General Surgery Residency

65

Active Clinical Trials

$8.6M

Research Grants

140

Peer-Reviewed Publications in 2023

663

Transplants in 2023

About the Residency

The General Surgery Residency Program at Houston Methodist maintains a standard of excellence by providing only the best education for our residents and medical students. Houston Methodist has been ranked the No. 1 hospital in Texas by the U.S. News & World Report for nine straight years, is among the top 20 hospitals in the nation, is nationally ranked in 11 adult specialties, and has been named to the prestigious Best Hospitals Honor Roll for the fourth time. The hospital directs millions of research dollars into patient care and offers the latest innovations in medical, surgical and diagnostic techniques. Our program assets, such as the state-of-the-art MITIE training and simulation center, allow residents to rehearse surgical skills and prepare for the operating room in a realistic and meaningful way. 

Our Team

Message from the Program Director

On behalf of the Department of Surgery at Houston Methodist Hospital, I would like to thank you for your inquiry into our residency in general surgery. Our primary objective is to train and educate the future leaders in surgery. To this end, I am responsible for ensuring that our residency program delivers the educational and training opportunities necessary for you to develop into a skilled surgeon. I am responsible for the selection identification of core faculty, the training environments in which you learn and the educational programs delivered to you. Lastly, I am responsible for ensuring that the residency is in compliance with regulatory and program requirements of organizations with oversight for the residency. I am responsible to ensure that you have a safe and supportive environment in which to work, learn and practice as a young surgeon.

In return for the investment our program will make in you, you are responsible for applying your own best efforts to progress in the residency. You must work to develop your medical knowledge, your skills as young surgeons and your ability to provide care to patients. Unlike medical school, you are expected to assume responsibility for your education and use the training opportunities as a platform for your professional growth. You will learn to use environment wisely and to adhere to high professional standards in your work.

Novel surgical education tracks have been developed at the Houston Methodist Residency in General Surgery and flexibility in surgical training have been made for residents seeking:

  • Abdominal Transplant Fellowship Track
  • Resident Scientist Research Track
  • General Surgery Leadership and Health Care Administration Track

After learning more about our residency program through our website, you may agree that it would be difficult to find another program that will match the commitment and quality of our faculty in an environment with Houston Methodist’s clinical volume and complexity for surgical training. We are also committed to crafting the most valuable research experience for our residents to match their professional goals.

Please keep us in mind as you consider your future options and we look forward to working with you in the future.



Program Director
Sylvia Martinez, MD, FACS

Associate Program Directors
Nabil Tariq, MD, FACS
Kelvin Allenson, MD

Acute Care Surgery
Young Chun, MD
Sylvia Martinez, MD, FACS
Hina Faisal, MD
Timothy Sehorn, MD
Nicole Tapia, MD, FACS

 

Surgical Critical Care
Young Chun, MD
Hina Faisal, MD
Atiya Dhala, MD, FACP
Sylvia Martinez, MD, FACS
Constance Mobley, MD, PhD, FACS
Nicole Tapia, MD
Colorectal Surgery
Michael Snyder, MD, FACS
Jeffrey Van Eps, MD


General Surgery
Richard Caplan, MD, FACS
Sherry Lim, MD
Timothy Oppermann, MD, FACS
Michael Reader, MD, FACS
Michael Yaakovian, MD
Minimally Invasive Surgery
Patrick Reardon, MD, FACS
Vadim Sherman, MD, FACS, FRCSC
Nabil Tariq, MD, FACS
Lee Morris, MD, FACS

Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
Pierre Chevray, MD, PhD
Tue Dinh, MD
Jeffrey Friedman, MD, FACS
Michael Klebuc, MD
Aldona Spiegel, MD

 

Surgical Oncology
Kelvin Allenson, MD
Fernando Angarita, MD, MSc, FRCSC
Amanda Arrington, MD, MHM, FACS, FSSO
Nestor Esnaola, MD, MPH, MBA, FACS
Gilchrist Jackson, MD, FACS
Helmi Khadra, MD, FACS

Thoracic Surgery
Ray Chihara, MD, PhD
Min Kim, MD, FACS
Warren Naselsky, MD, MS

Liver Transplant Surgery
Ashton Connor, MD, PhD, FRCSC
R. Mark Ghobrial, MD, PhD, FACS, FRCS
Yee Lee Cheah, MD, FACS
Mark Hobeika, MD, FACS
Constance Mobley, MD, PhD
Ashish Saharia, MD, FACS
Caroline Simon, MD, FACS

Renal Transplant Surgery
Osama Gaber, MD, FACS
Mark Hobeika, MD, FACS
Richard Knight, MD, FACS
Ashish Saharia, MD, FACS
Paul Schroder, MD, PhD
Stephanie Yi, MD, FACS

Vascular Surgery
Alan Lumsden, MD, FACS
Eric Peden, MD, FACS
Charudatta Bavare, MD, MPH, FACS

Mid-Level Practitioners
Jane Doan, NP
Mari Galang, NP
Roslyn Green, NP
Crystal Imasogie, NP
Charito Lappay, NP
Laura Lessard, NP
Regina Lynch, NP
Corey Meisenbach, NP
Leo Meisenbach, DNP
Diane Ofili, PA
Hannah Smock, NP
Christina Soto, NP
Timothy Traugott, NP
Brittney Turner, NP
Alan Wilson, NP

 

Academic Office Staff
Kristina McDonald
Education Manager

Eligibility and Application

Thank you for your interest in the General Surgery Residency Program at Houston Methodist.


Application Process
  • Houston Methodist participates in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). Note: in ERAS and NRMP, we are listed under the name The Methodist Hospital (Houston) .
  • All PGY1 positions are offered through the NRMP.
  • Residency applications and required documentation must be submitted through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS).
  • Information on ERAS can be found on the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) website.
  • "Pre-Match" positions are not offered.
  • All applications are carefully reviewed. Selected applicants are notified electronically to interview through ERAS.

Application Requirements
Applicants must have graduated from medical school within three years of application and meet one of the following criteria:
  • Graduates of medical schools in the U.S. and Canada accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME)
  • Graduates of colleges of osteopathic medicine in the U.S. accredited by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA)
  • Graduates of medical schools outside of the U.S. and Canada or graduates of medical schools outside the U.S. who have completed a Fifth Pathway program provided by an LCME-accredited medical school who meet the following qualifications:
    • Hold a current valid certificate from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG).
    • Has a J-1 Visa, or is a U.S. citizen, naturalized U.S. citizen or permanent resident

Houston Methodist is committed to improving the health of our patients, employees, and communities around us. As a health care provider, it’s our responsibility to promote a healthier environment for our employees.


Responsibility
  • Drug and Tobacco Screening- Job seekers will be tested for nicotine and drug usage during the post-offer physical. If a job seeker tests positive for nicotine use, including nicotine gum and patches, the offer will be rescinded, and individuals will be given the opportunity to participate in a free Houston Methodist-provided tobacco cessation program. Job seekers wishing to reapply after testing positive for nicotine may do so 90 days after the date the initial offer was rescinded. If the job seeker tests positive for drug use, the offer will be rescinded. Job seekers wishing to reapply after the drug screening is positive may do so one year after the date the initial offer was rescinded.
  • Background Check - Prior to employment start date, job seekers must complete a criminal background check.

The documentation listed below must be submitted with the application:


Materials
  • Official medical school transcript in original language and in English (copied and notarized, stating that it is a true copy of the original)
  • MSPE
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Personal statement
  • Curriculum vitae
  • USMLE/COMLEX Scores (must possess a passing score)
  • Valid ECFMG certificate/J-1 visa (if applicable)

Interview Selection Process
  • All information must be submitted prior to an application being reviewed.
  • Interviews are by invitation only. If you have been selected, we will contact you.

Interview Dates
    Interviews for 2024-2025 positions will be held virtually on Nov. 15, Dec. 6, and Dec. 13.
    Additional information will be made available to applicants who are selected for an interview.

Our Residents
Ryan Alonzo, MD - PGY5
Medical School: Texas A&M University College of Medicine
rpalonzo@houstomethodist.org
Nana-Yaw Bonsu, MD, MPH - PGY5
Medical School: Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California
nobonsu@houstonmethodist.org
Yoon (Kady) Lee, MD - PGY5
Medical School: University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine
yklee@houstonmethodist.org
Christopher McMillian, MD - PGY5
Medical School: University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Medicine
Christopher McMillian, MD
Mary Oh, MD - PGY5
Medical School: Saint Louis University School of Medicine
mhoh@houstonmethodist.org
Farshad Amirkhosravi, MD - PGY4
Medical School: University of Texas Medical Branch School of Medicine
famirkhosravi@houstonmethodist.org
Robert Brumer, MD, PhD - PGY4
Medical School: Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
rpbrumer@houstonmethodist.org
Steven Elzein, MD - PGY4
Medical School: The Ohio State University College of Medicine
smelzein@houstonmethodist.org
Therese Hoof, MD - PGY4
Medical School: Tulane University School of Medicine
tphoof@houstonmethodist.org
Rodrigo Jacobucci, MD - PGY4
Medical School: Universidade José do Rosário Vellano Faculdade de Medicina Alfenas (Brazil)
rodrigoporciunculajacobucci@houstonmethodist.org
Andrea Meinders, MD - PGY4
Medical School: University of Nebraska College of Medicine
ammeinders@houstonmethodist.org
Mahnoor Zia, MD - PGY4
Medical School: Texas A&M University College of Medicine
mzia3@houstonmethodist.org
Connie Au, MD - PGY3
Medical School: University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine
cau@houstomethodist.org
Madhivanan Elango, MB BCh - PGY3
Medical School: University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine (UK)
melango@houstonmethodist.org
Gabrielle Jean-Baptiste, MD - PGY3
Medical School: Albert Einstein College of Medicine
gajean-baptiste@houstonmethodist.org
Megan McClanahan, MD - PGY3
Medical School: George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences
mmcclanahan@houstonmethodist.org
Joseph Nealon, MD - PGY3
Medical School: Georgetown University School of Medicine
jtnealon@houstonmethodist.org
Matthew Nungesser, MD - PGY3
Medical School: Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans
menungesser@houstonmethodist.org
Priya Arunachalam, MD - PGY2
Medical School: Texas A&M University College of Medicine
parunachalam@houstonmethodist.org
Liam Cato, MD - PGY2
Medical School: University of Birmingham (UK)
lcato@houstonmethodist.org
Kendall Howard, MD - PGY2
Medical School: Eastern Virginia Medical School
khoward@houstonmethodist.org
Erin Morris, MD - PGY2
Medical School: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine
emmorris@houstonmethodist.org
Julia Schroer, MD - PGY2
Medical School: Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine
jmschroer@houstonmethodist.org
Johnny Wang, MD - PGY2
Medical School: Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California
jwang4@houstonmethodist.org
Tanisha Fleming, MD - PGY1
Medical School: Louisiana State University School of Medicine in Shreveport
trfleming@houstonmethodist.org
Ethyn Loreno, MD - PGY1
Medical School: Louisiana State University School of Medicine in Shreveport
egloreno@houstonmethodist.org
Marisha Madhira, MD - PGY1
Medical School: University of Kansas School of Medicine
mmadhira@houstonmethodist.org
Jessica Madry, MD - PGY1
Medical School: Texas A&M School of Medicine
jmadry@houstonmethodist.org
CarolinaMichelle Mejia, MD - PGY1
Medical School: Universidad Americana Facultad de Medicina (Nicaragua)
cmmejiaalaniz@houstonmethodist.org
Neal Modi, MD - PGY1
Medical School: Saint Louis University School of Medicine
namodi@houstonmethodist.org
Syed Jawad Naqvi, MD - PGY1
Medical School: King Edward Medical University (Pakistan)
shnaqvi@houstonmethodist.org
Daniel Tomey, MD - PGY1
Medical School: Universidad del Zulia Facultad de Medicina (Venezuela)
datomey2@houstonmethodist.org
Our Alumni
2024 Chief Residents
Joao Bombardelli, MD
Plastic Surgery Fellowship, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX

Haydee del Calvo, MD
Breast Surgery Fellowship, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD

Heather Kregel, MD
Trauma Surgery Fellowship, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

Alfred Lopez, MD
Mastery of Surgery, University of Texas San Antonio, San Antonio, TX

Jerica Podrat, MD
Private Practice, Kaiser Permanente Vallejo Medical Center, Vallejo, CA

Anuj Shah, MD
Cardiothoracic Fellowship, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX
         2023 Chief Residents
Flavio Baio, MD
Abdominal Transplant Fellowship, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX

David Detz, MD
Breast Surgery Fellowship, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL

Ezra Koh, MD
Vascular Surgery Fellowship, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX

Shawn Purnell, MD
Cardiothoracic Fellowship, Loyola University Medical Center, Chicago, IL

2022 Chief Residents
Jose Muniz Castro, MD
Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX

Jeffrey Hodges, MD
Advanced Gastrointestinal and Minimally Invasive Surgery Fellowship, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA

Yi Ying Law, MD
Private Practice, Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center, Chanute, KS

Joseph Nguyen-Lee, MD
Surgical Critical Care Fellowship, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX
Advanced Gastrointestinal and Minimally Invasive Surgery Fellowship, Geisinger Medical Center Danville, PA

Asad Shaikh, MD
Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship, Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY  		        2021 Chief Residents
Aman Ali, MD
Advanced GI/MIS Flexible Endoscopy Surgery Fellowship, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA

Chen Chen, MD
Private Practice, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, Denton, TX

Aaron Chin, MD
Private Practice, Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek Medical Center, Walnut Creek, CA

Kofi Quaye, MD
Vascular Surgery Fellowship, Duke University, Durham, NC

Fernando Ramirez Del Val, MD, MPH
Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA

Basem Soliman, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Texas Tech University, Amarillo, TX

2020 Chief Residents
Taiwo Adesoye, MD, MPH
Breast Surgical Oncology Fellowship, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Alexi Bloom, MD
Surgical Critical Care Fellowship, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI

Vishwanath Chegireddy, MD
Plastic Surgery Fellowship, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA

Jazmin Cole, MD
Advanced GI/MIS Flexible Endoscopy Surgery Fellowship, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH

Catherine Hambleton Davis, MD, MPH
Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ

Ugoeze Nwokedi, MD
Advanced GI/MIS Bariatric Fellowship, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX  		        2019 Chief Residents
Kilali Iyalla, MD
Surgical Critical Care Fellowship, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO

Diana Liang, MD
Breast Surgical Oncology Fellowship, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Michael McCormack, MD
Advanced GI/MIS Bariatric Fellowship, NorthShore University Health System, The University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL

Rodrigo Pedraza, MD
Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR

2018 Chief Residents
Paulette Abbas, MD
Pediatric Surgery Fellowship, Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, MI

Vid Fikfak, MD
Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship, UT-Houston, Houston, TX

Ana Islam, MD
Endocrine Fellowship, UT Southwestern, Dallas, TX

Dang Pham, MD
Surgical Critical Care Fellowship, Methodist Dallas, Dallas, TX

Matthew Piotrowski, MD
Breast Surgical Oncology Fellowship, MD Anderson, Houston, TX

Jeff Van Eps, MD
Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

Curriculum

The general surgery residency at Houston Methodist is a five-year program that provides broad experience in general surgery, surgical basic sciences and numerous surgical specialties. The program is well balanced with academic community training, didactic education and research opportunities to prepare residents to be highly skilled surgeons.

Curriculum by Program Year

PGY-1
During their first year, residents will experience a broad range of surgical training, including rotations on multiple general surgery services and rotations on the following specific services:

  • Thoracic surgery
  • Vascular surgery
  • Minimally invasive surgery
  • Pediatric surgery
  • Trauma surgery
  • Surgical oncology
  • Surgical intensive care unit  

Our goal is to provide the first year resident with exposure to a large volume of surgical patients with varying disease processes.

PGY-2
The second year of residency focuses on several elements of acute care surgery with rotations on services specific to acute care:

  • Multiple general surgery
  • Surgical intensive care unit
  • Trauma surgery
  • Colorectal surgery
  • Plastic and reconstructive surgery
  • Surgical intensive care unit 

PGY-3
Third year residents will spend some time in elective areas, but will rotate on selected services that provide increased case complexity, patient care responsibility and operative experience:

  • Multiple general surgery
  • Acute care surgery
  • Pediatric surgery
  • Surgical oncology
  • Vascular surgery
  • Transplant surgery

PGY-4
During the fourth year of residency, rotations will be spent on services where residents are expected to assume leadership roles with increasing decision-making responsibility. Residents will also have the opportunity to complete an elective month in the surgical sub-specialty of their choice. 

  • General surgery
  • Acute care surgery
  • Colorectal surgery
  • Trauma surgery
  • Minimally invasive surgery
  • Thoracic surgery

PGY-5
Residents will manage one of the general surgery services at Houston Methodist Hospital during their final year of residency. During this year, they will gain intensive operative experience and, on completion, will be capable of dealing with both routine and complex cases, and all aspects of pre-operative, intra-operative, and post-operative care.

After completing the final year of residency, our graduates will have performed approximately 1,000 major operations and will be eligible to sit for The American Board of Surgery Qualifying Examination.

Institutions

Houston Methodist Hospital
Houston Methodist Hospital serves as the primary teaching hospital of the residency program. While rotating at Houston Methodist, residents will have a broad exposure to many complex surgical disease processes. They will receive extensive operative experience in foregut surgery, hepatobiliary surgery, colorectal surgery, advanced laparoendoscopic surgery, endocrine surgery, cardiothoracic surgery and vascular surgery. Residents will also gain unparalleled experience in critical care at the Dunn Surgical Intensive Care Unit, a 31-bed unit staffed by five fellowship trained surgical intensivists.

Memorial Hermann Hospital
Memorial Hermann Hospital, located in the Texas Medical Center, is a 755-bed tertiary care teaching hospital has one of the busiest Level I trauma centers in the country and is the site of the regional adult burn unit. It is also home to the Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, an integrated facility within Memorial Hermann Hospital that is a large referral site for children with routine and complex surgical disorders.

Our general surgery residents will spend approximately nine months of their residency at Memorial Hermann Hospital in each three rotation area:

  • Rotation on the trauma service at both the junior and senior resident levels
  • Rotation on the pediatric surgery service during the intern and third year
  • Rotation on the burn service during the second year

MD Anderson Cancer Center
Located in the Texas Medical Center, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center provides our residents with world-class training in the multi-disciplinary management of patients with common and rare complex malignancies including breast, melanoma and sarcoma. As a site of training for many surgical residents and fellows from around the world, the volume of clinical activity provides residents with an extensive exposure to surgical oncology. Residents will spend approximately three months of their training at MD Anderson Cancer Center. 

 


Learning Resources

Educational Conferences
The educational conferences provide residents with a Socratic approach to surgical education. Conferences are presented by residents, faculty and visiting professors.

Surgical Intern Survival Skills
The transition from medical student to surgical intern often causes tremendous anxiety. The Surgical Intern Survival Skills curriculum is designed to alleviate much of this anxiety through a series of lectures and interactive sessions. Topics include an introduction to pharmacology, common surgical complications, and emotional intelligence and resilience.

Mock Orals
Residents at the PGY-3 through PGY-5 levels participate in mock oral examinations given by the Houston Methodist Department of Surgery faculty. These mock examinations prepare upper-level residents for the American Board of Surgery certifying examination.

Education Curriculum
The Surgical Council on Resident Education (SCORE) curriculum encompasses a listing of patient care topics covered during the five-year residency in general surgery. The conference is held in a small team format and each team includes attending surgeons and PGY-1 through PGY-5 residents.

Morbidity and Mortality Conference
Morbidity and Mortality Conference is a key teaching conference during which complications are presented by residents and discussed by faculty and residents. The complications presented are discussed with an emphasis on the current literature and are designed to promote an educational discussion.

Journal Club
Journal Club is held once a month, typically at a faculty member’s home, and centers on the presentation of new clinical and scientific information. Each month, junior and senior residents are responsible for presenting the articles. Faculty are present to aid in the discussion of the articles.

Grand Rounds
Grand Rounds are designed to keep surgeons and other healthcare professionals abreast of new surgical knowledge, surgical procedures and patient care issues. This weekly conference is presented by senior residents, surgical faculty, non-surgical faculty and visiting professors.

MITIE Skills Laboratory
The Houston Methodist Institute for Technology, Innovation & Education (MITIE) houses a comprehensive training facility for teaching both open and laparoscopic surgical skills, flexible endoscopy, and critical care procedures such as airway management, central line placement and invasive cardiac monitoring. As part of the conference schedule, resident levels alternate through the laboratory.

The Inanimate Skills Laboratory is centrally located on the fourth floor of Houston Methodist Hospital, in the Fondren wing. Residents and fellows are given 24-hour access so that each can work at their own pace and on their own schedule.

Discipline Specific Conferences
Houston Methodist also offers numerous discipline-specific conferences, such as thoracic, gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary. 

Get In Touch

Program Contact

Kristina McDonald
Academic Coordinator
Department of Surgery
6550 Fannin St., Smith Tower 1661
Houston, TX 77030
Tel: 713.363.9604
Fax: 713.791.5126
Email: gensurg@houstonmethodist.org

Program Director

Sylvia Martinez, MD, FACS
Department of Surgery
6550 Fannin St., Smith Tower 1661
Houston, TX 77030
Fax: 713.790.6470
Email: gensurg@houstonmethodist.org

Upcoming Academic Events

Grand rounds, tumor boards, regularly scheduled series and case presentations are offered in multiple clinical disciplines and Houston Methodist locations.
Center for Neural Systems Restoration Visiting Lecture Series - Adam Jones, PhD
Houston Methodist Hospital

Adam Jones, PhD

Jan 16 @ 11AM

See Details
Weekly Multidisciplinary GI Grand Rounds – January

Multiple Speakers

Jan 17 @ 7AM

See Details

55

Grand Rounds conducted in 2023
These educational events are held according to varying schedules by departments and divisions within the Houston Methodist Academic Institute

Explore the following:

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