SSM Health Monroe Hospital is celebrating the Class of 2026 graduates from its Family Medicine Residency, Pharmacy Residency and Emergency Medicine Fellowship programs.
These 11 physicians and pharmacists have successfully completed advanced training and are now beginning the next chapter of their professional careers. Several graduates will continue serving patients within SSM Health, while others will bring their expertise to communities across Wisconsin and the nation.
“Programs like ours are vital to the strengthening of the future of healthcare, especially in rural communities,” said Dr. Eli Burks, Family Medicine Residency Program Director at SSM Health Monroe Hospital. “Many of these graduates will continue serving patients in Wisconsin and throughout the Midwest to help address growing healthcare needs in our communities. We are confident they will make a meaningful impact to those they serve.”
Family Medicine Residency Graduates
Five physicians completed the Monroe Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program:
● Sara Kaczmarek, DO, will remain at SSM Health, joining the Verona outpatient center as a primary care provider when the building opens to the public in Fall 2026.
● John Manuel, DO, will begin his family medicine career in Columbus, Ohio, while his fiancée completes an anesthesiology fellowship at Ohio State University.
● Shane Nebeck, DO, is joining Oak Leaf — Pine Grove Family Medicine in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, where he will provide outpatient care for pediatric and adult patients.
● Dick Nye, DO, will continue with SSM Health Monroe Clinic Medical Group as a primary care provider, serving the rural community where his family has deep roots.
● Carmen Urso, MD, is also staying with SSM Health Monroe Clinic Medical Group as a primary care provider and looks forward to building her practice in the community she now calls home.
Pharmacy Residency Graduates
Four pharmacists were recognized for completing their residency training:
● Diego Benavides, PharmD, will continue his education through a PGY2 Ambulatory Care Residency at Northwestern University in Chicago.
● Cole Bertrand, PharmD, will continue his training through a PGY2 Ambulatory Care Residency with SSM Health Monroe Clinic Medical Group.
● Jaiden King, PharmD, is joining SSM Health Monroe Clinic Medical Group as a diabetes educator, helping patients manage chronic conditions and improve health outcomes.
● Alison DeVore, PharmD, a second-year pharmacy resident, will become an assistant professor at the University of Colorado School of Pharmacy while maintaining a primary care pharmacy practice with an affiliated clinic.
Emergency Medicine Fellowship Graduates
Three physicians completed the Emergency Medicine Fellowship Program:
● Elizabeth Baumgartner, MD, is relocating to west-central Wyoming to serve as a full-time emergency department physician with RiverPeak Health, a new community hospital affiliated with Billings Clinic.
● Kimberly Cachero, MD, plans to pursue a career in rural emergency medicine while continuing her passion for travel.
● AJ Schmalfuhs, MD, is returning to Iowa for a full-time emergency medicine position while continuing to provide occasional care across hospital systems in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa.
The Class of 2026 reflects SSM Health Monroe Hospital’s ongoing commitment to educating and developing highly skilled, compassionate health care professionals prepared to meet the evolving needs of patients and communities.
