Class of 2027, Third-Year Residents
Medical School: Saint James School of Medicine
Medical School: Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Medical School: St. George's University
Other Education: Currently finishing up my Master of Public Health
I chose Family Medicine because it offers the opportunity to provide comprehensive, patient-centered care across every stage of life. I value the breadth of the specialty, which combines preventive care, chronic disease management, acute care, and health promotion while allowing physicians to care for the whole person rather than a single condition.
I chose Fort Smith for residency because of its diverse patient population, broad clinical exposure, and strong emphasis on hands-on training. The community offers the opportunity to care for patients with a wide range of medical conditions and socioeconomic backgrounds, allowing residents to develop confidence, adaptability, and clinical autonomy.
Clinical interests: My clinical interests include hospice and palliative care, inpatient medicine, chronic disease management, and preventive care. I am particularly interested in helping patients and their families navigate serious illnesses through compassionate communication, symptom management, and shared decision-making.
Outside of medicine: I enjoy spending time with family and friends, exploring new coffee shops and restaurants, and traveling whenever I have the opportunity. I am also passionate about animal welfare and volunteer my time caring for and assisting stray and abandoned animals through local rescue efforts.
Medical School: Saint James School of Medicine
Medical School: St. George's University -School of Medicine
Medical School: Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine
Medical School: Dow International Medical College
Medical School: Dayanand Medical College
Medical School: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
I am originally from Siloam Springs, AR. I hold a Bachelor’s in History from the University of Arkansas, a Master’s in History & Philosophy of Science from the University of Cambridge, and a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. When not working, I enjoy exercising, bird watching, and spending time with my wife, Alexis, and our two dogs, Vinny and Rue.
Class of 2028, Second-Year Residents
Medical School: Birat Medical College, Nepal
I was born and raised in Nepal and completed my medical school there. I am a nature loving person and enjoy traveling. I love hiking, trekking, and photography. I believe preventive medicine is the strongest pillar of the healthcare system, which is why I chose family medicine as my career. The beauty of family medicine is that I can take care of all ages, from the grandson to the grandfather.
Medical School: Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine
My name is Karman Biggs and I am proud to call Fort Smith my hometown. I graduate from Northside High School in 2008 and spent several years gaining experience in a variety of roles right here in the community. In 2014, I took a leap toward my long-term goals by enrolling in the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith while working full time. I graduated in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. I then went on to earn a Masters of Science in Biomedicine and ultimately my Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine from ACOM.
Beyond my academic and professional pursuits, I cherish quality time with my family and friends. I'm especially proud to be a co-guardian and aunt of my 15-year old niece as well as a devoted cat-mom to two of the most pampered felines around. One of my beloved traditions is our annual float tripe with friends and family, which commonly take us down the Elk, Illinois, and Buffalo rivers, though the cats prefer to stay home for that one!
Medical School: Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine
I enjoy free time with family playing board games. I am passionate about serving the underserved and addicted population.
Medical School: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
I am originally from Dumas, Arkansas. I completed my undergraduate degree from Rice University in Houston, Texas and my medical degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. I am passionate about rural medicine and plan to return to my hometown to practice full-scope family medicine after I complete my training.
Medical School: Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine
I grew up in Aransas Pass, Texas and stayed close to home for college. After spending the last 4 years in Arkansas for medical school, I now consider this my home away from home. I look forward to spending the next few years of residency training serving patients in the River Valley.
Medical School: Dow International Medical College
I was raised in a small town in the central valley of California. For medical school, I switched it up and went to Karachi, Pakistan, with a population of 28 million.
In my free time, I like staying active by going to the gym or playing sports like basketball or tennis. When I am not doing physical activity, I like exploring new places with my wife.
Medical School: Dow International Medical College
I was born and raised in a New Jersey. I completed my training at Dow International Medical College.
Outside of medicine, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, trying out new coffee shops, and exploring new places with my husband.
Medical School: Dow International Medical College
In my free time outside of medicine, I love staying active - whether it's hiking around Fort Smith, playing volleyball, exploring new places, or chasing after my two cats, Kawhi and LeBron. I'm especially interested in preventive medicine and lifestyle interventions that promote long-term health. I aim to apply the same principles in my own life as I do in patient care.
Class of 2029, First-Year Residents
Hometown: Pakistan
Medical School: Islamabad, Pakistan
I chose Family Medicine because I value the opportunity to build long-term relationships with patients. I enjoy the broad scope of practice and the ability to manage diverse clinical cases while focusing on preventative health and patient-centered care.
I chose this area because of its welcoming community and the wide variety of medical cases, which provides an ideal environment for my residency training.
Clinical interests: Primary care, inpatient medicine and preventive medicine.
Outside of medicine: I enjoy spending quality time with my family, discovering local coffee shops and parks, and experimenting with new recipes while cooking with my husband.
Hometown: Hyderabad, India
Medical School: India
Other Education: M.B.B.S
I chose family medicine because I love the full breadth of medicine, outpatient, inpatient and OB. It's the only specialty where I can do all. I also want continuity with my patients. I don't want to see someone once and never again; I want to be the doctor who actually knows them.
Honestly, Fort Smith just fits. The family docs here actually do everything, hospital, clinic, OB, and that's the kind of doctor I want to be, so it makes sense to train here. And I like the town itself. It's quiet, easy to live in, but if I ever want a big city it's not far. I could see myself being happy here.
Clinical interests: I really like OB, outpatient, and inpatient medicine, that's honestly why I like family medicine. Past that, I don't know yet, and I'm okay with that. I'm hoping residency helps me figure out what I lean toward.
Outside of medicine: I practice yoga and enjoy long walks around lakes, good food, and quality time with friends and family.
Hometown: Shivamogga, Karnataka, India
Medical School: Mysore Medical College and Research Institute
Medicine took me from a small town in India to Fort Smith, Arkansas, and Family Medicine gave me the opportunity to care for people while getting to know the stories that shape them. I'm passionate about learning, exploring the world, and understanding the science and stories hidden in the things around me.
Clinical interests: Comprehensive outpatient care, lifestyle medicine, and caring for older adults.
Outside of medicine: You'll usually find me hiking, discovering new places, listening to music, or enjoying good food and even better conversation.
Hometown: Karachi, Pakistan
Medical School: Dow International Medical College
Other Education: MBBS
I chose Family Medicine because of its versatility. It will prepare me to handle a wide range of pathologies in different settings across all age groups. I also enjoy procedures, and Family Medicine gives me exposure to do that.
I chose UAMS Fort Smith for its unopposed rural training and the opportunity to care for very critically ill, underserved patients with limited access to healthcare.
Clinical interests: Urgent care, Emergency Medicine, Pediatrics and Sports Medicine.
Outside of medicine: I'm a sports enthusiast who loves getting creative through painting, photography, interior design, and experimenting in the kitchen. I'm always exploring new skills, and filmmaking is next on my list!
Hometown: Lagos, Nigeria
Medical School: Igbinedion University Okada, Nigeria
Other Education: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
Family medicine reflects the kind of physician I aspire to be. It allows me to apply broad medical knowledge across patients at all stages of life.
It aligns with my passion for practice within underserved communities and affords me the opportunity to stay close to my family.
Clinical interests: Emergency Medicine, In-patient Medicine and Obstetrics.
Outside of medicine: Fitness, exploring cuisines, movies.
Hometown: Kirkuk, Iraq
Medical School: Al-Nahrain College of Medicine in Baghdad, Iraq
I chose Family Medicine because I am a communication-driven person who enjoys building long-term relationships with patients. I am passionate about preventive medicine and believe that through education, early intervention, and evidence-based care, we can help patients avoid many preventable complications.
I chose this community because of its welcoming atmosphere, diverse patient population, and supportive learning environment.
Clinical interests: My clinical interests include procedural skills, preventive medicine, women's health and evidence-based primary care.
Outside of medicine: I enjoy hiking, traveling, exploring new places in nature, paragliding and cooking. Most of all, I cherish spending quality time with my husband and our kids.
Hometown: Lahore, Pakistan
Medical School: Gujranwala Medical College
Other Education: MBBS
I chose Family Medicine so I can answer all of the health related questions during family gatherings, otherwise they will say you are not the "real" doctor.
This community involves an underserved population as well, which fulfills my area of interest to navigate through health care dynamics according to the biopsychosocial model.
Clinical interests: Hospital Medicine.
Outside of medicine: Movies, philosophy, literature, hiking.
Hometown: Karachi, Pakistan
Medical School: Jinnah Sindh Medical University
Family Medicine perfectly combines the complex, detective nature of internal medicine with the joy of longitudinal care across all age groups. This diverse patient population naturally brings varied clinical conditions, keeping the work deeply engaging every single day. For me, the true reward lies in building deep, lasting roots and becoming an integral part of the community I serve.
I had many old friends, extended family and people from my hometown settled here. The residents and program faculty always spoke highly of supporting each other throughout and hence I knew this is where I wanted to train.
Clinical interests: OB and urgent care.
Outside of medicine: Reading. I was part of 2 book clubs in my hometown and actively keep up with all the chatter about my favourite books! I love reading analysis on my favorite themes from a volume and engaging in discussions online. Other than that, I love replicating K-pop dances in my free time.
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Medical School: Dow International Medical College
I chose family medicine because I value building lasting relationships with patients and providing compassionate, comprehensive care throughout every stage of life.
I chose the River Valley because of its strong sense of community and the opportunity to serve a diverse population while building meaningful, long term relationships with patients.
Clinical interests: My clinical interests include pediatrics, preventive care, and women's health.
Outside of medicine: I enjoy horseback riding, writing poetry, and traveling. These activities allow me to unwind and stay inspired.