Cynthia Ciccotelli, MD, MPH, MHA
Undergrad: The College of William and Mary
Medical School: Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine
About Me. I grew up in Yardley, PA, which is just outside of Philadelphia. I went down to Virginia for undergrad and returned to PA for medical school. I met my husband during orientation week of medical school (even though we actually grew up in the same town). We got married in 2020 and were so blessed to welcome our daughter into our family a year later. My husband is a Med-Peds resident, and we feel so lucky to have couples matched at such wonderful programs. I took a gap year between 3rd and 4th years of medical school to complete a master’s degree in public health in Philadelphia, and during medical school, I also completed a master’s degree in health care administration online. I love to spend time with my family, try new recipes, go to the beach, and watch football (go Eagles!).
Why Family Medicine? During third-year rotations in medical school, I found myself genuinely enjoying almost every clinical rotation I was on and couldn’t narrow down my interests to a particular specialty or patient population like many of my classmates could. After my first day in family medicine clinic, with the diverse diagnoses, opportunity to spend time learning about my patients, and counseling opportunities, I just knew that family medicine was the right fit. As an added bonus, as I have learned more about the specialty, I find that my other interests related to policy and leadership are particularly well-suited for a career in family medicine. Since family medicine is a specialty that emphasizes care for the whole person and the importance of patient-centered medicine, I see much potential in family doctors as the leaders in improving health care at the community, state, and national levels.
Why Williamsport? As a first-year medical student, I was assigned to a local family physician with whom I spent a few weeks to work on interview and physical exam skills—my physician was in Williamsport! I quickly grew fond of the community and the patients here. Williamsport was already one of my top programs for the great reputation of full-spectrum training, gorgeous geographic location, friendly community, and plethora of outdoor activities. The interview day sealed the deal for me. Despite participating in an entirely virtual interview season, the residents and faculty in this program somehow made my interview dinner and interview day feel welcoming and incredibly comfortable. I’m so happy to be training here!
Lauren Cooper, MD
Undergrad: Gannon University
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
About Me. I was born and raised in Erie, PA. I grew up in the Allegheny Forest, so I like to do anything outdoors, including hiking, hunting, kayaking, skiing, camping, fishing, and exploring. I love to travel so going to Grenada for medical school was pretty exciting. My favorite place I have visited is France. I am a nerd who loves Star Wars, Marvel, and Dr. Who. I love hanging out with my friends and family, but one of my favorite things to do is to be with my husband and my dog, Yoshi.
Why Family Medicine? It is absolutely thrilling to be a part of someone’s life and give them advice on the best life they can possibly live. I enjoy forming relationships with patients and I seek to provide the best care possible. I love the idea of being able to treat most of the population and, therefore, keep an eye out for changes in all fields of medicine. I am passionate about preventive care, quality improvement for health care, and community outreach in the medical field.
Why Williamsport? The residents made me feel so welcome during the meet and greet, and I loved getting to know more about them and their experience within the program. I loved the fact that UPMC Williamsport provided a broad education for residents, as well as the multiple procedural and research opportunities. I appreciate the program’s flexibility towards the residents’ area of concentration as well. I felt a huge sense of family at this program, and I couldn’t wait to become part of this team.
Kelly Machuca, MD
Undergrad: West Virginia Wesleyan College
Medical School: St George’s University
About Me. I was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, but I grew up in Sarasota, Florida. I attended West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon, WV where I played baseball for the college and majored in biochemistry and psychology. I met my wife at WVWC, and we were married this past spring. I’m a huge nerd and love all things sci-fi, anime, and fantasy. My hobbies range from weight lifting, baseball, and playing the guitar to video games, board games, and playing D&D with my friends. My wife and I are active people and love the outdoors, but don’t be surprised to see us at a brewery or restaurant on our down time.
Why Family Medicine? When I started medical school, I genuinely did not know what exactly I wanted to do. Family medicine was my first clinical rotation of my third year, and I absolutely fell in love with it. Getting that face-to-face connection and establishing a good rapport with my patients really made me feel at home. The diverse nature of the problems you face and the avenues available to you in family medicine as a whole was enticing. I have a distinct interest in sports medicine and family medicine offers one of the best chances to pursue that goal. I personally feel that hearing the patient’s story really helps me get a better picture of who they are and what means of treatment may best suit them as a whole. It honestly was an easy choice for me!
Why Williamsport? When I interviewed with Williamsport, I felt so welcomed. It was like I was already part of the family. Interview season was a little weird being virtual, but Williamsport went above and beyond to make the most of the unique circumstances and provided such an encompassing experience – I felt like I was there. From my conversations with the faculty, to the discussions with other residents, I truly felt that the Williamsport family allotted me with the best chance to pursue my goals and truly become the best physician I can be. I spent my clinical years in Chicago, Atlanta, and Miami and was honestly looking for a change of pace from the big city life. Williamsport offered the change I sought. A beautiful smaller city with big city amenities was just what I was looking for. It was just an added bonus to this retired ball player that it is also the home of the Little League World Series!
Joseph Mazuk, DO, MS
Undergrad: Temple University
Graduate: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Medical School: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
About Me. I grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia in a small town called Morton. Before pursuing higher education, I worked for a few years, first as a construction laborer and then as an Ophthalmic Technician at Wills Eye Hospital. In my free time, I enjoy several hobbies, including gardening, distance running, back woods camping, and working on my old Jeep Wagoneer. With these hobbies, you may not guess that I have five sisters and one brother. Over the years, I have been the proud foster parent of 25 dogs and even one cat. I am also an avid motorcycle rider, and I am very excited to find the best roads in Lycoming County to cruise down!
Why Family Medicine? I want to take care of and be invested in the health of my entire community. I get excited about the thought of being trusted with the care of children, adults, and the elderly alike. I enjoy building fellowship with my community, and I believe the best care is provided by someone who deeply knows their patients. Through family medicine, I hope to become a guide for patients through their health journey by maintaining a wide depth of knowledge and promoting overall well-being. I am excited to help my patients meet their goals and achieve the good mental and physical health they have been striving towards.
Why Williamsport? Something about Williamsport stuck with me after I finished my rotation as a 4th year medical student. The people, the neighborhoods, the forests and mountains nestling the downtown area, everything about the community seemed to be a refreshing change from my current Philadelphia suburb life. My experience with the family medicine residents and teachers sealed the deal. There is so much chemistry between everyone, promoting a fun, innovative, hardworking, intelligent environment that sets itself apart from any other residency program I worked with. But wait, there was more! Once I experienced the residents’ ability to care for obstetrics patients and lead a labor and delivery team, I truly fell in love! I want to practice full scope family medicine and I knew this place would give me everything I needed and more to succeed.
Jonathan William Seiferth, MD
Undergrad: The Pennsylvania State University
Medical School: American University of the Caribbean
About Me. I am the youngest of 3 boys, born and raised just north of Pittsburgh, PA. I was born into the black and gold and will forever be a Penguins, Steelers, and Pirates fan. I took up swimming at a young age and propelled myself through college riding that wave at the one and only Pennsylvania State University. I spent my 4 years in Happy Valley studying biology and swimming for the varsity team. After undergrad, I found myself soaking up the sun in the Caribbean for medical school. Outside of schooling, my interests include woodworking, hiking, and running; however, after a hard day at work, you can probably find me relaxing to a good movie or playing video games.
Why Family Medicine? At the end of my core clinical rotations, I was faced with having to decide what route of medicine I wanted to pursue further. While reflecting on my experiences in clinicals, it became extremely evident that I enjoyed all aspects of medicine and could only truly pursue them all through family medicine. I have hopes to practice in a more rural setting in the future to help improve our nation’s access to health care.
Why Williamsport? Williamsport has a perfect balance between the big city feels and the small-town vibes. It has just enough to keep you entertained while not being overpopulated or overwhelming. Having experienced both sides of the spectrum during my time spent in St. Maarten and then in New York City, I realized I was looking for a location that was in between those two. The bonus for me, it is a short car ride away from my alma mater where I’ll be able to go visit old friends and, hopefully in the near future, attend the best college football games in the world.
Michael Seiferth, MD
Undergrad: North Carolina State University
Medical School: Trinity Medical Science University - School of Medicine
About Me. I was raised as the middle of three boys in a northern suburb of Pittsburgh, PA. Growing up, I played multiple sports, including baseball, soccer, and swimming, as well as spending most days outdoors mountain biking. Swimming eventually took me to NC State, where I was a 4-year letter winner and senior captain for the Wolfpack. Currently, my wife and I enjoy hiking, camping, going to the beach, and exploring the many food and craft brewery options of the Baltimore/Annapolis area. We are excited to begin our next great adventure together and to explore a brand-new city!
Why Family Medicine? Family medicine provides a unique opportunity to not only treat a wide variety of conditions, but to also connect with patients on a more personal note and develop a level of care that they feel a part of. My own passions lie in preventive care, specifically utilizing nutrition from an educational standpoint, as well as teaching the benefits of lifestyle modifications for the management of long-term conditions. I highly value the chance to develop long-term relationships with patients and to get to know them personally; I believe this is at the core of providing excellent care and is a key principle of family medicine in general.
Why Williamsport? Being at a residency program that is unopposed allows the greatest opportunity for continued learning. We will get chances to be front and center in every learning environment throughout our three years, allowing us ample opportunity to develop into the most well-rounded physicians and gain exposure to the many aspects of family medicine. In addition, Williamsport is centrally located between both my family (Pittsburgh) and my wife’s (Annapolis), which will allow us many chances to continue to spend time with them. Lastly, it doesn’t hurt that my brother, Jon (the other Dr. Seiferth), interviewed with the program and turned me on to the many great things UPMC Williamsport has to offer its residents.
Elizabeth “Ellie” Tupper, MD, MS
Undergrad: Bucknell University
Medical School: Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine
About Me. I was born and raised in Harrisburg, PA and haven’t been able to leave the state since! I received my bachelor’s degree in biology in Lewisburg (not far from Williamsport) before moving to Scranton for my master’s degree and medical school. In my free time, I enjoy yoga, hiking, and spending time with family and friends.
Why Family Medicine? Family medicine is the only field that allows you to care for patients during all stages of life, including before and during birth. I love the variety that FM brings and, most importantly, the patient continuity. As a family doctor, I’m looking forward to building relationships with patients and helping them improve all aspects of their health.
Why Williamsport? I chose Williamsport because I wanted an unopposed residency program with a strong OB curriculum that was close to home. The faculty members and residents I met during my interview day also made me feel like I was already a part of this tight-knit community (despite our interactions being only virtual).