Independence Health System’s Latrobe Hospital Family Medicine Residency (LHFMR) program celebrated Match Day, a highly anticipated event when residency programs and fourth-year medical students learn where they will complete their training.
Fourth-year medical students apply to residency programs, which extend interview invitations based on applicants’ qualifications. Afterwards, both candidates and programs rank each other, and the National Residency Matching Program uses an algorithm to determine matches, which are revealed on Match Day. The LHFMR program received over 1,161 applications, extending interview invitations to more than 90 qualified candidates.
This year, the Latrobe Hospital Family Medicine Residency program is pleased to announce its newest cohort of residents, who begin their duties on July 1, 2025.
- Dominic Wells, DO, LECOM, Erie, PA
Hometown: McMurray, PA
- Michael Finelli, MD, Saint George’s University
Hometown: Mississauga, ON, Canada
- Raquel Ferreira, DO, LECOM, Elmira, NY
Hometown: Dartmouth, MA
- Edoardo Frezza, MD, Trinity School of Medicine
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
- Elijah Depew, DO, LECOM, Seton Hill
Hometown: Grove City PA
- Sofia-Mari Claesson, DO, LECOM, Seton Hill
Hometown: Irwin PA
- Matthew Bushik, DO, LECOM, Seton Hill
Hometown: Irwin, PA
- Alena Naritsin, MD, Saint George’s University
Hometown: Plainville, MA
Founded in 1974, with an initial class of four residents, the program’s mission is to enhance access to well-trained family physicians in the community. The program has grown to include 24 physicians, and each year eight new residents are accepted. Residents gain experience through clinical rotations and office-based practice while supporting 24/7 coverage at Latrobe Hospital, further broadening their understanding of the continuum of care.
Training alongside seasoned physicians in various specialties, residents gain exposure to inpatient and outpatient care settings, including ambulatory family medicine, hospitalist medicine, obstetrics, women’s health, pediatrics, cardiology, intensive care, and more. Additionally, residents engage in numerous community programs, fostering a well-rounded educational experience. The program aims to equip residents with the tools necessary to succeed in a collaborative, interdisciplinary model of healthcare.
“We are proud to welcome our newest class of residents to the Latrobe Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program, said Mike Semelka, DO, FAAFP, program’s director. “We look forward to supporting them as they develop into highly skilled and compassionate physicians, further enriching the lives of our patients and strengthening healthcare in our community.”
Since its inception, the Latrobe Hospital Family Medicine program has graduated 257 physicians, including physicians who have opted to stay within the region upon completion of their residency.
“As a physician who completed his residency training at Latrobe Area Hospital, it’s truly an honor to welcome the next class of residents to the program,” said Dr. Jerome Gera, Family Medicine physician at Excela Square Frick. “This marks the beginning of a rigorous and transformative period in their medical careers, one that will challenge them, inspire them and ultimately prepare them for their future in medicine. We look forward to offering them guidance and support throughout their residency journey.”
To learn more about the Latrobe Hospital Family Medicine Residency program, visit https://www.independence.health/careers/latrobe-hospital-family-medicine-residency/.
