Name: Alpha Anders, MD

Education: Pomona College (2011)

Medical School: UC San Diego (2020)

Interests in the field of PM&R: I am interested in pain management and the utilization of imaging modalities for targeted therapy. Pain medicine is dynamically evolving. New technologies can provide patients with treatment alternatives to open surgery, and I am excited by regenerative medicine and its potential to treat both acute and chronic conditions. I want to develop the fluoroscopic and ultrasonographic skillset to be able to incorporate the best therapies into my patients' treatment plan.

What do you enjoy most about NOLA? Food, music, and the abundance of good times. Festival season in the Spring, kicked off by Mardis Gras and capped by Jazz fest, is my favorite part. There's something fun to do every weekend and everyone is in great spirits. Plus, Saints games are in a league of its own.

What attracted you to this program? The incredible exposure to pain and musculoskeletal medicine with unparalleled procedure numbers. Skill is honed by repetition. This program has trained me to accurately diagnose patients, create multi-modal treatment plans, and perform interventional procedures as part of that treatment plan.

Fun Facts: I played college football and taught middle school before medical school. I have two pups and an amazing wife. New Orleans is the best city to tie the knot. The second line was my absolute favorite.

Name: Lauren Cooper, MD

Education: Louisiana State University (2015) 

Medical School: LSU School of Medicine, Shreveport (2020)

Interests in the field of PM&R: I am very interested in electrodiagnostics, neuromuscular ultrasound, and spasticity management.

What do you enjoy most about NOLA? There is always something fun and exciting happening in the city. Springtime in NOLA is always fun because of the many food festivals and crawfish boils. Fall is my favorite, however, because the city starts buzzing with excitement for Saints and LSU football. Although it can get hot in the summers, the weather is great for outdoor activities, which is great for someone like me who enjoys tennis!

What attracted you to this program? The bond between the residents stood out to me as a visiting student. Also, being a categorical program was a huge bonus.  Finally, you cannot beat the culture of South Louisiana!

Name: Ryan Wolfe, MD

Education: Tulane University (2015) 

Medical School: LSU School of Medicine, New Orleans (2020)

Interests in the field of PM&R: I am very interested in interventional procedures, ultrasound medicine, and spasticity management. There are so many different facets of PM&R, I really love that you can kind of re-invent yourself within the field. 

What do you enjoy most about NOLA? Louisiana, and especially New Orleans, has a very unique culture. The people are fun, vibrant and genuinely nice. I also love eclectic and delicious food scene, along with the vast number of festivals. 

What attracted you to this program? Before learning more about the program, I was really interested in the procedural competence that the residents get. After rotating with LSU PM&R in medical school I fell in love with the comradery between the residents. 

Name:  K. Patrick Haynes, MD

Education: LSU (2014)

Medical School: LSU School of Medicine, New Orleans (2020)

Interests in the field of PM&R: EMG, MSK, regenerative medicine, diagnostic and therapeutic Ultrasound, inpatient rehab

What do you enjoy most about NOLA? I love all the different fantastic restaurants in the area. I feel like you could be here for years and still find new great places to eat almost daily.

What attracted you to this program? I have been in Louisiana my entire life and the opportunity to continue my training here was a must for me. On top of that, we get great training with different procedural skills, including EMG and ultrasound guided injections. We also see a great variety of patients here that I will feel will have me prepared wherever I end up practicing post-residency.

Fun Facts: Big sports fan, particularly soccer (go Everton) and college football. I also enjoy going to the gym and hanging out with family and friends.

Name: Evan Reuter, MD

Education: Tulane University BS (2014), MS (2015)

Medical School: LSU New Orleans (2020)

Interests in the field of PM&R: Interventional spine care, pain medicine, musculoskeletal ultrasound

What do you enjoy most about NOLA? The music and festivals of New Orleans are unbeatable. Mardi Gras, French Quarter Fest, Jazz Fest, Bayou Boogaloo, Satchmo Summerfest, Freret St Fest, PoBoy Fest, Midsummer Mardi Gras. There’s always a reason to celebrate in this city and you have the entire city to celebrate with you. There is a Grammy winning musician playing basically every night of the week.

What attracted you to this program? LSU PM&R prioritizes procedural training and independence. The opportunity to see patients and teach students with peripheral and adequate supervision from attending allows us to find our own strengths and learn what we have to work on independently to make each of us the strongest clinician possible.

Name: Michael Robbins, MD

Education: University of Southern Mississippi (2015)

Medical School: University of Mississippi Medical Center (2020)

Interests in the field of PM&R: Electrodiagnostics, Inpatient rehab, Post-acute consults (SNFs), Ultrasound guided injections, Orthobiologics and regenerative medicine

What do you enjoy most about NOLA? Very close to my heart as my parents are both native to New Orleans, and I have still have multiple family members that live in and around the city. Revisiting locales that hold special memories for me and making new ones with my wife and children has been very special.

What attracted you to this program? Geographically, it is in the ideal location for my family and me. This is coupled with the incredibly diverse training exposure we receive; innumerable procedures in electrodiagnostics, interventional pain, ultrasound for diagnostics and therapeutics; exposure to high acuity inpatient rehab, sports medicine, pediatric rehab.

Fun Fact: I can do a ton of cool things while balancing my hands upside down.

Name: Brandon Kent, MD

Undergraduate: Baylor University 2017

Medical School: Louisiana State University Health Science Center - New Orleans

Interest in the field of PM&R: Interventional Procedures, Musculoskeletal Ultrasound, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Regenerative Medicine.

What do you enjoy most about NOLA? Football season, duck hunting season, Mardi Gras season and crawfish season.

What attracted you to this program? Everyone in the program seemed to be happy and genuinely interested in the field of PM&R. There is diverse exposure to all aspects of PM&R with great autonomy and early exposure to interventional procedures as well as inpatient training with abundant exposure to spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and polytraumas.

Fun Fact: I enjoy wood working, duck hunting, fishing and spending time with my wife and two daughters.

Name: Brandon Savage, MD

Education: Grand Valley State University (2015)

Medical School: Wayne State University SOM (2021)

Interests in the field of PM&R: Interventional spine procedures, peripheral joint injections under ultrasound, spasticity management and EMGs.

What do you enjoy most about NOLA? There are so many great festivals and events throughout the city that you'll never be bored. The culture is very unique and everywhere you go people are always trying to have a good time. It's hard not to have fun here.

What attracted you to this program? I am originally from Michigan and one of my goals for residency was to experience something different. I had never been to NOLA before matching here, however during my interview I felt that I connected with the residents and staff immediately. I also knew that the program was great at exposing its residents to hand on procedures. Now that I am here, it has been even better than expected. I enjoy spending time with my co-residents both at work and outside of work. My wife and I have also really enjoyed our time living in the city.

Name: Zachary Richard, MD

Education: Louisiana State University (2017)

Medical School: LSU School of Medicine, New Orleans (2021)

Interests in the field of PM&R: diagnostic ultrasound, spasticity management, electrodiagnostics, MSK, regenerative medicine, interventional sport and spine

What do you enjoy most about NOLA? New Orleans is an incredible international city with a deep, rich history. The city is incredibly unique in style and culture. The people are kind and welcoming so everyone can feel at home here. The parks offer massive green spaces to explore within the city. New Orleans is a city of arts and culture, and world-renowned entertainers routinely perform here.

What attracted you to this program? LSU provides great exposure to interventional spine procedures as well as amazing exposure to diagnostic and procedural ultrasound. The various and interesting cases seen during EMG rotations are invaluable training for the real world. Overall, I feel capable of pursuing all aspects of PM&R after residency. More importantly, my co-residents make the bad days great and the good days even better. I look forward to going to work most days just to hang out with my colleagues who I consider friends.

Fun Facts: I can solve a Rubik’s cube in less than 2 minutes.

Name: Alex Thibodeaux, MD

Education: Louisiana State University (2017)

Medical School: LSU School of Medicine, New Orleans (2021)

Interests in the field of PM&R: MSK Ultrasound and Inpatient PM&R

What do you enjoy most about NOLA? Great food and music

What attracted you to this program? Excellent training in inpatient rehab with a wide array of pathology. Exposure to MSK ultrasound

Name: G. Tate Sibley, MD

Education: University of Louisiana at Monroe (2017)

Medical School: LSU School of Medicine (2021)

Interests in the field of PM&R: Pediatrics, Spasticity

What do you enjoy most about NOLA? Tons of delicious food and restaurants

What attracted you to this program? The high volume of procedures in all areas of PM&R

Name: Ariean Loo-Hernandez, DO

Education: Louisiana State University (2016) 

Medical School: William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Hattiesburg, MS (2021)

Interests in the field of PM&R: I am very interested in interventional pain, sports medicine, EMG/NCS, spasticity management, and osteopathic manipulative medicine. PM&R is such a broad field that you can really make it what you want.

What do you enjoy most about NOLA? New Orleans has such a unique culture. It is full of friendly people, amazing food, great festivals, and everyone has that Laissez les bons temps rouler attitude which makes it a great place to be.

What attracted you to this program? This program has many opportunities to become extremely competent in both interventional and ultrasound guided procedures along with having the ability to take care of very complex patients on the inpatient side of rehab. When looking into programs during medical school, the comradely amongst the residents at LSU was unmatched. Each resident got along so well and enjoyed working with each other just as much as hanging out outside of work.

Name: Michael A. Connors, MD

Education: University of Louisville (2016)

Medical School: University of Louisville School of Medicine (2022)

Interests in the field of PM&R: There are a ton of facets within PM&R that led me to pursue this specialty. Some specific interests of mine include sports medicine, MSK ultrasound, and interventional procedures.

What do you enjoy most about NOLA? The atmosphere of New Orleans encapsulates a rich culture that I've found truly awesome. From the amazing food and steady stream of music, to the countless festivals and pro-sports teams, there is an endless amount to explore here.

What attracted you to this program? The vast experience of procedural training caught my eye, but the resident culture reeled me in. There is such a great display of affability and friendship here that I did not find elsewhere, and it has made for an incredible experience.

Name: Taylor Bosch, MD

Education: Bellarmine University (2017)

Medical School: University of Louisville (2022)

Interests in the field of PM&R: I am most interested in pediatric physiatry. Working with kids is simply the best! I also enjoy general PM&R. I'm excited to become more proficient with ultrasound and EMGs.

What do you enjoy most about NOLA? There is always something to do! Always food to eat! The weather is also a major plus.

What attracted you to this program? The people are amazing. I could also tell that the program was dedicated to ensuring that each resident would be able to curate their rotations to their interests as much as possible.

Fun Facts: I tried 10 different King Cakes during my first Mardi Gras season

Name: Mason Kay, MD

Education: Centenary College (2018)

Medical School: LSU School of Medicine, New Orleans (2022)

Interests in the field of PM&R: Pain, Sports

What do you enjoy most about NOLA? There is always some event happening every weekend, so you can always find something to do.

What attracted you to this program? Great faculty that truly enjoy teaching. 

Name: Zachary Poche', MD

Education: Nicholls State University (2018)

Medical School: LSU School of Medicine, New Orleans (2022)

Interests in the field of PM&R: Inpatient Rehab, Stroke Rehab, General PM&R

What do you enjoy most about NOLA? I love the live music scene in New Orleans. Whether it's the numerous different live music bars in the French Quarter, the jazz bands playing on Frenchman Street, or just a local musician playing guitar in an oyster bar on Lake Pontchartrain, there are just so many places to listen to live music on the weekends.

What attracted you to this program? While I was interviewing with different residency programs, I quickly realized that the people in this program are second to none, both residents and faculty. The faculty truly invest in you as a resident and take the initiative to push you to accomplish your professional goals. The vibe between the residents makes even the longer and busier days fun. I truly look forward to hanging out with all of my co-residents every Friday during didactics, often followed by grabbing a drink together on Friday afternoons.

Fun Fact: I have 2 dogs: a 7-year-old German Shepherd mix named Zoe and a 1-year-old Golden Doodle named Teddy. I love taking them to different parks around the city!

Name: Amy Smith, MD, JD

Education: LSU, Baton Rouge (2007), LSU Law School, Baton Rouge (2011)

Medical School: LSU School of Medicine, New Orleans (2022)

Interests in the field of PM&R: Sports Medicine, Pediatric Rehab, Ultrasound

What do you enjoy most about NOLA? The individual culture of each neighborhood and stumbling upon new restaurants, shops, art all the time. Also, the Southern hospitality and traditions of the Louisiana people make the region one-of-a-kind. 

What attracted you to this program? I liked knowing I would get plenty exposure to all aspects of PM&R at LSU. This program felt very balanced, offering both strong inpatient and outpatient rotations. I also liked the vast amount of experience LSU's residents acquire doing many procedures. The residents have real comradery and function together as a team.

Name: Chad Hobbs, DO, DPT

Education: Athens State University (2002); Belmont University (2009)

Medical School: William Carey University (2022)

Interests in the field of PM&R: Interventional Pain, Sports medicine

What do you enjoy most about NOLA? I love all the amazing food

What attracted you to this program? During my audition rotation I witness great collaboration between the residents and staff, which I felt would provide a great learning environment. The program also offers lots of opportunities for procedures which will help in skill development.

Name: Hannah Haddad, DO

Education: Louisiana State University (2018)

Medical School: Kansas City University (2023)

Interests in the field of PM&R: I’m interested in interventional pain medicine, musculoskeletal medicine, ultrasound guided procedures, and amputation rehabilitation. I am also very interested in integrative medicine and how we can utilize evidenced-based complementary medicine to enhance rehabilitation care.

What do you enjoy most about NOLA? New Orleans is one-of-a-kind! The culture, the food, and the people are incredible and unlike any city I’ve been too. There is always some festival to attend and some reason to celebrate!

What attracted you to this program? I was initially drawn to LSU’s strong procedural exposure, but what I loved most was the family feel of the program and how close and supportive all the residents are.

Fun Fact: I am passionate about traveling and have visited 28 countries so far!

Name: Hannah Koster, MD

Education: LSU (2018)

Medical School: LSU School of Medicine, New Orleans (2023)

Interests in the field of PM&R: I love how versatile PM&R is as a specialty! I am currently interested in both interventional pain and inpatient rehabilitation, but I am excited to learn more about all aspects of the field throughout my training.

What do you enjoy most about NOLA? I was born & raised here and am so happy to call it home for my time in residency too! With its delicious food, southern hospitality, and vibrant culture, there is truly no other place like New Orleans. There is always something fun to do!

What attracted you to this program? Through my rotations as a medical student, I could easily appreciate that both the residents and faculty genuinely enjoyed being a part of this program. The strong camaraderie is evident. I was drawn to this program because I knew I would get great clinical experiences while being supported by colleagues throughout my training.

Fun Facts: I recently got married and have a very cute goldendoodle named Rambeaux! In our free time, my husband and I love to go offshore fishing and scuba diving. We most recently dove in Thailand on our honeymoon!

Name: Matthew Bennett, MD

Education: University of Southern Mississippi (2016)

Medical School: LSUHSC New Orleans (2023)

Interests in the field of PM&R: Interventional pain, sports medicine, and general inpatient rehab.

What do you enjoy most about NOLA? What isn't to love about New Orleans? The best of the city can be summed up into the four seasons: Carnival season, crawfish season, festival season, and Saints football season.

What attracted you to this program? Engaged and easily approachable faculty who are eager to teach and mentor, excellent training in all areas of PM&R, diverse patient population, and resident camaraderie all led me to want to stay for residency.

Fun Fact: I'm a diehard Saints, Pelicans, and Southern Miss sports fan. See y'all at the Dome and the Blender!

Name: Kolby Kunefke, MD

Education: Louisiana Tech University (2019)

Medical School: LSU School of Medicine, New Orleans (2023)

Interests in the field of PM&R: Everything from inpatient rehab to interventional procedures. I enjoy all aspects of PM&R and I’m looking forward to exploring more of the field.

What do you enjoy most about NOLA? The people, the food, the unique architecture, and the culture. New Orleans is a big city with a small town feel. There's always something going on to keep entertained.

What attracted you to this program? When rotating as a medical student, I really appreciated the confidence that each of the residents displayed when working with both peers and patients. LSU PM&R gives its residents the autonomy needed to learn and the guidance necessary to amplify that growth. 

Fun Facts: I taught 3rd grade math after graduating college! We went through more crayons and construction paper than I ever thought possible.

Name: Jeffrey (Jeff) Mauras, MD

Education: LSU (2016)

Medical School: LSU School of Medicine (2023)

Interests in the field of PM&R: I love that PM&R is a mix of medicine and hands-on procedures. I am hoping to model a career that allows me to practice both. I am also interested in interventional procedures and MSK.

What do you enjoy most about NOLA? There is always something going on. Between the food, the festivals, and the proximity to world class hunting and fishing, the city will keep you busy year-round. My favorite thing is the people. Everyone wants to know where you are from, what you do, and how they can connect to you.

What attracted you to this program? This program allows early exposure to multiple areas of PM&R. LSU PM&R has a great balance of competition and comradery that makes it a great place to complete residency.

Fun Fact: I own a 25 year old stand up jet ski.

Name: Michael Brands, MD

Education: Louisiana State University (2019)

Medical School: LSU School of Medicine, New Orleans (2023)

Interests in the field of PM&R: My clinical interests include interventional pain management, ultrasound-guided procedures, inpatient rehabilitation, and veteran healthcare.

What do you enjoy most about NOLA? The incredible food, unique culture, and friendly people truly make New Orleans one of a kind. In my spare time, I love cheering on the Saints in the Superdome!

What attracted you to this program? Among many other reasons, I chose LSU because of its extensive procedural exposure, outstanding faculty mentorship, and palpable resident camaraderie. While rotating as a student, it was apparent that LSU PM&R is committed to producing compassionate physicians who provide outstanding care to their patients.

Fun Fact: I have fractured my left clavicle twice.