Current Residents
PL3 Class of 2026
Wenyu Deng, MD
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Undergraduate: New York University
Medical School: SUNY Downstate
Hobbies: Traditional and digital illustration, animation, photography, and karaoke
Why I chose SUNY Downstate: High surgical and clinical volume with plenty of hands-on experience, strong sense of collegiality among residents, excellent and devoted faculty, and the opportunity to care for Brooklyn’s diverse and underserved patient population
Rebecca Friedes, MD
Hometown: East Hampton, NY
Undergraduate: New York University
Medical School: SUNY Downstate
Hobbies: Baking, eating (especially new foods!), longboarding, kickball, hiking, dancing, traveling
Why I chose SUNY Downstate: The huge diversity in patient populations and pathologies. The residents and faculty are so warm and welcoming. Downstate and Brooklyn truly feel like my home, and I’m lucky to be able to stay here!
Allen Ganjei, MD
Hometown: Brookline, Massachusetts
Undergraduate: Brandeis University
Medical School: Drexel University College of Medicine
Hobbies: Cooking, hosting dinners with friends, photography, art history, weight lifting
Why I chose SUNY Downstate: High procedural/surgical volume, a broad patient population, and camaraderie amongst residents.
Aram Singh Garewal, MD
Hometown: Hawthorne, NJ
Undergraduate: College of the Holy Cross
Medical School: The Robert Larner, M.D., College of Medicine at the University of Vermont
Hobbies: Weight Lifting, Cooking, Golf, Traveling
Why I chose SUNY Downstate: This program enables me to work with an incredibly diverse patient population and provides me with a strong hands-on clinical experience. Additionally, I get to live in New York City and explore the amazing food options, music scene, and nightlife. I also get to live close to my friends and family.
John Petrie, MD
Hometown: Setauket, New York
Undergraduate: Johns Hopkins University
Medical School: SUNY at Buffalo, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biological Sciences
Hobbies: Fencing, biking, working out, traveling, reading fiction novels
Why I chose SUNY Downstate: Diverse patient population, unique pathology, supportive faculty and a collaborative resident family.
Koosha Ramezani, MD
Hometown: Gorgan, Iran
Medical School: Beheshti University of Medical Sciences
Hobbies: Running, Hiking, Playing Soccer; Anything Outdoors, Photography, Playing Tombak (Traditional Persian Percussion), Listening to Podcasts, Adding movies to my Letterboxd list!
Why I chose SUNY Downstate: SUNY Downstate ophthalmology residency program will expose me to a diverse patient population as well as a wide range of ocular pathologies. Our department has a long history of excellence and the faculty are so passionate about and dedicated to resident teaching. Residents are extremely supportive and collegial which makes training enjoyable. I am excited to be a part of this department and work and live in Brooklyn, one of the most vibrant and diverse communities of New York City!
Matthew Wilneff, MD
Hometown: Highland Park, IL
Undergraduate: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Medical School: Florida Atlantic University
Hobbies: I enjoy boxing, weightlifting, and video games. Going on hikes with my wife Shannon, and relaxing at home with our two cats, Mimi and Osi
Why I chose SUNY Downstate: Strong comradery among residents. Training within a population that will allow me to handle any pathology I encounter in the future.
Brian Wollocko, MD
Hometown: Monroe, NY
Undergraduate: Skidmore College
Medical School: The Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University (Stony Brook Medical School)
Hobbies: Hiking, Running, Camping, Cooking, Spending time with loved ones
Why I chose SUNY Downstate: I wanted to train at a program that allowed me to have supervised autonomy, to let me practically develop my skills, and to be exposed to high volume and diverse pathology. I wanted to be able to leave residency being prepared to approach and handle anything that my career will throw at me.
PL2 Class of 2027
Evan Afshin, MD
Hometown: Plainview, New York
Undergraduate: Macaulay Honors College at Queens College
Medical School: New York Medical College
Hobbies: Hiking, traveling, tennis, anything outdoors/nature, photography, creating GIFs/memes, DIY projects, and spending time with family and friends
Why I chose SUNY Downstate: I wanted to continue training in NYC! Downstate offers robust clinical training with its diverse population, extensive pathology exposure, and high clinical volume. I wanted a place that would promote autonomy and I was drawn by the fact that so many faculty members also trained at Downstate and either stayed or returned after fellowship. Lastly, you could feel the comradery and support amongst the residents.
Palaiologos Alexopoulos, MD
Hometown: Athens, Greece
Undergraduate: University of Athens Medical School
Medical School: University of Athens Medical School
Hobbies: Film, soccer & tennis, hosting radio shows / podcasts, attending music festivals & listening to albums, finding hidden gems in the city
Why I chose SUNY Downstate: Wonderful people to work with & supportive environment, optimal balance between supervision and autonomy, extensive volume and diversity in cases (especially surgical); and, of course, its location in the best city in the world.
Gabriel Kabarriti, MD
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Undergraduate: Johns Hopkins University
Medical School: SUNY Downstate
Hobbies: Traveling, biking, trying new coffee shops
Why I chose SUNY Downstate: The training at Downstate through its diverse patient population and hands-on experience provides a truly comprehensive training. The Faculty and residents are supportive, dedicated, and devoted to caring for your development as an ophthalmologist. As a medical student, I saw first-hand the great clinical experience residents get and I am lucky to be able to continue my training here!
Jasmine Mahajan, MD
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
Undergraduate: The College of New Jersey
Medical School: Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
Hobbies: teaching and learning dance, exploring NYC (particularly cute cafes), collecting snow globes, drinking lots of coffee, and cardio kickboxing
Why I chose SUNY Downstate: diverse patient population, camaraderie amongst residents and faculty, unique cases and pathology, and being in Brooklyn!
Nairi Rostomian, DO
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Undergraduate: University of California Santa Barbara
Medical School: Kansas City University
Hobbies: Armenian music & dance, pilates, anything outdoors including hiking, climbing, and camping, traveling & learning about different cultures, enjoying all forms of live music, and quality time with my amazingly supportive family and friends
Why I chose SUNY Downstate: Seeing how confidently the seniors in this program navigate Ophthalmology from the clinic to the OR, all I could think was I hope I am that clinically sound and comfortable coming out of residency. Besides the high volume and broad disease pathology that comes with serving the population of Brooklyn, New York provides a diverse and lively atmosphere, with a large Armenian community and incredible co-residents that make it feel like a second home.
Omar Siddique, MD
Hometown: Queens, NY
Undergraduate: Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College
Medical School: SUNY Downstate
Hobbies: Basketball, weightlifting, video games, science fiction
Why I chose SUNY Downstate: Growing up in New York City, there is nowhere else I consider home. Having the opportunity to train at such a storied program, care for the diverse patient population, and encounter every pathology under the sun while still being so close to friends and family was a no brainer. On top of that, the great camaraderie between residents and excellent fellowship match results make SUNY Downstate second to none.
Jose Sinon, MD
Hometown: Ithaca, NY
Undergraduate: Binghamton University
Medical School: SUNY Downstate
Hobbies: Exploring nature, playing and watching sports, gardening
Why I chose SUNY Downstate: great training with diverse pathology and supportive faculty
Sapna Syal, MD
Hometown: Brick, NJ
Undergraduate: Princeton University
Medical School: Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Hobbies: working out, historical fiction, traveling, and eating donuts
Why I chose SUNY Downstate: high volume program with the gamut of pathology, diverse patient population, camaraderie among residents, mentorship from attendings, and living in Brooklyn!
PL1 Class of 2028
Rucha Borkhetaria, MD
Hometown: Somerset, NJ
Undergraduate: The College of New Jersey
Medical School: Penn State College of Medicine
Hobbies: Hiking, traveling, tennis, anything outdoors/nature, photography, creating GIFs/memes, DIY projects, and spending time with family and friends
Why I chose SUNY Downstate: Downstate provides truly robust training through its supervised autonomy, where I’ve seen the senior residents manage a high volume of complex pathology with such confidence and ease. In addition to providing a diverse patient population, Brooklyn is the best place to live, especially alongside our wonderful co-residents that become like family!
Maria Canellos, DO
Hometown: Manhasset Hills, NY
Undergraduate: SUNY Geneseo
Medical School: NYITCOM
Hobbies: : Traveling, tennis, baking, spending time with my family and friends
Why I chose SUNY Downstate: I chose SUNY Downstate because of its strong reputation for producing confident and skilled ophthalmologists through hands-on training and early independence. I value the high volume of clinical and surgical experience, as well as the diverse patient population. There is a great sense of camaraderie and support among the residents and faculty. Downstate felt like the perfect place for me to grow not only as a clinician but also as an individual, and I am grateful to be a part of this program.
David Castillejos, MD
Hometown: San Diego, CA
Undergraduate: Columbia University
Medical School: Columbia University
Hobbies: Running, walking, exploring, eating, Spending time with loved ones
Why I chose SUNY Downstate: I wanted to feel comfortable with a wide range of pathologies and patient populations. I also wanted to feel comfortable with autonomy as I learned how to be an ophthalmologist. Downstate provides these elements with good mentorship to help me grow and learn. In these ways I hope to leave residency feeling comfortable with any pathology a patient might present with.
Charles Karrasch, MD, PhD
Hometown: Reno, NV
Undergraduate: University of Nevada, Reno
Medical and Graduate School: SUNY Downstate
Hobbies: Snowboarding, cycling, tennis, hanging out with my wife and kids in Prospect Park.
Why I chose SUNY Downstate: I enjoyed my time as a student at Downstate, and I am fortunate to remain here for residency. Downstate’s ophthalmology program has a reputation for autonomy, high volume, and diverse patients and pathology. I also love the density and energy of the city.
Aysha Malik, MD
Hometown: Long Island
Undergraduate: Boston University
Medical School: SUNY Downstate
Hobbies: Junk Journaling, cooking, puzzles, reading fantasy books, trying new restaurants in NYC
Why I chose SUNY Downstate: Having gone to medical school at Downstate and now continuing my medical training here, I can truly state that the patient population in East Flatbush and Brooklyn in general is extremely grateful for everything we do. It motivates you to keep working and striving toward your medical goals. Downstate also fosters a sense of community like no other. I have made best friends during medical school and residency that have helped me get through the demanding and rigorous journey that is medicine. Lastly, there’s no place like NYC and Brooklyn.
Megh Shah, MD
Hometown: East Brunswick, NJ
Undergraduate: The College of New Jersey
Medical School: Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
Hobbies: Distance running, Indian classical singing, photography, exploring the city, collecting decks of playing cards, and traveling when I can.
Why I chose SUNY Downstate: When I rotated at Downstate as a student I fell in love with the patient population and realized how many different pathologies I would be exposed to. The training is robust and will allow me to feel confident in my abilities afterwards. The residents are always there for each other and each class becomes a family. Brooklyn is also a place to live and work with losts of things to do!
Gabriel Shlager, MD
Hometown: San Francisco, CA
Undergraduate: Connecticut College
Medical School: Tufts University School of Medicine
Hobbies: Breadmaking, cooking, skiing, card games, attending concerts, and bachata dancing
Why I chose SUNY Downstate: Friendly atmosphere, graduated autonomy, highly diverse pathology with the opportunity to be a part of and serve the Brooklyn community. Excited to be back in NYC and enjoy what the city has to offer!
Mohamed Sylla, MD
Hometown: Dakar (Senegal) and Bronx
Undergraduate: BMCC, The City College of New York
Medical School: SUNY Downstate
Hobbies: Traditional oil painting, Workout
Why I chose SUNY Downstate: Large underserved, diverse patient population. Amazing opportunity to learn from amazing faculty and residents.