Welcome from the Program Director
Welcome to the Mercy Health St. Elizabeth Youngstown Family Medicine Residency Program. I am proud to direct this program with a more than 40-year history of training excellent family physicians. We continue to add to that legacy every year, thanks to a dedicated faculty, a large and varied patient base and a commitment to providing our residents with everything that they need to succeed in any area of family medicine.
We pride ourselves on developing well-rounded graduates who will be comfortable caring for patients of all ages, no matter their medical needs, in all settings. I am especially proud that our residents successfully graduate and begin practice in many different areas of focus within family medicine: inpatient, outpatient, traditional, urgent care, academics, fellowship, rural, international and more – and all have been successful in pursuing their professional goals.
Medicine should be fulfilling and exciting, and we support each other as we learn together. In this program you will find ample opportunities for learning and studying, as well as plenty of time for family and fun — picnics, group dinners, parties and other outside activities are integral to our strong sense of camaraderie and commitment to our team.
Please take some time to look through the details of our program. If our program sounds like it could be a good fit for you, we look forward to hearing from you!
|
|
Jessica Handel, DO, FAAFP | Program DirectorMedical School: Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine Residency: Mercy Health St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital Dr. Jessica Handel is the program director of the Mercy Health St. Elizabeth Youngstown Family Medicine Residency Program. She grew up on a farm in Columbiana, Ohio. She has participated in Mercy Health’s Leadership in Medicine program and holds faculty appointments at Northeast Ohio Medical University, Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine and Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. Within the residency, she has been a clerkship site director, an ALSO certified instructor, medical director of the Youngstown State University Student Health Center and the associate program director of our residency program. She is the chair of the Continuing Medical Education Committee for Mercy Health Youngstown. Her clinical interests include women's health, prenatal care, pediatrics, preventive care and EKG interpretation. She is the proud mom of two amazing children and is passionate about providing care to underserved patients in the Mahoning Valley and teaching family medicine to the next generation of physicians. In her spare time, she loves horseback riding, traveling, hiking, reading and learning something new. |
|
|
Dr. Rudolph Krafft, MD, FAAFP | Associate Program DirectorMedical School: Jefferson Medical CollegeResidency: St. Vincent Health Center Dr. Krafft is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine and takes a special interest in sports medicine and dermatology. Dr. Krafft's personal interests include college football, golf and reading. |
 |
Dr. Ronald Scott, MD | Associate Program DirectorMedical School: Loyola University Medical CenterResidency: Mercy Health St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital Dr. Scott joined the faculty at St. Elizabeth Youngstown after completing his residency there. His professional interests include geriatrics. He enjoys discussions on theology, anthropology and zoology.
|
Assistant Program Directors
 |
Dr. Ypapanti Meris, MD | Assistant Program DirectorMedical School: Northeast Ohio Medical UniversityResidency: Medstar Franklin Square Medical Center Dr. Meris was born at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Youngstown, so it was natural for her to return to her roots. She was chief resident during her residency, and her professional interests include pediatrics, HIV and preventive medicine. She enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, traveling and theater. |
 |
Dr. Laura L. Miller, MD, MPH, FAAFP | Assistant Program DirectorMedical School: Jefferson Medical CollegeResidency: The Washington Hospital Fellowship: University of Pittsburgh Department of Family Medicine Dr. Miller’s professional interests include maternal/child health, global health and community medicine. In her spare time, she enjoys flower gardening, dancing, hiking, medical mission work, traveling and spending time with her family. |
 | Dr. Jennifer Lamanna, PhD | Assistant Program DirectorDoctoral Degree: Virginia Commonwealth University in Counseling Psychology Dr. Lamanna was born and raised in the Mahoning Valley. After completing her training, she worked in the community and is thrilled to be a part of the faculty as an experienced licensed clinical psychologist. Her professional interests include integrated primary care, chronic pain management, adherence to medical treatment and coping with chronic illness. She enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. |
Core Faculty
Kristen Evan-Hymes, DO
Harriet Lemberger-Schor, MD
Robert McClusky, MD (Obstetrics and Gynecology)
Christian Yeasted, MD
Vasiliki Vamvakis, MD
Contact Us
Program Coordinator/Academic Specialist: Lauren Pasquine
Email address: lauren_pasquine@mercy.com
Phone: 330-480-3631