Meet the Class of 2025


Iman Darwish, MD

Iman Darwish, MD

Hometown

Lincolnwood, IL

Undergraduate

Loyola University Chicago

Medical School

Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine

Why MacNeal?

I love the collaborative and supportive nature of the program, as well as the advising and mentorship available in the program.

Interests in Medicine

Pediatrics, outpatient medicine, preventative care, behavioral health

Interests Outside of Medicine

Baking, cooking, biking, spending time with family


Daniel Halloran, MD

Daniel Halloran, MD

Hometown

Eden Prairie, MN

Undergraduate

Macalester College

Medical School

Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University

Why MacNeal?

The main reason I chose MacNeal was the feeling I had after my interview. I felt like I meshed well with both the faculty as well as the residents and could really see myself getting along with everyone and enjoying my time here. I also chose MacNeal in order to stay in Chicago as my wife and her family live here, so staying local had a large influence on my decision. MacNeal offers a Sports Medicine Fellowship program and opportunities to pursue my interest in that field during residency. While Chicago offers many opportunities given the size and diversity of patients in this city, the surrounding community is much different than your typical urban program. Given the proximity to the city you get a great mix of suburban and urban healthcare during your time here. MacNeal is also in a perfect location if you want to live in the city and get the benefits of restaurants and entertainment, but close enough where the commute to work is very reasonable. Combining all of these made my decision very easy and I’m very happy to have matched at MacNeal!

Interests in Medicine

Sports medicine, procedures and continuity of care (reason why I chose family medicine)

Interests Outside of Medicine

Golf, hockey, lifting, running, traveling, video games


Paul John, MD

Paul John, MD

Hometown

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Undergraduate

DePaul University

Medical School

Rosalind Franklin University

Why MacNeal?

I chose MacNeal for the people. The residents and faculty seemed down to earth and gave me a good gut feeling. The opportunity to work in a more unopposed setting, with an underserved patient population was important. The location close to Chicago lets me live in the city and enjoy all it has to offer while getting to serve a smaller community like Berwyn.

Interests in Medicine

Preventive medicine, procedures, sports medicine

Interests Outside of Medicine

Food, my cat, being outside and active


Susmitha Kowligy, MD

Susmitha Kowligy, MD

Hometown

Chicago, IL

Undergraduate

University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

Medical School

Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin

Why MacNeal?

I grew up in Chicago and have always wanted to serve Chicagoland. MacNeal serves a diverse underserved patient population and the faculty regularly use community resources to help patients get well rounded care. From the interview I could tell that the program and faculty were dedicated to teaching residents comprehensive family medicine and training strong clinicians. Even though it was through zoom, I could tell that everyone was kind and supportive and created the type of environment I wanted to be in. MacNeal was a perfect fit and I am glad to be here!

Interests in Medicine

Pediatrics, women's health, underserved medicine, behavioral health

Interests Outside of Medicine

Reading, watching lots of TV, dancing, taking naps


Nayeli Langarica, MD, MPH

Nayeli Langarica, MD, MPH

Hometown

Chicago, IL

Undergraduate

University of Michigan

Medical School

Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine

Why MacNeal?

I had the privilege of rotating with the MacNeal Family Medicine clinic as a MS3 and immediately fell in love with the program. I met incredible faculty who embodied the type of physician I hope to become and felt supported, even as a visiting medical student. The residents also seemed happy and were very kind, which really drew me in. I'm a proud south-side of Chicago Latina and wanted to serve Spanish-speaking patients as a resident, which the MacNeal patient population allows me to do. All in all, MacNeal was the obvious choice when it came to program culture, patient population, and well-rounded training. I feel at home at MacNeal and am excited to complete my training here.

Interests in Medicine

Underserved medicine, preventative medicine, public health, women's health

Interests Outside of Medicine

Hiking, swimming/water polo, being a dog mom, horror movies


Nathan Navarro, MD

Nathan Navarro, MD

Hometown

Wynnewood, PA

Undergraduate

Rosemont College

Medical School

Drexel University

Why MacNeal?

Having never been to Chicago prior, I was looking for a residency that would, in short, be a new, welcoming home for me. MacNeal checked all of my boxes!

I was looking for a community hospital serving a diverse patient population in the Chicagoland area. On interview day, I was drawn to the approachable faculty, joyful residents and overall supportive culture of the program. I could tell this was the place I wanted to go for residency! Finally, Chicago is such a diverse urban setting with not only so many academic opportunities, but also plenty of new restaurants and places to explore!

Interests in Medicine

Outpatient medicine, global health, geriatrics

Interests Outside of Medicine

Traveling, basketball, gardening, piano


Abbey Turner, DO

Abbey Turner, DO

Hometown

Renfrew, PA

Undergraduate

Allegheny College

Medical School

Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine

Why MacNeal?

While on the interview trail, I knew that the decision of where to complete my residency training would have a great impact on my medical career and personal life. My fiancé was a pediatric resident in the Chicagoland area, so I was looking to make a move from Pennsylvania to Illinois. Getting a good feel for programs out of state, especially during a pandemic, was challenging. However, it was immediately apparent to me during my interview that MacNeal was just the right fit. Virtual interviews can feel distant, robotic and difficult, but this interview was different. I felt comfortable speaking to faculty members and current residents, and got the sense that the people at MacNeal truly care about medical education and residents as individuals. All of this combined with MacNeal’s long history as the first family medicine residency in Illinois and one of the first in the country led me to choose this program for my continued medical training. Overall, MacNeal offers a well-rounded family medicine training as well as additional experiences in Sports Medicine, which is one of my interests.

Interests in Medicine

Sports medicine, preventative medicine, OMT

Interests Outside of Medicine

Baking macarons, reading a good mystery, playing tennis, exploring new foods around Chicago


Tyler Williford, MD

Tyler Williford, MD

Hometown

West Chester, OH

Undergraduate

The Ohio State University

Medical School

Wayne State University College of Medicine

Why MacNeal?

The location was important. Moving closer to my wife's family was a priority for us. My father-in-law was born in this hospital and grew up a mile down the road. I'm familiar with the community and know the importance of providing quality healthcare to Berwyn and the surrounding cities.

The people are what really sold me on the program, though. Whether it was the awesome faculty that interviewed me or the entertaining residents on my Virtual Trivia night, I felt comfortable right from the start. I am more of a productive member of the team than an overwhelmed intern, and I credit the MacNeal family for helping me feel this way.

Interests in Medicine

Sports medicine, primary care

Interests Outside of Medicine

Sports, particularly Cincinnati Bengals and OSU Buckeyes football. Video games as I'm a casual gamer with a competitive mindset as well as a Twitch enthusiast. I'm also an avid traveler with a goal of visiting 50 countries by age 50 (only 37 more to go)!


Adam Wise, MD

Adam Wise, MD

Hometown

Lancaster, OH

Undergraduate

Ohio University

Medical School

Ohio State University College of Medicine

Why MacNeal?

During my interview day with MacNeal, I felt a strong sense of pride and commitment to the residency program from both the faculty and residents. I could tell that everyone was passionate about teaching and learning here, which was the type of environment I was looking for. In addition to this, I wanted the opportunity to care for underserved populations during residency, which we do every day by treating the community of Berwyn. Lastly, I was looking for a program at a community hospital affiliated with an academic institution as this provides the benefits and autonomy of training at a community hospital while having access to the resources of Loyola Medicine's academic-based Loyola University Medical Center.

Interests in Medicine

Primary care, sports medicine, rural medicine

Interests Outside of Medicine

Rock climbing, running, backpacking, spending time with family and friends, travel, pizza


Marcel Youkhana, MD

Marcel Youkhana, MD

Hometown

Morton Grove, IL

Undergraduate

Case Western Reserve University

Medical School

University of Illinois – Peoria

Why MacNeal?

I really wanted to train and practice in a larger city and being from the Chicagoland area, I was excited for the opportunity to stay in the city I love! I also wanted to train at a well-established family medicine program at an academic institution to further explore my interest in medical education. Additionally, I was excited to work with a diverse community and practice my medical Spanish. While interviewing, I got a really good feeling from everyone I talked to from the faculty and the residents. It seemed like a really friendly and welcoming environment, which has proven true during my time here.

Interests in Medicine

Preventative medicine, LGBTQ+ care, HIV, dermatology, medical education

Interests Outside of Medicine

Exploring new bars and restaurants, reality TV, The Office, trivia


Xin Zhang, DO

Xin Zhang, DO

Hometown

Mason, OH

Undergraduate

Ohio State University

Medical School

Ohio University

Why MacNeal?

My interview day with MacNeal was phenomenal! Even though it was virtual, I was still able to feel how welcoming everyone was. The comradery and family-like atmosphere surrounding the residents and faculty was something I knew I wanted to be a part of. Also, I am passionate about serving the underserved and underrepresented minority, which MacNeal has a strong tradition of caring for.

Interests in Medicine

Underserved medicine, holistic health, integrative medicine

Interests Outside of Medicine

Flute and piano, painting, cafe hopping, reading, trying new restaurants, spending time with friends and family