Meet the Class of 2025
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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