Our Program’s Faculty
Our faculty at TriStar Southern Hills is comprised of highly skilled and dedicated individuals who are committed to providing an exceptional graduate medical education and training experience. Their expertise and diverse backgrounds bring a wealth of knowledge and real-world experience to the program. They are not only accomplished clinicians, but also passionate educators who are always willing to go the extra mile to support our residents. Through their mentorship and guidance, they instill in our residents the values of clinical excellence, compassionate patient care, and lifelong learning.
Courtney Halista, M.D.
Family Medicine
Program Director
Courtney Halista, MD, FAAFP is a Family Medicine board-certified and Faculty Development fellowship-trained specialist practicing at Southern Hills Continuity Clinic located in Nashville, Tennessee. She is also a military veteran, having served in the United States Air Force (USAF) as a Family Medicine physician.
Dr. Halista decided to pursue a career in Family Medicine because of her desire to care for the entire family from infancy through adulthood. She has special interests in Women’s Health, Dermatology, and Pediatrics. Dr. Halista offers a variety of procedural services, including long-acting contraceptive management, endometrial biopsies, skin biopsies, and joint injections. She is also a certified Accutane provider.
Dr. Halista earned her medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts and completed her residency in Family Medicine at David Grant USAF Medical Center on Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, California. After residency, Dr. Halista completed a Fellowship in Faculty Development at the University of California – San Francisco in San Francisco, California.
Kelsey Hyland
Family Medicine
Program Coordinator
Kelsey Hyland is a native of Franklin, TN. She is a proud alumni of Auburn University where she studied Health Services Administration. Kelsey has been with TriStar since 2016.
Prakhya Bhatnagar, M.D.
Family Medicine
Faculty
Dr. Bhatnagar is a family medicine board-certified physician and is dedicated to delivering compassionate and sustainable medical care to her patients. She completed her residency at the University of Minnesota/ CentraCare St Cloud Hospital. Her medical interests include dermatology, hospital medicine, pediatrics, preventative medicine and women’s health. She offers a variety of procedural services, including long acting contraceptive management, skin biopsies, and joint injections. Outside of medicine, she enjoys traveling, exploring new cuisines & coffee shops, hiking in moderation, and spending time with her family.
Anthony Day, M.D.
Family Medicine
Associate Program Director
Anthony Day, MD, FAAFP is a Family Medicine board-certified physician practicing at Southern Hills Continuity Clinic located in Nashville, Tennessee. He joined the residency teaching faculty in December 2023 after over 17 years serving as the Program Director for the Family Medicine residency in Waterloo, IA. Born and raised in Iowa, Dr. Day earned his undergraduate degree and medical degree from the University of Iowa. After residency in Rockford IL, Dr. Day served as a Family physician in the Air Force, with stints in Little Rock and Omaha. Then he began teaching residents full-time in Peoria IL. Altogether Dr. Day has over 25 years of teaching and supervising Family Medicine resident physicians.
Dr. Day’s passion is developing Family physicians to deliver high-quality, comprehensive primary care for a community of patients. He has helped train over 550 family medicine physicians. His interests include chronic disease management, quality improvement, evidence-based medicine, and wellness. Working with patients to help them live their healthiest and best lives is his primary goal in patient care.
Dr. Day has four grown children and six grandchildren. He enjoys spending time with his wife and family, games and puzzles, biking, and watching hockey and college sports (Go Hawks!).
J. Matthew Ducey, M.D.
Family Medicine
Faculty
Dr. Ducey joined the Tristar Medical Group in the summer of 2015. He is originally from Wareham, MA and did his medical school at the University of Massachusetts - Worcester. He completed his Family Medicine residency at Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, NC where he served as Chief Resident where he really enjoyed being able to teach. Dr. Ducey is board certified in Family Medicine and loves seeing the entire family including infants and seniors with a focus on preventative care and chronic diseases, especially diabetes. He does a variety of in office procedures including minor skin procedures, joint injections, and women’s health. In his spare time he loves spending time with his wife and three daughters, playing golf, tennis, and board games.
Liz Tennant, M.D.
Family Medicine and Obstetrics
Faculty
Elizabeth Tennant is a Tennessee native and board certified family medicine physician who graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Columbia and completed family medicine residency at the University of California Davis. Following residency, she completed a surgical obstetrics fellowship at Ellis Family Medicine program in Schenectady, NY. She feels strongly about providing equitable care for all patients and has particular interest in women’s health and reproductive care. Other areas of interest include pediatric care, substance use treatment and point of care ultrasound. Outside of medicine, she enjoys cooking, traveling, and hiking with her husband and dog.
