General Surgery Research Electives

Resident Research Electives

Benjamin Allar, MD Tufts University School of Medicine

Ben's hometown is Newton, Massachusetts. Ben completed received his BA summa cum laude at Connecticut College, majoring in Biological Sciences and Religious Studies. He received multiple awards for academic and leadership excellence, including the Unsung Hero Award and the Judy Bailen Kateman '65 Outstanding Senior Prize. As a student at Tufts University School of Medicine, Ben was elected to AOA, served on the Admissions Committee, the Curriculum Committee, and was an active student delegate to the Massachusetts Medical Society. Ben also served as President of the Team Cathedral Project, mentoring and teaching local students and was engaged in a number of clinical research projects. His surgical interests are colorectal surgery, minimally invasive surgery, HPB, and surgical education. He enjoys cooking, reading, and golf.

Donna Alvino, MD

Donna Alvino, MD Harvard Medical School

Donna's hometown is the Bronx, New York. Donna received her BA summa cum laude from Boston University, majoring in Biology and was a member of the College Scholars Society and elected to Phi Beta Kappa. After graduation, Donna pursued research in the area of HIV immunity at the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard in the laboratory of Dr. Bruce Walker. Donna received her MD from Harvard Medical School, pursuing research interests in gastrointestinal surgery. Her surgical interests include surgical oncology with a focus in hepatobiliary surgery as well as transplant surgery. Donna enjoys reading, collecting vinyl records, and cooking.

Kevin Arndt, MD

Kevin Arndt, MD Boston University School of Medicine

Kevin's hometown is Rochester, New York. Kevin attended SUNY University at Buffalo where he received his BS in Biology and BA in Psychology, and he was awarded as a Sigma Tau Gamma Rosken's Scholar. He received both his MS in anatomy and neurobiology and MD from Boston University School of Medicine where he graduated with Cum Laude honors and was elected into AOA. He also received the Richard J. Shemin, M.D. and Saul Shemin, D.V.M Academic Surgical Award. During medical school, Kevin taught Gross Anatomy and clinical examination skills to first year students. His surgical interests include trauma and critical care surgery, colon and rectal surgery, and minimally invasive surgery. In his free time, he enjoys soccer, snowboarding, and hiking with his wife and dog.

Jordan Broekhuis, MD

Jordan Broekhuis, MD University of Nebraska College of Medicine

Jordan's hometown is Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He received his BA in music with high distinction at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He earned his MD with distinction from the University of Nebraska College of Medicine where he received the Paul E. Hodgson award for outstanding performance in surgery and was elected to AOA. During medical school, Jordan participated in the Enhanced Medical Education Track in HIV medicine, during which he studied a model of physician-pharmacist partnership for the provision of pre-exposure prophylaxis. Jordan's clinical interests are in endocrine surgery and breast surgery. He enjoys cooking, traveling, and playing the piano.

Daniel Cloonan, MD

Daniel Cloonan, MD University of Nebraska Medical Center

Daniel's hometown is Omaha, Nebraska. He received his BS in Biology at the University of Nebraska and his MD, With Distinction, from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, where he was elected to AOA and received the Marjorie Merwin Simons Memorial Scholarship for leadership. Daniel served as President of the UNMC Student Senate and was the UNMC Student Regent to the University of Nebraska Board of Regents.He pursued several research projects including investigating drug metabolism of antiretroviral therapy in transgender women, medical education, and the development of the Clinical Educator Enhanced Medical Education Track. Daniel's surgical interests include pediatric surgery and thoracic surgery. He enjoys cooking, gardening, sport climbing and bouldering.

Carly Comer, MD

Carly Comer, MD Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University

Carly grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Carly received her BS summa cum laude from the Pennsylvania State University, majoring in Biology, and was a recipient of the Schreyer Honors College Academic Excellence Scholarship, the Even Pugh Senior Scholar Award, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. After graduation, Carly pursued research at Penn State's Prevention Research Center and interned with the non-profit organization, Save A Child's Heart. Carly received her MD from the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, receiving the Measey Scholarship and was inducted into the Hobart Amory Hare Honor Medical Society, the National Pathology Honor Society, and the Dean's Student Leadership Forum. Carly was active in a number of extracurriculars and was elected to AOA. Her surgical interests include academic general surgery and surgical education. Carly enjoys running, yoga, Philly sports, and travel.

Shahdabul Faraz, MD

Shahdabul Faraz, MD Weill Cornell Medical College

Shad's hometown is Toronto, Canada. He graduated as valedictorian from Emory University with a BS, magna cum laude, in Biology, with election to Phi Beta Kappa as a Junior. He received his MD from Weill Cornell Medical College, graduating in the top quartile of his class. During medical school, he was engaged in community service, leadership, and research. Shad served as Vice President of the Weill Cornell Student Council and was co-founder and co-President of the South Asian Medical Society. He also served on the Admissions Committee during his senior year, helping to attract the best and brightest to Weill Cornell. His surgical interests include Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Endocrine Surgery and Breast Surgery. He enjoys music, soccer and travel.

Scott Fligor, MD

Scott Fligor, MD Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine

Scott's hometown is Marblehead, Massachusetts. Scott received his BS from Georgetown University, cum laude, majoring in Biology of Global Health. He received his MD from the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, where he was elected AOA. As a medical student, Scott participated in a number of research projects in trauma surgery, resulting in multiple presentations and publications. He held numerous state and national positions in the Medical Society of Virginia and the student section of the American Medical Association. Scott's clinical interests include pediatric surgery. He enjoys snowboarding, scuba diving, travel, Georgetown basketball, and Boston sports.

Thomas Hirsch, MD

Thomas Hirsch, MD Medical College of Wisconsin

Thomas's hometown is Springfield, Massachusetts. He received his BS from Northeastern University, majoring in Behavioral Neuroscience. He subsequently matriculated to Medical College of Wisconsin where he was elected to AOA and the Gold Humanism Honor Society. As a medical student, Tom studied the role of bacterial enzymes that trigger the generation of hydrogen sulfide, which protect bacteria against antibiotics and strategies to disable these enzymes to enhance their susceptibility to antibiotic treatment. Tom enjoys playing the guitar, sports, independent films and filmmaking. His clinical interest is pediatric surgery.

Rashi Jhunjhunwala, MD

Rashi Jhunjhunwala, MD Emory University School of Medicine

Rashi's hometown is Portland, Oregon. Rashi received her BA cum laude from Claremont McKenna College, majoring in Biology and Literature, with election to Phi Beta Kappa. Following graduation, Rashi pursued clinical research at Memorial Sloan Kettering. Rashi received her MD from Emory University School of Medicine, where she served as Editor of the Medical School Literary Magazine, volunteered for the Georgia Rape Crisis Hotline, and pursued research on the traumatically injured patient. During her time at Emory she received the Emory University Creativity and Arts Award and the American Academy for the Surgery of Trauma Research and Education Foundation Scholarship. She also received a Masters of Arts in Bioethics and Society from King's College London, where she received the King's Leadership and Professional Skills Award and the Award for Best Overall Performance in the Masters. Her surgical interests include trauma/critical care, global health, and acute care surgery. Rashi enjoys cooking, photography, traveling, and yoga.

Daniel Kent, MD

Daniel Kent, MD Albany Medical College

Dan's hometown is Los Gatos, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. Dan obtained his BA from the University of California at Los Angeles, majoring in International Development Studies and minoring in Spanish. During college, he worked for Physicians for Social Responsibility and Amigos de las Americas. Between college and medical school, he worked at PEAK Surgical and Medtronic. Dan obtained his MD from Albany Medical College, where he received the Scholastic Excellence Award, the Tompkins Alumni Scholarship, and was elected to the Gold Humanism Honor Society and AOA. He was the co-founder and co-President of the Albany Medical College Global Health Interest Group, co-President of the Students for a National Health Program, and served as a member of the Executive Board of the IMANA Clinic, a free clinic serving local immigrants and refugees. His surgical interests include trauma, vascular surgery, surgical innovation, and global health. Dan enjoys music, surfing, and woodworking.

Betty Liu, MD

Betty Liu, MD Tufts University School of Medicine

Betty's hometown is Corvallis, Oregon. She received her BA in Architecture from Washington University in St. Louis, graduating summa cum laude with election to Phi Beta Kappa and was a harpist with the St. Louis Philharmonic Orchestra. Betty studied ambulatory care practices and engaged in a number of clinical research projects, prior to matriculating to Tufts University School of Medicine, which led to several publications and an award from the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. As a medical student, Betty published a cookbook on Shanghai food through Harper Collins and volunteered as a photographer for Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, a national organization that seeks to comfort grieving parents who face the loss of an infant through remembrance photography. Betty enjoys cooking and photography and is interested in general surgery and surgical education.

Nicole Moraco, MD

Nicole Moraco, MD Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth

Nikki grew up in Bedford, New York. She received a BS from Bates College, where she majored in Biochemistry and minored in Philosophy. She subsequently completed a Masters in Bioethics from New York University. Prior to medical school, Nikki conducted research on sarcoma at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. She received her MD from the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, receiving an Albert Schweitzer Fellowship, the 2015 Excellence in Public Health Award, organized educational programs focused on issues of impairment, and served as a member of the Geisel Student Government. Nikki was elected to Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical society and the gold humanism honor society. Her surgical interests include general surgery, critical care, and surgical oncology. Nikki enjoys traveling, cooking, hiking, skiing and dancing.

Kamila Moskowitzova, MD

Kamila Moskowitzova, MD 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University

Kamila's hometown is Presov, Slovakia. Kamila received her MD from Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. She then pursued a research fellowship in cardiac surgery at Boston Children's Hospital, where she focused on mitochondrial transplantation in heart transplantation and lung injury. Her work was recognized by the American Physiological Society for one of the best published articles in physiological research. Her surgical interest is pediatric surgery. Kamila enjoys music, art, windsurfing, and spending time with her friends and family.

Ana Sofia Ore Carranza, MD, MPH

Ana Sofia Ore Carranza, MD, MPH Universidad de San Martin de Porres

Ana Sofia's hometown is Lima, Peru. She received her MD from San Martin de Porres University in Lima. During medical school, Ana Sofia volunteered in Zimbabwe and Kenya, preparing women's health campaigns and working on the surgical floors in community hospitals and rural clinics. After finishing medical school, Ana Sofia joined the Master of Science in Clinical Research program at the Dresden International University in Germany. After graduating she moved to Boston where she completed a research fellowship at the Pancreas and Liver Institute at BIDMC, which resulted in multiple publications focusing on large database outcomes in pancreatic surgery. During this time, Ana Sofia also received her MPH from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health with a concentration in Clinical Effectiveness and Public Health Leadership. Her surgical interest is colorectal surgery. Ana Sofia enjoys running, traveling, and finding new Peruvian restaurants.

Samia Osman, MD

Samia Osman, MD Harvard Medical School

Samia was raised in Mesa, Arizona. Samia received her BS summa cum laude from the University of Arizona, majoring in Molecular Cell Biology, Psychology, and International Development and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. After college, Samia received a Fulbright Scholarship to study the universal healthcare system in Taiwan. Samia received her MD from Harvard and a Masters in Public Policy from the Kennedy School of Government, as a Knowles Fellow and Harvard Square to Oval Office Fellow. Samia served as National Student President for the American Medical Women's Association, receiving the Anne C. Carter Student Leadership Award, was a Harvard Women and Public Policy Fellow, and was first medical student to be inducted into the Massachusetts Medical Society Honor Roll. Her surgical interests include trauma surgery, global surgery, and surgical disparities. Samia has a first-degree black belt in Taekwondo and enjoys music and creating fusion dishes.

Leah Ott, MD

Leah Ott, MD Tulane University School of Medicine

Leah's hometown is Edmonton, Alberta. She received her BS in Physiology from McGill University, conducted research in valvular heart disease at the McGill University Research Institute, and subsequently pursued research in T cell immunobiology at the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy of Baylor College of Medicine. These studies led to four peer-reviewed publications. Leah received her MD from Tulane University School of Medicine, where she was elected to AOA and the Gold Humanism Honor Society. She was active in student organizations, volunteered in student run clinics for the underserved, and participated in the Tulane's LCME re-accreditation process. Leah enjoys baking, reading, sewing, downhill skiing and soccer. Her clinical interest is trauma and critical care.

Sharif Sabe, MD

Sharif Sabe, MD Case Western University

Sharif's hometown is Canton, Ohio. Sharif received a BA in Anthropology with honors, summa cum laude, and a Masters in Bioethics from Case Western Reserve University. He was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and the Mortar Board Senior Honor Society. He received his MD from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, awarded honors with distinction in research, and was elected to AOA. Sharif has tutored elementary and middle school students in underserved communities and volunteered for the Boys and Girls Club of Cleveland. As a medical student, Sharif served on the board of the Student Run Free Clinic and published research in cardiac surgery. His surgical interests are in cardiothoracic surgery. Sharif enjoys basketball, soccer, guitar, and family time.

Pamela (Nina) Scalise, MD

Pamela (Nina) Scalise, MD University of Illinois College of Medicine

Nina's hometown is Chicago, Illinois. She graduated cum laude from Northwestern University with a BS in Biomedical Engineering. She received a number of design awards for her work related to assistive devices for the disabled and a mobile surgical training application. Nina matriculated to the University of Illinois College of Medicine, where she participated in the Innovation in Medicine program, allowing her to continue to engage in medical device development. Nina received the Silver Scalpel Award in Surgery for outstanding clinical performance and was an active peer educator. Nina enjoys dance, knitting, and volleyball. Her clinical interest is pediatric surgery.

Lucas Souza-Mota, MD

Lucas Souza-Mota, MD Howard University College of Medicine

Lucas's hometown is Belo Horizonte, Brazil. He enrolled in the BS-MD program at Howard University, where he earned his BS in Biology summa cum laude and was elected to AOA with induction into the Charles R. Drew Honors Society. Lucas was the recipient of the Howard University Academic Achievement Award for highest pre-clinical academic performance, as well as the Howard University Trustee Scholarship for clinical and academic performance. Lucas pursued several research projects focusing on the role of socioeconomic factors on surgical outcomes with multiple presentations and publications. He volunteered with So Others May Eat to support the homeless, was Vice President of Volunteer Training for a student run clinic, and served as a peer educator. He enjoys playing the guitar, piano, soccer and hiking. His clinical interest is vascular surgery and health disparities.

Joanne Szewczyk, MD

Joanne Szewczyk, MD Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University

Joanne's hometown is Winchester, Tennessee. Joanne received her BS summa cum laude from Auburn University, majoring in Animal Science, where she was the Student Marshall for the College of Agriculture. She received her MD degree from the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University. As a medical student, Joanne taught anatomy, was a member of the Admissions Committee, and was a volunteer at Pegasus Horse Therapy Farm, working with both adults and children with disabilities. Joanne has worked as a surgical technician, both in a veterinary clinic and in human operating rooms. Her surgical interests include thoracic surgery and trauma. Joanne enjoys marathon running, competitive equestrian riding, hiking, and cooking.

Carolina Torres Perez-Iglesias, MD

Carolina Torres Perez-Iglesias, MD Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia

Carolina was born and raised in Lima, Peru. She received her MD from the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia. During medical school, she volunteered for Operation Smile and other non-profit organizations focused on delivering healthcare to underserved populations. She also served as a research assistant at the Enteric Diseases, Nutrition and Antibiotic Resistance Laboratory and CONEVID, a research group focused on local and peri-operative epidemiology, bioethics, and technology. Carolina completed her general surgery internship at University of Illinois Metropolitan Group Hospitals in Chicago, and a PGY2 preliminary year at Boston Medical Center, later joining BIDMC as a categorical PGY3 resident. Her surgical interests include general surgery, plastic and reconstructive surgery, global surgery, and health disparities research. She has been selected as the Paul Farmer Global Surgery Research Fellow for 2021-2023. In her free time, Carolina enjoys expanding her passion for plants, food, dogs, art, and history.

Savas Tsikis, MD

Savas Tsikis, MD University of Chicago Division of the Biological Sciences, The Pritzker School of Medicine

Savas's hometown is Rhodes, Greece. Savas received his BS summa cum laude at the University of Connecticut,majoring in Molecular and Cell Biology and served as President of Habitat for Humanity. He received his MD from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, pursued a number of clinical research projects, and was elected to the Gold Humanism Honor Society. Savas is passionate about teaching and served as a peer educator for undergraduate and medical courses and developed basic science curriculum. He also served as Co-President of the Health Professions Exposure Program. His surgical interests include pediatric surgery and surgical oncology. Savas enjoys sailing, weight lifting, and traveling to new places.

Jacqueline Wade, MD

Jacqueline Wade, MD University of Vermont College of Medicine

Jacqueline grew up on a horse farm in New Hampshire and received her BS, cum laude, from Mount Holyoke College, majoring in Biochemistry. At Mount Holyoke, Jacqueline received the Seven Sisters Student Athlete Award for academic excellence and an HHMI Research Fellowship. Prior to medical school, Jacqueline pursued research in oncology, served as a program coordinator for the Women’s Lung Cancer Program, and led a weekly science course at a local elementary school. Jacqueline received her MD from the University of Vermont College of Medicine, where she continued to pursue her research interests in surgical oncology and breast cancer, received a Research Merit Award, and was elected AOA. Her surgical interests include vascular surgery and surgical oncology. Jacqueline enjoys squash, flag football, broomball, horseback riding, sailing and gardening.

James Wallace, MD

James Wallace, MD University of Connecticut School of Medicine

James' hometown is Hartford, Connecticut. He completed his undergraduate studies at Wesleyan University, graduating with a BA in Physics. As a National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Scholar Athlete Award recipient, he played varsity basketball and was captain of the varsity football team. He received his MD from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, where he devoted his energy to community outreach and research. He was a pioneering member to the Urban Service Track/AHEC Scholars Program, which is dedicated to providing health care to underserved communities. James also worked as a research assistant at the Institute for Regenerative Engineering at UConn, where he engaged in a number of translational research projects. His surgical interest is thoracic surgery. In his free time, James enjoys basketball, hiking, cooking, and traveling.

Ashlyn Whitlock, MD

Ashlyn Whitlock, MD George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences

Ashlyn's hometown is Jacksonville, Florida. Ashlyn received her BA magna cum laude at Wake Forest University, majoring in Psychology. Throughout college, she worked in India as a health coordinator and teacher for the Fellowship Ashram Mission Rural School Program. Ashlyn received her MD with Distinction from George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, with research interests in global health and underserved populations with publications on the Ugandan health system and income based barriers to bariatric surgery. She served as Vice President of Education for the Global Surgery Student Alliance, an Admissions Ambassador, and Class Honor Council Representative. Her surgical interests include global surgery. Ashlyn enjoys art, cooking, running, and traveling.

Alison Woods, MD

Alison Woods, MD SUNY Downstate College of Medicine

Alison's hometown is Glastonbury, Connecticut. She received her BS from Yale University, majoring in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, and was awarded the F. Wilder Bellamy Jr. Prize. During college, Alison worked for the BioEnterprise Corporation evaluating medical device and biotechnology proposals for start-up companies. Alison received her MD from SUNY Downstate College of Medicine, where she volunteered for the Brooklyn Free Clinic, created an anatomy module for first year medical students, and was elected AOA. She also received a SUNY Downstate Alumni Research Fellowship, with which she investigated the amount of post-approval evidence being generated for drugs initially approved by the FDA on the basis of limited evidence. Her surgical interests include oncology and trauma/critical care, and her research interests include health services and surgical outcomes research. Alison enjoys snowboarding, running, writing, and golf.

Christina Marcaccio, MD

Christina Marcaccio, MD Integrated Vascular Surgery Resident
University of Pennsylvania

Christina is a native of Massachusetts and received her BA summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania, majoring in Biology and Philosophy with election to Phi Beta Kappa. Christina received her MD from the University of Pennsylvania. She served as Vice President of the Agnew Surgical Society, Outreach Chair of the Elizabeth Blackwell Society, and coordinator at the Penn University City Hospitality Coalition clinic, providing care to the homeless. She also taught anatomy. Christina was awarded an NIH grant to investigate biomarkers in vascular disease and later studied the clinical outcomes of patients sustaining vascular trauma. She received the William T. Fitts Memorial Prize and the John Pryor Award for Trauma Research, and she was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society. Her clinical interest is vascular surgery. She is an avid runner, cyclist, skier, and sports fan.

Sophie Wang, MD

Sophie Wang, MD Integrated Vascular Surgery Resident
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Sophie's hometown is Albertson, New York. She received her BS magna cum laude at Columbia University, majoring in Biomedical Engineering with research interests in vascular biology and angiogenesis. Sophie received her MD from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where she was involved with refugee health outreach and organizing healthy cooking workshops for the community. Sophie’s clinical interest is vascular surgery. She enjoys cooking, fencing, and photography.