Residents

Current residents

Class of 2020

• Nicholas Bailey, MD - Marshall University - Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine
• Richard Cheek, MD - University of South Carolina School of Medicine
  
• Benjamin Cragun, MD - Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
  
• Ashley Hill, MD - Penn State College of Medicine
• Matthew Shaheen, MD - Wayne State University School of Medicine
  
• Guirguiss Tadros, MD - Alexandria University Faculty of Medicine

Class of 2021

• Arthur Johnson, MD - University of North Carolina School of Medicine
• Kelly Krupa, MD - Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University
• Kristin Krupa, MD - Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University
• Mohamad Rassoul Abu-Nuwar, MD - Jordan University of Science & Technology
• Patrick Regan, DO - Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie

Class of 2022

• Abdulrahaman Hammad, MD - Alexandria University Faculty of Medicine
• Elizabeth Clears, MD - Rush University Medical Center
• Jose Alonso Escalante, MD - Universidad de Costa Rica Facultad de Medicina
• James Babowice, DO - Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Mark Barlek, DO - Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Stanley Wolfe, MD - West Virgina University School of Medicine

Class of 2023

• Sarah Assali, DO - Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Samantha Falls, DO - Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Virginia Campus
• Oliver Knoell, MD - The University of Toledo College of Medicine
• Cody McGee, MD - State University of New York Upstate Medical University
• Jenna Rimko, DO - Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Shinichiro Yokota, MD - Hirosaki University School of Medicine

Class of 2024

• Brian Chen, MD - Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
• David Habib, MD - Drexel University College of Medicine
• Nicholas Lombardi, MD - Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
• Conor Maxwell, DO - Michigan State University College of Ostheopathic Medicine
• Sefali Patel, DO - Michigan State University College of Osteopathic
• Paige Tannhauser, MD - Drexel University College of Medicine

Class of 2020 - Prelim PGY 1

• Eric McLaine, DO - Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Carolina Campus
• Aaron Price, DO - Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Virginia Campus
• Kevin Schulte, DO - Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie
• Tiffany Wilkins, MD - Ross University School of Medicine

Residents on Research

• Steven Ballesteros, MD - Medical College of Georgia
• Philip Bauer, MD - University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
• Brendan Hagerty, MD - Temple University School of Medicine
• Melissa Hetrick, DO - Lake Erie College of Ostheopathic Medicine, Erie
• Pavan Rao, MD - Indiana University School of Medicine
• Hillary Simon, DO - Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Virginia Campus
• Julia Solomina, MD - First Moscow State Medical University
• Zachary Spigel, MD - The University of Texas School of Medicine at San Antonio

Graduates

An important consideration for many applying to a general surgery residency is the opportunities available upon completion. In fact, one the best markers of a residency program is the success of its graduates.

In addition to training skilled general surgeons, our program is proud that more than 50% of our graduates continue their training in a specialized area of surgery. Our chief residents routinely secure diverse fellowship positions, as demonstrated by the following list of recent graduates' initial positions after their chief residency:

Class of 2019

• Stephanie Cerrone, DO - Completing the 4/3 Joint Program with Cardio Thoracic Surgery at Allegheny General Hospital, Allegheny Health Network, in Pittsburgh, PA
• Laura Chanlatte de los Santos, MD - Attending staff at Jefferson Hospital, Allegheny Health Network, in Pittsburgh, PA
• Alexandra Falvo, MD - MIS and Bariatric Fellowship, Geisinger Health System in Danville, PA
• Tamara Floyd, MD - Hepatobiliary Surgery Fellowship at Ascension Providence Hospital in Southfield, MI
• Omar Hashmi, MD - Attending staff at Mountain View Regional Hospital in Las Cruces, NM
• Isaac Kriley, MD - MIS Fellowship at University of Florida in Jacksonville, FL
• Anne Meslang, MD - Attending staff at MultiCare Health System in Spokane, WA

Class of 2018

• Ravi Ambani, MD – fellowship in Vascular Surgery at Case Western University in Cleveland, OH
• Robert Brookover, MD – fellowship on Colorectal Surgery at Albany Medical Center in New York
• David Aaron Guel, MD – completing the 4/3 Joint Program with Thoracic Surgery at Allegheny General Hospital
• Johnathan Levy, MD – fellowship in Minimally Invasive Esophogeal Surgery at Western Pennsylvania Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA
• Joseph Sorg, MD – Attending staff at Saint Vincent Hospital, Erie, PA

Class of 2017

• Wade Berger, DO - Attending Staff at Heritage Valley Hospital, Sewickley, PA
• Lou Capecci, MD – fellowship in Cardiothoracic Surgery at Penn State Hershey Medical Center
• Kellen Hayes, MD – fellowship in Bariatric/Minimally Invasive Surgery at
• Cleveland Clinic. Attending at Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh, PA
• Derek Ornelas, MD – Attending Staff at Mercy Health in Boardman, Ohio
• Meredith Witten, MD – fellowship in Breast Surgery at the University of Alabama

Class of 2016

• Michael Archer, DO - fellowship in Thoracic Surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN
• Yohey Hashimoto, MD - fellowship in Surgical Critical Care at New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center
• Rick Mai, MD – Attending Staff in Las Vegas, NV
• Zachary Peckler, MD – Attending Staff at Riddle Hospital in Media, PA
• Jennifer Rittenhouse-Puhak, MD – Attending Staff at Laurel Ridge Surgical Associates at Uniontown Hospital
• Rachel Tindall, MD - fellowship in Transplant and Hepatobiliary Surgery at Cedars Sinai Hospital. Attending staff at Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh, PA

Class of 2015

• Linda Bergal, Attending staff, Houston
• Amanda Celii, Trauma/Critical Care/ ACS Fellowship, Emory University, Atlanta
• Mark Crye, Cardiothoracic Fellowship, Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh
• Benedict Leung, Attending staff, Heritage Valley Hospital, Beaver, Pa.
• Michael Stellmaker, Attending staff, Saint Luke's Hospital, Duluth, Minn.
• Wesley Vosburg, MIS Fellowship, Tufts, Medical Center, Boston

Class of 2014

• Tara Grahovac, Breast Fellowship, UPMC, Pittsburgh
• Kelly Wanamaker, Cardiothoracic Fellowship, Brigham Woman's Hospital, Boston
• Jennifer Chen, Trauma/Critical Care Fellowship, University of North Carolina,
• Chapel Hill, N.C. Attending Staff at Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh, PA
• Edward Vilella, Vascular Fellowship, Loyola Medical Center, Chicago
• Jacquelyn Palmer, Breast Fellowship, Carolina Medical Center, Charlotte, N.C.
• Vanessa Papalazaros, Attending staff, Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital, Albany, Ore.

Class of 2013

• Shahab Akvan - Cardiothoracic Fellowship, Baylor University, Waco, Texas
• Collin Conway - Attending Staff, Forbes Hospital, Monroeville, Pa.
• Nicole Figel - Minimally Invasive Fellowship, UT Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas
• Victoria Lee - Attending Staff, Atlanta, Ga.
• William Nelson - Attending Staff, Meadville Medical Center, Meadville, Pa.
• Natasha St. Germain - Minimally Invasive Fellowship, Sinai, Baltimore, Md.

Class of 2012

• Phoebe Abraham - Attending Staff, West Penn Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pa.
• Eric Boyle - Bariatrics Fellowship, Carolina Medical Center, Charlotte, N.C.
• Elizabeth Dovec - Bariatric/Minimally Invasive Surgery Fellowship, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn.
• Jared Murdock - Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship, Emory University, Atlanta, Ga.
• John Rutkoski - Advanced Laparoscopy and Robotic Surgery Fellowship, Valley Health System, Ridgewood, N.J.
• Tae-Ho Song - Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston

Class of 2011

• George Nassif - Minimally Invasive Colorectal Fellowship, Lankenau Hospital
• J. Ryan Rice - PRS Fellowship, Lahey Clinic
• Irene Tower - Cosmetic Surgery Fellowship, Los Angeles
• Casey Yossa - Vascular Surgery Fellowship, Allegheny General Hospital

Class of 2010

• Chad J. Carlton - Minimally Invasive Surgery Fellowship, University of Texas-Houston
• Michael S. Cowher - Breast Surgery Fellowship, Cleveland Clinic
• Pablo G. Giuseppucci - Private Practice, Grove City, Pa.
• Gregory S. Huang - Trauma/Critical Care Fellowship, University of Louisville
• Justin K. Nelms - Vascular Surgery Fellowship, University of Maryland
• Deane E. Smith, III - Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship, New York University

Class of 2009

• Elizabeth L. Detschelt - Vascular Surgery Fellowship, Allegheny General Hospital
• James E. Kasiewicz - Surgical Critical Care Fellowship, UPMC
• Soumya Neravetla - Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship, University of Miami
• Jitesh A. Patel - Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship, Washington University, St. Louis
• Geoffrey B. Pelz - Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship, Allegheny General Hospital
• Majed Y. Sarouf-Maalouf - PRS Fellowship, Akron General Hospital

Class of 2008

• Brian M. Goodman - Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship, The Ohio State University
• Mark W. Hennon - Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship, University of Wisconsin
• Jason R. Kasza - Minimally Invasive Surgery, George Washington University
• Greta L. Piper - Surgical Critical Care Fellowship, University of Pittsburgh