one another, just like our residency. Thanks to Dr. Portenier for the brain food to help fuel residents before busy inpatient shifts! (Also popular with pups!) #Fmricaldwellrtt #caldwellidaho

Beautiful fresh produce straight from the garden of program director Dr. Portenier! Just another perk of living in Caldwell - a generous community with roots in agriculture whose people take care of one another, just like our residency. Thanks to Dr. Portenier for the brain food to help fuel residents before busy inpatient shifts! (Also popular with pups!) #Fmricaldwellrtt #caldwellidaho ...

Dr. Megan Sandman; I appreciated the Caldwell rural training track because of the autonomy afforded to me, while still having support when I needed it. It helped me grow to a point where I was both knowledgeable and confident in my skills, and made my transition to a full fledged attending smooth.

Dr. Megan Sandman; I appreciated the Caldwell rural training track because of the autonomy afforded to me, while still having support when I needed it. It helped me grow to a point where I was both knowledgeable and confident in my skills, and made my transition to a full fledged attending smooth. ...

Dr. Bill Brandenburg: What I like about Caldwell RTT:
FMRI Caldwell RTT gave me the training I needed to go to rural hospitals and practice a broad scope of care including pediatric, adult, obstetric, and critical care medicine.  Caldwell's unopposed residency gave me the freedom to move around the hospital and gain incite from many different specialty providers, nurses, and therapists. This allowed me to become a real full scope physician.

Dr. Bill Brandenburg: What I like about Caldwell RTT:
FMRI Caldwell RTT gave me the training I needed to go to rural hospitals and practice a broad scope of care including pediatric, adult, obstetric, and critical care medicine. Caldwell's unopposed residency gave me the freedom to move around the hospital and gain incite from many different specialty providers, nurses, and therapists. This allowed me to become a real full scope physician.
...

Community

"Caldwell Idaho" video banner cover image

Caldwell is the first town and western entrance to the magnificent and picturesque Treasure Valley and is located on the beautiful Boise River. The city is situated in an ideal location between he Owyhee mountain range to the southwest and the Sawtooth range to the East which provides  ample camping, hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities.

The County Fair and the Caldwell Night Rodeo, Buckaroo Breakfast and Cinco de Mayo, are just a few of the places and events celebrated by the City of Caldwell. Southwest Idaho is also well known for its whitewater rafting, multiple ski resorts, great hiking trails, mountain biking, and awesome camping and fishing locations.

Or try your luck panning for gold in Silver City, one of Idaho’s historic mining towns located just south of Caldwell.  In addition to being so close to the great outdoors, Caldwell is just 30 minutes west of Boise, which is Idaho’s capital and home to cultural events, shopping, entertainment, restaurants, the Boise philharmonic and a yearly Shakespeare Festival.

Applicants

APPLICATION PROCESS:

Applications are accepted via ERAS and interviews will be conducted virtually in 2023.

The Program Director, Assistant Program Director and Chief Resident will spend 30 minutes prior to your interview sharing the highlights of the program. Your scheduled interview will be one-on-one where you learn the specifics of the program, then we will end your interview with a virtual open forum with our current residents. The deadline for receiving applications with ERAS system is October 20, 2023, and the interviews will start October 30 to December 18, 2023.

We know that experiencing the community is important in selecting a residency program not just for you but those of you who have families. If you are in the area and want a tour, please contact Michelle Miller-Burgess and we will be happy to accommodate.

CRITERIA:

  • Only ERAS applications are accepted: applicant must contact their medical school.
  • International medical graduates must have a passing score on USMLE Step 1 and Step 2.
  • Applicant should not be more than two years out of medical school.
  • Three letters of recommendation are required. One must be a letter from a Family Medicine physician with whom you have worked.
  • International medical graduates must be fluent in both written and oral English.
  • For international medical graduates, please contact the Idaho State Board of Medicine to make sure your medical school is an approved school for licensure in Idaho, (208) 327-7000. If not approved, we cannot accept your application.

SALARY
R1 | $61,000.00
R2 | $63,500.00
R3 | $66,000.00

Resident Eligibility and Selection
View ACGME Family Leave Policy

Interview Dates:

  • October 30, 2023 (Monday)
  • November 2, 2023 (Thursday)
  • November 6, 2023 (Monday)
  • November 9, 2023 (Thursday)
  • November 13, 2023 (Monday)
  • November 16, 2023 (Thursday)
  • November 20, 2023 (Monday)
  • November 27, 2023 (Monday)
  • December 4, 2023 (Monday)
  • December 7, 2023 (Thursday)
  • December 11, 2023 (Monday)
  • December 14, 2023 (Thursday)
  • December 18, 2023 (Monday)
  • January 4, 2024 (Thursday)
  • January 8, 2024 (Monday)

Direct Inquiries: 

Photo of Michelle Miller-Burgess

Michelle Miller-Burgess
Caldwell FM Residency Program Coordinator
P: (208) 514-2500 x5416
MichelleMiller-Burgess@FullCircleIdaho.org
315 E Elm Street, Suite 201, Caldwell, ID 83605

Scholarly Activity

As our program grows, we will feature Caldwell specific publications and presentations within this section. You can view our recent publications and presentations organization-wide by clicking HERE.

Medical Students

For more information on clerkships and sub-internships please contact Michelle Miller-Burgess: MichelleMiller-Burgess@fullcircleidaho.org

Graduates

2022 Class

Ammon Roberts, DO

Caldwell RTT Program 2022

Medical School: Pacific Northwest University
Current Job: Primary Health Medical Group in Meridian, Idaho

Ashley Carvalho, MD

Caldwell RTT Program 2022

Medical School: Queen’s University Belfast
Current Job: HIV & Viral Hepatitis Fellowship at Full Circle Health in Boise, Idaho

Stephen Richardson, DO

Caldwell RTT Program 2022

Medical School: Western University of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific
Current Job: Legacy Medical Group Family Wellness in Vancouver, Washington

2021 Class

Peter Engdall, MD

Caldwell RTT 2021

Medical School: Oregon Health Science University
Current Job: Legacy Medical Group in Woodburn, Oregon

Travis Griffiths, MD

Caldwell RTT 2021

Medical School: University of Utah
Current Job: Sports Medicine Fellowship (2021-2022) at University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma

Tyler Starr, MD

Caldwell RTT 2021

Medical School: Ross University
Current Job: St. Luke’s Clinic – Family Medicine in Fruitland, Idaho

2020 Class

Pamela Anderson, DO

Caldwell RTT 2020

Medical School: Western University of Health Sciences
Current Job: Evergreen Family Medicine in Roseburg, Oregon

Eric Donahue, MD

Caldwell RTT 2020

Medical School: University of Washington School of Medicine
Current Job: Hospitalist & Extensivist at West Valley Medical Associates in Caldwell, ID
Medical Director of Comprehensive Health Partners of Idaho in Caldwell, ID

 

Jonathan Muretisch, DO

Caldwell RTT 2020

Medical School: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Pennsylvania
Current Job: St. Luke’s Clinic – Physician Center in Twin Falls, ID (Lifestyle Medicine)

 

2019 Class

Bill Brandenburg, MD

Caldwell Program Graduate 2019

Medical School: University of Colorado
Current Job: Hospitalist, St. Luke’s – Mountain Home, ID

Megan Sandmann, MD

Caldwell RTT Graduate 2019

Medical School: Albany Medical College
Current Job: Hospitalist, St. Luke’s – Mountain Home, ID

Ben Stockton, MD

Caldwell RTT Graduate 2019

Medical School: East Tennessee State University Quillen College of Medicine
Current Job: Outpatient & Inpatient Family Medicine – Sandpoint, ID

2018 Class

Jacob Smith, MD

Caldwell RTT Graduate 2018

Medical School: Ross University School of Medicine
Current Job: Outpatient focused family medicine in Meridian, Idaho

Kaleb Redden, DO

Caldwell RTT Graduate 2018

Medical School: Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine
Current Job: Sports Medicine – Boise, ID

2017 Class

Matthew Beal, MD

Caldwell RTT Graduate 2017

Med school: University of Colorado School of Medicine
Current job: Outpatient focused family medicine in Loveland, Colorado.

Michael Twomey, MD

Caldwell RTT Graduate 2017

Med school: Drexel University College of Medicine
Current job: Outpatient and inpatient family medicine in Emmett, ID

Laurisa Webster, MD

Caldwell RTT Graduate 2017

Med school: Ross University School of Medicine
Current job: Outpatient focused family medicine in Hayden Lake, ID (continuity clinic and urgent care)