San Juan Regional Health

San Juan Regional Medical Center Announces First Internal Medicine Residents

FARMINGTON, NM (March 23, 2026) – San Juan Regional Medical Center proudly announces the results of the 2026 Main Residency Match? (“the Match”) with the first group of residents for our new Internal Medicine Residency Program committing to our organization.
Our three-year program, accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, is focused on creating the next generation of internal medicine physicians to bring care to our local population. Our comprehensive training encompasses both inpatient and outpatient settings to ensure the core competencies essential for internal medicine practice and subspecialty careers with a targeted focus on inspiring careers in primary care to combat the shortage of primary care physicians across the nation.

Join us in welcoming:

Chathurika Priyabhashinie
Dr. Priyabhashinie is from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and grew up in Sri Lanka. She completed her medical education at the University of Kelaniya in Sri Lanka. She chose San Juan Regional Medical Center because she wanted to join a new residency program and live in the West, and she also has family in Farmington. She is the mother of two girls and enjoys crocheting and doing cross-stitch in her free time.

Shafqat Ullah
Dr. Ullah is from Taunsa Sharif, Pakistan. He completed his medical education at Quaid-e-Azam Medical College in Pakistan. He chose San Juan Regional Medical Center for its unique position as a community-based hospital that offers exposure to diverse pathologies, close-knit and engaging faculty members and inspirational program leadership. He looks forward to offering the best possible care to the community while enjoying all Farmington has to offer, including the abundant sunshine. In his free time, Dr. Ullah enjoys cooking Indo-Pak recipes, playing cricket, badminton and table tennis, and performing cultural dances with music.

Mahnoor Shah
Dr. Shah is from Dera Ghazi Khan, Pakistan. She completed her medical education at King Edward Medical University in Pakistan. She chose San Juan Regional Medical Center’s residency program because of its strong commitment to community service and addressing primary care gaps in the Four Corners region. She looks forward to being part of a program where she can grow as a physician while contributing to the community. In her free time, she loves experimenting with different recipes, and spending quality time with her friends and family.

Maryam Abbas Malik
Dr. Malik is from Lahore, Pakistan. She completed her medical education at the Services Institute of Medical Sciences in Pakistan. She chose San Juan Regional Medical Center for its welcoming, supportive environment with a strong sense of teamwork and commitment to resident growth, as well as the focus on serving a diverse and underserved patient population. Dr. Malik is excited to live in Farmington with its outdoor activities and strong community feel. She enjoys meditating, exercising and going for long walks in her spare time and looks forward to exploring the Four Corners. She also loves being creative through portrait and pottery painting, photography and journaling.

 “As the program director, I am honored to be in the position to help guide these brilliant young physicians through their training to hopefully stay and work in our culturally rich and geographically unique region,” said Dr. Erin Philpott, Internal Medicine Physician and Residency Program Director. “We welcome them to the Four Corners and look forward to building something meaningful together.”

San Juan Regional Medical Center looks forward to the long-ranging impacts of bringing a nationally accredited Internal Medicine Residency program here to our community. These include:

• Improved Patient Outcomes – Teaching hospitals often see lower inpatient mortality rates and stronger adherence to evidence-based care standards. 
• Increased Access to Care – Residents expand the care team, helping improve appointment availability, especially in primary care clinics. 
• Stronger Chronic Disease Management – Expanded care teams help better manage conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension. 
• Physician Retention and Workforce Stability – Physicians are more likely to practice in the communities where they complete their residency training. 
• Enhanced Quality Improvement – Residency programs foster a culture of research, data analysis, and continuous improvement in patient care. 
• Community Public Health Impact – Residents contribute to prevention, education, and outreach efforts that improve population health. 
• Economic Benefits for the Community – Residents live, rent, shop, and spend locally, supporting businesses and economic growth. 
• Alignment with National Training Standards – Programs affiliated with organizations like the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education help ensure high-quality training and adherence to national care standards. 

We will welcome the internal medicine residents to San Juan Regional Medical Center in July.
To learn more about our Internal Medicine Residency program, visit https://www.sanjuanregional.com/residency.