Meet our faculty
SIU School of Medicine
Colon & Rectal Surgery Faculty
Jan Rakinic, M.D.
Colon & Rectal Surgery Fellowship
Program Director
jrakinic@siumed.edu
Jan Rakinic, M.D., is the Professor of Surgery, Chief of the Section of Colorectal Surgery and Vice Chair for Safety, Quality, and Clinical Operations of the Department of Surgery at Southern Illinois University. She is the Program Director of the SIU-Springfield Clinic Colorectal Surgery Residency. Dr. Rakinic received her medical degree from Tulane University Medical School in New Orleans, completed General Surgery training at the University of Illinois/Cook County Hospital in Chicago, and completed an ACGME-accredited fellowship in Colon and Rectal Surgery at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. Dr. Rakinic is board certified in General Surgery and Colon and Rectal Surgery.
Dr. Rakinic has held many posts in Colorectal Surgery education: she has served as Chair of the Residency Review Committee for Colon and Rectal Surgery for the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education, President of the Association of Program Directors in Colon and Rectal Surgery, and on the ACGME Milestones Project/Colon and Rectal Surgery Group. She is a Past President of the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery, and is a Senior Board Examiner for the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery. She is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons as well as the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons. Dr. Rakinic is on the Executive Council of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons.
Dawn Woodward, M.D.
Colon & Rectal Surgery Fellowship
Associate Program Director
Springfield Clinic Teaching Panel
dwietfeldt@springfieldclinic.com
Dawn Woodward, M.D., is the Associate Program Director of the SIU-Springfield Clinic Colorectal Surgery Residency. She received her medical education from Louisiana State University School of Medicine in Shreveport, Louisiana. She completed her General Surgery Residency at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield, Illinois. She went on to complete a Colon & Rectal Surgery Fellowship at Cleveland Clinic Florida in Weston, Florida. She is Board Certified in General Surgery and Colon and Rectal Surgery. Dr. Woodward has a special interest in research, education, and writing. Memberships include; American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, Illinois State Medical Society, Illinois Surgical Society, American College of Surgeons, and Association of Women Surgeons. Dr. Woodward's clinical interests are; surgical treatment of colon and rectal cancer, treatment of all aspects of anorectal pathology, screening and diagnostic colonoscopy, dual channel colonoscopy, advanced laparoscopic colon and rectal surgery, fecal incontinence and pelvic floor disorders including sacral nerve stimulator, surgical treatment of inflammatory bowel disease and pilonidal cyst disease.
Prasad Poola, M.D.
SIU Teaching Panel
Colon & Rectal Surgery
ppoola@siumed.edu
Dr. Poola is an assistant professor of surgery, and Program Director for the General Surgery residency program at SIU School of Medicine. He is board certified by both the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery. He graduated from medical school in India, completed a general surgery residency at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, and fellowship training in colon and rectal surgery at SIU School of Medicine.
He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons. He is a member of the Association of Academic Surgery, Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT), the Association for Surgical Education (ASE), Association for Program Directors in Surgery (APDS) and American Medical Association. Dr. Poola’s research interests include clinical outcomes in laparoscopic and robotic colorectal procedures and surgical education.
David B. Stewart, M.D.
SIU Teaching Panel
Colon & Rectal Surgery
dstewart52@siumed.edu
David B. Stewart is Professor and Division Chief of General Surgery at Southern Illinois University in Springfield, Illinois. Dr. Stewart received his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. After completing his residency in general surgery at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, he then completed a fellowship in colon and rectal surgery at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. Dr. Stewart’s clinical practice includes all aspects of colorectal disease, with a particular emphasis on recurrent rectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease, as well as involving an extensive experience with single port surgery. Dr. Stewart also has an active research laboratory focusing on the microbiome in C. difficile infection as well as the development of antisense antibiotics to treat this infection, with funding as a principal investigator from industry, the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, and the National Institutes of Health.
Jac Cooper, M.D.
Springfield Clinic Teaching Panel
Colon & Rectal Surgery
jacooper@springfieldclinic.com
Dr. Cooper received his medical education from Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis. He completed his General Surgery Residency at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield, Illinois. He went on to complete a Colon & Rectal Surgery fellowship at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan.
Peter Hofmann, M.D.
Springfield Clinic Teaching Panel
Colon & Rectal Surgery
phofmann@springfieldclinic.com
Dr. Peter Hofmann received his medical education from SIU School of Medicine where he also completed his General Surgery Residency. He went on to complete a Colon & Rectal Surgery fellowship at State University of New York at Buffalo in Buffalo, New York. Dr. Hofmann is Board Certified in General Surgery and Colon and Rectal Surgery.
Dr. Hofmann is an active member of many societies and associations including the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, Illinois Surgical Society, and Illinois State Medical Society. He is board-certified in General Surgery by the American Board of Surgery and in Colon and Rectal Surgery by the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery. Clinical interests are minimally-invasive colorectal surgery, and screening & advanced colonoscopy.
Paul Pacheco, M.D.
Springfield Clinic Teaching Panel
Colon & Rectal Surgery
ppacheco@springfieldclinic.com
Dr. Paul Pacheco received his medical education from the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago, Illinois. He completed a General Surgery residency at the University of Illinois College of Medicine-Peoria in Peoria, Illinois. He went on to complete a Colorectal Surgery fellowship at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield, Illinois. Dr. Pacheco is Board Certified in General Surgery and Colon and Rectal Surgery.
Dr. Pacheco is an active member of many societies and associations including the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, Illinois Surgical Society, and the American College of Surgeons. His clinical interests include; rectal cancer, colon cancer, diverticulitis, dual-channel colonoscopy, hemorrhoids, laparoscopic surgery, robotic rectal cancer management, rectal prolapse, and Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery (TEM).
Brad Paris, M.D.
Springfield Clinic Teaching Panel
Colon & Rectal Surgery
bparis@springfieldclinic.com
Dr. Brad Paris is a board-certified Colorectal and General Surgeon. He received his medical education from Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine Chicago in Maywood, Illinois. He completed his General Surgery Residency at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield, Illinois. He went on to complete a Colon & Rectal Surgery fellowship at John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County in Chicago, Illinois.
Dr. Paris is an active member of many societies and associations including the American Medical Association, Illinois State Medical Society and Sangamon County Medical Society. Dr. Paris has special interests in robotic surgery for colorectal resection.
James Thiele, M.D.
Springfield Clinic Teaching Panel
Colon & Rectal Surgery
jthiele@springfieldclinic.com
Dr. James Thiele received his medical education from SIU School of Medicine in Springfield, Illinois, where he also completed his General Surgery Residency. He went on to complete a Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri.
Dr. Thiele is an active member of many societies and associations including Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons, American Cancer Society, Illinois Surgical Society, Illinois State Medical Society, and the Sangamon County Medical Society. Dr. Thiele has served as President for the Illinois Chapter of the American Cancer Society and also as past president of the Illinois Surgical Society. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American College of Colon & Rectal Surgery. He is board-certified in General Surgery by the American Board of Surgery and in Colorectal Surgery by the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery.
Steven Tsoraides, M.D.
OSF St. Francis Teaching Panel
Colon & Rectal Surgery
stsora1@uic.edu
Dr. Steven Tsoraides received his medical education from the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria and also completed his General Surgery Residency at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria. He went on to complete his Colon & Rectal Surgery Fellowship at SIU School of Medicine. Dr. Tsoraides is Board Certified in General Surgery and Colon and Rectal Surgery. His clinical interests include treatment of common disorders such as hemorrhoids and rectal pain, as well as the more specialized care of colon and rectal cancer. He is well trained in advanced techniques including small incision minimally invasive surgery and Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery.