Our Staff

Dr. Richard Peterson obtained his Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in biology from the University of California, Riverside. He then went on to obtain a Masters in Public Health (MPH) at the East Stroudsburg University in East Stroudsburg, PA. He obtained his MD degree from the American University of the Caribbean. He completed his General Surgery residency at St. Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, MD. He then went on to pursue a fellowship in Advanced Laparoscopic and Bariatric Surgery at the University of Southern California with world-renowned laparoscopic surgeon Dr. Namir Katkhouda. This training has made him one of a select few surgeons who perform a completely hand-sewn laparoscopic gastric bypass.

Following the completion of his training he entered into Active Duty service with the United States Air Force. He served two combat tours in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. During his time in the Air Force, Dr. Peterson served as Chief of Bariatric and Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery at Wilford Hall Medical Center. He expanded the program to be the largest bariatric surgery program in the Department of Defense. He also served as the Consultant to the Air Force Surgeon General on Bariatrics during this time. Dr. Peterson was recently selected by his fellow physicians as one of San Antonio's Best Doctors. Dr. Peterson is fluent in Spanish, enjoys running and resides in San Antonio with his wife and two children.

Dr. Suh was a staff physician in the Section of Geriatric Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, Director of the Aging Theme and Assistant Professor at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, and Medical Director of the Geriatric Assessment Program at Euclid Hospital (an affiliate of Cleveland Clinic). He has also been active at the local and national levels in the National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP) and American Geriatrics Society (AGS).

Dr. Koretsky graduated from the State Medical and Pharmaceutical University named after Nicolae Testimitianu, Moldova (former USSR). Prior to her relocation to the U.S., she was working as a rheumatologist. She completed three years of training in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio. Dr. Koretsky is with UT Medicine Westover Hills serving as a Medical Director since the clinic’s opening. She enjoys exercising and spending time with family. She speaks English, Russian, and Romanian.

Dr. Melendez is a family physician who graduated medical school with honors at University of Texas Medical Branch in 2006. In 2009, she completed 3 years of residency training at University of Texas Medical Branch in Family Medicine. There, she served as chief resident in her final year. She is board certified in Family Medicine and also certified by the American Board of Holistic Integrative Medicine. Her clinical interests include women's health, preventive medicine, and complementary and alternative medicine. She was appointed as an associate professor for University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio in September 2010. She enjoys spending time with her family.

Specialty
Family & Community Medicine

Board Certifications
National Commission On Certification Of Physicians Assistants

Specialty
Family & Community Medicine

Board Certifications
National Commission On Certification Of Physicians Assistants

Dr. Nguyen graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a BA in Microbiology in 2000. He completed medical school in San Antonio in 2004 and his five years of General Surgery Training in San Antonio in June 2009. Dr. Nguyen was awarded numerous teaching awards during his training and joined the faculty upon completion of training. As an Assistant Professor in Surgery he has led the expansion of the General Surgery Service at UT Medicine Westover Hills. He is also the Co-Director of the Surgery Clerkship for the School of Medicine and is currently serving a 2-year term as the Chief of Surgical Services at the Christus Santa Rosa Westover Hills Hospital. Dr. Nguyen is fluent in French, Vietnamese, and some Spanish.

Dr. Arisco is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Urology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio where she is part of the Section of Female Urology, Neuro-Urology and Voiding Dysfunction. She provides care for patients with complex urologic problems at the Audie Murphy VA Hospital, University Hospital and in the Christus Santa Rosa Hospital System at the Santa Rosa Northwest and Westover Hills locations. Dr. Arisco is actively engaged in research in the fields of urinary incontinence, Urodynamics and voiding dysfunction with the goal of bettering care of both men and women with urologic problems in the future while providing excellent care in the present.

Dr. Sheehan graduated from medical school in 1998, and completed her general surgery residency at Loyola University Medical Center in 2003. She then completed a 2 year fellowship in Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at University of Pittsburgh in 2005. Since becoming a faculty member at UTHSCSA, she has completed her Master’s of Science in Clinical Investigation. She currently serves on several national committees in vascular surgery, including the Diversity in Vascular Surgery committee, whose goal it is to increase diversification of physicians in the field as well as increase cultural awareness. Her current clinical and research interests include endovascular treatment of peripheral arterial disease, critical limb ischemia, carotid disease, and venous disease. Her other expertise include laser hair removal, Sclerotherapy, and laser for varicose & spider vein removal/treatment.

Dr. Sideman attended medical school at the UTHSCSA and completed a general surgery residency at the University of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky. He completed a vascular surgery fellowship at the University of Utah School of Medicine and an endovascular surgery fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. He has been an assistant professor at the University of Oklahoma for six years where he has received educational accolades such as the Aesculapian Award (twice) for best medical school-wide teacher (as voted by fourth year medical students) and the Crimson Apple Teaching Award. Dr. Sideman will continue his commitment to educational excellence when he joins our faculty and establishes a vascular surgery fellowship. He will also be very involved in resident training. Clinically, he will lead the expansion of the vascular surgery service at the UT Medicine Westover Hills site. He will also work at University Hospital and the Audie L Murphy Veterans Memorial Hospital.