Family Medicine

Zahra Aftab, M.D.

Assistant Professor, Family Medicine
Geriatric Medicine Fellowship

Dr. Zahra Aftab is board certified in family medicine and geriatrics. She earned her medical degree from King Edward Medical University in Lahore, Pakistan. She completed her residency through The University of Toledo College of Medicine/ St. Luke's Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program in Toledo, Ohio and continued her education by completing the program's geriatric medicine fellowship.

Dr. Aftab's philosophy of care encompasses the idea of providing medical care in a way that does not appear to be burdensome for her patient population. She strongly believes in her elder patient's autonomy and input in making healthcare decisions for themselves. Dr. Aftab's special interests include frailty, malnutrition and healthy aging, as well as transitions of care and working to enable her patient's independence in the community.

Robin Barry, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Rameez Bhatti, M.D.

Assistant Professor

Shirley Bodi, M.D., FAAFP

Assistant Professor, Family Medicine
Assistant Dean of Curriculum Integration
Co-Director, Principles of Clinical Medicine
Interim Clerkship Director
Interim Medical Education Division Chief

Dr. Shirley Bodi is board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine. She received her medical degree at the Medical College of Ohio. Dr. Bodi completed her family medicine residency through the Toledo Hospital program and continued her education by completing a faculty development fellowship at the University of Michigan Faculty Development Institute.  Dr. Bodi's special interests include comprehensive care for patients of all ages as well as effective communication and collaboration with patients and effective educational methods for residents and medical students.

Julie A. Brennan, Ph.D., R.D., L.D.

Associate Professor, Family Medicine & Adult Psychiatry
Director of Behavioral Health

Dr. Julie Brennan is a licensed psychologist and a licensed and registered dietitian in the state of Ohio.  She received her Ph.D. in counseling psychology from The Ohio State University and completed her psychology internship at the Northwest Ohio Psychology Consortium.  She is currently the Director of Behavioral Science at the St. Luke’s Hospital/University of Toledo Family Medicine Residency. She is certified in Primary Care Behavioral Health. Her research interests include: wellness, health behavior change, obesity, depression and anxiety. Dr. Brennan is a member of the Ohio Psychological Association and Society of Teachers of Family Medicine.

Parul Chaudhri, DO

Luisa Corpuz, M.D.

Aarion Gross, PA-C

Assistant Professor, Family Medicine
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Family Medicine

Sherie Hanna, M.D.

Daniel P. Hickey, J.D., M.B.A.

Associate Professor, Family Medicine
Vice Chair, Business & Strategy

Mr. Hickey is an Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Pediatrics. He graduated from the University of Toledo with Master of Business Administration and Juris Doctor degrees and received a graduate certificate in Medical and Health Science Education from the Medical College of Ohio. Mr. Hickey's areas of teaching expertise include practice management and medical/legal issues in health care. He is board certified in healthcare management and is licensed as an attorney in Ohio. His research interests include advance care planning and preclinical medical education.

Sean Machanda, M.D.

Assistant Professor, Family Medicine

Dr. Sean Machanda is board certified in family medicine. He earned his medical degree at the University of Western Ontario. He completed a family medicine residency at MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Machanda's special interest is in pediatrics.

Coral Matus, M.D., FAAFP

Associate Professor, Family Medicine 
Associate Dean for Foundational Sciences
Co-Director, Principles of Clinical Medicine

Dr. Coral Matus is board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine. She earned her medical degree at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. She completed her family medicine residency at the WW Knight Family Medicine Center in Toledo, Ohio and continued her education by completing a faculty development fellowship at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Dr. Matus' special interests include women's health, prevention, and helping international and under-served patients.

Dr. Matus was presented with Robert T. Tidrick Golden Apple Award by the medical students in 2019 and again in 2020. She was presented with the Dean's Award for Teaching Excellence by the College of Medicine and Life Sciences in 2019. In 2020, Dr. Matus was presented with the Leonard Tow Gold Humanism in Medicine Award by the medical students. Additionally, Dr. Matus was recognized by the Office of the Provost as being an educator that has positively impacted the well-being and success of her students during the fall 2020 semester through the "Shout Out" for Innovative Instructors and Staff campaign.

Ganesh Merugu, M.D.

Associate Professor, Family Medicine
Geriatric Medicine Fellowship Director
Geriatric Medicine Division Chief

Dr. Merugu is board certified in family medicine and geriatric medicine. He earned his medical degree at Gandhi Medical College in India, and completed a residency in family medicine at the University of Illinois at Peoria in Illinois. He continued his education by completing a fellowship in geriatric medicine at the Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. During his training, he developed an interest and skills in teaching and received the 2015 Resident Teacher of the Year award from the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine.

Dr. Merugu’s philosophy of care centers on patients and their safety. He utilizes all resources to keep them healthy and active. Patient safety and quality of care are especially important to improving the health and well-being of geriatric population because according to research, even one hospitalization can increase mortality and morbidity among geriatric patients and put their prognosis and well-being at risk.

His aim as a geriatric physician is to restore the independence of patients and increase the dignity and quality of their lives. He supports his patients in independently performing daily activities, which is one of the foremost prognosis indicators in the geriatric population. He seeks to identify patients’ medical, cultural, psychological, spiritual, emotional, and social needs. His patients are encouraged to participate in the development and continual updating of their individualized plan of care. He greatly values the involvement of family and friends in determining what is and was important in his patients' lives.

Dr. Merugu’s clinical interests include frailty syndrome, polypharmacy, and wound care in long-term care settings. He would like to work on a project to improve the factors which cause frailty syndrome long-term care facilities. Having worked in three long-term care facilities, Dr. Merugu aims to improve these facilities’ ratings on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Five-Star Quality Rating System.

Mariam Mina, M.D.

Associate Professor, Family Medicine
Medical Director - Physician Assistant Studies Program

Dr. Mina was appointed a faculty member of the Department of Family Medicine at the University Of Toledo College Of Medicine in August, 2013. She earned her medical degree from the school of medicine, Cairo University in Egypt. She was born in Cairo, Egypt and moved to the USA in 2004. Dr. Mina completed her Family Medicine Residency at St Luke's Hospital/ University of Toledo Family medicine program. She is interested in mental health and depression.

Dr. Mina currently serves the institution as the Medical Director for the Physician Assistant Studies program. She is married and blessed with two children. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, reading, cooking, and doing activities with her kids.

Shalini Niranjan, M.D. 

Associate Professor, Family Medicine

Dr. Shalini Niranjan is board certified in family medicine. She earned her medical degree from Chengalpattu Government Medical College in Tamil Nadu, India. She completed her family medicine residency through The University of Toledo and St. Luke's Hospital program in Toledo, Ohio. Dr. Niranjan's special interests include preventative medicine and health promotion, as well as women's health and global health.

Chayanika Pal, M.D.

Associate Professor, Family Medicine
Community Practice Division Chief

Dr. Pal was appointed a faculty member of the Department of Family Medicine at the University Of Toledo College Of Medicine in July, 2012. She earned her medical degree from Bankura Sammilani Medical College, Kolkata, India. She was one of the merit students that were covered under the fully sponsored Government Colleges in Kolkata, India. She received National Scholarships and other academic excellence awards in India.

After her graduation, she started her assignment as a faculty member at the same medical institute and then began practicing Medicine in India.  She joined the University of Toledo College of Medicine’s Residency Program in Family Medicine in 2009 at St Luke’s Hospital.  During her residency, she was awarded best resident for her outstanding patient relationships. She was also awarded for Excellent Professionalism in 2009 and 2010. After completing her residency, Dr. Pal joined UTMC and began her practice at the UTMC Fallen Timbers Primary Care Clinic in Maumee.  She has a vast interest in preventive medicine. While focusing on patient care from newborns to geriatrics, she is committed to pursuing women’s health and improving the overall health for this community. Her research interests include cervical cancer and breast cancer.

Jyothi Sri Pappula, M.D.

Associate Professor, Family Medicine
Director of Student Health
University Health Center Medical Director

Dr. Pappula earned her medical degree at Siddhartha Medical College in India and completed her Family Medicine Residency at Sparror Hospital/Michigan State University in Lansing.  She is interested in College Health and Women's Health issues.

Dr. Pappula currently serves the institution as the Director of Student Health. She is married to Dr. Murthy Gokula and they are blessed with two children.  In her spare time, she enjoys painting, cooking, and activities with kids.

Kevin A. Phelps, D.O.

Associate Professor, Family Medicine
Family Medicine Medical Director

Dr. Phelps is a native of Chittenango, New York, a small village east of Syracuse where “the river runs north.” It is also the birth place of L. Frank Baum, author of the “Wizard of Oz”. A “yellow brick road” courses through Chittenango. He is a graduate of Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine (OUCOM) and is a product of the former St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center / Medical College of Ohio Family Practice Residency Program. He has been in residency education for over twenty years and served as residency program director for over five of those years. He currently serves as Residency Program Director of the University of Toledo Family Medicine Residency Program. He completed a primary care faculty development fellowship at Michigan State University (MSU) and the National Institute of Program Director Development Fellowship Program (NIPDD) through the Association of Family Medicine Residency Program Directors (AFMRD). His medical interests include patient-centered medical home, office procedures, health behavior change and electrocardiography. He is married to Kristel and they have five children. He is an avid runner. His hobbies include hunting, hiking, listening to music, traveling and cooking.

Paul Schaefer, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor, Family Medicine
Associate Program Director

Dr. Paul Schaefer joined the Department of Family Medicine in 2006. He was appointed Associate Professor in 2014.  He obtained his MD from the Medical College of Ohio in Toledo, received his PhD from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, and did his residency in Family Medicine at the Medical University of Ohio in Toledo.  His research interests include mental health and depression.

In 2017, Dr. Schaefer was presented with the Leonard Tow Gold Humanism in Medicine Award by the medical students. 

Paul Schultz, M.D.

Karen Shafer, M.D.

Linda M. Speer, M.D., FAAFP

Professor & Chair, Family Medicine

Dr. Linda Speer, formerly Dr. Linda French, was appointed professor and chair of the Family Medicine Department at the  University of Toledo (UT) College of Medicine in November 2006.  She earned her medical degree from Austral University Medical School in Valdivia, Chile and completed her family medicine residency at Oakwood Hospital in Dearborn, Michigan.  Dr. Speer is board certified in family medicine. After completion of her residency training, Dr. Speer joined the residency faculty at Oakwood and completed a primary care faculty development fellowship at Michigan State University (MSU). Prior to coming to UT, Dr. Speer was Senior Associate Chair of the Department of Family Medicine at MSU.  She is a Fellow in the AAMC-sponsored Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) program for the development of women leaders in academic medicine, class of 2007. Dr. Speer is nationally recognized for her expertise in women’s health and evidence-based medicine.

Her research interests include medical decision-making regarding menopausal hormone use and breast cancer risk assessment in primary care practice.  She has published extensively on varied topics related to women’s health and is a member of the editorial boards of the journals Family Medicine and The Journal of Family Practice, peer-reviewed journals in the specialty. In 2005 she received the Outstanding Clinician Award at MSU and was also inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society.

Kate Szymanski, D.O.

Assistant Professor, Family Medicine
Geriatric Medicine Fellowship

Dr. Kate Szymanski is board certified in family medicine and geriatrics. She earned her medical degree from Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine in East Lansing, Michigan. She completed her residency through Saint Joseph Mercy Livingston Hospital in Brighton, Michigan. She continued her education by completing a fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at The University of Toledo in Toledo, Ohio. Dr. Szymanski joined the department as an Assistant Professor in August 2020. Her special interests include Geriatric Syndromes, patient quality of life, Osteopathic Manipulation, quality improvement, preventative health, and comprehensive care.

Svitlana Zhukivska, M.D. 

Professor, Family Medicine
Student Wellness Center Medical Director

Dr. Zhukivska is board certified in family medicine. She earned her medical degree from Bukovinian State Medical University in Ukraine. She completed her residency with The University of Toledo/St. Luke's Hospital Family Medicine Residency program in Toledo, Ohio. Dr. Zhukivska's special interests include preventative medicine, asthma, and in-office clinical procedures.