I have always been inspired by the way family medicine physicians can shape
their communities and act as agents for change and social justice. Growing
up in a town of 90 people in West Texas, along with my passion for working
with the underserved and underrepresented, has naturally drawn me towards
rural family medicine. I speak Spanish, and my interests include LGBTQIA+
health, women and children’s health, osteopathic manipulative medicine,
and in-office procedures.
When I'm not immersed in medicine, you can find me riding my bike, playing
guitar, or spending time with my wife and our pets. We have a black cat
named Boo Radley, a 'chugaweenie' named Eloise, and a pug named Wilson.
Rachel Monroe, MD (she/her) - Washington State University Elson S. Floyd
College of Medicine
I was born and raised in eastern Oregon, in a small town on the Snake River. After graduating from the College of Idaho, I lived and worked in Seattle in clinical research. My focus was first on autoimmune diseases, and later on breast cancer treatments. While I loved learning about the research process, I missed working directly with patients. Medial school had long been a dream of mine, and I finally made the jump and attended Washington State University’s College of Medicine in Spokane and the Tri-Cities. I am so glad to have found my place in the medical community. I love developing my knowledge and skills and using them to serve patients. Relationships bring meaning to the work I do every day and I’m grateful for everything I’m learning from patients. Training in Portland, Milwaukie, and Hood River is an excellent opportunity to learn in varied settings, and I am enjoying building connections in all of these communities.
When I’m not in clinic or the hospital, I spend my time social dancing, exploring the outdoor areas in and around Portland, and connecting with friends, family, and my cat, Henry.
Amanda Ciechanowski, MD (she/her) - Escuela Latinoamericana de Medicina (ELAM)
Having spent the greater part of my life in Illinois, I’ve always had a special place in my heart for the enduring spirit of the Chicago Cubs, big thunderstorms, Great Lakes, and cornfields as far as the eye can see. But, as life would have it, the journey to becoming a doctor ended up taking me far beyond the Land of Lincoln! After completing my undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, I went on to find my calling studying medicine at la Escuela Latinoamericana de Medicina (Latin American School of Medicine) in Havana, Cuba. I’m forever grateful to have trained as a doctora de ciencia y conciencia, for all the amazing Cuban professors who taught me the importance of appreciating your patient as a bio-psycho-social and spiritual whole and, even more grateful still, for the opportunity to have learned the art of medicine in a country that values health as a human right. That same commitment to health equity, underserved communities and comprehensive patient care is a huge part of what drew me to the Hood River Family Medicine program (not to mention the incredible people and the beautiful Pacific NW!), so I’m beyond excited to continue this next part of my journey learning from all the amazing faculty and residents here at Providence Milwaukie and Hood River and I'm especially looking forward to all the personal and professional growth to come. My biggest passion outside of medicine is spending time outdoors with my family and friends, especially my husband and 1-year-old daughter, who both fill my days (and soul) with an abundance of love, wonder and joy. If I'm not out hiking or camping with the friends and fam, you can usually find me gardening or cozied up with a nice mug of tea and a good book.
I grew up in a small town in North Carolina, surrounded by people who always made it their priority to look after others and tend to the underserved. In time, this influenced me to pursue medical school. From the beginning, I wanted to be a rural family physician—a doctor that anyone could come to for anything, with the knowledge and connections to change my community for the better. It was in Arkansas that I found a school that would help me reach that goal, and I was fortunate to get to spend my time there connecting with its rural communities and engaging in advocacy at the local, state, and national levels. I knew I wanted to train at a program with a similar focus on community engagement and full-spectrum care, and that's how I found myself alongside the incredible people at Providence Hood River and Providence Milwaukie!
I am so excited and feel so grateful to have the chance to train in Oregon over the next few years. It’s hard to imagine a more beautiful place, and I look forward to hiking and running through as much of it as I can. On rainier days, you can find me inside reading or trying (slowly but surely) to learn the guitar.
Owen Lewer, MD (he/him) - Loyala University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine
I was born and raised in a small town in southern Minnesota, son to a farmer and public health professional. My parents and community taught me the values of curiosity, service, and hard work from an early age, and have fond memories of summers with my brothers catching all kind of frogs, snakes, and insects in our backyard. I studied biology and Spanish at Carthage College before volunteering with the Lutheran Volunteer Corps in Washington, D.C. at a hospice and respite care home for people experiencing homelessness with HIV. I studied medicine at the Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine and became very involved in research-led advocacy to improve city services for people experiencing homelessness. Along the way, I discovered I love the variety inherent in family medicine and the challenge each patient's unique story presents.
I am delighted to train at the Providence Hood River Rural Family Medicine Training Program and immerse myself within the Hood River community. I hope to practice full spectrum family medicine, and especially enjoy procedures, addiction medicine, emergency medicine, and pediatrics. Outside of medicine, I love to get outside and hike, backpack, go birdwatching, or trail run with my incredible wife. I am also a superfan of the show Survivor and can think of nothing more incredible than flying out to Fiji to compete.
Taz Markovich, MD (he/him) - University of Washington School of Medicine
I was born in the Spokane, Washington area before moving to Casper, Wyoming to attend high school and college. Upon graduating, I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life, so I killed time working as an EMT, doing Peace Corps in Ecuador, and working in a PT clinic. While working in a rural health clinic in Ecuador, I was inspired to apply to medicine and was accepted into University of Washington's rural program (TRUST) where I deepened a desire to become a rural family medicine doctor. I am beyond excited to be joining the Hood River rural program to gain full spectrum training, be involved in the community, and enjoy the beautiful area. I am incredibly fortunate to be able to start the journey in Portland with the incredible group of people at Milwaukie.
In my free time you can catch me out mountain biking, running, watching basketball, and getting to know the area better!
