DeTar Family Medicine Residency Program Welcomes Eight New Residents at White Coat Ceremony
6/23/2025
The DeTar family medicine residency program proudly welcomed eight new resident physicians during a white coat ceremony held Friday, June 20, in the DeTar Navarro education classroom. The class of 2028, along with year 2 and year 3 residents, makes a total of 25 doctors working at DeTar ’s residency program.
During the next three years, the residents will see patients at the DeTar Family Medicine Center, as well as rotate through different specialties. Dr. Julia Shae Krause-Castaneda, program director, said the goal of the program is to bring new physicians into the field of family medicine with the hope that they choose to stay in the area. This annual tradition marked a significant milestone for the incoming residents as they received their white coats—a symbol of their commitment to compassionate, skilled patient care and the beginning of their journey in family medicine. The event was attended by DeTar hospital leadership, faculty, current residents, and family members.
Bernard Leger, CEO of DeTar Healthcare System, said, “Our DeTar family medicine residency program is shaping the next generation of family medicine physicians through our collaboration with Texas A&M College of Medicine. We are excited to support and nurture this new class of residents. They are the future of medicine in our region, and we’re proud they’ve chosen to train at DeTar.”
The new 2025 incoming class includes:
- Stella Jane Fedele, MD
- Israel Daniel Large, MD
- Amber Marie Ludtke, DO
- Amal Adil Elhassan Mohammed, MD
- Hashir Murtaza, DO
- Neha Nadeem, MD
- Rabia Shahid, MD
- Kevin Thi, MD
The white coats were presented by DeTar family medicine residency faculty members Kalpesh Bhesaniya, MD, Bain Cate, MD, Frank Goodman, DO, Daniel Dugi, MD, Jonathan Klarich, MD, and Mark Stevens, MD, each offering their encouragement and support as these physicians begin their intensive training at DeTar.
Dr. Pauline Roxas, senior chief resident, welcomed the audience and new residents with words of reflection and encouragement, “This white coat is more than a garment—it’s a responsibility. As you wear it, remember the privilege and trust that comes with caring for patients in their most vulnerable moments.”
Krause-Castaneda, a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians, provided the new residents with a brief overview of the history of the white coat, “ When a physician dons the white coat, it signifies the sacred trust between healer and patient. The white coat has come to represent trust and authority. It symbolizes the dedication to healing, the pursuit of knowledge and the solemn responsibility of caring for human life.”
She concluded with, “It is my honor to not only welcome you to the profession, but also to the DeTar and Texas A&M family.” And, she expressed pride in the newest additions to the program: “These eight individuals represent the best of what our program strives to achieve—dedication, empathy, and a deep commitment to serving the community. We are honored to guide them on their journey.”
Junior chief resident Dr. Shariq Sidanderali shared inspiring words for his new colleagues, “Every day you will grow. Every new patient you see, you will learn something new. And, you’ll be a little bit better than the day before!” Dr. Sidanderali finished his remarks with inspiration as well as with some humor, “Learn from each other, laugh often and don’t forget why you started this journey. We are all in this together and we’ve got your backs. Always remember you are not alone. Let’s make this the year of learning, the year of growth and just maybe, the year we learn to turn in our medical reports on time.”
Closing the ceremony, Bernard Leger, CEO of DeTar Healthcare System, extended a warm welcome on behalf of the organization: “This is our tenth class and I’ve been here for five of these white coat ceremonies. I am always excited to meet our new group of residents. We are extremely proud to partner with Texas A&M on our residency program. The fact that we get close to 1,000 applicants for our eight spots says a lot about our program, Texas A&M College of Medicine and it says a lot about what we do here at DeTar.”
The DeTar family medicine residency program, accredited by the ACGME, continues to serve as a vital training ground for physicians committed to providing exceptional, full-spectrum care to patients in South Texas and beyond. Learn more at https://detarresidency.com/.
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