Wade Fletcher, M.D., FACP
Program Director
Tulane University School of Medicine

Dr. Fletcher became the director of the internal medicine residency program in 2011 after serving as the associate program director since 2007. He joined the faculty of Mercer University School of Medicine’s Savannah campus at Memorial University Medical Center (MUMC) in 2006. He graduated from Duke University with honors and received his medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans. A participant in the U.S. Air Force’s health professions scholarship program, Dr. Fletcher completed his internal medicine residency at Keesler Medical Center in Biloxi, Miss. He served as an Air Force major at Malcolm Grow Medical Center, Andrews Air Force Base, Md. He taught medical and physicians’ assistant students at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, and was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan as a critical care air transport team physician. Dr. Fletcher has been honored with multiple teaching awards from medical students, residents, and allied health students.

David Baxter, M.D.
Associate Program Director
Medical College of Georgia

Dr. Baxter graduated from the Medical College of Georgia in 1984. He completed his internal medicine residency at Georgia Baptist Medical Center, where he served as chief resident and associate director of the internal medicine teaching program. Dr. Baxter was in private practice for more than 20 years, most recently practicing at The Baxter Clinic in Austell, Ga. He is board certified in internal medicine and has special interests in ethics and end-of-life issues. In 2008, Dr. Baxter returned to his love of teaching by joining our internal medicine faculty.

Lora Denton, M.D.
Continuity Clinic Director
Mercer University School of Medicine

Dr. Denton graduated from Mercer University School of Medicine in 1989. She completed her internal medicine residency at Georgia Baptist, Atlanta, in June 1992. Dr. Denton joined Memorial University Medical Center in 1995 and went into private practice on Wilmington Island. She returned to the internal medicine residency as faculty in January 2007. Dr. Denton is board certified in internal Medicine.

Cristina Negrea, M.D.
Geriatrician
Dominican Republic and Romania

Originally from Romania, Dr. Negrea received her medical school education in Romania and the Dominican Republic. She completed her internal medicine residency at Mount Vernon Hospital/New York Medical College, N.Y. She also completed a geriatric medicine fellowship at the Philadelphia Geriatric Center/Medical College of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. She is medical director for the Marshes of Skidaway Retirement Community. Dr. Negrea is board certified in internal Medicine.

Michael Ruiz, M.D.
Faculty
Medical College of Georgia

Dr. Ruiz graduated from the Medical College of Georgia in 2001. He completed his internal medicine residency at Memorial University Medical Center (MUMC) in 2005. He has held positions as a staff physician at Memorial Health University Physicians in Richmond Hill, Ga., and as a hospitalist at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Savannah. Dr. Ruiz is board certified in internal medicine.

Paul Francis Jurgensen, M.D., FACP
Faculty
St. Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri

Dr. Jurgensen graduated from St. Louis University School of Medicine in 1964. He completed his internal medicine residency at St. Louis University Hospitals. He served active duty with the U.S. Navy at Naval Hospital, Beaufort, S.C., and in the Medical Corps, U.S. Naval Reserve. In 1970, he became a clinical fellow in infectious disease at the University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Fla. He was in private practice in Savannah for 30 years and has held many clinical assistant professor of medicine appointments. Dr. Jurgensen is board certified in internal medicine.

Lloyd Goodman, M.D.
Cardiologist
Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Dr. Goodman, medical director of adult cardiology, graduated from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, N.Y., in 1969. From 1969 to 1971, he was an intern and resident at Montefiore Hospital and Medical Center, Bronx, N.Y. From 1973-76 he completed his residency in internal medicine and fellowship in cardiology at Emory University Affiliated Hospital in Atlanta. Dr. Goodman was board certified in 1974 by the American Board of Internal Medicine and in 1977 by the American College of Cardiology. In 1979 he became a fellow of the American College of Cardiology. Since 1976, Dr. Goodman has served as the medical director of adult cardiology at Memorial University Medical Center.

Carlton Kemp, M.D.
Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine
Medical College of Georgia

Dr. Kemp received his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. He completed his residency at Mercer University School of Medicine and his fellowship in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. Dr. Kemp is board certified in internal medicine, pulmonary diseases, critical care, and sleep medicine. He is a member of the American College of Chest Physicians and the American Thoracic Society. Dr. Kemp specializes in treating sleep disorders and is board certified by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Stephen Morris, M.D.
Pulmonary and Critical Care
University of Miami School of Medicine

Dr. Morris received his medical degree from the University of Miami School of Medicine in Miami. He completed his residency at the Jewish Hospital of St. Louis and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and his fellowship in pulmonary diseases at Washington University School of Medicine. Dr. Morris is board certified in pulmonary disease and critical care medicine. He is a fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians and the American College of Surgeons. In addition, Dr. Morris is clinical professor of internal medicine for Mercer University School of Medicine, Savannah campus, and is director of the department of respiratory therapy at Memorial University Medical Center.

James Ramage Jr., M.D.
Education Chief of Critical Care
Duke University School of Medicine

Dr. Ramage received his medical degree from Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, N.C. He completed his residency at Emory University in Atlanta and his fellowship at Duke University Medical Center. Dr. Ramage is board certified in pulmonary disease and critical care medicine. He is a fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians and American College of Physicians. Dr. Ramage is clinical professor of internal medicine for Mercer University School of Medicine, Savannah campus, and director of both the critical care division and pulmonary rehabilitation at Memorial University Medical Center.

Igor Aksenov, M.D.
Pulmonary Critical Care
Military Medical Academy, St. Petersburg, Russia

Dr. Aksenov earned his medical degree from the Military Medical Academy in St. Petersburg, Russia. He completed his pulmonary critical care residency and a fellowship at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville. He is board certified in critical care medicine and pulmonary disease. Dr. Aksenov is in practice at Memorial Health University Physicians — Savannah Center for Respiratory, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine.

Steven Carpenter, M.D.
Chair of Internal Medicine Education
Medical College of Georgia

Dr. Carpenter is the current chair of Internal Medicine.  He earned his bachelor's degree in mathematics cum laude from Georgia State University. He then earned his medical degree at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. He completed his internal medicine residency at Emory University and a fellowship in gastroenterology at the University of Michigan. He joined the medical staff at Memorial University Medical Center in 1996 and assumed the role of education chief for gastroenterology in 2003. Dr. Carpenter also maintains a private practice, The Center for Digestive and Liver Health.

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