Graduated Residents & Alumni

The SIU General Surgery Residency has been very successful in preparing graduates for competitive fellowship and job opportunities. Over the last 10 years, graduates have matriculated in fellowships in colorectal surgery, trauma and surgical critical care, minimally invasive surgery, cardiothoracic surgery, surgical endoscopy, breast oncology, and transplant surgery. Similar to national averages, approximately 20% have gone directly into practice in general surgery upon completion of the residency. The following list shows where our most recent graduates have gone upon graduation.

Class of 2025

  • Alison Embalabala, MD: Cardiothoracic Fellowship, Indiana University
  • Calvin Korba, MD: Plastic Surgery Fellowship, University of Cincinnati
  • Bryan Mistretta, DO: Colorectal Fellowship, SIU School of Medicine
  • Supriya Sullivan, MD: Breast Surgery Fellowship, University of Iowa

Class of 2024

  • Cat Brandt, MD: Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship, Aurora Health Care, Milwaukee
  • Kanika Chawla, MD: Surgical Critical Care Fellowship, Washington University in St. Louis
  • Sean O'Malley, MD: General Surgery practice, Springfield Clinic
  • Megan Wellborn, DO: Surgical Critical Care Fellowship, St. Luke's Hospital, Bethlehem, PA

Class of 2023

  • Philipos Gebremedhin, MD: Cardiothoracic Fellowship, MD Anderson
  • Brandon Sauer, MD: Private Practice at Prevea, Green Bay, WI
  • Abdelouahid Souala, MD: Private Practice at Prevea, Sheboygan, WI
  • Lindsay Nelson, DO: Northwest Surgical Associates, Detroit, MI

Class of 2022

  • Ahmad Aulakh, DO: Colorectal Surgery Fellowship at Prisma Health, Greenville, SC
  • Samantha Knight, MD: Fetal Surgery Fellowship at Cincinnati Children’s
  • Olivia White, MD: General Surgery at McDonough District Hospital, Macomb, IL
  • Jordan Wood, MD: General Surgery at Indiana University Bloomington Hospital, Bloomington, IN
     

Class of 2020

  • Rajaie Hazboun, MD: Plastic Surgery Fellowship at University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
  • Erin MacKinney, MD: Endocrine Surgery Fellowship at Northshore, Chicago, IL
  • Matt Smith, DO:  MIS/Bariatric Surgery Fellowship at Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh, PA

Class of 2018

  • Elaine Jayne Buckley, MBBCh:  Breast Surgery Fellowship, City of Hope, Duarte, CA
  • Benjamin Rejowski, MD:  Surgical Critical Care Fellowship, Baylor, Dallas, TX
  • Emily Sturm, MD:  Surgical Oncology Fellowship, Roger Williams Cancer Center, Providence, RI
  • Susan Wetzel, MD:  Endoscopy/MIS Fellowship, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

Class of 2017

  • Erin Bailey, MD:  General Surgery Practice, Canton, IL
  • Jac Cooper, MD:  Colorectal Fellowship, William Beaumont Hospital; employed at Porter Regional Hospital, Valparaiso, IN
  • Alexandria McDow, MD:  Endocrine Surgery Fellowship, University of Wisconsin (2-year fellowship)
  • James Regan, MD:  Surgical Critical Care Fellowship, Michigan State University, employed at Decatur Memorial Hospital, Decatur, IL

Class of 2016

  • Cindy Ha, MD:  Vascular Surgery Fellowship at University of Texas Southwestern, employed at Pulse Heart Institute Vascular Services, Tacoma, WA
  • David Lovett, MD:  General Surgery practice, Kokomo, IN
  • Nick Mouw, MD:  General Surgery practice, Sioux Center, IA
  • Jackie Wierzbicki, MD:  MIS/Bariatric Fellowship at University of Iowa; employed at Northwestern Medicine Regional Medical Group, Geneva, IL

Class of 2015

  • Chad Gonczy, MD:  Surgical Oncology/HPB Fellowship at Duke University; employed at Springfield Clinic, Springfield, IL
  • Eric Robinson, MD:  General Surgery Practice, Advocate BroMenn in Normal, IL