Resident Bios
Ali Aneizi
Hometown: Pennington, New Jersey
Undergraduate: University of Pittsburgh
Medical School: University of Maryland
Fellowship (chief) or Area(s) of clinical/research interest: Undecided
Why did you chose Maryland?: I wanted to be at a program with great operative training, mentors, and camaraderie amongst the residents - so Maryland was the perfect fit for me!
Hobbies/Interests Outside Work: Basketball, spending time with family/friends
Favorite place you've traveled during residency: Vancouver, Canada
Advice to Applicants: Keep your head up, have a great attitude, work as hard as you possibly can, and trust the process. Whatever happens during the cycle is the best thing for you. Just go with it!
Matthew Chrencik
Hometown: Finksburg, Maryland
Undergraduate: Susquehanna University
Medical School: University of Maryland School of Medicine
Fellowship (chief) or Area(s) of clinical/research interest: Sports, but open to all subspecialties
Why did you chose Maryland?: The faculty, residents, unique clinical experiences and early and abundant operative experiences in all subspecialties. The residents were close knit friends, in and outside of the hospital. The culture was genuine and supportive to make sure everyone at each level in their training succeeds. I'm also from the area and completed medical school at Maryland. I knew I would be happy staying in Baltimore surrounded by friends and family.
Hobbies/Interests Outside Work: Running/fitness, relaxing on the beach, spending time with family, traveling and Baltimore sports
Favorite place you've traveled during residency: Ecuador—such a beautiful country. I hiked Cotopaxi (one of the highest active volcanoes in the world!) and adventured through the Amazon rainforest.
Advice to Applicants: Figure out what's important to you. There are a lot of great programs and they can differ tremendously. Each program has pros and cons and no program is perfect. Residency is a 5-year commitment and you want to ultimately be happy with the program that you match at, and happy with the people you're surrounded by. Just remember, you're interviewing residency programs just as much as they are interviewing you!
Stefan Dabic
Hometown: Zrenjanin, Serbia
Undergraduate: George Washington University
Medical School: University of Maryland School of Medicine
Fellowship (chief) or Area(s) of clinical/research interest: Sports, hand, joints
Why did you chose Maryland?: I had a phenomenal experience during my away rotation at Maryland, where I felt the residents stood out with respect to their clinical acumen, technical skills in the operating room and their camaraderie within the program as a whole. I also felt that faculty consistently rewarded preparation with operative autonomy and were invested in developing the professional traits and leadership skills necessary to be a good orthopedic surgeon.
Hobbies/Interests Outside Work: Basketball, volleyball, cooking, smoking barbecue, lifting weights, playing guitar and spending quality time with my wife, family and friends!
Favorite place you've traveled during residency: Mexico City
Advice to Applicants: During sub-internship season, be kind, work hard, be humble, think ahead and be adaptable. Most importantly, believe in yourself! When the time comes to rank programs, trust your gut.
Tyler Edmond
Hometown: Coopersburg, Pennsylvania
Undergraduate: Colgate University
Medical School: University of Maryland
Fellowship (chief) or Area(s) of clinical/research interest: Undecided
Why did you chose Maryland?: Maryland provides a great, all-around clinical experience with a group of residents and attendings that are second to none. The program has a great team atmosphere and our program directors are always looking for new ways to support and advance our education.
Hobbies/Interests Outside Work: Hiking, hunting, fishing, rock climbing, skiing, obstacle course racing
Favorite place you've traveled during residency: Wyoming
Advice to Applicants: Work hard, learn all you can learn and, above all just be yourself.
Jessa Fogel
Hometown: Bow, New Hampshire
Undergraduate: Dartmouth College
Medical School: Vanderbilt University
Fellowship (chief) or Area(s) of clinical/research interest: Undecided
Why did you choose Maryland?: Maryland's program offers incredible training and learning opportunities in a variety of practice settings. But more importantly, there is a strong culture of teamwork, support, and respect amongst residents and faculty. The people here are truly fantastic!
Hobbies/Interests Outside Work: Running, skiing, hiking, art, travel
Favorite place you've traveled during residency: Spain
Advice to Applicants: Work hard, be yourself, and approach applications/interviews with a positive mindset. The match can be really stressful, but everything will work out in the end!
Jake Hartline
Hometown: Knoxville, Tennessee
Undergraduate: Rhodes College
Medical School: University of Tennessee
Fellowship (chief) or Area(s) of clinical/research interest: Patient and procedural factors influencing operating room efficiency, Factors affecting outcomes in RTSA, Disparities in healthcare utilization
Why did you chose Maryland?: I was impressed by the incredibly collegial and supportive atmosphere here. Attendings, fellows, and senior residents are approachable and eager to teach. Maryland also provides you with exposure to a broad range of pathology and practice settings.
Hobbies/Interests Outside Work: Running, backpacking, Memphis Grizzlies basketball and currently looking forward to hopping on the Baltimore Ravens bandwagon
Favorite place you've traveled during residency: Peru and Bolivia
Advice to Applicants: There are lots of great programs out there. Pay attention to how the residents interact with each other and faculty. Find an environment you can thrive in, both professionally and personally.
Kathleen Healey
Hometown: Scranton, Pennsylvania
Undergraduate: University of Scranton
Medical School: Drexel University College of Medicine
Fellowship (chief) or Area(s) of clinical/research interest: Trauma
Why did you chose Maryland?: I wanted a program with a high volume of diverse cases, opportunities for clinical research, outstanding faculty and the chance to care for underserved patients. Maryland checked all these boxes; but what stood out was the supportive learning environment. Our faculty truly care about the residents' educations and operative experiences. Our senior residents are always willing to help and to teach the juniors. Maryland was the program I knew I would get the best training while surrounded by awesome co-residents and attendings.
Hobbies/Interests Outside Work: Running, Peloton boot camps, cooking Italian food, baking chocolate chip cookies, finding the best restaurants, traveling and watching Philly sports teams.
Favorite place you've traveled during residency: Hawaii
Advice to Applicants: Find mentors to help you through the process. Do as many sub-i's as possible to get the best feel for what a program is like. Work hard and everything will work out.
Leah Henry
Hometown: Arnold, Maryland
Undergraduate: The Catholic University of America
Medical School: University of Maryland School of Medicine
Fellowship (chief) or Area(s) of clinical/research interest: Sports
Why did you chose Maryland?: I chose Maryland for residency because of my experience here as a medical student. The residents and attendings were always eager to teach and were absolutely excellent surgeons. The residents were very friendly and frequently saw each other outside of work, which is important to me. The culture is extremely welcoming and overall a great fit for me. I also really appreciated how well rounded the operative experience is at Maryland, particularly compared to many of the other programs where I interviewed. I know that I will be an excellent surgeon at the end of residency because of the training I will receive here at Maryland.
Hobbies/Interests Outside Work: Quilting/sewing, hiking, reading, going to see Broadway musicals/live theater, spending time with family and friends
Favorite place you've traveled during residency: Rome/Assisi, Taos, New Mexico and Sanibel Island, Florida
Advice to Applicants: I think the best thing you can do for your application particularly early in medical school is finding good mentors. I had medical students in the years ahead of me who were going into ortho, ortho residents at Maryland and a few attendings who were invaluable resources. It is great to find attending mentors early on in medical school who will be willing to advocate for you and make phone calls for you when the time comes for residency applications. I would not be where I am today without all the mentors who helped me along the way.
Meghan Hughes
Hometown: Silver Spring, Maryland
Undergraduate: Brown University
Medical School: University of Maryland
Fellowship (chief) or Area(s) of clinical/research interest: Joints, F&A, Trauma
Why did you chose Maryland?: As a med-student I really enjoyed working with the residents during events hosted by the Orthopaedic Interest Group and during my rotations. The early operative experience for junior residents is definitely one of the program's strengths that stood out to me. I also wanted the opportunity to work in a high volume trauma center, and you can't beat Shock Trauma!
Hobbies/Interests Outside Work: Madeira in Portugal and Lake Bled in Slovenia
Favorite place you've traveled during residency: Skopje, Macedonia
Advice to Applicants: Find a program whose residents work well together and support each other. You never know what life will throw at you during residency. Having the support of my co-residents has been invaluable!
Samir Kaveeshwar
Hometown: Bethesda, Maryland
Undergraduate: Washington University in St. Louis
Medical School: University of Maryland
Fellowship (chief) or Area(s) of clinical/research interest: Upper Extremity
Why did you choose Maryland?: I chose Maryland because it offers a program with well-rounded exposure to all subspecialties along with a great resident culture in a good location.
Hobbies/Interests Outside Work: Basketball, golf, reading, a nice jog by the water
Favorite place you've traveled during residency: Bar Harbor, Maine
Advice to Applicants: Helpfulness and interpersonal skills are important during rotations. Prepare for cases by studying anatomy of approaches. There are many different services with differing environments so adaptability is important.
Matthew Kolevar
Hometown: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Undergraduate: University of Michigan
Medical School: Case Western Reserve University
Fellowship (chief) or Area(s) of clinical/research interest: Trauma, joints, sports, cartilage 3D printing
Why did you chose Maryland?: I chose Maryland for the operative experience and great group of residents. I wanted a work-hard program that was balanced in all the sub-specialties and where the residents seemed happy.
Hobbies/Interests Outside Work: Brewing beer, live music, skiing, golf, Michigan football
Favorite place you've traveled during residency: Zanzibar
Advice to Applicants: Pick a program where you feel comfortable with all the residents and attendings. Clinical training, research, location and reputation are all important when choosing a program. Only you can decide what to prioritize. When it comes to making your rank list, go with your gut.
Alexandra Lutz
Hometown: Orlando, Florida
Undergraduate: Johns Hopkins University
Medical School: University of Central Florida
Fellowship (chief) or Area(s) of clinical/research interest: Sports, but I am open to changing my mind!
Why did you chose Maryland?: The volume, breadth, and severity of cases at Maryland is hard to beat. Being able to train at a facility like Shock Trauma helps develop not only unique operative skills, but also confidence in managing complex problems. Some of the trauma we have the privilege of managing requires creative and novel surgical approaches. There is a certain element of "art in medicine" which is well maintained in the clinical planning and problem solving in these cases. I want to see everything I can while in residency so I can take the best care of my future patients- Maryland offered that to me. Not to mention, I lived in Baltimore previously and loved it. You wouldn't believe the foodie scene this city has!
Hobbies/Interests Outside Work: Teaching yoga, playing soccer, traveling, art history, trying out new restaurants in Baltimore and walks with my golden doodle
Favorite place you've traveled during residency: South Africa for the 2010 World Cup
Advice to Applicants: Trust the process and be yourself! You will find somewhere that you fit in with the people if you are authentic- even when it feels very stressful. I put "curating charcuterie boards" in the hobbies section of my application and I talked about that in every single interview. It made the process more fun and allowed places to get to know me. Remember they are deciding if you are a good resident for them but don't forget you need to make sure they are a good fit for you and your passions!
Murty Munn
Hometown: Chalfont, Pennsylvania
Undergraduate: Pennsylvania State University
Medical School: Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University
Fellowship (chief) or Area(s) of clinical/research interest: Everything!
Why did you chose Maryland?: I choose Maryland because I had an awesome away rotation where I saw high level trauma, Big Ten sports and a surgery center hand practice with residents that operated and were fun to be around. My wife's sister lives in Baltimore so we were aware of what the city was like on a practical level and felt very comfortable moving here with our daughter.
Hobbies/Interests Outside Work: Golf, sports, hiking, family, church
Favorite place you've traveled during residency: National Parks in Utah
Advice to Applicants: Being an applicant is a tough and uncertain spot. We all remember how it feels. Be prepared and hardworking during cases; outside of that be confident in yourself and have fun.
Brittany Oster
Hometown: Agoura Hills, California
Undergraduate: University of Redlands
Medical School: Albert Einstein
Fellowship (chief) or Area(s) of clinical/research interest: Undecided
Why did you chose Maryland?: I chose Maryland because I had a fantastic experience during my away rotation. Everyone I worked with was down to earth and hardworking, and the residents get great operative experience.
Hobbies/Interests Outside Work: Basketball, hiking, kayaking
Favorite place you've traveled during residency: Peru
Advice to Applicants: Don't be afraid to reach out to people who have been through the application process. Ask a lot of questions and try not to get discouraged. It all works out in the end!
Aneesh Patankar
Hometown: Mine Hill, New Jersey
Undergraduate: Johns Hopkins University
Medical School: Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Fellowship (chief) or Area(s) of clinical/research interest: Undecided – possibly Joints
Why did you chose Maryland?: I was drawn to Maryland because of how invested the faculty are in teaching and developing residents' surgical skills. Additionally, we have the opportunity to see and operate on unique cases and polytraumas that are extremely rare elsewhere. However, what really sold me was the fact that even rotating residents from other programs praised the feeling of family, support and camaraderie they noticed between the residents here, and I couldn't agree more.
Hobbies/Interests Outside Work: Tennis, working out, cooking and eating different cuisines, space/astronomy and snowboarding.
Favorite place you've traveled during residency: Greece
Advice to Applicants: Give it your all during this grueling process so you have no regrets and never have to say, "If only I had done XYZ..." Lean on your family, friends and mentors around you; they are often more than willing to help and want to see you succeed. Most importantly, take a deep breath and believe in yourself, because no matter how hard this process is, you will get through it.
Hans Prakash
Hometown: Richmond, Virginia
Undergraduate: University of Virginia
Medical School: University of Virginia
Fellowship (chief) or Area(s) of clinical/research interest: Undecided
Why did you choose Maryland?: During my interview, I realized the residents and faculty at Maryland were the ones I could see myself hanging out with both in and out of the hospital. Additionally, the department is strong across all of the orthopaedic subspecialties, and I knew the program would set me up for success as an academic orthopaedic surgeon in whatever area I end up choosing.
Hobbies/Interests Outside Work: Basketball, football, UVA sports, traveling, snowboarding
Favorite place you've traveled during residency: Iceland
Advice to Applicants: Try to pick the program where you think you'll be the happiest. Residency is a long and hard five years, and you will want to spend it with people that will help you learn and grow while still having fun.
Michael Raffetto
Hometown: Salisbury, Maryland
Undergraduate: Washington and Lee University
Medical School: Creighton University
Fellowship (chief) or Area(s) of clinical/research interest: Trauma
Why did you chose Maryland?: For the people and for the training opportunities.
Maryland offers one of the most well-rounded operative and educational experiences in the country. We experience many different practice environments, with the added benefit of high patient volumes and early operative experiences. Resident camaraderie is second to none, and faculty are invested in our personal and professional growth.
Hobbies/Interests Outside Work: Hiking, running, kayaking, snowboarding, family
Favorite place you've traveled during residency: Tasmania, Australia
Advice to Applicants: Enjoy the process. Meet as many people as you can, whether co-applicants, resident or attendings. Know what is important to you, find your fit and trust your instincts.
Lavan Rajan
Hometown: Pasadena, California
Undergraduate: Rice University
Medical School: Georgetown University School of Medicine
Fellowship (chief) or Area(s) of clinical/research interest: Foot and Ankle, Sports, Trauma
Why did you chose Maryland?: I chose Maryland because it is a program that values hard work and emphasizes camaraderie among its residents, while also providing a very strong operative experience that will prepare me well for a career after residency.
Hobbies/Interests Outside Work: Soccer, sci-fi and fantasy books and movies, video games and supporting the Lakers.
Favorite place you've traveled during residency: Thailand
Advice to Applicants: Be your genuine self during away rotations and interviews, and be honest with yourself about which programs align with your goals in terms of program size, culture and operative experience.
Michael Rocca
Hometown: Westwood, New Jersey
Undergraduate: Johns Hopkins University
Medical School: University of Maryland
Fellowship (chief) or Area(s) of clinical/research interest: Sports, Trauma
Why did you chose Maryland?: The orthopaedics residency at Maryland represents one of the most well rounded programs in the country. The program allows you to work and learn under well renowned faculty, while giving you an early operative experience where you understand the indications and implications of each case. Our group of residents are great to work with and spend time with. We have an extremely hardworking team environment whether it is in the hospital or on a kickball field.
Hobbies/Interests Outside Work: Sports - both playing and watching sports (NY Giants, NY Yankees!), working out/weight lifting, pick-up basketball, traveling, spending free time with my amazing girlfriend, friends and family
Favorite place you've traveled during residency: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Advice to Applicants: Find the program that feels like the right fit for you.
Alexander Ruditsky
Hometown: Sudbury, Massachusetts
Undergraduate: Northeastern University
Medical School: Boston University
Fellowship (chief) or Area(s) of clinical/research interest: Undecided
Why did you chose Maryland?: I really liked Maryland's combination of excellent resident culture, emphasis on education and early operative experience with ample opportunity to get involved in research.
Hobbies/Interests Outside Work: Yoga, meditation, video games, weight lifting, running, hiking/mountaineering, sailing, drones, craft beers
Favorite place you've traveled during residency: The Phoenix Islands Kiribati! I spent a semester at sea aboard a 150 sailboat.
Advice to Applicants: Try to identify what you want in a program and what will make you happy while training, don't be afraid to let that change over the year.
Amil Sahai
Hometown: Frederick, Maryland
Undergraduate: University of Maryland, College Park
Medical School: University of Maryland School of Medicine
Fellowship or areas of clinical/research interest: undecided!
Why'd you choose Maryland?: Maryland was a great fit in terms of having a breadth of clinical experiences as well as research experiences – I know I'll be able to explore the nuances of every specialty within this program. Coupling that with having a tight knit group of residents made Maryland a strong choice for me!
Hobbies/interests outside of work: Basketball (go Lakers), tennis, dancing, traveling, single malt whiskey tasting
Favorite place you've traveled: Greece! (pic from Santorini - highly recommend)
Advice to applicants: Take a deep breath and give it your best shot, especially during sub-I season! Make sure you really explore your home program as well to get a sense of what you like in a program.
Mario Sahlani
Hometown: Chagrin Falls, Ohio
Undergraduate: The Ohio State University
Medical School: University of Toledo
Fellowship (chief) or Area(s) of clinical/research interest: Sports, Shoulder, Elbow and Spine
Why did you chose Maryland?: It's immediately evident how talented the faculty and residents are from the get go. The faculty love to teach, and the residents love to operate. There is no division between classes making Maryland an awesome place to train.
Hobbies/Interests Outside Work: 3D printing, hydroponic gardening, being business partners with my wife, cooking for friends, exercise
Favorite place you've traveled during residency: The Netherlands
Advice to Applicants: Ask yourself if you could be happy somewhere.
Matheus Schneider
Hometown: Tallahassee, Florida
Undergraduate: University of Florida
Medical School: Florida State University
Fellowship (chief) or Area(s) of Clinical/Research Interest: Trauma
Why did you choose Maryland?: The faculty are truly invested in producing competent surgeons and the residents are a close-knit collegial group. Everyone seems happy to wake up and go to work.
Hobbies/Interests Outside Work: Soccer, tennis, golf, blues guitar and gardening
Advice to Applicants: Trust the process and lean into the experience. It's a rollercoaster of a process but try to enjoy it!
Brian Shear
Hometown: Trumbull, Connecticut
Medical School: Central Michigan University
Fellowship (chief) or Area(s) of clinical/research interest: Undecided
Why did you chose Maryland?: I was looking for a well-rounded program that once finished Id have no doubt in my abilities to tackle just about anything. Coupled with the great culture and location near friends and family in Washington, D.C., it was an easy choice.
Hobbies/Interests Outside Work: Peloton, brewing beer, video games, hockey
Favorite place you've traveled during residency: St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands
Advice to Applicants: Pay particular attention to the current residents and don't underestimate the importance of the culture of the program. Applying is incredibly stressful but at the end of the day you'll end up exactly where you should.
Craig Shul
Hometown: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Undergraduate: University of Nevada Las Vegas
Medical School: University of Nevada, Reno
Fellowship (chief) or Area(s) of clinical/research interest: Trauma and Joints
Why did you chose Maryland?: When considering my rank list, the camaraderie among residents was incredibly important to me - going to work every day should be enjoyable. Also, the Shock Trauma experience on my sub-internship was very unique. I wanted elite trauma training whether I end up in that field or not. Another important factor was stable leadership who valued the opinion of the residents. I found all 3 at Maryland.
Hobbies/Interests Outside Work: Lifting, golfing, fishing, family time
Favorite place you've traveled during residency: Skopje, Macedonia
Advice to Applicants: Take a deep breath and enjoy this process. Take the opinion of others lightly, follow your intuition, rank where you feel that you will be well trained and welcome, and can enjoy grinding with your colleagues.
Adeola Togun
Hometown: Woodstock, Maryland
Undergraduate: Temple University
Medical School: Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
Fellowship (chief) or Area(s) of clinical/research interest: Foot and ankle, joints
Why did you chose Maryland?: I chose Maryland because I had an excellent experience as an away rotator. I was exposed to mentorship and research opportunities, a wide range of surgical cases, supportive learning environments and amazing people. Most importantly, Maryland is home!
Hobbies/Interests Outside Work: Running, traveling, collecting candles, going to brunch and spending time with my family, friends and dog.
Favorite place you've traveled during residency: Cabo San Lucas
Advice to Applicants: Try to get your hands on everything and expose yourself to as much as possible. Learning is a dynamic process and what you put in is what you get out.
Andrew Tran
Hometown: Fountain Valley, California
Undergraduate: UCLA
Medical School: Georgetown University
Fellowship (chief) or Area(s) of clinical/research interest: Sports and joints
Why did you chose Maryland?: A great early operative experience combined with the most down to earth residents I had met on my away rotations led me to choosing Maryland for residency. The resources and educational opportunities devoted to residents here are unparalleled, and the attendings always make resident learning a priority.
Hobbies/Interests Outside Work: Live concerts/music, vinyl collecting, photography, traveling, gaming
Favorite place you've traveled during residency: Bali, Indonesia
Advice to Applicants: Applying for residency can be a challenging time, but just remember to be yourself and work hard during sub-I season. Pick a place where you feel like you would be happy to spend the next 5 years!
Serge Tzeuton
Hometown: Silver Spring, Maryland
Undergraduate: University of Maryland, College Park
Medical School: University of Maryland
Fellowship (chief) or Area(s) of clinical/research interest: Upper Extremity
Why did you choose Maryland?: I knew that at Maryland I would extensive operative experience and be able to work with a great, down-to-earth group of residents and faculty. The autonomy that residents have here is something I always placed highly on my list of things I sought in a residency program.
Hobbies/Interests Outside Work: Basketball, gaming, cooking, weight training and spending quality time with loved ones
Favorite place you've traveled during residency: Paris, France
Advice to Applicants: Try your best to learn about the programs you're interested in. Otherwise, enjoy the process. Work hard, be positive, don't beat yourself up too hard and things tend to work out. Good luck!
Ugo Udogwu
Hometown: New York, New York
Undergraduate: Princeton University
Medical School: Icahn SOM at Mount Sinai
Fellowship (chief) or Area(s) of clinical/research interest: Undecided
Why did you chose Maryland?: Maryland has excellent hands on experience with hybrid of team based services and apprenticeship learning which gives the residents the best of both worlds when it comes to education. Advanced practitioners help out a ton, allowing early operative experience.
Hobbies/Interests Outside Work: Biking, hiking, visual arts, tennis, basketball, wine, being outside as much as possible
Favorite place you've traveled during residency: Thailand
Advice to Applicants: Be yourself and be honest.
Tina Zhang
Hometown: Gaithersburg, Maryland
Undergraduate: University of Maryland
Medical School: Georgetown University
Fellowship (chief) or Area(s) of clinical/research interest: Biomechanics, Materials Science
Why did you chose Maryland?: The program is filled with fantastic people who I absolutely looked forward to working with!
Hobbies/Interests Outside Work: Video games, martial arts
Favorite place you've traveled during residency: Tokyo, Japan
Advice to Applicants: Find a program that fits you in terms of personalities, work ethic and culture. Do your best to adapt to this strange interview season!