Our Residents
Chief Residents
3rd Year Chief Residents
Heather Gosnell, DO
VA Continuity Clinic Chief Resident
Hi! I’m Heather, and I’m honored and excited to be the chief resident of the VA Primary Care Clinics this year. I grew up in a suburb of Cleveland, OH before attending the University of Kentucky for undergrad (Go Cats!). I ended up moving to Florida for medical school at LECOM Bradenton. After pursing my clinical rotations in the Tampa Bay area and throughout my interview trail, I fell in love with USF’s culture and sense of community among residents, in addition to the exceptional clinical experiences. Residency is challenging no matter where you go, but to me, having a great support system is important to enjoy the journey and experience! Academically, I will be pursuing a PGY-4 chief year in Outpatient Quality Improvement and Patient Safety and applying to GI fellowship next year. I’m also passionate about academic medicine and the rewarding nature of seeing my colleagues grow in their professional lives through teaching, mentorship, and curriculum development. In my personal life, I love hanging out with my co-residents turned closest friends, dancing to live music, traveling, curling up with a good book, and exploring new restaurants in the Tampa area.
Lisa Hayes, MD
Simulation Chief Resident
My name is Lisa Hayes, and I grew up on the east coast of south Florida. I went away to college at the University of Central Florida in Orlando where I received my bachelor’s in biomedical sciences. Following my passion for medicine, I started medical school at the University South Florida (USF) in Tampa. I fell in love with the program and the area and decided to continue my training at USF for residency! I am passionate about pulmonary and critical care and am pursing fellowship this year. Alongside my clinical responsibilities, I'm deeply engaged in medical education initiatives and have an interest in quality improvement. Outside of medicine, I love watersports, traveling and anything adventurous!
Himara Koelmeyer, MD
Tampa General Hospital Chief Resident
Hi!! My name is Himara and I am from Rome, Georgia. I went to the University of Georgia for undergrad and Mercer University SOM for medical school. My husband and I coupled matched in Tampa for residency and we love it here! We love Georgia football (Go Dawgs!!!) and our 4 pets (George, Nala, Kirby, and Minka). We are big foodies and love the food scene in Tampa, and also love being outside where we kayak, walk on bayshore, bike, and beach! After residency, I am excited to be pursuing a fellowship in Cardiology. I have loved being a resident at USF because many of my co-residents have become my friends. I am passionate about resident education and wellness, and am honored and excited to serve as the Tampa General Hospital Chief Resident this year!
Andrew Lazo, MD
Healthpark/Morsani Chief Resident
I’m Andrew but most people just call me Lazo. I was born in Miami, and moved to New Jersey soon after where I grew up. I attended Florida State University (GO Noles!!) and completed my medical school training in New Jersey at Cooper. There, I made a close friend whom introduced me to Tampa where I quickly fell in love. It's a beautiful city with sunny weather, on the water, combined with a program that thrives in academic excellence. Here at USF, everyone is willing to teach and help each other strive to be the best we can be. I am passionate about education, physiology, and resident wellness. It has been my dream to not only serve the community via providing high quality care, but to help craft future physicians as they pursue training. I am honored and so excited to serve as chief resident for Morsani/Healthpark clinic. Outside of medicine, I enjoy exercising, gaming on my custom pc, cars, and eating all types of cuisines.
Vincent Sachs, DO
Moffitt Chief Resident
Hi Everyone! My name is Vince and I was born and raised in Fort Myers, Florida. I went to the University of Florida for undergrad then up to Spartanburg, South Carolina to attend VCOM for medical school. My wife and I welcomed a baby girl, Abigail, in January 2024. In our free time, we enjoy watching college football (Go Gators, Go Bulls), going out on the water, and hanging out with our lab, Maggie. After residency, I look forward to pursuing a Cardiology Fellowship. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at USF and love working with my co-residents. I am honored to serve you all as one of the 3rd year chiefs! Please feel free to reach out for help regarding any general advice, academic interests, or research topics.
Zachary Wettenstein, MD
VA Subspecialty Chief Resident
Hello all, my name is Zach Wettenstein! I was born in Houston, Texas, but I grew up in California, outside of LA, and Florida, on the Treasure Coast north of West Palm Beach. I went to the University of Florida for undergrad then took a few years off prior to medical school, working as an EMT and traveling the world. Ultimately, I ended up attending medical school close to home at FAU in Boca Raton. I am passionate about both mentorship and medical education, having taken a more nontraditional route to medical school myself, and I encourage all to embrace their own journey as these experiences make us who we are and shape who we become as physicians. Currently, I enjoy cooking and any outdoor activity on my time off. I recently applied for Cardiology Fellowship and look forward to hopefully starting this new chapter in the upcoming year. I have loved my time in Tampa with USF thus far and couldn't imagine a better group of co-residents. I tend to be an open book and am happy to answer any questions or provide any advice I can. I am looking forward to being one of your 3rd year chiefs and am here to support all of you!
4th Year Chief Residents
Niharika Baviriseaty, MD
VA Outpatient Chief Resident Quality & Safety
My name is Niha and I am the VA ambulatory CRQS chief resident. I was born in India and raised in Orlando. I have been at USF since undergraduate and am grateful for the opportunity to have done residency here. I am interested in cardiology with a focus on QI projects in this field. In my free time, I enjoy gardening, hiking, spending time with my bunny, friends, and family. If any of you have questions or interested in QI, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Claire Stowers, MD
VA Inpatient Chief Resident Quality & Safety
I was born in Lander, Wyoming and moved to Gainesville, Florida for about 3 years before growing up mostly in Loveland, Colorado. I went to college at the University of Wyoming where I studied physiology, and went on to get my Master's in Biomedical Sciences at Colorado State University. I developed a love of teaching and stayed to become a graduate teaching assistant in Human Anatomy before applying to medical school. With a dream and a prayer, I headed on down south for medical school to Louisiana State University in Shreveport, a town I had never heard of but absolutely loved and would change my life forever. I met my husband Lane who was stationed at Barksdale AFB, and decided the south was my new home. Drawn to the wonderful people and great opportunities, I excitedly matched at USF for residency and have had the most incredible experience. I am so thrilled to be your Chief in Quality and Safety, and look forward to helping you learn, grow, and excel during your time here. After this year, I look forward to pursuing a career in Cardiology where I will continue my love of teaching, research, and quality patient care.
Ruhi Vasavada, MD
VA Inpatient Chief Resident Quality & Safety
Hello everyone! I was born and raised in Maryland. After graduating college and getting my masters in Biotechnology, I worked at the National Institutes of Health before applying to medical school. I eventually made my way to Florida for medical school at the University of Central Florida and remained in Florida for residency training at USF. I stayed on as a 4th year chief resident because I am passionate about quality improvement. I look forward to implementing systems improvement to facilitate better care for our veterans. When I’m not in the hospital, you’ll find me enjoying time with my family, walking on Bayshore and making as many travel plans as possible.
Tiana Dodd, DO
VA Inpatient Academic & Research Chief
I was born in the beautiful island of Jamaica and moved to Long Island, New York at 10 years old. I left New York for the sunshine state to attend the University of Tampa for Pre-Medical Biology. I completed a master's degree at the University South Florida Health Morsani College of Medicine and then attended Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine in Davie, Florida. I happily returned to Tampa, FL where I completed Internal Medicine residency at USF Health Morsani COM. I am married to a retired Airman, and we have two children, Joshua and Abigail. Prior to my medical career I worked as a Training Instructor for the Department of Navy while living in Naples, Italy, and I also taught middle, high school and college level Biology. I enjoy tap, jazz, and ballroom dancing. I love live shows, I like listening to live orchestras and creating new memories with my family and friends. I am looking forward to being the 2024-2025 Academic and Research PGY-4 Chief. My next career step will be into the Cardiovascular Disease fellowship program.
Rafael Rivera Sepulveda, MD
VA Interprofessional Chief Resident in Clinical Simulation
Hola! My name is Rafael Rivera Sepúlveda, and I was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. I attended college at the University of Puerto Rico. Afterward, I completed medical school at Universidad Central del Caribe (UCC) in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. I was thrilled to have matched at USF Internal Medicine, where the exposure to diverse patient populations, strong resident camaraderie, program flexibility, and an outstanding learning environment made it an unforgettable experience. Tampa’s vibrant community, diverse culture, and wide variety of cuisine options have made my experience even more enriching. During the 2023-2024 academic year, I had the privilege of serving as the Chief Resident for the Healthpark and Morsani clinics, a role that allowed me to contribute significantly to our residency program. I am excited to continue my involvement through clinical simulation at the James A. Haley VA. My professional interests include pursuing a career in Gastroenterology and advancing medical education. Outside of medicine, I enjoy sports, traveling, cars, video games, and spending quality time with friends and family.
Ashley Perry, MD
TGH QI Chief
Hello! My name is Ashley Perry. I was born in Rhode Island and raised in Connecticut. I attended college at Northeastern University in Boston, MA where I studied behavioral neuroscience. I worked for several years as a clinical trials coordinator in oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital before applying to medical school. I then moved across the country to Florida to attend medical school at the University of South Florida. I was fortunate to match at the University of South Florida for residency as well where I completed my resident in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. I am excited for the opportunity to complete a year of training in quality improvement and patient safety at Tampa General Hospital this year. I am thrilled to participate in improving the care for our patients at Tampa General Hospital. Ultimately, I plan to become a hospitalist and continue to participate in quality improvement and patient safety initiatives. Outside the hospital, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, hiking, kayaking, and trying new things.