General Surgery Residents
PGY 1

Michelle Freeman, M.D.
Medical School:
University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine
Additional Degrees/Training:
N/A
Value-Added Year:
Planned for 2024-25
Fellowship:
Undecided
I came to FAU for my surgical training because of the diversity in cases and the opportunity for growth as a surgeon and a scholar. I liked that it was more than general surgery cases with exposure to urology, breast, anesthesiology and vascular surgery. There is also a strong emphasis on research here which I love. What really stood out to me was the family culture between the residents and the support from the attendings. I may be from MN, but FL and FAU feel like home.

Sara Lee, M.D.

Ruben Prado, M.D.

Omer Sadeh, M.D.

Stephanie Yakoubovitch, M.D.

Athina Yoham, M.D.
PGY I Preliminary

Spencer Berman, M.D.

Alyssa Dennis, M.D.

Matthew Gatewood, M.D.

Vivian Hagerty, M.D.

Kate Harris, M.D.

Luc Lanteigne, M.D.
PGY II

Laura Christopher, M.D.
Medical School:
Indiana University School of Medicine
Additional Degrees/Training:
N/A
Value-Added Year:
Planned for 2024-25
Fellowship:
Undecided
There were many reasons why I chose FAU for my surgery residency. My interview experience was second to none; it was evident that my interviewers took the time to read my personal statement and curriculum vitae to truly get to know me as an applicant, and the residents were so welcoming and down to earth. I know that I will become an excellent surgeon after graduating from FAU. Also, I get to work where people vacation, what a dream!

Maria Herrera Rodriguez, D.O.
Medical School:
Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine
Additional Degrees/Training:
N/A
Value-Added Year:
Planned for 2024-25
Fellowship:
Undecided
I chose FAU for my surgical training because I wanted to have both a strong operative experience and the opportunity to pursue research. FAU was perfect for that given all the resources it provides. Additionally, the camaraderie between the residents and faculty allows for a healthy environment that promotes wellness.
Herrera Rodriguez MG, Mehra D, Saroop S, Srivastav A. Abdominal Supracervical Hysterectomy With Bilateral Salpingo-Oophorectomy as the Surgical Approach for a 22-Week Uterus With Incidental Endometrial Polyp Focal Atypia. Cureus. 2020 Sep 9;12(9):e10344. doi: 10.7759/cureus.10344. PMID: 33062468; PMCID: PMC7549873.

Marjorie Kragel, M.D.
Medical School:
Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University
Additional Degrees/Training:
N/A
Value-Added Year:
Planned for 2024-25
Fellowship:
Undecided
As a medical student at FAU, I was able to get a glimpse of the resident camaraderie, expansive operative experience, and outstanding faculty in the FAU General Surgery program. I am excited to spend the next several years learning everything I can from my colleagues and faculty, being engaged in research, and training to become an excellent surgeon.
El Haddi SJ,Kragel M, Klapper A. Creation of skin grafts from traumatic avulsed skin. BMJ Case Rep. 2021 Jul 15;14(7):e239545. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2020-239545. PMID: 34266814; PMCID: PMC8286758.

Jenny Lin, M.D.
Medical School:
Indiana University School of Medicine
Additional Degrees/Training:
Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
Value-Added Year:
Planned for 2024-25
Fellowship:
Undecided
I was drawn to the friendliness of the residents at FAU and the beautiful warm weather of Florida. The value-added year was unique and a great way to further my interest in a particular area of surgery. I also liked that I would have a wide breadth of surgical experiences in urology, breast surgery, anesthesia, vascular surgery, plastic surgery, and both robotic and laparoscopic general surgery.
Walimbe T, Dehghani T, Casella A,Lin J, Wang A, Panitch A. Proangiogenic Collagen-Binding Glycan Therapeutic Promotes Endothelial Cell Angiogenesis. ACS Biomater Sci Eng. 2021 Jul 12;7(7):3281-3292. doi: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.1c00336. Epub 2021 Jun 30. PMID: 34192455.

John Nguyen, D.O.
Medical School:
Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Auburn Campus
Additional Degrees/Training:
N/A
Value-Added Year:
Planned for 2024-25
Fellowship:
Undecided
I chose FAU because the people I interviewed with were down to earth and very honest about the program. Another reason I chose FAU was because of the strong fellowship match into competitive programs. Overall, I knew this is a place I would get great training and support for my future fellowship plans.

John Sousa, M.D.
Medical School:
Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Auburn Campus
Additional Degrees/Training:
N/A
Value-Added Year:
Planned for 2024-25
Fellowship:
Undecided
I chose FAU because of the volume and variety of the cases we get to do, the amazing teachers we have as attendings, and the success that we have had in fellowship matches.
Clark RH,Sousa J, Laughon MM, Tolia VN. Gastroschisis prevalence substantially decreased from 2009 through 2018 after a 3-fold increase from 1997 to 2008. J Pediatr Surg. 2020 Dec;55(12):2640-2641. doi: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2020.03.010. Epub 2020 Mar 24. PMID: 32276850.
PGY III

Catherine Donat, M.D.
Medical School:
University of Texas Medical Branch
Additional Degrees/Training:
General Surgery, Orlando Health. Orlando, Florida
Value-Added Year:
Planned for 2023-24
Fellowship:
Undecided
There is early operative exposure, research opportunities, and impressive senior matches to their specialty of choice. This program has achieved so much in so little time. I am most appreciative of how warm and welcoming all the other residents/attendings have been so far. Residency shouldn't be harder than it needs to be, and everyone has been so helpful to make the transition into residency easier. I have seen how competent seniors are in their knowledge and surgical abilities. I also have done multiple skin-to-skin exploratory laparotomies in trauma with an attending by my side giving me a chance to prove myself and teaching me if I messed up. I also have had attendings do progress notes/orders to relieve us residents from our work load because we work as a TEAM and they do not think of us as less than them. These are only a few examples of how this program is teaching me and giving me the appropriate independence to become the best surgeon I can be.
Dakin Solution: "One of the Most Important and Far-Reaching Contributions to the Armamentarium of the Surgeons" J. Georgiadis (1), V. Nascimento (1), C. Donat (1), I. Okereke (2), M. Shoja (2)

Justin Dourado, M.D.
Medical School:
University of Florida, College of Medicine
Additional Degrees/Training:
General Surgery, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
Value-Added Year:
Planned for 2023-24
Fellowship:
Undecided
I chose FAU because after my interview day, I not only felt it would provide me the surgical training and academic support to achieve my goals, but it would do so in an environment that I wanted to be in. The residents seemed like a family and I was immediately comfortable among them. Additionally, it combined the mix of academic and community practice that I felt would allow me do develop into a well rounded and skilled surgeon.

Alex Dunham, M.D.

Roni Garbar, D.O.
Medical School:
Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine
Additional Degrees/Training:
N/A
Value-Added Year:
Planned for 2023-24
Fellowship:
Undecided
The surgery program at FAU fell on my radar amongst all the other program options because of the various educational opportunities offered at the clinical sites. I was looking for a program with depth and breadth to give me the best training and I believe the surgery program here at FAU will deliver it. Residency is a long time commitment and I felt that the resources provided to each and every resident were built to ensure a successful career.
"Empty Sella Turcica: A Case Report of a Rare Condition" 1st place winner at the Womack Army Medical Center XIII Annual Research Sympos
"Intracellular zinc trafficking and metallothionein gene activation in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVEC) treated with Crotalus atrox venom" Publication in The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) Journal vol. 31 no.1 April 2017

Sasha Thiel, M.D.
Medical School:
Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University
Additional Degrees/Training:
N/A
Value-Added Year:
Planned for 2023-24
Fellowship:
Undecided
I choose FAU because the residents were easy to get along with and most were actively engaged in scholarship.
Edgar S. Fernandez MD, Angel Sanchez MD, Sasha Thiel MS3, Michael DeDonno PhD, Allison Ferris MD, "Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP): An Insight into HIV within the LGBTQ Community. In revision to AIDS Care.
Edgar S. Fernandez MD, Angel Sanchez MD, Sasha Thiel MS3, Marisha Philogene MS3, Michael DeDonno PhD, Allison Ferris MD, #InCtrl: the Impact of Sexual Education Programs on Today's Youth. In revision to the Journal of AIDS and Behavior.
Jeremy D. Kauffman, Cristen N. Litz, Sasha A. Thiel, Anh Thy H. Nguyen, Aaron Carey, Paul D. Danielson, Nicole M. Chandler, To scan or not to scan: overutilization of computed tomography for minor head injury.

Ariel Wolf, M.D.
Medical School:
FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine
Additional Degrees/Training:
N/A
Value-Added Year:
Planned for 2023-24
Fellowship:
Undecided
I chose FAU for my General Surgery training first and foremost because of the camaraderie that was evident to me during the interview day between the residents themselves as well as the residents and faculty. Additionally, I wanted a combination community and academic program because I knew this would provide me with a strong operative experience as well as the option to pursue research if I chose to do so.
Wolf, A., Balkan, W., Hare, J. “The Use of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells on Acute and Chronic Heart Disease”. The Biology and Therapeutic Applications of Mesenchymal Cells. January 2017.
Golpanian, S., Wolf, A., Kassira, W. “Z-Plasty for Scar Contracture”. Operative Dictations in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. In: Anh Tran T., Panthaki Z., Hoballah J., Thaller S. (eds) Springer, Cham. 2017.
Natsumeda, M et al. (18th of 26 authors). “A Combination of Allogeneic Stem Cells Promotes Cardiac Regeneration”. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Nov 2017.
S, Kulandavelu, Karantalis., Fritsch, J., Hatzistergos, KE., Loescher, VY., McCall, F., Wang, B., Bagno, L,. Golpanian, S., Wolf, A., Grenet, J., Williams, A., Kupin, A., Rosenfield, A., Mohsin, S., Sussman, MA., Morales, A. Balkan, W., Hare, JM. “Pim1 kinase overexpression enhances Ckit+ cardiac stem cell cardiac repair following myocardial infarction in swine”. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Dec 2016.
Golpanian, S et al. (9th of 13 authors). “Rationale and design of the allogeneic human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) in patients with aging fRAilTy via intravenoUS delivery (CRATUS) study: A phase I/II, randomized, blinded and placebo controlled trial to evaluate the safety and potential efficacy of allogeneic human mesenchymal stem cell infusion in patients with aging frailty”. Oncotarget. 2016.
Golpanian, S., Schulman IH., Ray EF., Heldman, AW., DiFede, DL., Yang, PC., Wu, JC., Bolli, R., Perin, EC., Moye, L., Simari, RD., Wolf, A., Hare, JM. “Concise Review: Review and Perspective of Cell Dosage and Routes of Administration from Preclinical and Clinical Studies of Stem Cell Therapy for Heart Disease”. Stem Cells Translational Medicine. Feb 2016.
Value Added Year

Kendra Batey, M.S., M.D.
Medical School:
MS, Med Sci., Indiana University School of Medicine
Additional Degrees/Training:
N/A
Value-Added Year:
Surgical Critical Care, Navicent Health
Fellowship:
Undecided
I chose FAU because of the awesome potential I felt the program possessed as a newer program. The residents seemed genuinely happy and I appreciated the exposure to surgical specialties besides just General Surgery, such as Neurosurgery, Urology, and Anesthesia.

Michelle Dugan, M.D.
Medical School:
Georgetown University School of Medicine
Additional Degrees/Training:
N/A
Value-Added Year:
Advanced GI and Hepatobiliary Surgery Research, Advent Health, Tampa
Fellowship:
Undecided
I chose FAU because I wanted to give back to my home community. I grew up in Boca Raton and can’t imagine a better place to live. The FAU General Surgery program stands out with it’s excellent case volume, enthusiastic teaching faculty, state-of-the-art technological resources, and unique balance of an outstanding academic institution with a community focus.
Dugan M., Crandall M., Letter H., Jasra B. Intramuscular cavernous hemangioma of the breast. The American Surgeon. 2018, Aug
Dugan M., Sosin M., Caso R., Vadlamudi C., Bayasi M., Marshall M.B. Considering the role of incidental appendectomy during colonic interposition gastroesophageal reconstruction. General Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. 2018, Aug

Anelia Kassi, M.D.
Medical School:
University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine
Additional Degrees/Training:
N/A
Value-Added Year:
Breast Cancer Immunotherapy Research, Arizona State University
Fellowship:
Undecided
To me FAU was a great option to continue my training because it offered early operative experiences, which is often not the case with academic programs. I have been living in South Florida for several years and of all the places I have lived, it feels like home away from home so I wanted to stay here. Finally, when I interviewed the residents seemed to have good interpersonal relationships within one another and happy. Residency is tough and being around happy people is a plus!
Kassi, A. A.Y., Clavijo, A., Caliz, D., Lee, S.W., Mahavadi, A., Aminul, I.A., Yokobori, S., Hu, Z., Spurlock, M.S., Wasserman, J.M., Rivera, K.N., Nodal, S., Powell, H.R., Di, L., Leung, L.Y., Rubiano, A.M., Bullock, R.M., & Gajavelli, S.. Frontiers in Neurology. Neuroprotection after acute TBI with neural stem cell transplantation. 2018, May
Diaz, R. J., Chen, S., Kassi, A., Komotar, R. J., and Ivan, M. E.. (2016). Chapter 13: Awake craniotomy for glioblastoma. In S. Brem and K. G., Abdullah (Ed.), Glioblastoma (pp. 176-188). Philadelphia: Elsevier.

Lauren Thompson, D.O.
Medical School:
Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine
Additional Degrees/Training:
N/A
Value-Added Year:
Trauma/Critical Care Research, University of Miami
Fellowship:
Undecided
I chose FAU's General Surgery program because I desired a program that valued both scholarly activity and early exposure to the operating room, ensuring I become a competent general surgeon in the future.
PGY IV

Michael Dedwylder, M.D.
Medical School:
University of Mississippi School of Medicine
Additional Degrees/Training:
B.F.A, Mississippi State University
Value-Added Year:
N/A
Fellowship:
Undecided
I chose FAU for the the fellowship I felt among the residents and the opportunities provided by the program to develop me professionally and academically.
Clark, Paul & Smith, Andrew & Dedwylder, Michael & Wise, Jeremy & Duke, Sean & Washington, Chad. Intrathecal Nicardipine for Treatment of Cerebral Vasospasm after Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage. Congress of Neurological Surgeons. 2018, Jul
Weaver, Tony & Horriat, Narges & Dedwylder, Michael & Hutchison, Richard. Hazards of the Harvest: Occult Intestinal Perforation and Cross Contamination in Fat Grafting. Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. 2018, May

Max Jackson, M.D.
Medical School:
Albany Medical College
Additional Degrees/Training:
N/A
Value-Added Year:
N/A
Fellowship:
Undecided
I was looking for a program that coupled high case volumes in an academic environment with excellent research opportunities. Importantly, I was also looking for a program that was composed of people who were like a family. A group of individuals who want each other to succeed and better themselves. A program that is constantly trying to improve itself. I found all of this in the General Surgery program at FAU.
Anderson, C., & Weber, R., & Patel, D., & Lowrance, W., & Mellis, A., & Cookson, M., & Lang, M., & Barocas, D., & Chang, S., & Newberger, E., & Montgomery, J.S., & Weizer, A.Z., & Lee, C.T., & Kava, B.R., & Jackson, M., & Meraney, A., & Sjoberg, D., et al. A 10-Item Checklist Improves Reporting of Critical Procedural Elements During Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumor. Journal of Urology. 2016, Oct; 196(4): 1014-1020. Cited in PubMed; PMID: 27044571.
Crawley, D., & Haddock, P., & Jackson, M., & Kamradt, J., & Kesler, S. Penoscrotal Lymphedema Associated with Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma. Canadian Journal of Urology. 2015, Aug; 22(4): 7932-7934. Cited in PubMed; PMID: 26267035.
Cusano, A., & Haddock, P., & Jackson, M., & Staff, I., & Wagner, J., & Meraney, A. A Comparison of Preliminary Oncologic Outcome and Postoperative Complications Between Patients Undergoing Either Open or Robotic Radical Cystectomy. International Brazilian Journal of Urology. 2016, Jul; 42(4): 663-670. Cited in PubMed; PMID: 27564275.

Daud Lodin, M.D., M.P.H.
Medical School:
San Juan Batista School of Medicine, Puerto Rico
Additional Degrees/Training:
MPH, Emory University
Value-Added Year:
Burn Surgery Fellowship, Weill Cornell Medicine
Fellowship:
Undecided
During my interviews, I had the opportunity to see many general surgery programs across the country. FAU was the best fit. I felt at home from the beginning and believed that they would nurture my personal and academic goals. Most importantly, I felt that this program would offer me the autonomy I needed to become an excellent surgeon.
Hermes W, Alvarez J, Lee M, Chesdachai S, Lodin D, Horst R, Tangpricha V, A. A Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blind, Parallel-Group, Comparative Effectiveness Clinical Trial Comparing a Powder Vehicle Compound of Vitamin D With an Oil Vehicle Compound in Adults With Cystic Fibrosis. Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. 2016, Feb; 2016(0148607116629673): 1-7.
Hermes W, Alvarez, Lee M, Lodin D, Tangpricha V. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin-D3 Response to a Large Bolus Dose of Cholecalciferol in Adult Patients with CF. The Official Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. 2015, Apr; 29(1 Supplement): 758.5.
Kearns M, Binongo J, Watson D, Alvarez J, Lodin D, Ziegler T, Tangpricha V. The effect of a single, large bolus of vitamin D in healthy adults over the winter and following year: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2014, Aug; 69(2): 193-197.
Lodin D, Guerra O, Zarei S. The Impact of Surgical Treatment and Radiation Therapy on The Survival Rate of Patients with Primary Cardiac Neoplasms – An Analysis of Cases from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, andEnd-Results Registry. The Official Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. 2016, Apr; 30(1 Supplement): 1178.14.
Lodin D, Mavrothalassitis O, Haberer K, Sunderju S, Quek R, Peyvandi S, Moon- Grady A, Karamlou T.. Revisiting the Predictive Utility of Technical Performance Scores: A Single Center Analysis of Surgical Factors Associated with Complications, Cost, and Length of Stay Following Tetralogy of Fallot Repair. The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. 2017, Apr; 154(2): 585-595.
Mavrothalassitis O, Lodin D, Subramanyan R, Reemsten B, DiBardino D, Moon-Grady A, Tabutt S, Peyvandi S, Sunderji S, Karamlou T.. Leveraging the First Statewide Congenital Cardiac Consortium to Reduce Variation in Modifiable Preoperative Management Among Neonates Undergoing Arterial Switch Operation. Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. 2016, Mar; 9(Suppl 2): A216.
Mavrothalassitis O, Lodin D, Swami N, Moon-Grady A, Tabutt S, Sunderji S, Peyvandi S, Karamlou T.. Towards standardization: Analysis of specific modifiable perioperative process measures among neonates undergoing arterial switch operation for transposition of the great arteries with intact ventricular septum–A mini-pilot for the CCCC. Progress in Pediatric Cardiology. 2016, Sep; 42(X): 71-72.
Zarei, S, Carr K, Reiley L, Diaz K, Guerra O, Fernandez P, Pagani W, Lodin D, Orozco G, Chinea A. A comprehensive review of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Surgical Neurology International. 2015, Aug; 6(171): 9-31. Cited in PubMed; PMID: 26629397.
Mavrothalassitis O, Lodin D, Quek R, Subramanyan R, Reemsten B, DiBardino D, Setty S, Moon-Grady A, Karamlou T.. Perioperative Management Variation Among Neonates Undergoing Arterial Switch Operation: A California Congenital Cardiac Consortium Pilot Study.. Pediatric Critical Care Medicine. 2017, Apr; Pub Status: Submitted.
Lodin D, Karamlou T, Moon-Grady A. (2016). Role of Multicenter Registries to Assess Outcomes of Fetal Interventions. In Gianfranco Butera, John Cheatham, Carlos AC Pedra, Dietmar Schranz, Gerald Tulzer (Ed.), Fetal and Hybrid Procedures in Congenital Heart Diseases (pp. 11-21). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
Hermes W, Lodin D, Rao A.. (2017). Nutritional Knowledge Assessment Score is Not Associated with Gastrointestinal Risk in Adults with Cystic Fibrosis. Poster presented at: North American Cystic Fibrosis 2017 Conference; Indianapolis, IN.
Lodin D, Guerra O, Zarei S.. (2016). The Impact of Surgical and Radiological Treatment on The Survival Rate of Patients with Primary Cardiac Neoplasms – An Analysis of Cases from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End-Results Registry Poster presented at: Experimental Biology National Conference; San Diego, CA.
Lodin D, Hamm M, Munesi Y, Serrano R, Sanchez T.. (2014). Football and Better Health - An Evaluation of Deportes Para La Vida, an HIV Education, Prevention and Leadership Program For at-risk Youth in the Dominican Republic. Poster presented at: Third Global Symposium on Health Systems Research; Cape Town, ZAF.
Serrano R, Lodin D. (2014). The Association between Political Voting Behavior and Smoke-Free County Ordinances Poster presented at: Academy Health 2014 Annual Research Meeting; San Diego, CA.
Serrano R, Philyaw M, Lodin D.. (2015). What Individual and Contextual Factors are Associated with Rapid HIV Test Utilization in the U.S.? Poster presented at: International AIDS Society 2015 Conference; Vancouver, BC CAN.
Serrano R, Philyaw M, Lodin D.. (2014). Who Uses Rapid HIV Tests? Characteristics from a Nationally Representative Sample. Poster presented at: Academy of Health 2014 Annual Research Meeting; San Diego, CA. Lodin D, Mavrothalassitis O, Swami N, Karamlou T.. (2016). Another Look at the Appropriateness of Technical Performance Scores: A Single Center Exploratory Analysis of Surgical Factors Associated with Complications, Reoperation, and Length of Stay Following Tetralogy of Fallot Repair Oral Presentation presented at: American Association of Thoracic Surgeons National Conference; Baltimore, MD.

Roberto Lorenzi-Mendez, M.D., M.P.H.
Medical School:
Ponce Health Sciences University School, Puerto Rico
Additional Degrees/Training:
MPH, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Science
Value-Added Year:
Planned for 2021-22
Fellowship:
Undecided
I chose the FAU General Surgery Program for its highly academic curriculum, well prepared and engaged attendings, and the abundance of resources to help me prepare. Boca Raton is a nice place to live.
Roberto D. Lorenzi, B.S., Prateek Thatikunta, B.S., Kenneth Gresham, Dr. Julian Stelzer. Distribution of cMYBP-C phosphorylation among mouse atrial models under baseline and stressed conditions Poster presented at: AEMPR 5th Annual Research Symposium; San Juan, PR, USA.
Roberto D. Lorenzi, B.S., Prateek Thatikunta, B.S., Kenneth Gresham, Dr. Julian Stelzer. Distribution of cMYBP-C phosphorylation among mouse atrial models under baseline and stressed conditions Poster presented at: at Case Western School of Medicine Summer Program Presentation; Cleaveland, OH, USA.
Roberto Lorenzi Mendez, Jessica Rivera Perez, Gabriel Vazquez Vives, Maria Chiques Amador.Prevalence of mecA and methicillin-resistant enterococci in recreational waters and sand Poster presented at: PuertoRico Interdisciplinary Scientific Meeting (PRISM); Carolina, PR, USA.

Adam Mann, M.D.

Fred Qafiti, M.D.
PGY V

Eva Fuentes, M.D.
Medical School:
Universidad Nacional Autonoma de México Facultad de Medicina, Mexico City
Additional Degrees/Training:
Palliative Care for Cancer Patients, Diploma, National Cancer Institute Research Fellowship, Surgical Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Trauma & Acute Care Surgery, Mass. General Hospital and Breast Cancer, National Cancer Institute, Mexico City General Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital
Value-Added Year:
2019-20 Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital
Fellowship:
Trauma/Critical Care
Fuentes E, Ahmad R, Hong T, Clark J, et al., The impact of neoadjuvant therapy for gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma on postoperative morbidity and mortality. J Surg Oncol. Accepted. DOI 10.1002/jso.24179
Dijkink S, Fuentes E, Quraishi S, Cropano C et al., Nutrition in the SICU: The cost of starting low and ramping up rates. Nutr Clin Pract. 2016 Feb; 31(1):86-90.
Fuentes E, Ahmad R, Hong T, Kwak EL et al., Adjuvant Therapy Completion Rates in Patients with Gastric Cancer Undergoing Perioperative Chemotherapy Versus a Surgery-First Approach. J Gastrointest Surg. 2016 Jan; 20(1):172-9.
Yeh DD, Fuentes E, Quraishi S, Cropano C et al., Adequate Nutrition May Get You Home: Effect of Caloric/Protein Deficits on the Discharge Destination of Critically Ill Surgical Patients. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 2016 Jan;40(1):37-44
Yeh DD, Cropano C, Quraishi S, Fuentes E et al., Peri-procedural Nutrition in the Intensive Care Unit: A Pilot Study, J Surg Res. 2015 Oct;198(2):346-50
Fagenholz JP, Fuentes E, Kaafarani H, Cropano C, Computed Tomography Versus Ultrasound for the Diagnosis of Acute Cholecystitis. Surg Infect (Larchmt). 2015 Oct;16(5):509-12
Fuentes Eva, “Introduction to Palliative Care”, S. Allende and E. Verastegui, The ABC of Palliative Medicine, Ed. Panamericana, Mexico. 2014 (pp. 1-9). Mexico: Editorial Medica Panamericana.

John Gigioli, M.D.
Medical School:
Ross University School of Medicine, Dominica
Additional Degrees/Training:
General Surgery, Jefferson University Health System, Abbington Mem. Hospital
Value-Added Year:
2019-21 Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital
Fellowship:
Vascular Surgery
FAU has provided me with an ideal opportunity to train in an academic institution that also has a strong community focus through its integrated and affiliated teaching hospitals. The operative experience is excellent.

Christina Layton, D.O.
Medical School:
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
Additional Degrees/Training:
N/A
Value-Added Year:
Undecided
Fellowship:
Breast Surgery
I chose FAU's Surgery Residency Program because of the wide variety of surgical cases, the comradery among the residents, the vigorous clinical and academic curriculum, and most importantly my confidence in FAU. As a former FAU undergraduate, I have experienced first-hand what this university has accomplished in just a few short years, and I am honored to be a part of the ambitious and inspiring project of building our residency program.
Mesoraca, C.R. & Engler, M. M. Could an Increased PTT Be Associated With A Hypercoagulable State? Future of Medicine Summit IX Poster Symposium, September 2015
Mesoraca, C.R. & Hosseinipour, M.M. Marjolin's Ulcer: When Time Doesn't Heal All Wounds, Does Time Really Matter? The Johnston Surgical Society Grand Rounds, March 2015

Amanda Marsh, M.D.
Medical School:
Creighton University School of Medicine
Additional Degrees/Training:
N/A
Value-Added Year:
Planned for 2021-22
Fellowship:
Undecided
What I found in FAU was a balance between academic medicine and community practice, a welcoming and supportive faculty dedicated to teaching, and the ability to learn and develop into a well-rounded surgeon. We have a unique program with high expectations for excellence and a strong community working to make our experience invaluable.
Marsh AM, Nguyen A, Lim V, Maranda E, & Mutyala S. Treatment of Choroidal Melanoma with Charged Particle Radiation Therapy: A Meta-Analysis
Marsh AM, Nguyen A, Parker T, & Agrawal DK. Clinical Use of High Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1) and the Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products (RAGE) in the Prognosis and Risk Stratification of Heart Failure: A Literature Review. Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology. 2017 Mar; 95(3): 253-259. PMID 28092162.
Hseih S, Maranda EL, Salih T, Nguyen A, Marsh AM, & Jimenez JJ. The Power to Heal. JAMA Dermatology. 2016 Aug; 152(8):954. PMID 27532361.
Maranda EL, Flipps D, Danek D, Taneja R, Marsh AM, & Jimenez JJ. Dermatologic Marvels- Hypertrichosis. JAMA Dermatology. 2016 May; 152(5):552. PMID 27168211.
Marsh AM. Assessment of Myocardial Collagen Content in a Novel Mouse Model linked to Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy. University of Arizona Campus Repository: Honors Theses. 2014 May; (Electronic Thesis, http://hdl.handle.net/10150/321798).
Marsh AM, Piemonte N, Haerter S, Matthees N, & Gillespie T. From Burnout to Wellness: An Effort to Assess and Promote Wellness among Physicians, Residents, and Students.
Marsh AM. From Burnout to Wellness: An Effort to Assess and Promote Wellness among Physicians, Residents, and Students. (2017 April). Poster Presentation at Academic Excellence Day, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ.
Marsh AM, & Walton M. Effectiveness of ATOMAC Guideline for Blunt Pediatric Injury: A 3-Year 10- Center Prospective Study. (2017 May). Poster Presentation at Pediatric Research Day, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, AZ.
Marsh AM, & Nguyen A. Treatment of Choroidal Melanoma with Charged Particle Radiation Therapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. (2016 Feb). Poster Presentation at Global Health Conference Midwest Resea
Breen M, Burk M, Daniel A, Jacowski C, Palaniappan V, Quirk S, Sunder T, Tomsula J, Williams L, Brandeis A, Kaer B, Paul M, Stumpf M, Thompson D, Wilson B, Marsh AM, et al. Evaluating the Short-Term and Long-Term Efficacy of Creighton University School of Medicine Fit for Life Program in Improving the Attitudes, Behaviors, and Physical Health of 4th and 5th Graders. (2015 Nov). Poster Presentation at Creighton Pediatric Conference, Omaha, NE and The Obesity Society’s Obesity Week.

Sara Yi, M.D.
Medical School:
University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville
Additional Degrees/Training:
N/A
Value-Added Year:
Planned for 2021-22
Fellowship:
Undecided
I chose FAU because of the opportunity to become part of a great program that not only allows you to gain the knowledge but also the operative skills to become an excellent surgeon ready to practice in the community.
Sample of Scholarship: Ivanova, A., East, M.,Yi, S., Kahn, R. Characterization of recombinant ELMOD (cell engulfment and motility domain) proteins as GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs) for ARF family GTPases. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 2014, Mar; 289(16): 11111-11121.
Nathaniel T., Cochran T., Chaves J., Fulmer E., Sosa C., Yi, S., et al. Comorbid conditions in recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) treatment of acute ischemic stroke. Brain Injury. 2016, May; 30(10): 1261-1265.
Nathaniel, T., Williams, J., Fazzone, B., Yi, S., et al. Contraindications and Exclusion Criteria in Guidelines for Rt-pa in Acute Ischemic Stroke: Can the New AHA/ASA Guideline Expand the Use of Rt-pa. Hypertension 2016. 2016, Sep; 68(1): AP 245.
Robison, J., Yi, S., Roudebush, W. (2014, October 17). Changes in Fertility after Exposure of Sperm to Exogenous PAF. http://inciid.org/sperm-exposure-exogenous-paf, Pub Status: Published.