PGY-1 Pediatric Residents – Spokane
Lara Khalil, MD
Education: BS in Biology, minor in neuroscience and chemistry
Medical School: Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine
Hometown: Ramallah, Palestine
Languages Spoken: Arabic, English
Hobbies: Reading, Being outside in nature, and spending time with family
Why did you decide to become a pediatrician or want to work with children? Being the oldest of six kids, it was second nature to me. Plus they are too adorable!
Lindsey Klein, DO
Education: BS in Biology from University of Washington-Bothell
Medical School: Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Kent, Washington
Languages Spoken: English
Hobbies: I enjoy spending time with my family and friends as much as possible. I am also an avid skier and golfer, but enjoy a quiet evening reading a book, playing games, or watching TV shows or movies.
Why did you decide to become a pediatrician or want to work with children? My interest in being a pediatrician was inspired in no small part by my own doctor growing up. He made a significant effort to build a relationship with me and my family. Not only that, but he always prioritized including me in discussions about my health and encouraged me to advocate for myself and ask questions. I look forward to building relationships with my patients and their families, as well as guiding them through the wide range of ailments that impact pediatric patients. I hope that I can follow in my pediatrician’s footsteps and empower my own patients from a young age to take charge of their healthcare and, hopefully, not see coming to the doctor as a scary experience.
Noelia Torres Resto, MD
Education: BA in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Doctor of Medicine (MD)
Medical School: University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus
Hometown: Cidra, Puerto Rico
Languages Spoken: English, Spanish, some French
Hobbies: Knitting, crocheting, drawing/painting, ceramics.
Why did you decide to become a pediatrician or want to work with children? My interest in pediatrics stems from a passion in child and adolescent psychiatry. Children view the world through a unique lens full of creativity and wonder that not only brings me immense joy but inspires me to protect and encourage these qualities in all of them. Working as a pediatrician allows me to do just that, whether through maintaining their physical well-being or serving as a trusted confidant and protector. Being a supportive figure for children fills me with hope, as I strive to positively influence future generations.
Anh Pham, DO
Education: Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
Medical School: Touro
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Languages Spoken: English, Vietnamese
Hobbies: Swimming, hiking, playing with my dog.
Why did you decide to become a pediatrician or want to work with children? I love working with children because they are very resilient. Working with their parents to provide the best care possible brings me a lot of joy. Children are resilient both physically and emotionally, and I like to see them recover from injury and illness. Pediatrics is the most hopeful field of medicine- our patients have great capacity to heal!
McKenna Smith, DO
Education: BA in Biology from Willamette University
Medical School: Pacific Northwest University
Hometown: Rifle, Colorado
Languages Spoken: English, some Spanish
Hobbies: My hobbies include baking, sewing clothes, gardening, and adding to my ever-growing collection of house plants. My fiancé and I love to make elaborate meals together and enjoy being outside as much as possible, year round!
Why did you decide to become a pediatrician or want to work with children? Children are incredibly resilient and positive, it brings me so much joy to work with them. I love teaching kids about the human body and working with parents to promote healthy habits. I am excited to form long-lasting relationships with my patients and their families, and watch them grow into amazing young adults over the course of my career.
Parvin Uddin, MD
Education: BA in Psychology from Florida International University
Medical School: American University of Antigua
Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Languages Spoken: English
Hobbies: I really enjoy weight lifting, baking, spending time with family, and traveling.
Why did you decide to become a pediatrician or want to work with children? I truly believe that the magic of children never fades, and I hold that magic close to my heart. I have a connection with the kids! I chose pediatrics because I find the energy and resilience of children inspiring. I also enjoy the unique challenges and rewards of caring for young patients during crucial stages of growth and development. Plus the fact that parents will always do what’s best for their children, whereas in adult medicine, there can be some challenges with compliance in patient care.