SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb., – Regional West Physicians Clinic is pleased to announce the addition of four physicians and three mid-level health care providers to its staff.

Usman Akhtar, MD, an internal medicine physician, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va. He then joined the Scholars Program at Ross University School of Medicine, Portsmouth, Dominica, West Indies, from which he earned his medical degree. He completed his internal medicine residency at New York Medical College Westchester Medical Center, Valhall, NY and at Easton Hospital, Easton, Penn. He is now accepting new patients.

Mueen Ghani, DO, specializes in pulmonary medicine and critical care. Since 2008, he has been a fellow of Pulmonary-Critical Care Medicine at Stanford University, Menlo Park, Calif. He earned his bachelor’s degree at UCLA; his master’s degree from the University of the Pacific, Stockton, Calif.; and his Doctor of Osteopathy degree from Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, Calif. He completed his internship at Botsford Hospital, Farmington Hills, Mich., and his internal medicine residency at Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, Calif. He was awarded a Western University Summer Research Fellowship with Dr. Weiner-Kronish at the University of California, San Francisco, Calif.

Eric Gardner, MD, an orthopaedic surgeon, graduated magna cum laude from Brigham Young University and earned his medical degree at the University of Illinois, Chicago, Ill. He completed an orthopaedic internship and residency at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis., followed by fellowship training at Cincinnati Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Center. He is a former Boy Scout scoutmaster and he completed two years of volunteer missionary service in Prague, Czech Republic. Dr. Gardner and his wife, Natalie, have three children and are expecting their fourth in October.
Humayun Iftikhar, MD, will join the Regional West Hospitalist program. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, and earned his medical degree at Ross University School of Medicine, Portsmouth, Dominica. He completed his internship in Internal Medicine at Newark Beth Israel Medicine Center, Newark, NJ.

Jina Nemnich, APRN-C, who has 10 years of experience as a registered nurse at Regional West, recently joined the staff of Regional West Physicians Clinic Ear, Nose, Throat, Head & Neck Surgery. She completed her master’s program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in May 2012, specializing in Adult-Acute Health and Illness. She and her husband, Geoff, have two children. She is now accepting new patients.

Sue Schoeneman, MSN, ACNP-BC, completed her master’s degree in Adult-Acute Health and Illness at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. She has extensive nursing experience, including 12 years in oncology care with both Regional West Medical Center and Regional West Physicians Clinic. She has served as the Oncology Nurse Coordinator since 2007. She will continue her oncology work in a as an Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioner with Regional West Physicians Clinic-Oncology. She is now accepting appointments.

Gatbel Chamjock, PA-C, a physician assistant, will join the Regional West Emergency Department. He earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tenn., and completed his Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree from Union College, Lincoln, Neb., graduating among the top three students in his class. He worked as a diabetes and hypertension educator in Lincoln, Neb., and was a physician assistant with the Colorado Department of Corrections for five years.

Regional West Health Services, with over 1,800 employees, provides comprehensive and innovative health care services for the people and communities of western Nebraska and the neighboring states of Colorado, South Dakota and Wyoming. With over 110 active physicians, 95 percent of whom are board certified or board eligible, plus an additional 25 consulting specialists, Regional West offers care that spans more than 30 medical specialties. Regional West Medical Center, a subsidiary of Regional West Health Services, is accredited by The Joint Commission and is one of three Level II Trauma Centers in Nebraska.