Congratulations to the Family Medicine Residency Program Class of 2026
Congratulations to the Family Medicine Residency Program Class of 2026
A big congratulations to the UICOMR Family Medicine Residency Program graduates and award recipients. The graduation ceremony was held Friday, June 19, 2026, at the Embassy Suites by Hilton, in downtown Rockford. Rhonda Verzal, MD, FAAP, Family Medicine Residency Program director and assistant professor of clinical family medicine, provided the opening remarks.
The Family Medicine Residency Class of 2026 graduates are: Firas Rabih Darwiche, MD; Holly Garcia, MD; Faith Marie Grove, MD; Amrita Jaiprakash, DO; Sarthak Kulshreshtha, MD; Jialing Li, MD; Jesseca Ruth Ashlee Pirkle, MD; and Reilly Kuhn Wojciehowski, MD.
The following faculty, residents and staff were honored at the ceremony:
- Society of Teachers of Family Medicine Award: Firas Darwiche, MD
- Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors Resident Advocacy Award: Reilly Wojciehowski, MD
- Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors Resident Scholarship Award: Jesseca Pirkle, MD
- PGY1 Resident of the Year Award: Mythili Kanagala, MD
- PGY2 Resident of the Year Award: Priyanka Patel, MD
- PGY3 Resident of the Year Award: Jesseca Pirkle, MD
- Alumni of the Year: Mary Jo Ironside, MD; Joseph Ross, MD
- Staff of the Year: Beth Villa & Rhonda Thom
- Faculty Physician of the Year: Molly Perri, MD
- Preceptor of the Year: Tarek Harb, MD
- Chief Residents: Reilly Wojciehowski, MD; Sarthak Kulshreshtha, MD
- STRETCH-OB Residents: Holly Garcia, MD; Jialing Li, MD; and Jesseca Pirkle, MD
The Family Medicine Residency Program provides residents with clinical experiences, opportunities for obstetrical care and various forms of educational programming. Since its inception in 1972, more than 450 residents have now graduated from the program and practice family medicine across the country and around the world.