Meet the Residents

Emilyn Anderi
Undergraduate: University of Windsor
Medical School: Wayne State University
As a recent graduate of Wayne State University School of Medicine, Dr. Anderi is excited to be starting her career in Family Medicine here in Detroit! Growing up in Windsor, Ontario, the city of Detroit has always felt like a second home to her. She was drawn to family medicine as a specialty that allowed her to develop trusting relationships and support systems for her patients. She particularly loves working with entire families, and many of her most meaningful extracurricular adventures involve working with children and their family members to learn about healthier food choices, daily exercise, and emotional health. In her free time you can catch her camping, running, spending time with family and friends, or testing out tasty new recipes!

Celson Belton
Undergraduate: Oakland University
Medical School: Wayne State University
Dr. Belton decided to pursue family medicine because it pulled together many of his favorite elements of different core rotations during his third year of medical school. He specifically appreciated the ability to work with a diverse patient population and to create lasting, meaningful relationships with his patients. After undergrad, he completed a post-bach program at Wayne State and continued on at Wayne State for medical school. He completed his sub-internship month with the Henry Ford family medicine inpatient service (aka B6) and was impressed by the level of teamwork and dedication to the community that he saw there. During that time, he fell further in love with Detroit and felt committed to staying here for residency at Henry Ford. Outside of medicine, he enjoys watching gamers stream on twitch and youtube. He also loves to take advantage of the Detroit Institute of Arts, which is a beautiful place to soak up cultural experiences such as special art exhibits and performances, or to just sit and study. He has recently taken up a regular calisthenic workout program. While he largely grew up in Michigan, he was born in Alabama and is a die-hard University of Alabama fan. Roll Tide!

Arrice Bryant
Undergraduate: Yale University
Medical School: University of Michigan
Dr. Bryant is a native Detroiter who is passionate about helping others live their best lives. A proud graduate of Renaissance High School, she has dedicated her life to positively impacting the health of communities in Southeast Michigan. After graduating from Yale University, she served as an Americorps member with City Year Detroit. Next, she attended the University of Michigan where she graduated with her MD/MPH in Health Management and Policy. While there, she served as president of the Black Medical Association, a student representative on the Admissions Executive Committee, and served as a mentor to premedical students in various capacities. She was also selected for the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society and received multiple awards for her volunteering & mentorship efforts. In addition to mentoring, she enjoys spending time with her family, being an active member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., watching sports, working out and trying new restaurants. She is excited to join the Family Medicine residency at Henry Ford Hospital where she can serve her hometown and people of all ages, in sickness and in health. She also has clinical interests in integrative medicine and women’s health.

Eli Eisman
Undergraduate: Michigan State University
Medical School: Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Dr. Eisman was attracted to Family Medicine because it is a combination of all of his favorite parts of medicine: forming meaningful relationships with a variety of patients, being part of an interdisciplinary team, working in a variety of clinical settings, and conducting research at the forefront of primary care. He has been volunteering and working in Detroit for over 20 years, so continuing on for residency at Henry Ford was a natural choice. He is particularly interested in harnessing the healing potential of nature in support of health and wellness. He had the chance to explore that passion during a rotation with the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine, which inspired him to pursue future training in integrative and functional medicine. His long-term goal is to bring a wellness-oriented approach to caring for underserved populations emphasizing preventative medicine, nutrition, and the mind-body connection. In his downtime you can usually find him exploring the music scene in Detroit and throughout Michigan, supporting community agriculture (shout out to Eastern Market!), and trying to be outside as much as possible. Other fast facts: he is a member-owner of 6 food co-ops throughout Michigan, he has a PhD in Chemical Biology, and he was a touring musician with an Americana band!

Manpreet Mahal
Undergraduate: Wayne State University
Medical School: American University of the Caribbean
Dr. Mahal is a proud metro-Detroiter who is excited to be learning family medicine in the heart of Detroit. She completed medical school at a beautiful Caribbean island called Sint Marteen. Her training was unfortunately interrupted by Hurricane Irma but she didn’t let this stop her. She is drawn to family medicine because of the opportunity to build long lasting and meaningful relationships with patients. She is also passionate about addressing health disparities which she has witnessed throughout her education-- including while volunteering at the Woodbridge Community Center in undergrad and rotating in a safety net hospital in New York. The love of community health, social awareness, and building relationships is what drew her to Henry Ford. During her free time, dancing, working out, hiking, and most importantly cooking.

Symone Martin
Undergraduate: University of Michigan
Medical School: University of Michigan
Dr. Martin was drawn to Family Medicine because of the opportunity to connect with people and provide patient-centered care in a way that embraces cultural humility and a holistic approach. As a woman of color who was born and raised in the metro-Detroit area, she is passionate about working towards health equity in underserved communities and is thrilled to be doing her residency in Detroit. During medical school, she mentored underrepresented minorities in medicine and spent most of her extra-curricular time participating in different pipeline programs associated with the Black Medical Association. Her most meaningful clinical experiences during medical school include delivering her first baby during her OB/GYN rotation, completing health disparities electives in Detroit and Ypsilanti, and Family Medicine (of course!). In her free time, you will probably find her at home watching movies with her fiancé, Cameron, and their puppy, Chip, or cooking/baking new recipes.

Colt Moran
Undergraduate: Wayne State University
Medical School: Wayne State University
Dr. Moran decided to pursue family medicine because of the opportunity to form longitudinal and meaningful relationships with patients as well as the ability to practice with a broad scope and treat a wide variety of conditions. He fell in love with Detroit when he moved here after highschool to start undergraduate studies at Wayne State and he looks forward to the opportunity to continue his journey during residency at Henry Ford. He is passionate about working with underserved communities and spent his first two years of medical school working with and being part of the board for the Student Run Free Clinic, which is a fully functional primary care clinic that provides free care to uninsured people of Metro Detroit. Outside of medicine, he loves to spend time with his wife and family, play pretty much any game: golf, rec sports, video games and board games!

Kaitlyn Perkins
Undergraduate: Kalamazoo College
Medical School: Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Dr. Perkins was drawn to family medicine because of the long-term relationships that she gets to build with her patients and the variety of clinical experiences that one can have. She chose Henry Ford for residency in large part because she fell in love with Detroit during medical school and did not want to leave. Her family and partner are also in the area so that was an extra bonus. She is passionate about nutrition and women’s health. While in medical school she worked as a nutrition education coordinator for a community outreach program. She also served as the president of the American Medical Women’s Association and worked at a family planning clinic. When not in the clinic, you might find her practicing yoga or aerial acrobatics, which she has been doing since undergrad. She also loves cooking, trying new restaurants, spending time with friends and family, and hanging out with her cat named Sam.

Nour Alkhoudr
Undergraduate: The University of Michigan Dearborn
Medical School: American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine
Dr Alkoudr has been committed to community service and giving back to others for her entire life. Her experience growing up in an immigrant and non-english speaking family allowed her to deeply understand the power of the doctor-patient relationship, regardless of language barriers. Serving as her uncle's translator as he navigated his own chronic medical illness was incredibly impactful for her. In spite of her own family struggles, in 2015 she founded a service based organization called Detroit’s Helping Hand which helps to distribute personal hygiene and other essential goods to those experiencing homelessness. She continued volunteering throughout medical school including helping with relief efforts following hurricane Irma and tutoring K-12 students, all while maintaining her organization in Metro Detroit. She is also committed to fitness and works as a personal trainer. She uses her knowledge of health and fitness to empower women to live their healthiest lives.

Keyunna Austin
Undergraduate: Michigan State University
Medical School: Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Dr Austin has had many formative experiences that have guided her to family medicine. Most notable was helping her own grandmother navigate the medical system and seeing the transformative relationship that the doctor-patient relationship can provide. She comes to medicine with a varied and diverse work background. Prior to pursuing medicine, she had a career as a medical researcher at Henry Ford and also worked at the FBI as a forensic biologist. While in medical school, she volunteered with Detroit Street Medicine and also served as a peer mentor. She is particularly interested in working with patients with substance use disorder. She has overcome many obstacles on her path to medicine and takes great pride in her personal resilience. The skills and experiences that she gained in her previous career and her various volunteer efforts during medical school have helped her become a hardworking and empathetic physician. She is excited to start with Henry Ford FM residency and serve the Detroit community. When not in the clinic or hospital, you might find her exploring wineries and cooking delicious food.

James Blumline
Undergraduate: Oakland University
Medical School: Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine
Dr Blumline is drawn to family medicine because of the ability to forge lifelong relationships with patients while simultaneously building community. He is passionate about promoting health equity and served as a board member on the OUWB Diversity, Equity and Inclusion council. He has various volunteer experiences including participating in direct COVID relief actions, education and mentoring in K-12 schools, and conservation efforts with the Detroit Zoo. He has also published numerous research papers and is particularly interested in the application of point of care ultrasound in the clinical setting. He comes to residency holding numerous honors including the Oakland University Presidential Scholarship. Outside of medicine, he enjoys reading fantasy novels, playing board games, and hiking the national parks (not always all at the same time).

Jessica Gable
Undergraduate: Hope College Holland, MI
Medical School: Wayne State University School of Medicine
Dr Gable has been drawn to primary care and reproductive health throughout her medical training. She cares deeply about establishing long term therapeutic relationships with her patients and understands the importance of this connection to overall health. In addition to the rigorous studies of her first and second year of medical school she worked as the director of operations for Street Medicine Detroit, an organization which provides medical services to Detroiters experiencing homelessness. Through this work she was pushed to think critically and balance a large workload. Outside of medicine, she enjoys spending time with her husband and son. She also enjoys cooking, traveling, and staying active.

Abbey McKee-Boyes
Undergraduate: Oakland University
Medical School: Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Dr McKee-Boyes wants to become a family medicine physician, not only to provide excellent direct patient care, but also to enact change on a larger scale by combating social and health care disparities. Her experiences working with the Detroit Street Medicine team were most impactful in highlighting those disparities. Through these experiences, she also saw the very meaningful impact that physicians (and specifically family medicine physicians) can have on the most vulnerable patients. While in medical school she also served as the Vice President for the Detroit chapter of the American Medical Women's Association, which strengthened her leadership skills and highlighted the importance of advocacy to enact system-wide change. She is passionate about reproductive health care and equitable care for those in the LGBTQ community. She is looking forward to creating lasting and impactful relationships with her patients. When not studying or in the clinic she is an avid supporter of the Detroit City Football Club and also enjoys baking. Ask her about her favorite recipes from 2021 - she baked one new recipe every week for the entire year!

Zachary Morgan
Undergraduate: Washington University in St. Louis
Medical School: Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Dr Morgan was drawn to family medicine because of the ability to form meaningful relationships with patients with the hope that this will allow him to make a positive impact on their lives. It also allows him to integrate all of the different aspects of medicine that he enjoys. He had impactful experiences during his time volunteering with the Detroit Street Medicine program during medical school and learned alot about the importance of compassionate care while he was a personal care attendant for his dear friend with a progressive debilitating illness. He also thoroughly enjoyed working as an anatomy T.A. and helping his fellow classmates with this rigorous class. Outside of medicine you may catch him singing semi-professionally around town. He is a passionate singer and leads a singing group called City Lights Chorus.

Danielle Purtell
Undergraduate: University of Michigan Ann Arbor
Medical School: Tulane University School of Medicine
Dr. Purtell is excited to become a family medicine doctor in Michigan. She comes to residency with a wealth of work and volunteer experiences including being a personal care attendant for elderly and disabled individuals for the past 9 years, serving as a student board member on the Louisiana AFP, tutoring students, and authoring a book about medical school applications and MCAT prep. Perhaps her most impactful experience however was in the role of patient as she struggled with and overcame her own chronic health issues during medical school. These experiences have made her a caring and empathetic doctor who deeply understands the power of the patient-physician relationship. Other fun facts about Dr Purtell include that she placed 6th at the 2021 Miss North America contest, top 20 at Miss Earth USA 2022, and is a former teen Miss Michigan. She also raises chickens and has 2 amazing pitbulls.

Darion Twitty
Undergraduate: University of Michigan
Medical School: Wayne State University School of Medicine
Dr Twitty is passionate about caring for underserved patients. He is proud to be the first in his family to complete undergrad and pursue a career in medicine. He is also proud to bring his identity to his practice as a doctor and hopes that he may inspire others to follow his path. He has numerous and varied volunteer experiences including being an HIV screener in the ER, helping with home renovation projects for imigrant mothers, free grocery delivery, and safer sex education at the Motor City Pride Festival. He has experience working as a phlebotomist and also participated in an 8-week intensive research program where he served as a research assistant in toxicology. His diverse personal and volunteer experiences have led him to family medicine, where he is excited to create lasting and meaningful relationships with his patients. Outside of medicine he enjoys classical music and excels at playing the violin.

Jennifer Byk
Undergraduate: University of Michigan Dearborn
Medical School: Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Detroit has been home to Dr. Byk since the beginning. She grew up on the west side of the city and is excited to remain here for residency, working in her community to focus on decreasing the negative impacts of the current socio-political infrastructure on health. Given this, she is passionate about enacting change at the state level, working with the regional chapter of the American Medical Association to help reform Michigan state policies, including working on defining regulations to prevent the unwarranted removal of homeless encampments. She is passionate about caring for our unhoused community members, as well as those otherwise left out of traditional healthcare avenues. Dr. Byk likes to roller skate, craft in her free time, and has a great taste in music!

Lauren Gaston-Hawkins
Undergraduate: Yale University
Medical School: University of Michigan
Dr. Gaston-Hawkins knows that strength lies in diversity and is excited to continue to cultivate a culture of equity and inclusion here at Henry Ford. She has served as a panelist at multiple conferences, where she discussed making medical training anti-racist and sustaining diversity through the act of mentorship and advising. She herself has served as an advisor- working as a peer support advocate throughout her time at University of Michigan medical school, and volunteering with Doctors of Tomorrow, mentoring a high school student from nearby Cass Technical High School here in Detroit. She is passionate about women’s health, and was awarded a fellowship through the Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Training Program to assess cervical cancer knowledge among women in India. Dr. Gaston-Hawkins loves expressing herself through dance and is an avid reader. Ask her what book she’s reading now!

Dr. Gupta is excited to pursue a career in family medicine to help his patients navigate the complicated health care system, where they may feel like outsiders. He is passionate about preventative health care- volunteering with a plant-based nutrition group and with the FreshRx program, which works to get fresh fruits and vegetables to community members in Detroit. A born leader, Dr. Gupta served as Wayne State medical school's class president for four years, working to ensure their education ran smoothly during the changing landscape of the COVID pandemic. Dr. Gupta is ready for the challenges of being a family medicine physician, and keeps his own family at the core of his reasons for pursing this career. Dr. Gupta is a fan of learning as much as he can about astronomy, science, philosophy, and different religions and their role in society. Dr. Gupta is a true life-long learner and excited to share this with his patients.

Marwa Harp
Undergraduate: Harvard University
Medical School: Wayne State University
Dr. Harp’s love of family medicine is rooted in community. She previously worked in the nonprofit sector and learned the importance of bringing people together. She is excited to continue the practice of making meaningful connections as a family medicine physician here at Henry Ford. She is passionate about women’s health and uses her free time to focus on giving back to those around her through volunteering and mentoring students who hope to go into medicine. Through her work at the Detroit Trauma Project during her time at Wayne State SOM, she worked with members of the Detroit community to understand how traumatic events influence our lives. She loves music, enjoys outdoor activities like hiking, and is definitely the person you should go to for coffee tips and tricks.

Kaitlyn Keffler
Undergraduate: University of Notre Dame
Medical School: Rush Medical College
One thing Dr. Keffler can’t wait for throughout her career as a family medicine physician is forming foundational relationships with her patients. She has seen the importance of these relationships during her time working with Operation Safety Net, a nonprofit that provides outreach services and medical care to people experiencing homelessness. Dr. Keffler has also seen the importance of strong relationships with her peers- regularly volunteering in peer tutoring spaces, restorative justice circles, and serving as a supervisor in her school’s street medicine chapter. She is excited to continue her passions for working with the unhoused here in Detroit. Dr. Keffler loves cross stitching, a good episode of TV, and has almost definitely seen more roadside attractions than you. Trip to the World’s Largest Ball of Twine anyone?

Julie Ngo
Undergraduate: University of California Davis
Medical School: Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Being an advocate for her patients is one of the things Dr. Ngo is most looking forward to as a family physician. She has played this role many times, helping to translate and navigate the healthcare system for her family. Dr. Ngo is also mindful of how trauma can affect our relationship with the world we move through, and uses trauma informed care to help patients connect with the healthcare system as a whole. She utilized these skills obtaining a certificate for Leadership in Medicine for the Underserved, working at a substance use rehabilitation facility providing primary care services. Dr. Ngo also served as president of the VN CARES free clinic, a student run clinic focusing on providing much needed cancer screenings to the surrounding underserved Vietnamese population in California. Most recently, she has worked with the American Academy of Family Physicians to assist with creating curriculum guidelines for adolescent health. Outside of the hospital, Dr. Ngo loves hanging out with her adorable puppy Luna, bakes up a storm, and is always ready to hear your restaurant recommendations.

An Nguyen
Undergraduate: Xavier University
Medical School: Tulane University
Dr. Nguyen, a first-generation medical student, has always known that he wants to serve his community; through diverse clinical experiences and patient interactions he found family medicine as his vocation. He is driven to enhance primary care by incorporating his MBA background and knowledge of artificial intelligence to improve healthcare delivery and patient outcomes. Dr. Nguyen’s journey has included significant community service, including creating teen mentorship programs, teaching at local churches, and fundraising for local food drives. He also spent two months in Alaska providing comprehensive full-scope rural family medicine to 15 Native tribal villages, deepening his understanding of medical injustice and barriers to care. Dr. Nguyen also has a passion for research and earned the DeBakey Scholar award. Beyond medicine, he is a culinary enthusiast, jam skater, weightlifter, and LEGO creator.

Angelina Palacios
Undergraduate: University of Michigan
Medical School: Wayne State University
Dr. Palacios has always been drawn to working in Detroit and is excited to give back to her community while working here at Henry Ford. A native Spanish speaker, Dr. Palacios knows how important it is for her patients to feel included and connected to their own wellness, and is excited to help translate the complicated language of healthcare for all her patients. She has already begun giving back to her community, working as a member of Wayne State Aesculapians, an honor society which works through service projects to give back to the city of Detroit. She served as the president of the Latino Medical Student Association, and set up monthly after school medical interest groups at a local high school in the neighborhood she grew up in. She is excited to continue giving back, now as a physician. Dr. Palacios loves to walk along the Detroit River and absorb all the diversity and culture her city has to offer.