General Surgery Current Residents
Current Residents
Fifth Years
Rebekah Bjorklund, MD
Hometown: Joplin, Missouri.
Medical School: St. George's University School of Medicine.
Hobbies: Hiking, baking sourdough bread, traveling, snowboarding, and binge-watching TV shows.
If I weren’t a surgeon, I’d be: A full-time dog walker and sitter.
Future fellowship plans: Matched into Vascular Surgery fellowship at Saint Louis University!
Paige Moudy, DO
Hometown: Dallas, Texas.
Medical School: University of North Texas Health Science Center Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Hobbies: Hiking, watching college football, and spending time with my dog.
If I weren’t a surgeon, I’d be: Running an animal rescue or working as a film/TV critic.
Future fellowship plans: Matched into Breast Surgery fellowship at Bryn Mawr!
Brittany Wagner, MD
Hometown: Dallas, Texas.
Medical School: Louisiana State University School of Medicine.
Hobbies: Pickleball, hosting charcuterie nights, watching Bachelor Nation, home-brewing wine
with my husband, and spending time with my cat.
If I weren’t a surgeon, I’d be: Still figuring that out, but I can’t imagine doing anything else.
Future fellowship plans: Matched into Trauma and Critical Care fellowship at University of Texas Southwestern!
Fourth Years
Ala'a Alkhatib, MD
Hometown: Amman, Jordan.
Medical School: University of Jordan.
Hobbies: Fitness, training for triathlons, and perfecting my shakshoukah recipe.
If I weren’t a surgeon, I’d be: A Barista (I already live off espresso anyway).
Future career interests / fellowship plans: Colorectal Surgery.
Cole Joubert, MD
Hometown: Neenah, Wisconsin.
Hometown: Neenah, Wisconsin.
Medical School: Medical College of Wisconsin.
Hobbies: Fitness and hunting.
If I weren’t a surgeon, I’d be: A Mechanic.
Future career interests / fellowship plans: Community General Surgery.
Third Years
Tim Baumgartner, MD
Hometown: Carmel, Indiana.
Medical School: Indiana University.
Hobbies: Golf.
If I weren’t a surgeon, I’d be: A Mailman.
Future career interests / fellowship plans: Minimally Invasive Surgery.
Medical School: Indiana University.
Hobbies: Golf.
If I weren’t a surgeon, I’d be: A Mailman.
Future career interests / fellowship plans: Minimally Invasive Surgery.
Drew Mack, MD
Hometown: Longview, Texas.
Hometown: Longview, Texas.
Medical School: Louisiana State University.
Hobbies: Fitness, outdoor activities (wakeboarding, surfing, hiking, horseback riding, hunting,
and fishing), cooking, gardening, DIY projects, and spending time with my family.
If I weren’t a surgeon, I’d be: A Rancher.
Future career interests / fellowship plans: Community General Surgery.
Michelle Mejia, MD
Hometown: Managua, Nicaragua.
Medical School: Universidad Americana.
Hobbies: Baking, weightlifting, spending time with friends, movies, anything with water (pools,
beach, lake), hiking.
If I weren’t a surgeon, I’d be: A baker owning a cute coffee shop.
Future career interests / fellowship plans: Colorectal Surgery.
Kareem Sadek, MD
Hometown: Mansoura, Egypt.
Medical School: Mansoura University Faculty of Medicine.
Hobbies: Traveling, exploring different cuisines, and baking.
If I weren’t a surgeon, I’d be: A Pathologist.
Future career interests / fellowship plans: Transplant Surgery.
Second Years
Kamal Abi Mosleh, MD
Hometown: Beirut, Lebanon.
Medical School: University of Balamand Faculty of Medicine.
Hobbies: Soccer, Formula 1, cars, gaming, building Lego sets, cooking and baking traditional Lebanese recipes, and road trips.
If I weren’t a surgeon, I’d be: A Formula 1 Driver.
Future career interests / fellowship plans: Complex General Surgical Oncology.
Caitlin Burns, MD
Hometown: Girona, Spain.
Medical School: University of Girona Faculty of Medicine.
Hobbies: Aerial dance, playing with my cats, petting stray cats, overall appreciating cats,
and Mario video games.
If I weren’t a surgeon, I’d be: A crazy cat lady running a cat rescue.
Future career interests / fellowship plans: Plastic Surgery.
Ismail Saleem, MD, MRCS
Hometown: Khartoum, Sudan.
Medical School: Al-Neelain University Faculty of Medicine.
Hobbies: Tennis, Formula 1 racing, and traveling (mostly to collect souvenirs).
If I weren’t a surgeon, I’d be: A commercial pilot .
Future career interests / fellowship plans: Abdominal Wall Reconstructive Surgery.
First Years
Michael Alchaer, MD
Hometown: Beirut, Lebanon.
Medical School: University of Balamand Faculty of Medicine.
Hobbies: Video games, movies, hiking, mixed martial arts, and dogs.
If I weren't a surgeon, I'd be: An actor.
Future career interests / fellowship plans: Complex General Surgical Oncology.
Hometown: Beirut, Lebanon.
Medical School: University of Balamand Faculty of Medicine.
Hobbies: Video games, movies, hiking, mixed martial arts, and dogs.
If I weren't a surgeon, I'd be: An actor.
Future career interests / fellowship plans: Complex General Surgical Oncology.
Malak Ezzat, MD
Hometown: Plano, Texas.
Medical School: Texas A&M College of Medicine.
Hobbies: Spin cycling, running, rewatching Friends, traveling.
If I weren’t a surgeon, I’d be: A spin cycling instructor.
Future career interests/fellowship plans: Pediatric surgery.
Hometown: Plano, Texas.
Medical School: Texas A&M College of Medicine.
Hobbies: Spin cycling, running, rewatching Friends, traveling.
If I weren’t a surgeon, I’d be: A spin cycling instructor.
Future career interests/fellowship plans: Pediatric surgery.
Davi Fernandes de Castro, MD
Hometown: Curitiba, Brazil.
Medical School: Universidade Federal do Paraná, Brazil.
Hobbies: Playing piano and guitar, watching TV shows, playing soccer, swimming, working out, and spending time with family and friends.
If I weren’t a surgeon, I’d be: A jazz pianist.
Future Career Interests / Fellowship Plans: Colorectal Surgery.
Medical School: Universidade Federal do Paraná, Brazil.
Hobbies: Playing piano and guitar, watching TV shows, playing soccer, swimming, working out, and spending time with family and friends.
If I weren’t a surgeon, I’d be: A jazz pianist.
Future Career Interests / Fellowship Plans: Colorectal Surgery.
Garrett Kuketz, MD
Hometown: Dallas, TX
Medical School: Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine.
Hobbies: Lifting, swimming, running, trying to keep my plants alive
If I weren’t a surgeon, I’d be: A personal trainer or yoga instructor
Future career interests/Fellowship plans: Complex General Surgical Oncology.
Hometown: Dallas, TX
Medical School: Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine.
Hobbies: Lifting, swimming, running, trying to keep my plants alive
If I weren’t a surgeon, I’d be: A personal trainer or yoga instructor
Future career interests/Fellowship plans: Complex General Surgical Oncology.
Research Residents
Diana Wu, MD
Current research position: Surgical Simulation and Healthcare Simulation Science at University of Washington
Hometown: Bettendorf, Iowa
Medical School: Carle Illinois College of Medicine.
Hobbies: Knitting, cooking, reading, and hiking.
If I weren’t a surgeon, I’d be: A Chemical or Process Engineer.
Future career interests / fellowship plans: Colorectal Surgery.
Medical School: Carle Illinois College of Medicine.
Hobbies: Knitting, cooking, reading, and hiking.
If I weren’t a surgeon, I’d be: A Chemical or Process Engineer.
Future career interests / fellowship plans: Colorectal Surgery.