Hometown: Corona, CA
Medical School: A.T. Still University - School of Osteopathic Medicine
in Arizona
My name is Amer Aldaas! I was born and raised in sunny Southern California, more specifically the Inland Empire. I grew up in a family of four boys so sports, competition, and tough love were all integral components of my upbringing. I received my Bachelor's degree at UCR then ultimately went to ATSU-SOMA for medical school. I've lived in California for most of my life, so moving to Washington will be an interesting and exciting new chapter for my wife and I! Outside of work, I enjoy the outdoors, weightlifting, traveling, trying different restaurants/cuisines, and playing video games.
Hometown: Spokane, WA
Medical School: University of Washington
Sawyer grew up in Spokane and attended community college at SFCC prior to studying biology at Brigham Young University. He met his wife during undergrad, and they returned to his home state to complete medical school at the University of Washington. In his personal life, Sawyer enjoys playing piano, cello, and guitar. He also loves overly complicated board games, video games, teaching his dog new tricks, exploring nature, and reading. You can find his wife making him try new restaurants, and him dragging her to the ski slopes in the winter. He is honored to be training in psychiatry in a familiar and sentimental place, and looks forward to giving back to a community that has given him so much.
Hometown: Beaverton, OR
Medical School: Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine
Michael was born and raised near Portland, Oregon. He completed medical school and a concurrent master’s in public health at Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine. He met his wife at Gonzaga University, and they are thrilled to be back in Spokane. Michael believes that everyone deserves to live happy, meaningful lives, and looks forward to supporting individuals from all walks of life in his career as a psychiatrist. Outside of work, Michael enjoys exploring the outdoors, reading fiction, playing games with friends, and spending quality time with his wife and their two cats
Hometown: Gardiner, MT
Medical School: University of Washington
My name is Mike, and I am originally from the small mountain town of Gardiner, Montana. I worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant in a nursing home before pursuing my undergraduate degree in Microbiology from Montana State University. I chose to major in microbiology after learning about the impact of societal stigma caused by infectious diseases and this sparked my interest in HIV research. Upon completing my degree, I received a two-year Postbaccalaureate Intramural Research Training Award at the National Institutes of Health. During my time there, I conducted research focused on HIV vaccine development and monoclonal antibodies at the Vaccine Research Center in Bethesda, Maryland.
After completing my research, I attended the University of Washington School of Medicine, where I earned my MD degree. During medical school, I enjoyed volunteering as an adaptive ski instructor for people with mental and physical disabilities and completed a research project on HIV DNA immunoconjugates. On my clinical rotations, I realized that the most meaningful encounters centered around how diseases like HIV, or traumatic life experiences impacted mental wellbeing, and I chose to specialize in Psychiatry.
When I'm not at work, I love to spend time outdoors skiing, hiking, and traveling with my wife. I'm also an avid plant enthusiast and would like to think that I have a green thumb. The other hobbies I enjoy are working on cars and playing the guitar.
What struck me the most about PRS was the warmth and enthusiasm of the faculty, staff, and residents during my interview. The goals and values of serving vulnerable people, emphasizing psychotherapy training, and fostering personal well-being matched what I was looking for in a residency program. It was apparent to me that the culture at PRS had created genuinely happy and well-rounded residents during my conversations. I am excited to call Spokane my new home and look forward to my Psychiatry training.
Hometown: Queens, NY
Medical School: University of Washington
Atiqur was born in Bangladesh and moved to the States when he was a few months old. He grew up in Queens, NY, and enjoyed exploring downtown Manhattan by himself during his elementary school years. He moved to the Seattle area when he was in middle school and earned his B.S. in biochemistry from the University of Washington. He took a very meandering path to medicine, exploring areas such as business, bench research, healthcare administration, and mindfulness. He is proud of coordinating a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program while working at the University of Washington Pain Clinic. The best part was attending the MBSR sessions along with the patients. He was moved by their experiences and witnessed the resilience of the human mind and spirit. When he was finally ready for medical school, he was glad to get away from the Seattle traffic and attend the University of Washington Medical School in Spokane, WA. Within a few months, he fell in love with the area. He is thrilled do his residency at PRS and is happy to call Spokane his new home. In his free time, Atiqur loves to fix things (usually after he breaks them while tinkering), play chess, be ignored by his Bengal cat, and go on road trips with his wife.
Hometown: Spokane, WA
Medical School: Washington State University - Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine
Hannah is from Spokane, attended Carroll College in Helena, Montana, and graduated with her BA in Biology and Health Sciences in 2019. After graduation, she worked as a Mental Health Tech at a children's psychiatric hospital and as an Admission Counselor at Carroll until she moved back to Spokane to attend the Washington State University Elson S Floyd College of Medicine in 2021. During medical school, she enjoyed being her class representative (AAMC OSR) and exploring the field of psychiatry. Outside of medicine, Hannah enjoys spending time with her husband Kylar, their dog Yogi, and their cats Franny & Ella. They love going to concerts, doing escape rooms, playing board games, playing pickleball, spending time with friends/family, and trying new restaurants. Hannah is thrilled to be a psychiatry resident back in her hometown, helping patients find healing and stability through medicine.
