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 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
Class of 2014
- Vriti Advani: ERCP and pancreaticobiliary fellowship, University of Louisville; employed at Gessler Clinic, Winter Haven, FL
- Debb Farr: Breast fellowship, Northwestern University; employed at University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX
- Mike Thomas: Cardiothoracic Fellowship, University of Wisconsin; employed at SIU School of Medicine, Springfield, IL
Class of 2013
- Abraham Sayon: Endoscopy/MIS Fellowship, St. Vincent Hospital, Indianapolis, IN; employed at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH
- Jennifer Steiman: Breast Surgery Fellowship, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA; employed at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA
Class of 2012
- Vijian Dhevan: Private practice, Texas
- Long Nguyen: Surgical critical care fellowship, University of Texas, Houston
- Adam Reid: Trauma critical care fellowship, Yale University Minimally invasive surgery/bariatrics fellowship, Wake Forest University; employed at SIU School of Medicine, Springfield, IL
Class of 2011
- Eric High: Surgical critical care fellowship, Washington University, St. Louis; employed at Springfield Clinic, Springfield, IL
- Alan Licup: Practice in USAF, Korea
- James Minnis: Surgical critical care fellowship, Stanford University
- Dawn Wietfeldt: Colorectal surgery fellowship, Cleveland Clinic, Florida; employed at Springfield Clinic, Springfield, IL