Dr. Saffarian is a graduate of the American University of the Carribean, British West Indies. He completed his Internal Medicine residency at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital where he also fulfilled his Nephrology fellowship. He completed an additional fellowship in Transplant Nephrology at St. Johns Hospital and Medical Center in Detroit.
Trinity Health Medical Office Building
Erica Riordan, MSN, CNM
A certified nurse midwife, Erica Riordan, MSN, CNM, provides general obstetric and gynecological care for women, as well as contraception counseling and preventive medicine. The Illinois native earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Aurora University in Illinois and received a Master of Science in Nursing with a focus on midwifery from Frontier Nursing University, Hyden, Ky. Her experience includes 10 years working as on obstetrics nurse at Illinois Valley Community Hospital. She also was associated with Birth Care Staffing, an agency that assists hospitals in fulfilling specialized nursing needs. She is a member of the American College of Nurse Midwives and Midwives Alliance of North America.
Bryan Phillips, PA-C
Bryan Phillips, PA-C, is a certified PA and a provider in our Infectious Disease Department. He works closely with Infectious Disease specialist Casmiar Nwaigwe, MD, and other clinicians to provide care to patients with various illnesses caused by microorganisms, including bacterial and viral infections. A graduate of Minot State University, where he graduated Cum Laude, he completed his master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies at Des Moines University, Iowa. His experience includes medical rotations in Family and Internal Medicine, as a scribe and ER technician in the Trinity Emergency Trauma Center and as working as a residential treatment advisor at the Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch. He’s a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants.
Casmiar I Nwaigwe, MD
Casmiar I. Nwaigwe is board certified in Infectious Diseases. He offers expert consultation and treatment of illnesses caused by microorganisms, including bacterial and viral infections, HIV, pneumonia, wound infections and Lyme disease. He also consults on the rational use of antibiotics and treatment of resistant bacteria as well as providing advice to international travelers. Dr. Nwaigwe (pronounced WIG-way) received his medical degree from the University of Lagos in his home country of Nigeria. He completed a three-year Internal Medicine residency and three-year Infectious Diseases fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, where he received awards for his scholarly study and research. He is a member of numerous professional organizations, including the Infectious Disease Society of America, American College of Physicians, and the Society of Internal Medicine.
Bahram Nico, MD
Dr. Nico is board certified in Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology. A graduate of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Dr. Nico completed his residency in Neurology and a fellowship in Clinical Neurophysiology at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. He concluded a fellowship in sleep medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. He is a member of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
Tricia Nechodom, AuD
Tricia M. Nechodom, AuD, is a Doctor of Audiology, skilled in all aspects of evaluation and diagnosis of hearing disorders through the lifespan. Her clinical interests include: hearing aid prescription and fitting, Cochlear implant programming, hearing conservation, pediatric diagnostics, electrophysiological hearing tests for infants and young children and newborn hearing screening program.
Tricia earned her degree at the University of Minnesota and completed her training at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital and the University of Minnesota Medical Center. She is a certified pediatric specialist through the American Board of Audiology and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Audiology. She belongs to the American Cochlear Implant Alliance, ND Hands & Voices and the North Dakota Hearing Society. Tricia aims to advance audiological best practice protocols and guidelines within Trinity and the state of North Dakota by actively participating in local and national continuing education, conferences, and training opportunities.
Jerrica Maxson, AuD
Jerrica L. Maxson, AuD, is a Doctor of Audiology, skilled in all aspects of testing and diagnosis of hearing disorders with clinical interests in pediatric audiology, cochlear implant programming, and fitting/management of hearing aids for children and adults. A Minot native, she received her early audiology training at the University of North Dakota, completing her doctorate at the University of Iowa. She then completed a 4th year externship at the Central Institute for the Deaf Oral School in St. Louis, a school dedicated to teaching deaf and hard of hearing children to listen and speak for communication. She served as a pediatric cochlear implant audiologist at St. Louis Children’s Hospital before returning to her hometown to join Trinity Health.
Jerrica holds her Certificate of Clinical Competence with the American Speech Language Hearing Association. She is the North Dakota Chapter Champion with the American Cochlear Implant Alliance. She is professionally licensed with the North Dakota Board of Examiners for Hearing Instrument Specialists, and the North Dakota State Board of Examiners for Audiology. She has been a board member of the North Dakota Hands & Voices since institution in 2011.
Dawn Mattern, MD, FAMSSM
Dawn Mattern, MD, FAMSSM is board certified in Family Medicine and Sports Medicine, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine. She sees active patients and competitive athletes from all over the region and oversees the Trinity Sports Medicine Athletic Trainers as they serve the extended community. She received her initial training at the Center for Family Medicine in Minot and then completed a fellowship at the Ohio State University Sports Medicine Center. Upon graduation, she served as the Head Team Physician for the men’s hockey team at OSU. She returned to Minot in 2002, and has devoted her time to covering local sports teams, education of medical students and residents, all while ensuring quality care and rehabilitation of her patients. She is also a volunteer team physician with the United States Olympic Committee, US Ski and Snowboard, and the Justin Boots Sports Medicine Team with the professional rodeo. Her clinical interests include concussions and exercise as medicine.
Rosina Medel, MD
Rosina Medel, MD, is a neurologist board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. Dr. Medel provides specialized care for patients dealing with the full spectrum of neurological disorders affecting the brain, nervous system, peripheral nerves and muscles. She received her early medical training in the Philippines, earning a nursing degree and later a medical doctorate from the University of Perpetual Help System. She migrated to the United States, where she completed a preliminary residency in Internal Medicine at Nassau University Medical Center, East Meadow, NY. She fulfilled her Neurology residency and performed a fellowship in Clinical Neurophysiology at JFK Medical Center in Edison, NJ, where she served as chief resident her final year and earned numerous awards for academic and clinical excellence. Dr. Medel is a member of the American Academy of Neurology.
Ira Paul Michaelson, MD
Ira Paul Michaelson, MD, is a board certified gastroenterologist with extensive experience caring for people with digestive disorders and other conditions affecting the G.I. tract. A lifelong Boston-area resident, Dr. Michaelson graduated from Trinity College in Hartford, CT, and earned his medical degree from the University of Florence in Italy. He completed his internship and the first year of his Internal Medicine residency at Carney Hospital in Boston. His second and third years of residency were completed respectively at Cook County Hospital in Chicago and Brigham and Women’s Hospital of Boston. He practiced briefly as an emergency physician before pursuing a two-year fellowship in Gastroenterology at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center in Worcester. He then began a 35-year association with Lawrence Memorial Hospital, Medford, MA, where he provided gastroenterology and advanced endoscopic care to G.I. patients throughout the Medford area. A member of the American College of Gastroenterology, Dr. Michaelson is dual boarded in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology, with clinical interests in Plant Based Medicine and cancer prevention following the work of Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn of the Cleveland Clinic. An avid cross-country skier, he and his wife, Shari, have four children and six grandchildren.