Meet the Residents' Wives

                                                     

Holly Gordon

(wife of 1st year, Tony Gordon and mother of Gray)

Hello there! 

My name is Holly. My husband's name is Tony. And our son's name is Gray.

I teach English to people who don't speak English in the suburbs of Indianapolis. My husband is a first year resident, And my son is learning to walk.

Our journey to Ball Memorial began with steak. And then more steak and also some delicious dessert. I was pregnant and "angry-hungry" when my husband surprised me with a dinner at Fogo de Chao (all you can eat Brazilian steakhouse). It was a recruitment dinner for Ball Memorial and, actually, our first event for interview season. I went in nervous about the process, and also hungry. I came out saying something I thought I'd never say, "let's move to Muncie," and also, I'm so full I can't walk home, please carry me. 

Throughout the interview season I never found a group of people who were as warm and welcoming as the directors, residents, and wives at Ball. But ultimately that was not the reason I was excited about the program. Tony and I are planning on moving to Africa after residency. Our long term goal is to set up a community clinic in a rural area where he can offer medicine to those who can never afford to get it otherwise. We have this vision but we have a very limited idea of what it takes to implement it. Throughout interviews our prayer was that God would lead us to a program that would provide the best training that Tony will need on the field. At Ball he is able to learn procedures that he would not have been able to if we stayed in Indy or went to another big city. And for that we are very thankful! and hopefully his future patients will be as well!

Trisha Stevens

(wife of 1st year, Andy Stevens and mother of Hannah, Andrew Isaac, and Evelyn)

Andy and I have been married for 8 wonderful years and have 3 beautiful children. Hannah is 5 in a great school here in Muncie, Andrew Isaac is 3, and he has a lot of friends his age whom we get together with often for play dates. Evelyn is 9 months old and she is loving getting to know all the great people here who have become her extended family. We love getting together at events, parks, homes, and really anywhere we wives can go to talk and have fun (while the kids play and enjoy themselves too.)

Andy and I both grew up mostly in suburbs of Salt Lake City, UT. We both attended University of Utah for our undergraduate degrees, and Andy completed medical school at the University of Utah Medical School. When looking for residency programs we wanted a place where he could get full spectrum training in a great atmosphere and still have the ability to be involved with our family; even if it meant we would be hundreds of miles away from all our loved ones. We have been very blessed to be in this residency program with a tremendous amount of support, love, care and help as life unfolds. We have been able to see, not only from the fellow residents, but the directors as well, that we are a valued addition to the residency; and everyone here makes this an enjoyable and well-rounded training program.

Catherine Monson

(wife of 1st year, Steven Monson and mother of Parker and Olivia)

I grew up in Idaho Falls, Idaho, the seventh of nine children of a potato farmer.  Since that time, I have lived in California, Minnesota, Virginia, and Utah and I am now proud to hail from Muncie, Indiana.  I taught junior high social studies for seven years and decided to become a stay-at-home mom after my son, Parker, was born.  Parker is now two and my husband and I also have a daughter, Olivia, who was born in August 2013. 

Steven and I have been married for six years.  Surviving the rigors of undergrad and medical school together, we are so excited to finally be in residency.  We feel so blessed to be here at Ball Memorial.  We loved this program the moment we encountered it during our second year of medical school because the residents and their families are so happy here.  Ball offers such a high level of training, but also has a strong support system within the program.   The residents get along so well and are so supportive of one another.  What I find to be truly unique, however, is the network among the wives.  I have never been so busy in my life!  There are so many people here with whom I love to spend time.  While there may be times when my husband is working long hours, I never feel like I am alone.   When my daughter was born, everyone stepped in to help babysit my son, bring us food, and just visit. 

Ball Memorial is such a fun place to be as a spouse of a resident.  We love having board game nights, hosting murder-mystery parties, going to the farmer’s market, taking hikes, planning play dates, and just hanging out.  Residency is hard, no matter where you go, so pick a place where you enjoy the people and where you will be supported as a wife.  After all, happy wife, happy life!

Tracie Speakman

(wife of 1st year, Kyle Speakman)

This is my husband and I from Prom 2013; he's all kinds of awesome for letting me drag him to prom every year we've been married.  So you guessed right, I'm a teacher.  I teach English at Mississinewa High School in Gas City, about a half hour north of Muncie.

It's been a long road to get to residency for us; but we are super excited that we get to spend the next part of the journey at the Ball Memorial Family Medicine Residency.  But before I tell you how sweet the residency is, let me tell the tale of how we got here.  My husband and I are lifelong Hoosiers (well, I'm a Boilermaker, but whatever), and as 4th year approached, we knew we wanted to stay in the state, so we applied to almost every residency in Indiana; we had a couple friends who were Interns at Ball, so we knew it was super fun already.  Kyle wanted a residency that was laid-back; I wanted a residency where I could have automatic friends.  After all the 2nd look parties, we each made our own rank list, and we both put Ball right at the top.  He loved the residents and directors.  They were all so approachable and likable.  I liked how everyone seemed to know my name even though it wasn't me that would become a resident.  

Now that we're here, it's even better than the brief glimpses I got at the interview and 2nd look party.  Moving to a new city is a scary thing; starting residency is a scary thing; meeting new people is a scary thing, but everyone (like everyone-- nurses, office staff, directors, other residents, spouses and significant others) has been super welcoming and supportive.  I am positive that you will not find a more fun-loving, relaxed group of people.  I mean, what other residency can say "we're having a ball @ Ball!"  

Lauren Witt

(wife of 1st year, Kevin Witt)

Hi, my name is Lauren Witt, and my husband is Kevin, who is an intern this year at Ball Memorial.  We are originally from the Fort Wayne area.  I went to Ball State for my  degree in elementary education and graduated in 2011.  I never had any plans to come back to Muncie after graduation. But that June Kevin told me he was doing an away rotation in Muncie at their hospital.  My first reaction was "well there is a wasted rotation."  When Kevin came home that weekend, he said that they were having a cookout next week, and they invited me to come.  So I went down thinking it wasn't going to be fun, but I was blown away.  My outlook on the Muncie program completely changed.  I told Kevin on the way home that day that Muncie is where we should go for residency.  Kevin would also come home with amazing stories about the residents and how they were to work with.   Kevin did other away rotations during his 4^th year of medical school and when he would come home, my first question was always “How does it compare to Ball Memorial?” and his answer was always the same. "it was good but I still like Ball Memorial better."

            So enough about why we picked Ball Memorial for residency and lets talk about why I wanted Ball Memorial.  When I came down for the cookout, I met the wives and they were so nice and welcoming to me.  It seemed like they had their own club and really helped each other out with anything they needed!  I knew that I was going to be alone sometimes while he was working, so I wanted to know that I wasn’t going to be completely alone and that I would have friends to be with.  I knew that the wives at Ball Memorial would be a tremendous group of women to have in my life.  So when it came to match day, I wasn’t going to be happy unless it was Ball Memorial, but I was happy with the outcome!

            I teach at Wes- Del Community Schools which in Muncie and enjoy every minute of it.  When we are not hanging out with other residents and their families we enjoy being with out new adopted puppy-baby, Gigi.  She is a Caine-Terrier/Mini Schnauzer mix.  We are very thankful to be part of this program and to have extraordinary friends along with it!

Angie Hui

(wife of 2nd year, Joe Hui)

Angie and Joe both hail from the lovely state of Utah. The adorable couple was married in May 2012, right before moving to Muncie to start residency. Angie is ferociously pursuing her masters degree in applied behavior analysis at Ball State while Joe is ripping it up at Ball Memorial. One of the big reasons the couple decided this was the right residency for them was the ability to tailor your education to the type of family physician you want to become. Joe is interested in sports medicine and will be doing a fellowship after residency and this program allows him to pursue those dreams. They are expecting their first baby in December 2013.

 

Chantelle Indiano

(wife of 2nd year, Joey Indiano, and mother of J J, Shiloh, and Archer) 

When Joey began his fourth year of medical school, he and I were newly engaged and ready for an adventure. Both of us were born and raised in this great Hoosier state and figured residency was our chance to do a little exploring. For this reason, Joey and I traveled all over the country in search of the perfect program. Personally, I had high hopes we'd end up somewhere with perfect weather or in a place with tons of outdoorsy activities to keep my adventurous side occupied while Joey endured the long hours of residency. Joey, who shares my love of adventure and the outdoors, also fell in love with the idea of breezy walks on the beach or morning hikes in the mountains. Ultimately, however, we wanted to go to the BEST program we could find regardless of it's geographical placement. Joey interviewed on the East coast, the West coast, and some places in between, but no other program compared to the one here at Ball Memorial. With the help and encouragement of a great program and some pretty cool colleagues and program directors, I've seen my husband transform from a burned out medical student to an excited, passionate doctor! How awesome!

So what am I doing now that I didn't get my beaches or mountains? I'll tell you! I'm enjoying monthly brunches with the other interns' wives, taking my son to play dates with the kiddos in the residency, playing zookeeper on the little farm we are renting just north of Muncie, or going camping at Mounds State Park located just south of Muncie. We are always dreaming up ways to have a good time.

Joey and I were blessed with our first child, J J., in the first month of residency. The wives in the residency were quick to start a meal train to relieve me of the burden of cooking while adjusting to being a mom. These same ladies also surprised me with a baby shower! Now, someone is always willing to babysit when my husband and I need a date night to reconnect. I'm so glad to be part of a residency where so many are willing to go above and beyond. Ball Memorial Family Medicine Residency is truly a special program filled with the best people you'll meet!

 Erin Hansen

(wife of 2nd year, Kellen Hansen, and mother of Cole, Gracelyn, and Beatrice)

Kellen and I are both from Taber, Alberta, Canada. Kellen rotated with a doctor in Taber that graduated from the Ball Memorial Residency. Doctor Torrie spoke very highly of the Ball residency, and Kellen was impressed by how Doctor Torrie ran his practice, so we looked into it. One of the things I loved about the program was the emphasis on family, (that the resident has one!) and the effort the program makes to help keep the resident's life balanced between work, family, and other interests. Makes sense right? What really sold me was when we came to interview and I met the other resident wives. They were awesome! The support group here is amazing. For me, between having instant friends with the other wives, and Kellen loving what he is doing and him being home a little more often than other programs we looked at, I am very happy with this program! Come interview!!! 

Muncie is full of fun things to do, especially for kids. My son is in a great preschool program, and my daughter is taking a dance class at the muncie cornerstone center for the arts. There are theater and arts events at Ball State and downtown, sports events, parks, children's museum, swimming pools, the Cardinal Greenway, and lots of attractions within a few hours from Muncie.  The climate is great, and the landscape is beautiful- especially if you love big trees, red barns, farmland, and all four seasons. The program and area is all that we hoped for.

Kyra Langhofer

(wife of 2nd year, Morgan Langhofer, and mother of Emerson and Chelise)

Being a Belle of Ball is one of the greatest blessings for which I prayed before matching in Muncie. J Morgan and I were looking for a program that would support and encourage us as a family, as well as a give Morgan the best possible experience as a resident. We wanted a program that felt like we were doing residency together, rather than living alongside Morgan as he grew, separate and busy, away from me and Emerson. We knew that program was Ball the first time we met all the residents’ families. The program felt like a family, with the wives and kids being as connected and involved as the residents themselves. The program directors went out of their way to make sure the residents were giving the proper attention and time to their spouses and kids as much as possible. They even knew all the kids’ names! It felt like a happy place where families were glad to be, rather than the painful experience many people felt residency was.

Morgan and I came from Indianapolis, but he was originally from Phoenix, AZ and I was originally from Peoria, IL. Everyone asks us how we got together, and the short answer is “family” because our families were close friends, and his grandma always prayed I would marry one of her 3 grandsons. JThe long answer is too long for an introductory blog site, but a fairy-tale story if ever there was one, and we are definitely living “happily ever after”,even through residency. Emerson blessed our lives in March of 2011, and has been keeping us busy with non-stop boy-power since then!Chelise arrived this past June to add some pink and a lot of joy to our family.

Before beginning residency, I was a piano accompanist for a variety of different school music programs. Now that we’re here, I’m excited to be a full-time mom, raise as much organic food as we’re able with our ¼ acre, and be the homemaker I’ve always wanted to be.

Being at Ball enables me and Morgan to continue growing as a couple through the support system here, all the while growing as doctor and doctor’s wife. We hope that you are able to find a program as perfect for you as we feel Ball is for us.

Tracy Crane
(wife of 2nd year, Jesse Crane, and mother of Esther and Juniper)

Muncie is a very friendly, family town. If you look hard enough you will find wonderful culture and arts in this Midwest community. We love the Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings and the art walk on the first Thursdays of each month. There is also Ball State University which provides educational opportunities. My 3 year old daughter, Esther, has found her expression in ballet with the Muncie Ballet company and Juniper, my 17 month old, loves all the beautiful parks and playgrounds around town. Just recently we were able to visit the Children's Museum in Indianapolis which is the largest children's museum in the world. And the YMCA is my saving grace! (Not to mention FREE childcare for 2 hours while you work out or take a mental break from the kids.) If you like to run or bike, this town offers the Cardinal Greenway Trail System which expands for miles. And in the summer time there is a lovely public pool with a fantastic kiddie area (there will be an awesome splash park built by next summer---rumor has it) and the White River runs through town for those who love to canoe.

The decision to move from Flagstaff, Arizona, all the way back to Indiana after living in the Southwest for over 10 years was not an easy one. But, I know that this Residency Program is providing my husband of 9 years the experience he will need to be a top family practice doctor. The difficulty with any residency program is the lack of time you actually have with your spouse or significant other. And if you have children it becomes even more difficult, therefore, the support you get from those around you is critical to staying sane. Everyone I have met and interacted with in this residency program is authentic, encouraging and extremely supportive.

I feel blessed to be a part of Ball Memorial Family Practice Residency's family.

Ashley Ernstberger
(wife of 3rd year, Luke Ernstberger, and mother of Noelle and Charlotte)

Luke and I were both born and raised right here in Muncie, Indiana. We are Hoosiers through and through, and with our families and friends close by, we knew we wanted to stay in Indiana for residency. However, we never in our wildest dreams thought that we would move back to our hometown for Luke's residency experience.

We lived in Indianapolis for four years following our college graduations and wedding. I was unable to find a teaching job in Indianapolis, but I was hired at Royerton Elementary in Muncie. From that point on, I became a commuter, driving two hours each day for four years. We were prepared to spend the residency years in Indianapolis, and I was preparing myself to look for another job or stop working all together.

That is...until Luke did a rotation at Ball during his 4th year of medical school. He started to tell me more and more about the people and the program, and it seemed as if the tides were changing. Luke seemed more interested in giving Ball a fair look along with the other programs in contention. I, however, was extremely skeptical. I was accustomed to "big city" life, I loved our house and friends in Indianapolis, and a majority of my photography clients (I'm a lifestyle photographer on the side) were located in Indianapolis. I was digging my heels in and I wasn't budging. There was no way anyone was going to talk me into moving back to my old stomping grounds...However, when I attended the interview day with Luke (which was the only interview out of all of his others where I was actually invited and encouraged to attend), I immediately understood what he had been trying to tell me. The people were so unbelievably friendly, compassionate, funny, personable, and warm. They were as interested, if not more interested, in what my thoughts and opinions were about the program. I was impressed that so many of the residents and directors also had children (our daughter was six months old at the time), and the whole program seemed very family friendly (which is a rare vibe to feel in a residency program). I started to feel like Ball might be the perfect fit for us...right across the street from Luke's old elementary school and literally ten minutes away from each of our parents' homes. Crazy! We prayed about it and went back and forth, constantly battling our hearts and heads. This was a huge decision. However, the Second Look weekend sealed the deal for us. We felt welcomed and wanted, and we were ready to preference Ball as our number one choice. We put our house up for sale the week after Match Day, and we relocated to Muncie this past summer.

We have really loved reacquainting ourselves with our hometown...and when I need my Indianapolis shopping fix, it's only an hour away!

Casi Howard
(wife of 3rd year, Adam Howard, and mother of Adalyn)

Howdy! If you are reading this you are probably neck deep in interviews, and if you are like us, you are wondering what you even should want from a residency, let alone how to choose which one is best. It really all depends on what your spouse likes to do. (And that may change, no worries. :) It all works out. ) But, this is what the decision process was like for us.

We chose Ball Memorial Hospital for a number of reasons, but highest on the list were: procedures, tailoring the education to your needs, less time in wards, and the environment.

One of the things that was most important to Adam in choosing a residency was the ability to learn procedures. He loves doing them and wanted to be able to be trained in as many as possible. During the interview process we learned that Ball Memorial Residency trains in colonoscopies, something fewer residencies are able to do than you would think, and something that Adam really was interested in learning.

During our interview with Dr. Brown he reiterated that this really is Adam's training and that he could tailor his education here at Ball Memorial to what he wanted to learn. My hubby loved that. He loves being able to focus and choose what he wants to do, because ultimately, there are different options for a career within family medicine, and he wanted to be prepared for the track he would like to take.

Along the interview path someone told us that if a program had more than 6 months in wards the first year, they were using you as cheap labor, and not furthering your education. Since Adam disliked wards (at least he did, it's growing on him here,) he really thought that was sound advice. And the more we looked, the more we found that to be true in programs. At Ball Memorial you only have 2 months of wards in the first year and 1 month of ICU. (Which I guess is wards too, but Adam didn't view it that way.) So, that was another huge plus and confirmation to us that this program is really concerned about the quality of your education.

But, in the end, we felt like this was the place. We felt that even though it was far from family, this was our new home. When we prayed about it, it felt right. And you have to go with your gut. We loved the environment of this residency as well as Muncie. It is extremely family friendly. And by that I mean they realize you have a family, and you need to be with them. They work very hard at work, but when they come home, and they do come home here, they are able to play with their family too. The resident wives also do A LOT together, and it is an instant support group. Everyone is amazingly kind and it's really nice to have the support and love from those going through the same things you are. We have loved learning new things about the Midwest like pick your own apple orchards and pumpkin patches, and look forward to learning much more.

Jancee Schuerger
(wife of 3rd year, Joey Schuerger, and mother of Trevor and Karastyn)

Hey there! I have to start by saying that when I was asked to briefly write about why we chose to do our residency at Ball Memorial Hospital I was a little concerned, wondering how in the world I was going to “briefly” tell you all the wonderful things about this program. Unlike most wives, I was unable to accompany Joey on his interview at BMH. He spent a week touring around Indiana interviewing at different programs, with Ball Memorial being his last stop. We talked after every interview and I listened to him tell me the pros and cons about each program. Well let me tell you… I had never heard him as excited about ANYTHING as he was when he was telling me about his time at Ball Memorial!!!

We were unable to make it back to the second look, so I pretty much had to take his word on how awesome the program and the directors and residents in it were. It was a little nerve-wracking for me, but nobody knows me better than him, so I had to trust him as he was convinced that this was the right program for our family, and he couldn't have been more right!!! I can honestly say that when we arrived to Muncie everyone was just as excited to meet me as I was to meet them!!! It was so obvious from the very beginning that the well-being of the residents and their families is the heart and soul of this program (besides the awesome training of course!!!)

We spent eight years in the military prior to beginning medical school and something that I missed dearly was the extended family we had while we were serving. We now have our new extended family and couldn't be happier!!! Since starting residency, I’ve asked Joey on a few occasions if he has any regrets about his decision to come here for residency and his answer is always the same, and sounds a little something like “heck no!” We absolutely adore our new-found family and there is nothing in the world that could persuade us to change our minds if we had it to do all over again!!! :o)

Kaylyn Knapp

(wife of 3rd year, Stuart Knapp, and mother of Gordon, Akazia, Maycie and Laikyn)

Stuart and I were both able to attend the Kansas City conference to look at different residency programs. As a wife with four children, I wanted to make sure we were somewhere that was not only great for my husband, but for us too. We had heard how amazing the BMH residency program is and decided to see for ourselves. We talked for a long time with all the staff that were at the conference and we were very impressed from the get go. I was overwhelmed with how much attention they spent with me and answering all of the questions that I needed to know. As a wife and a mother my questions were much different than my husbands, and I was so grateful that they spent so much time attending to my families needs.

I was also able to accompany my husband on his interview. I was very impressed with how much the interview was spent with the attendings asking what me and my children needed to know. I was so grateful they cared so much about our family. The attendings are great people. We were impressed with them at the interview and that opinion has not changed. Stuart also was able to spend a day in the clinic when he came to intervies. A huge reason that we chose this program is because the attendings and co-workers were kind people and HAPPY!

Many of the things that lead us to choose BMH is that it is a very family oriented program. We moved across the country away from our family into another family that we have fun with and can depend on. I still can't believe that it was only a few months ago and we have so many friends and people that we can depend on. Between the residency program and our church, the move has been every thing we hoped for. Stuart is getting an amazing training and is very happy in his residency program. We know we made the right decision.

Kate Overpeck
(wife of 3rd year, Caleb Overpeck)

 Hello there! With Caleb and I being one of the couples without children, I can assure you that this program is very welcoming to all types of families. Everywhere Caleb and I went for interviews it seemed like we were surrounded by couples with children, and it was a little intimidating because they seemed to have difficulty relating to us. But here at Ball Memorial, we felt like we fit right in with everyone else. I felt immediately welcomed by the other spouses, and it was nice that the program was interested in Caleb and I as a unit just as much as they were interested in Caleb as a doctor.

Caleb knew he wanted to come here after his first interview. We had lived in Muncie for his first two years of medical school, so we knew that the facility was great and that it would be a nice area to start our family. He really liked that this program was different for everyone, depending on what kind of skill set the residents will need when they are out on there own. Here, they make it a point to help your structure your own experience around what kind of practice you hope to have.

After meeting the other residents and the directors we were absolutely sure that this was the place for us. Everyone here is so upbeat! Even after my husband comes home from a long day, he is still happy. We are both happy, because the directors and residents here are both fantastic doctors and fantastic people. I feel so blessed that he has the chance to learn from such incredible doctors and that we have been welcomed into such a wonderful community of individuals.