April Butler is a graduate of the University of Louisville School of Medicine and is currently a chief resident at UC San Diego, where she completed her residency in Internal Medicine/Pediatrics. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, playing golf, and ice cream.

“Keeping patient dignity and humanity at the center of care and forming partnerships with patients and their families anchored me during my residency, and I want to continue to be a part of a field that provides personalized, patient-centered care. I am excited to become a part of a multidisciplinary team with the goal that embodies medicine to me: doing what is best for the patient.”

Errica Capossela attended the Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed a residency in Pediatrics at Cohen Children’s Medical Center at Northwell Health. She is currently a fellow in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine at UC San Diego and Rady Children’s. Her hobbies include snowboarding, yoga, baking, and knitting.

“I recognize now more than ever how we as a medical community need more physicians trained in palliative care, especially in pediatrics. To this day, functioning in a palliative care role is one of the few positions in which I have been struck with the sense that I am doing what I am supposed to be doing.”

Zachary Fica earned an MD from the University of Utah and is currently a chief resident in Emergency Medicine at UC San Diego. He enjoys birding, triathlons, and games like Dungeons and Dragons.

“As a physician, the most rewarding part of my job is when I can help people in their lowest and most vulnerable moments. Sometimes, that means using knowledge and technical skills to cure their disease or manage their symptoms. But most often, helping people means being a compassionate caretaker who is willing to listen, witness, and be present and honest. The opportunities I’ve had to help my patients in that way remind me why I chose healthcare and why I want to continue my training in Hospice and Palliative Medicine.”

Alban Holyoke graduated from Wright State University School of Medicine and completed his residency in Emergency Medicine at Yale. He is currently an Emergency Physician in the Bay Area at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center and Kaiser Redwood City. His hobbies range from fly fishing to sailing to pinball.

“I want to cultivate the skills to treat patients’ symptoms, but also help them understand their own humanity and hopefully gain new understanding of my own human experience. It is an exciting time to be in medicine with advances in medications, devices and new technology, but medicine at its core is about people, suffering, and our humanity, and that is what I am seeking in palliative care.”

Sawyer Kieffer completed his medical education at the University of Iowa and is currently an Internal Medicine resident at Thomas Jefferson University. Outside of work, he enjoys woodworking, rock climbing, and cycling.

“Working with [patients with serious illness] made me realize that I am even more passionate about another side of medicine- the side that’s not about curing and fixing and diagnosing and doing, the side that honors the true privilege of caring for another human by providing physical and psychological comfort during serious illness and the most vulnerable transition from life to death.”

Michael McEnany attended Wake Forest University’s School of Medicine and completed his residency training in Emergency Medicine at the University of New Mexico. He is currently an Emergency Medicine physician at Northern Inyo Hospital in Bishop, CA. His interests include connecting with the natural world and learning to play the fiddle.

“The methods and goals of hospice and palliative care, to me, represent the core of medicine. Listening with patience, responding to vulnerability with compassion, addressing the origins and continuance of suffering, while openly and bravely discussing the existential nature and threat of illness are all aspects of medicine that I strive to embody.”

Michelle Quan graduated from UCLA’s School of Medicine and completed her Internal Medicine residency at UC Davis, where she was a chief resident. She is currently the Medical Director of the Internal Medicine Pre-Operative Services at UC Davis. Outside of work, she enjoys pottery, graphic design, basketball, and baking.

“I am pursuing a fellowship in palliative care because it offers the opportunity to provide comprehensive emotional and physical care. It allows me to continue advocating for patients, ensuring they receive the support and dignity they deserve as they navigate life’s most challenging and uncertain moments.”

Kim Winiker earned his MD from the University of Massachusetts School of Medicine and is currently a chief resident at the University of Pittsburgh in Internal Medicine/Pediatrics. His hobbies include skiing, yoga and meditation, ultimate Frisbee, and travel.

“In residency, I gravitated toward interactions with the sickest patients, learning about their hopes, passions, and fears, and using these connections to guide my clinical decision-making. I resolved to pursue a career in Palliative Medicine to continue providing care to this complex patient population. I have seen skillful and kind palliative physicians lead patients and families through harrowing circumstances to deeply meaningful outcomes.”