Meet our chief medical residents who serve as key leaders for our program and who work together as a team to serve the mission of Temple's residency, hospital, and community. They are selected from among our own residents during their PGY2 year for excellence as clinicians, as educators, and as leaders. The chief year is an additional PGY4 year completed at the end of their residency and an opportunity for our chiefs to give back to our program. In addition to teaching our residents during their clinical service as attending physicians on the inpatient floors and outpatient clinic, they also play a large role in the residency's didactic curriculum as curriculum developers, coordinators, and teachers. They support our residents as some of their most powerful representatives and advocates and are the driving force behind many of the innovations which enrich our program and Temple community.
Brent Halsey, MD
Hometown: Richmond, VA
Medical School: Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University Hospital
Career Interests: Hematology/Oncology
Personal Interests: Bike riding, reading fiction, water and snow skiing, cats and babies (see new additions to our family River and Astrid!)
Favorite thing about Temple: Serving the residents of North Philadelphia and resident camaraderie/support of one another
Favorite thing about Philadelphia: All the perks of a big city like restaurants and events, but much more manageable, contained, and walkable
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Salted Caramel
Alison Koransky, MD
Hometown: Scotch Plains, NJ
Medical School: Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Career Interests: General Internal Medicine, Medical Education
Personal Interests: Reading, going down the shore, cooking, traveling, playing with Teddy
Favorite thing about Temple: The people—both my co-residents and the patients we work for. I got to work with an amazing group of co-residents who always supported me and became some of my closest friends.
Favorite thing about Philadelphia: All the great food—its affordable and there are always new places to try
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Coffee Ice Cream
Jenny O’Brien, MD, PhD
Hometown: Marlborough, MA
Medical School: Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
Career Interests: Hematology-Oncology, Medical Education
Personal Interests: Dancing, cooking, reading, traveling, wishing I had a puppy
Favorite thing about Temple: The people! The friendships I have made from this residency will last a lifetime. Also, I am so happy to have had the privilege to take care of this incredible patient population who has taught me so much.
Favorite thing about Philadelphia: I love that there is incredible food available at affordable prices, everywhere in the city is so walkable, and that after 10 years here I’m still finding new exciting things to explore around Philly.
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Black Raspberry Chip
Jorge Rosario Vega, MD
Hometown: Guaynabo, PR
Medical School: University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine
Career Interests: Rheumatology, Medical Education
Personal Interests: Spending time outdoors (mountain biking, hiking, fishing, camping) with my wife and golden retriever (Khaleesi!), cooking and trying out new international cuisine, business and finance, learning random facts on the internet, national park road trips and traveling.
Favorite thing about Temple: I love being in a place where we care for a very complex patient population (medically and socioeconomically) alongside a community that displays real camaraderie, collegiality and is full of people that are just fun to be around.
Favorite thing about Philadelphia: All the perks of a big city but more affordable! Great museums, trails nearby, and an incredible food scene where you are almost guaranteed to find a place to satisfy any cravings.
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Cookies and Cream
Katie Vanchiere, MD
Hometown: Shreveport, Louisiana
Medical School: LSU School of Medicine in Shreveport
Career Interests: Academic Cardiology
Personal Interests: Cooking, dancing, hiking, coffee
Favorite thing about Temple: The amazing, fun, supportive, down-to-earth folks that work here!
Favorite thing about Philadelphia: The dynamic food scene – it is so underrated, I think it’s better than NYC even, because amazing up-and-coming chefs can afford to launch unique food concepts here, and we all get the benefit of enjoying their masterpieces at Philly prices!
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Mint chocolate chip (or Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla)
