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Message from the Chief Residents

As the current Chief Residents for the Internal Medicine Residency Program, we are delighted to welcome you to The U! It is a very special place that we hope to share with you as you are deciding where to continue your medical training.

Though the four of us are all from different areas and backgrounds, we have made UMMC and Jackson our home. Here in Mississippi, you will find a deep-rooted sense of community and a spirit of resiliency amongst its people that define our state. Not only is UMMC the sole academic medical center for Mississippi, it also serves as a safety net for those who most need our help. The patients are extraordinarily varied, reflecting a wide spectrum of disease pathology within the context of health disparities. Whether you pursue primary care, hospital medicine, or subspecialty practice, you will be well prepared for practice, but even more so, you will leave feeling that you have made a difference in the lives of your patients.

The experiences we have had during the past three years of residency have shaped us into the physicians we are today, but more importantly, it has deeply impacted us individually. What sets our program apart is not only our clinical variety, but the supportive and nurturing environment in which you will learn medicine. You will have the opportunity to work alongside dedicated faculty who are leaders in their fields, who prioritize teaching and mentorship, care deeply about residents as individuals, and who want nothing more than for residents to succeed and achieve their goals. That unique combination is the reason we are so excited to serve as Chief Residents and give back to the students, residents, and faculty who have invested so much in us.

We invite you to consider joining our residency family at UMMC, where you will find a dynamic community of learners and leaders who are committed to excellence in patient care, education, and research. We are excited to meet you, learn more about your aspirations, and how we can support your journey. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions about our program or would like to schedule a visit. We look forward to welcoming you to UMMC and sharing with you all that our program has to offer!

- Blake, Jaslyn, Kelly, and Chad

More about us

Blake LeBlanc, MD

• Hometown: Breaux Bridge, LA
• Undergraduate: University of Louisiana at Lafayette
• Medical School: LSU Health Shreveport
• Future plans: Primary care and hospital medicine

 
Jaslyn Paschal, MD

• Hometown: Calhoun City, MS
• Undergraduate: Mississippi State University
• Medical School: University of Mississippi School of Medicine
• Future plans: Endocrinology

Kelly Dale, MD

• Hometown: Picayune, MS
• Undergrad: University of Southern Mississippi
• Medical School: University of Mississippi Medical Center
• Future plans: Academic hospital medicine 

Chad Hierlmeier, MD

• Hometown: Tampa, Florida
• Undergraduate: Florida Atlantic University
• Medical School: St. George's University School of Medicine
• Future Plans: Academic hospital medicine