Elizabeth Joyce
Year in program: PRG4
Hometown: Stroudsburg, PA
Undergraduate: University of Scranton
Medical School: Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University
Interests / Hobbies: running, skiing, hiking, crossword puzzles, board games, baking
Favorite place in Maine: Willard Beach (nothing better than going straight to the beach after work!)
Medical interests: Addiction Medicine, care of the underserved
Favorite weekend destination: Hiking at Pleasant Mountain
Favorite Maine activity: it’s too hard to choose between heading to the beach near my house, going for a hike, or enjoying a beer outdoors with my friends at one of the many great local breweries!
Why Maine Medical Center: I was attracted to the strong academic education with a good balance of community feeling and was won over by the chance to live in such a beautiful place and work with great people.
If I wasn’t a doctor, I would be a…Entomologist. I used to do research on tropical butterfly behavior!
Favorite restaurant in Portland: Taco trio (technically it’s in South Portland)
Mercedes Volk
Year in program: PRG 1 (I think…it is a one year fellowship, at the PGY-4 level)
Undergraduate: Trinity University
Medical School: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Medical interests: Underserved care, Integration of primary care and addiction treatment, Women’s health
Favorite weekend destination: outside
Craziest / Best / Worst Job: Ranger & Backcountry Ambulance Driver at Philmont Boy Scout Ranch
Why Maine Medical Center: I want to continue my training in a beautiful place with great people
If I wasn’t a doctor, I would be a…proprietor of a puzzle café.
Personal quote: Work-related – ‘Tolerance is a moving target.’ ; Home/#MomLife – ‘It’s hard to be a baby/kid.’
Katherine Badger
- Year in ProgramFEL1
- UndergraduateSmith College
- Medical SchoolTufts University School of Medicine, MaineTrack Program
- Interests / HobbiesHome remodeling, stamp Carving, Dahlia farming, reading books with my daughter
- If I wasn’t a doctor, I would be aFlower Gardener or Reggio Emilia Preschool Teacher
- Favorite restaurant in PortlandGo-to take out is almost always Taj Indian Restaurant
- Medical interestsAddiction Medicine, Perinatal Medicine, Hospital Medicine, Women’s Health
- Favorite Maine activityHiking or Beach Combing
- What did you do before medical schoolA little bit of a lot of things; Planned Parenthood MA, Development Officer for MDI Hospital, Full time nanny for three amazing kids, Volunteer EMT, MMC Emergency Room Clerk, Lots of travel
- Why Maine Medical CenterMaine is my home, even if technically I am from away. It is amazing that we offer an Addiction Medicine Fellowship Training program in an area where it is so needed. I wanted to receive the training in the community in which I hope to practice in the future.
Michael Smolka
- Year in ProgramFEL1
- HometownLatrobe, PA
- UndergraduateThe University of Florida
- Medical SchoolThe Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
- Medical interestsAddiction medicine, narrative medicine, health care for patients experiencing homelessness, and medical education
- Interests / HobbiesReading, writing, coffee, and golf
- Favorite restaurant in PortlandThe Great Lost Bear
- Favorite weekend destinationTandem Coffee
- Favorite Maine activityVisiting lighthouses
- If I wasn’t a doctor, I wouldOwn a used bookstore
- Why MaineHealth Maine Medical CenterStrong sense of a shared mission of care for the community