Residents 2026-2027

Jiayang (Gary) Cong, MD

• Hometown: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
• Undergraduate: University of Toronto
• Medical School: St. George's University
• Clinical Interest: Vascular Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Surgical Oncology
• Hobbies: Bodybuilding, weightlifting, raving, running
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Trying new food, long runs along the water, raving at the Storehouse, and taking part in the seasonal festivities
• One goal for the coming year: Further developing clinical and technical skills while being a strong patient advocate

Alexa De la Fuente Hagopian, MD

• Hometown: Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
• Medical School: Universidad de las Americas Puebla
• Clinical Interest: Peripheral nerve surgery // Plastic Surgery
• Hobbies: Running, cooking, baking, and watching TV series (love FRIENDS and Superstore)
• Favorite things to do in NYC: This is my first time in NYC!!
• One goal for the coming year: My goal is to learn as much as I possibly can, from mentors and colleagues. As well as demonstrating my skills in the service and care of others. 
• Publications

Saad Hussain, MD

• Hometown: Dublin, Ireland
• Undergraduate: -
  Medical School: Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI)
• Clinical Interest: Minimally Invasive Surgery, Acute Care Surgery, General Surgery
• Hobbies: Hiking big mountains, Muay Thai, Gym/Calisthenics, Rugby, Eating, Traveling with no real itinerary
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Eating my way through the city and walking around until l end up somewhere interesting
• One goal for the coming year: Learn fast, work hard, and be someone people can rely on

Panagiotis-Prodromos Papadopoulos, MD

• Hometown: Athens
• Medical School: University of Athens School of Health Sciences, Greece
• Clinical Interest: Plastic surgery, Cardiac surgery, Minimally Invasive surgery
• Hobbies: Playing the Piano, Working out, hiking
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Walking in Central Park, exploring neighborhoods, and trying different foods.
• One goal for the coming year: Develop my professional skills and gain valuable experience.

Eleftheria Slika, MD

• Hometown: Thessaloniki, Greece
• Medical School: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
• Clinical Interest: Vascular Surgery
• Hobbies: Attending concerts, visiting museums, reading, running
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Walks in Prospect park and Central park, the Met, cozy bookstores and coffee shops.
• One goal for the coming year: Gain as much knowledge and as many new skills as I can.

Christopher Allu S. Sy, MD

• Hometown: Manila City
• Undergraduate: University of the Philippines Manila
• Medical School: University of the Philippines Manila
• Clinical Interest: colorectal surgery, surgical oncology, critical care surgery
• Hobbies: Playing guitar, listening to music, watching documentaries and movies, reading about history and current events
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Exploring NYC's diverse cuisine, visiting museums and historical sites, enjoying street performances around the city, enjoying the beautiful parks
• One goal for the coming year: Strengthen core surgical knowledge and continue developing technical and clinical skills

Segni Kejela Tesema, MD, MS

• Hometown: Nekemte, Ethiopia
• Medical School: Addis Ababa University, College of Health Sciences
• Clinical Interest: Transplant Surgery/Surgical Oncology/Stem Cell Research
• Hobbies: Biking, Cooking
• Favorite things to do in NYC: taking long walks
• One goal for the coming year: Making new friends

Joshua Tsai, MD

Margaret Adams, MD

Georgios Bouloukakis, MD, MS

• Hometown: Heraklion, Greece
• Undergraduate: University of Crete
• Medical School: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens School of Medicine
• Clinical Interest: Reconstructive Surgery, Vascular Surgery, Microsurgery
• Hobbies: Piano, traveling, museums, swimming, anime, video games
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Exploring the city
• One goal for the coming year: Contributing efficiently to my team

Saeed Rashaad Mohammed, MD

• Hometown: Chaguanas, Trinidad and Tobago
• Medical School: University of the West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago
• Clinical Interest: Limb salvage, Surgical Oncology, Cardiothoracic Surgery
• Hobbies: Weightlifting, Archery, Reading, Following Sports (prolific armchair analyst)
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Trying out the Halal food scene, Broadway, visit the museums, attend sporting events
• One goal for the coming year: Build a strong surgical foundation whilst becoming a reliable member of the surgical team

Nahom G. Mulatu, MD

• Hometown: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
• Undergraduate: University of Gondar
• Medical School: University of Gondar
• Clinical Interest: Acute care surgery, Transplant surgery, MIS
• Hobbies: NYT games, Cooking, Walking/Hiking, Basketball, and Weight training
• Favorite things to do in NYC: About to find out!
• One goal for the coming year: Getting my dream pet.

Gayatri Muley, MS

• Hometown: India
• Undergraduate: Shri Shivaji College of Arts, Science and Commerce, India
• Medical School: Seth GS Medical College and KEM Hospital, India
• Clinical Interest: Minimally Invasive Surgery, Thoracic Surgery
• Hobbies: Camping, Travelling, Yoga
• Favorite things to do in NYC: I will be moving to NYC and excited to explore!
• One goal for the coming year: Take up journaling.

Eduardo A. Quiñones Silva MD

• Hometown: San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Undergraduate: Universidad de Puerto Rico, Mayagüez
• Medical School: Universidad Central del Caribe
  Clinical Interest: Surgical Oncology
• Hobbies: Doing barbecue with friends, tasting different foods, going to the beach, and Legos.
• Favorite things to do in NYC: I'm not sure yet, but I'm looking forward to finding out (especially when it comes to exploring places to eat)
• One goal for the coming year: Learn how to speak Italian

Gheorghe Eduard Roibu, DDS, MD

• Hometown: Queens, New York
• Undergraduate: St. John's University
• Medical School: SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine
• Clinical Interest: Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
• Hobbies: Soccer, Skiing, Traveling
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Trying new restaurants
• One goal for the coming year: My goal is to further develop a strong foundation in surgical principles and patient management while learning from peers and mentors to become a well-rounded, competent surgical resident.

Roy Saade, MD

• Hometown: Beirut, Lebanon
• Medical School: Université Saint-Joseph Faculty of Medicine
• Clinical Interest: Vascular Surgery, Image-Guided Interventions
• Hobbies: Piano, surgical video production
• Favorite things to do in NYC: New to NYC and excited to explore.
• One goal for the coming year: Build strong surgical foundations and learn as much as possible.

Nitish Seenarine, MD

Marvi Shah, MD

• Hometown: Richmond Hill
• Undergraduate: Queens College, CUNY
• Medical School: American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine
• Clinical Interest: Trauma, cardiothoracic
• Hobbies: Reading manga, fantasy novels, playing video games and dungeons and dragons; putting together cosplay and going to conventions; going on nature walks/hiking
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Checking out festivals/events, strolling around with friends, going to conventions, restocking at my favorite stationary stores
• One goal for the coming year: Reconnect with old friends

Sanya Ahmed, MD

• Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland
• Undergraduate: University of Maryland Baltimore County
• Medical School: SUNY Downstate College of Medicine
• Clinical Interest: Thoracic Surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Hobbies: Painting, cooking, horse riding, and reading.
• Favorite things to do in NYC: I always enjoy trying out a new restaurant!
• One goal for the coming year: I aspire to be a better patient advocate in the coming year.

Olivia Blanchard, MD

• Hometown: Bethesda, MD
• Undergraduate: Harvard University
• Medical School: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
• Clinical Interest: Surgical oncology, HPB, Peds
• Hobbies: Hiking, canoeing, running, traveling, painting, reading
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Trying new cuisines and seeing live performances
• One goal for the coming year: Bonding with my co-residents, becoming the most effective team member I can be
• Publications

Claudia Isabel Colon Farrulla, MD

• Hometown: San Juan, PR
• Undergraduate: Universidad de Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras
• Medical School: Universidad Central del Caribe
• Clinical Interest: Breast Surgery
• Hobbies: Baking, Legos, Reading and Traveling
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Not sure yet, but excited to find out!

Aryamaan Gaddam, MD

• Hometown: Brighton, MI
• Undergraduate: University of Michigan
• Medical School: Wayne State University School of Medicine
• Clinical Interest: Thoracic Surgery, Organ Transplantation
• Hobbies:  Weightlifting, Sci-Fi Books, Basketball, Playing with my Cats, Real Time Strategy Games, Podcasts, DJing
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Exploring different concert venues and trying new coffee shops with my partner
• One goal for the coming year: Learning how to be an effective teacher for medical students interested in Surgery

• Hometown: Ioannina, Greece
• Medical School: University of Ioannina, School of Medicine
•  Clinical Interest: General Surgery, Transplantation, Immunology

• Hobbies: Avid CrossFit athlete
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Exploring NYC’s vibrant neighborhoods and parks
• Publications  

Sharon Shu, MD

• Hometown: Marietta, GA
• Undergraduate: Columbia University in the City of New York
• Medical School: University of Queensland
• Clinical Interest: Minimally invasive surgery
• Hobbies: Dance, guitar, hiking and camping
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Keeping up with new restaurants and desserts, summertime picnics and Shakespeare in the Park
• Publications  

Eric Sun, MD

• Hometown: Kingwood, TX
• Undergraduate: University of Texas at Austin
• Medical School: University of Texas HSC San Antonio
• Clinical Interest: Colorectal surgery, surgical oncology
• Hobbies: Ultimate frisbee, volleyball, movies, cooking
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Explore parks and museums and learn about the history of the city
• One goal for the coming year: Survive, maybe even thrive

Katherine Trudeau, MD, MPH

• Hometown: Upland, Indiana
• Undergraduate: Taylor University
• Medical School: Indiana University School of Medicine 
• Clinical Interest: Trauma and Acute Care, Public Health and Health Systems
• Hobbies: Board games, sewing, and taking care of my many houseplants
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Visiting the world-class botanical gardens here
• One goal for the coming year: Explore the city and make new friends here!

Mah I Kan Changez, MD

Kissinger Hyppolite Fils, MD

Abisiniya Kabtimer, MD

Oluwadara Nafiu, MD

Jack Nasar, MD

Samantha Taylor, MD

Eleam Uchenna, MD

• Hometown: Enugu, Nigeria
• Undergraduate: Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nigeria
• Medical School: Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria
• Clinical Interest: Trauma / colorectal surgery
• Hobbies: Watching and analyzing  soccer (I am a staunch Real Madrid supporter); Traveling; Cooking
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Physically visiting every street of NYC and having a memento of each street.
• One goal for the coming year: Progression in my surgical training and career

Sarah Yelin Lee, MD, MPH

• Hometown: Fishkill, NY
• Undergraduate: Smith College
• Medical School: SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, College of Medicine
• Clinical Interest: Pediatric Surgery
• Hobbies: Walking while listening to music, arts & crafts
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Trying new restaurants and desserts
• One goal for the coming year: Maintaining my streak for Duolingo

Moshe Baitelman, MD

• Hometown: Vancouver, BC
• Undergraduate: Tuoro College
• Medical School: SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine
• Clinical Interest: Minimally Invasive Surgery, Plastic Reconstruction, Technical Innovation, Quality Improvement
• Hobbies: Hockey, snowboarding, mountain biking. the Buffalo Bills, reading, family time
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Exploring the architecture and experiencing Broadway
• Publications

Christina Falcone, MD, MS

• Hometown: Santa Clarita, California
• Undergraduate: University of California, Los Angeles
• Medical School: SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine 
• Clinical Interest: Colorectal surgery, trauma surgery
• Hobbies: Playing basketball, playing the piano, reading, traveling
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Go to jazz clubs, explore new neighborhoods, walk the Brooklyn Bridge

Claire Ferguson, MD

• Hometown: Winchester, MA
• Undergraduate: Boston College
• Medical School: SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine
• Clinical Interest: Cardiothoracic Surgery, Trauma Surgery
• Hobbies: Boston sports fan, skiing, barre
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Live music at Café Wha?

Hashmeet Kaur, MD

• Hometown: Punjab, India
• Undergraduate: N/A
• Medical School: Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences
• Clinical Interest: Undecided
• Hobbies: Hiking, Traveling, Cooking
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Trying out new restaurants

 Uma Mahajan, MD

• Hometown: Union City, California
• Undergraduate: Case Western Reserve University
• Medical School: Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
• Clinical Interest: Undecided
• Hobbies: hiking, yoga, reading, national parks
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Exploring parks, museums
• Publications  

Dhanya Ramachandran, MD

Ashley Ramirez, MD, MS

• Hometown: Miami, FL
• Undergraduate: University of Central Florida
• Medical School: Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine
• Clinical Interest: Surgical Oncology, Colorectal Surgery, General Surgery
• Hobbies: Video games, gardening, painting and drawing, collecting vintage vinyl records
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Trying all sorts of food and experiencing the seasons.
• Publications

Justine Rosalez, MD

• Hometown: Salem, Oregon
• Undergraduate: NYU
• Medical School: SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, College of Medicine
• Clinical Interest: Trauma and Surgical Critical Care
• Hobbies: Baking, reading, weight lifting, and scary movies
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Explore the incredible food scene, anything that involves live music (particularly jazz), finding new cafes with great coffee to read and study in

Evelyn Ross, MD

• Hometown: Pleasantville, NJ
• Undergraduate: Johns Hopkins University
• Medical School: University of California, San Diego School of Medicine
• Clinical Interest: General Surgery, Improving Health Disparities
• Hobbies: Basketball, drumming
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Going to concerts, Exploring the local music scene
• Publications

Ron Shemtov, MD

• Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
• Undergraduate: University of California, Los Angeles
• Medical School: Sackler School of Medicine
• Clinical Interest: Undecided
• Hobbies: Traveling, snowboarding, hiking, dogs
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Walking around the city
• Publications

Nalini Surendrakumar, MD

• Hometown: Toronto, Canada
• Medical School: St. George's University School of Medicine
• Clinical Interest: Surgical Oncology, Plastic Surgery
• Hobbies: Hot Yoga, going for walks at Prospect Park
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Finding different restaurants and coffee shops to try
• Publications

Shawmiya Yogendran MD, MS

• Hometown: Toronto, Canada
• Undergraduate: University of Western Ontario
• Medical School: St. George's University
• Clinical Interest: Minimally Invasive Surgery, Colorectal Surgery
• Hobbies: Reading sci-fi, fitness, cooking
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Happy hour with friends, long walks

Mohammad Afsh, MD

• Hometown: Beirut, Lebanon
• Undergraduate: University of California, Berkeley
• Medical School: California University of Science and Medicine
• Clinical Interest: Trauma and Critical Care
• Hobbies: Skiing, hiking, bouldering
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Comedy shows and taking my dogs to prospect park!
• Publications

Nishat Choudhary, MD

• Hometown: Queens, NY
• Undergraduate: City University of New York
• Medical School: CUNY School of Medicine
• Clinical Interest: Undecided
• Hobbies: Bouldering, traveling, and cooking
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Trying out new restaurants and dessert spots

Stephanie Owusu, MD

Nuley Seo, MD

• Hometown: Yeosu, Korea / St. Louis, MO
• Undergraduate: University of Rochester
• Medical School: University of Toronto Temerty Faculty of Medicine
• Clinical Interest: Pediatric Surgery, General Surgery, Acute Care Surgery
• Hobbies: Anything Chinchilla-related (including caring for two), Baduk, baking, biking, crochet, hiking, K-Drama, K-Pop
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Food!
• Publications

Moon Usman, MD

Nianye (Jack) Zheng, MD, PhD

• Hometown: Kunming, China
• Undergraduate: Chongqing Medical University
• Medical School: Chongqing Medical University/Peking University
• Clinical Interest: Thoracic surgery, Plastic surgery, Surgical oncology
• Hobbies: Photography, swimming
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Food trucks and MET
• Publications  

Sukaina B. Alikhan, MD

• Hometown: Dubai, UAE
• Undergraduate: Rutgers University
• Medical School: American University of Antigua College of Medicine
• Clinical Interest: Undecided
• Hobbies: Tennis
• Favorite Things to Do in NYC: Brunch, spending time with family and friends, traveling

Maryam Ali Khan, MD

• Hometown: Lahore, Pakistan
• Medical School: CMH Lahore Medical College, Pakistan
• Clinical Interest: Vascular Surgery, Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Transplant Surgery
• Hobbies: Reading, exploring the outdoors
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Exploring the different cuisines and museums
• Publications

Pablo A. Cuartas, MD

• Hometown: Marion, IL
• Undergraduate: Washington University in St. Louis
• Medical School: Albert Einstein College of Medicine
• Clinical Interest: Acute Care Surgery, Surgical Oncology, Surgical and Clinical Ethics
• Hobbies: Playing guitar, snowboarding, watching Formula 1, reading and discussing philosophy, road trips
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Exploring local concert venues, going for runs, trying different restaurants

Lana Kass-Gergi, MD

• Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
• Undergraduate: SUNY Binghamton
• Medical School: SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine
• Clinical Interest: Trauma Surgery, Surgical Critical Care
• Hobbies: Baking, traveling, reading
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Trying new restaurants, walking or biking down the West Side Highway, taking the South Brooklyn ferry, talking about how much I love NYC

Tasnia Mahmud, MD

• Hometown: Queens, NY
• Undergraduate: Brooklyn College
• Medical School: SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University School of Medicine
• Clinical Interest: Immigrant and Refugee Health, General Surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Hobbies: Art, fashion, gaming, pop culture
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Going to restaurants, reading in cafes, shopping

Josué Menard, MD

• Hometown: Miami, FL
• Undergraduate: University of West Florida
• Medical School: Drexel University College of Medicine
• Clinical Interest: Critical Care Surgery
• Hobbies: 3D printer building, RC cars and drones, music appreciation
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Finding the best parking spots to avoid tickets

John Perrotti, MD

• Hometown: New York, NY
• Undergraduate: Union College
• Medical School: SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine
• Hobbies: Reading, Business and Finance, Aviation
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Park and waterfront walks

Emily Scrivens Aviles, MD

• Hometown: Portland, OR
• Undergraduate: Loyola Marymount University
• Medical School: Oregon Health and Sciences University
• Clinical Interest: Breast Surgical Oncology
• Hobbies: Volleyball, yoga, hiking, baking
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Trying new restaurants, going to broadway shows and concerts

Christopher Thomas Nichols, MD, MS

• Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
• Undergraduate: Syracuse University
• Medical School: Drexel University College of Medicine
• Clinical Interest: Pediatric Surgery
• Hobbies: Chess, trying new restaurants, basketball.
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Seeing the Yankees and Giants play as much as possible.
• Publications

Solomon Seckler, MD

• Hometown: Boca Raton, FL
• Undergraduate: Columbia University
• Medical School: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
• Clinical Interest: Undecided
• Hobbies: Triathlon, kiteboarding, reading history, making espresso
• Favorite things to do in NYC: NY Philharmonic, reading in the Conservatory Garden

Lauren Thau, MD

• Hometown: Woodcliff Lake, NJ
• Undergraduate: Ramapo College
• Medical School: Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
• Clinical Interest: Undecided 
• Hobbies: Volleyball, dogs, reading
• Favorite things to do in NYC: Exploring the city, new restaurants and bars, hanging out with friends
• Publications