Class of 2023

Meet the MacNeal Transitional Year Residency Class of 2023

Arjun Ahuja, MD

Medical school: Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science

Specialty: Diagnostic radiology

Career goals: To become a well-rounded neuroradiologist.

What I like about MacNeal: I really enjoyed my interactions with the faculty and PD during interview day and felt it would be a place where I would fit in and get the support needed to learn as much as I could during my transitional year.

Interests outside of medicine: I love watching and playing sports, working out, trying new restaurants, binging TV shows, learning about history, and traveling to new places around the world.

Meriam Ben Hadj Tahar, MD

Medical school: Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine

Specialty: Ophthalmology

Career goals: To participate in global health efforts, especially those through the Syrian American Medical Society that serve Syrian refugees globally.

What I like about MacNeal: I love the strong sense of community, support, and commitment to diversity that I have seen amongst the MacNeal staff and faculty.

Interests outside of medicine: Travel, photography, writing poetry, playing the violin, spending time with loved ones, drawing and painting.

Nathan Chow, MD

Medical school: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine

Specialty: Dermatology

Career goals: I want to be an academic dermatologist who provides care to underserved populations, is engaged in medical education, and helps run dermatology services at a free clinic.

What I like about MacNeal: It offers a well-rounded year of training with a variety of electives to participate in. On interview day, I felt as if all the faculty cared a lot about resident education and wellness. The residents also had many great things to say about working at MacNeal. Also, I want to spend a year living in Chicago so MacNeal is a great opportunity to do so.

Interests outside of medicine: Football, hiking, snowboarding, making ice cream.

Luke Higgins, MD

Medical school: Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont

Specialty: Radiation oncology

Career goals: First and foremost, to have the privilege to work with cancer patients. I have interests academically in GI cancers, palliative care, mental wellbeing in cancer patients and survivors, medical education and justice, equity and inclusion in healthcare.

What I like about MacNeal: I appreciate the focus MacNeal places on service to the community and achieving this through collective and inclusive efforts. Furthermore, the programs provides a good balance of core and elective curricula that is scheduled in a 4+2 structure to support resident wellness.

Interests outside of medicine: Outside of medicine, I enjoy reading about 19th-21st century socio-political history in the Americas, exploring the outdoors (winter excluded), being creative in the kitchen and experiencing live music and theatre.

Katie Johnson, MD

Medical school: Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine

Specialty: Diagnostic radiology

Career goals: To become a well rounded and trusted radiologist amongst my clinician colleagues that adds value to patient care.

What I like about MacNeal: I like the broad exposure to various medical specialties, unique elective opportunities, diverse patient population and the warmth and collegiality amongst faculty and residents that I felt on interview day.

Interests outside of medicine: I enjoy cooking, playing and watching basketball, exploring new places, hiking and relaxing with a cup of coffee and a good book.

Sid Mirgati, MD

Medical school: St. Louis University School of Medicine

Specialty: Radiology

Career goals: Breast cancer screening for lower income women

What I like about MacNeal: I really enjoyed my interview day with the PD and faculty. Other residents seemed happy with the culture and their time at MacNeal. I am also excited for the month of radiology elective in Loyola.

Interests outside of medicine: I love cooking, finding new beer or wine, working out, watching basketball and football, backpacking and traveling in general, board games and listening to podcasts.

Amber Randolph, MD

Medical school: Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine

Specialty: Ophthalmology

Career goals: To become a skilled and emphatic physician and surgeon. I plan on pursuing fellowship in pediatrics or glaucoma and working at an academic medical center. I want to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in the field of ophthalmology and medical education.

What I like about MacNeal: I love being part of a hospital that is embedded in the community while being able to further my learning and training.

Interests outside of medicine: In my free time I love to enjoy the city of Chicago, be with my friends and family, engage in fiber arts (knitting, crocheting, weaving), read something on my booklist or play indie video games.

Casey Salandra, MD

Medical school: Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine

Specialty: Physical Medicine and rehabilitation

Career goals: I am interested in sports medicine, neurorehabilitation, ultrasound and medical education.

What I like about MacNeal: I like the strong fundamental medical training with a wide variety of elective options.

Interests outside of medicine: I am a volleyball player, former marathon runner, yogi, dog mom and board game fanatic.

Lukasz Sobieraj, DO

Medical school: Midwestern University – Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine

Specialty:

Career goals: I aspire to be a physician that has an immediate positive impact on the patient easing their fears and anxieties by providing holistic patient-centered care.

What I like about MacNeal: I loved the friendly demeanor of everyone I met during my interview day. The faculty are clearly invested in your education and development. MacNeal also offers ample opportunity for me to develop my clinical skills and develop a solid foundation through a variety of medicine, surgical, and elective experiences.

Interests outside of medicine: Volleyball, lifting weights, dog walking and hiking.

Alexis Stefaniak, MD

Medical school: Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine

Specialty: Ophthalmology

Career goals: I aspire to become a well-rounded, compassionate physician capable of combining clinical medicine and research with my passion for global health so that I may best serve my patients and give back to my community. Although I intend to keep an open mind regarding ophthalmology fellowship plans, I do envision myself pursuing a fellowship in a yet-undecided subspecialty so that I am able to provide specialized care to those with eye disease.

What I like about MacNeal: MacNeal Hospital's Transitional Year Residency program is special because it is community-based, yet still affiliated with a major academic center. The program is highly resident-focused with wonderful attending physicians, senior residents, faculty and staff who are all invested in the learning and well-being of new residents. The diverse patient populations and pathologies are truly unparalleled, and the elective opportunities allow residents to explore their unique medical interests. As someone who grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and went to Loyola University Chicago for medical school, I cannot wait to continue serving my community.

Interests outside of medicine: Outside of the hospital, I enjoy following college football (Go Irish!), hiking and backpacking national parks, rock climbing, distance running, baking, exploring Chicago with my fiancé and our dog, and spending time with loved ones near and far.

Eric Tran, MD

Medical school: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso Foster School of Medicine

Specialty: Diagnostic radiology

Career goals: Neuroradiology or breast imaging

What I like about MacNeal: I considered a transitional year at MacNeal to be a great opportunity to explore a different region of the United States and broaden my worldview and also to work with a unique patient population alongside supportive faculty and residents.

Interests outside of medicine: I love all things food and enjoy cooking (especially Asian stir-fry), being outdoors or traveling when I have time (most recently went to Iceland!), watching sports (football/basketball/F1), going to the gym and spending quality time with my dog Buttercup.

Kristen Vaccaro, DO

Medical school: Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine

Specialty: Physical medicine & rehabilitation

Career goals: To become a well-rounded, knowledgeable, and compassionate physiatrist focused in either sports medicine or interventional pain. I strive to provide patient-centered care as well as mentor medical students and others interested in pursuing medicine as a career.

What I like about MacNeal: MacNeal Hospital's Transitional Year Residency program is the perfect opportunity for me to get a vast breadth of experience dealing with highly acute patients in the Chicagoland area. Chicago and its surrounding suburbs offer a unique perspective in residency training with diverse patient populations and pathologies. The program also has a multitude of elective opportunities to help customize your intern year towards your future residency plans.

Interests outside of medicine: My Australian shepherd (Sydney), Chicago sports (Go Bears!), cooking, traveling and playing drums!

Max Whitmeyer, MD

Medical school: Ohio State University College of Medicine

Specialty: Ophthalmology

Career goals: Provide high quality care as a pediatric ophthalmologist and serve as a teacher and mentor for future generations of physicians.

What I like about MacNeal: The welcoming atmosphere and diversity of clinical environments we will be able to work in.

Interests outside of medicine: I love getting outdoors whenever possible whether its running, cycling or hiking, but when it gets cold you can find me watching sports, going to concerts or playing trivia.

Alexandra Wolfe, DO

Medical school: Midwestern University

Specialty: Physical medicine & rehabilitation

Career goals: Spinal cord or brain injury medicine

What I like about MacNeal: I chose MacNeal Hospital because of the opportunity to work with a diverse patient population in a supportive residency program that will challenge me to become a better physician.

Interests outside of medicine: I enjoy taking various exercise classes, being outdoors, traveling, trying new restaurants and playing board games with friends.

Shuchi Zinzuwadia, MD

Medical school: Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine

Specialty: Diagnostic radiology at Johns Hopkins University

Career goals: I would like to practice radiology at an academic medical center and to serve in both clinician and educator roles.

What I like about MacNeal: I was drawn to MacNeal for its broad curriculum, with strong inpatient clinical experiences alongside a wide array of electives, which allow you to pursue your interests. The faculty are very approachable and invested in resident education.

Interests outside of medicine: I love gem diamond painting, baking new desserts, cooking, traveling and working out.