Get To Know Our Residents

Hometown: Kaukauna, WI

Medical school: Medical College of Wisconsin

What excites you about your residency/fellowship at Corewell Health? What excites me most about Corewell Health West in Grand Rapids is the balance it offers between rigorous academic training and a strong sense of community. I'm particularly drawn to the program's emphasis on hands-on learning, early clinical exposure, and access to diverse patient populations, which I believe are essential for developing both competence and confidence. Additionally, Grand Rapids' welcoming atmosphere and emphasis on wellness and work-life balance make it an ideal place to train and grow, both personally and professionally.

Clinical interests: I have interests in both tumor and functional neurosurgery, I'm particularly drawn to the intersection of cutting-edge technology and patient-centered care. Moreover, the multidisciplinary approach to managing complex cranial and spinal tumors, combined with access to advanced imaging, intraoperative navigation, and a strong neuro-oncology team, supports a level of comprehensive care that I aspire to provide.

Hobbies: I love spending time outdoors; whether it's hiking, kayaking, or just being in nature. The Grand Rapids area offers incredible access to trails and lakes. I'm also a big fan of audiobooks and read regularly especially medicine in literature and biographies. Also, I enjoy playing strategy video games, which allows me to sharpen my problem-solving skills and keep me thinking creatively while spending time with friends.

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA

Medical school: University of South Florida

What excites you about your residency/fellowship at Corewell Health in West Michigan? I have been very fortunate to have been able to spend time pursuing my education in amazing cities like Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, Boston, Tampa, Seattle, and now Grand Rapids! I am excited to explore this beautiful city with its abundance of natural landscapes. I am also thrilled to join the Corewell Health team to care for the entire West Michigan population.

Clinical interests: My clinical interests within neurosurgery include trauma and cerebrovascular surgery (open and endovascular). On a macroscopic scale, I am interested in public health reform to improve access to quality care for patients.

Hobbies: I love animals! Outside of the hospital, you will most likely find me at the zoo, aquarium, or pet shelter. I spent a lot of time on my grandparent's small family ranch, and I hope to have my own small ranch one day so that I can raise and care for all kinds of animals. If I am not busy with animals, I am probably riding rollercoasters or enjoying some of the natural landscapes around town.

Hometown: Karachi, Pakistan

Medical school: Aga Khan University

What excites you about your residency/fellowship at Corewell Health? Corewell Health, through its unique location in West Michigan, offers an excellent variety and quality of surgical cases. The availability of experienced faculty and staff, as well as state-of-the-art facilities, makes Corewell Health in West Michigan an excellent place for neurosurgical training.

Clinical interests: I have a keen interest in endovascular neurosurgery, but am open to exploring other sub-specialties.

Hobbies: I enjoy exploring natural locations (parks, beaches, hiking trails, etc.). At home I enjoy listening to and reading Urdu poetry.

Hometown: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Medical school: Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro

Why did you choose Corewell Health for your residency/fellowship? Corewell Health is a center of excellence with a great surgical volume and this team is composed of leaders in the neurosurgical field.

What are your clinical interests? I am still open to explore all neurosurgical fields.

Hobbies: In my free time I like to play and watch soccer, and spend some time with my family.

Hometown: Chicago, IL

Medical school: University of Illinois College of Medicine

Why did you choose Corewell Health? I felt very comfortable with the faculty and staff. The learning environment at Corewell is very positive, and I ultimately felt that this program would allow me to reach my potential academically and professionally.

What do you like most about your program? What I look forward to is learning from the faculty and staff.

Clinical interests: I'm still not quite sure if there is anything specific part of neurosurgery that I'm most interested in.

Living in West Michigan: I enjoy the many options for recreation and entertainment that this area provides. There are a variety of parks, lakes, and local shops that I am looking forward to exploring,

Hobbies: My hobbies include Working out, playing and watching sports, and reading.

Hometown: Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Medical school: University of Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia

Why did you choose Corewell Health? Corewell Health serves as a major tertiary and quaternary center in West Michigan and most of North Michigan, which brings a high level of acuity and volume. The breadth and quality of surgical exposure offered by Corewell having primary stroke center certification status, a first-class epilepsy monitoring unit, and a strong neuro-oncology program were difficult to surpass. Remarkable, experienced, and friendly faculty with state-of-the-art technology and facilities made choosing Corewell an easy task for me.

What do you like most about your program? Being a young program, I am really impressed with all we have accomplished in such a short period of time. The great leadership and commitment of the faculty to education and building a strong residency program is evident by wanting to position us as a leading neurosurgery program in the country. I truly like the early surgical exposure and technical skill development offered as well as the commitment to research.

Clinical interests: My clinical interests are neurosurgical oncology, skull-based neurosurgery, and vascular neurosurgery.

Living in West Michigan: West Michigan/Grand Rapids has been a wonderful place to live for its nature, State parks, campsites, gorgeous sandy beaches, trails, and cultural and social life. A medium-sized city where you will certainly find friendly people, delicious food, great sporting and cultural events, and excellent breweries.

Hobbies: I enjoy playing tennis, outdoor activities like camping, hiking, backpacking, drinking coffee, reading non-fiction, and snorkeling/scuba diving while on vacation.