UMass Division of Plastic Surgery
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Residents
Please click here to view Rotation Schedule
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Alex Pong, MD (PGY-6)
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Undergrad: Lafayette College
Medical School: UT Health San Antonio
Why the Woo? Fell in love with the program after my Sub-I. Very busy program with great case volume. Worcester is a great city with affordable housing and proximity to Boston.
Research Interests/projects: Microsurgery, wound healing, hand -
Alannah Phelan, MD (PGY-6)
Hometown: Canton, Mass.
Undergrad: Dartmouth College
Medical School: Pennsylvania State University
Why the Woo? Great training! This program has tremendous volume, autonomy, case variety, and a truly collegial atmosphere. I rotated here and felt it was a great fit. Worcester has phenomenal people, plenty of restaurants, and a great cost of living.
Research Interests/projects: Craniofacial, plagiocephaly, dermoid cysts, breast reconstruction, aesthetics. -
Ovninder Johal, MD (PGY-5)
Hometown: El Sobrante, Calif.
Undergrad: University of California - Los Angeles
Medical School: University of Arizona, College of Medicine - Phoenix
Why the Woo? Fantastic program with strong operative volume, supportive co-residents, welcoming faculty.
Research Interests/Projects: Medical student and resident education, hand, aesthetics​ -
Shirley Shue, MD (PGY-5)
Hometown: Canton, Mich.
Undergrad: University of Michigan
Medical School: Case Western Reserve University
Why the Woo? UMass Chan has everything I'm looking for in a program! Strong clinical experience, high operative volume, and most importantly, very supportive faculty and co-residents. Worcester as a city has many hidden gems and there are beautiful hiking spots nearby!
Research Interests/projects: Hand, microsurgery, aesthetics -
Thomas Cervantes, MD (PGY-4)
Hometown: Omaha, Neb.
Undergrad/Grad: MIT
Medical School: Stanford
Why the Woo? Friendly residents/faculty, great clinical/operative experience, medical engineering research at nearby WPI/MIT. Worcester is a fun mid-size city with great cost of living and close proximity to Boston and other New England destinations.
Research Interests/projects: Hand, craniofacial, medical devices -
Andrea Castaldo, MD (PGY-4)
Hometown: Springfield, Ill.
Undergrad: University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Medical School: Southern Illinois University
Why the Woo? The people, the place and the surgery! With high volume exposure to all subspecialties of plastic surgery and a focus on autonomy, I know I'll leave this program as a competent and confident surgeon. In the process I'll have learned with a kind, passionate group of residents and attendings in a fun, affordable town with great restaurants, nature, and close proximity to Boston.
Research Interests/projects: Craniofacial, facial aesthetics -
Sneha Patel, MD (PGY-3)
Hometown: Midland, Texas
Undergrad: University of Texas at Austin
Medical School: University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Why the Woo? Amazing training in a great location! UMass Chan is an incredibly well-rounded program with large operative volume, dedicated attendings and supportive group of residents. Worcester is a great city to live - close to Boston but has affordable housing. With your free time, you can find incredible hiking spots, join in on a resident BBQ or try out the diverse cuisines in the area.
Research Interests/projects: Breast reconstruction, aesthetics -
Jennifer Grauberger, MD (PGY-3)
Hometown: Port Townsend, Wash.
Undergrad: Willamette University
Medical school: Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine
Why the Woo? Lots of reasons! I was impressed by the case volume across the breadth of plastic surgery including hand, breast, cosmetic, and craniofacial both electively and emergently. I wanted to go to a residency in which I would be challenged and given a lot of opportunities to grow and practice as a surgeon so that I will be competent and comfortable handling almost anything when I leave. I also found the people at UMass Chan to be incredibly welcoming and easy to talk to, so it reassuring to know that I would be working with a great group of supportive people for the next six years. Finally, I love the outdoors so I was looking for a program that provided easy access to hiking and rock climbing in a beautiful setting.
Research interests/projects: Limb salvage and reconstruction, hand, patient reported outcomes -
Desmond Bennett, MD (PGY-2)
Hometown: Strafford, N.H.
Undergrad: Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT
Medical School: UMass Chan Medical School
Why the Woo?: I went to medical school at UMass Chan and loved it. Worcester is a perfectly sized city — not huge where things are too busy, but it’s big enough to have great restaurants, parks and things to do. More importantly, the people at UMass Chan are so down to earth!
Research Interests/projects: My two biggest areas of interest are hand and education. My current projects consist of improving hand therapy outcomes for patients undergoing hand and wrist surgery and evaluating non-technical skills in residency curricula. -
Jenna Maroney, MD (PGY-2)
Hometown: Reading, MA
Undergrad: University of Miami, Coral Gables, Fla.
Medical School: Temple University, Philadelphia, Pa.
Why the Woo? UMass has everything I was looking to find in a residency program: robust operative experience, research opportunities, dedicated faculty, and a great resident culture. Worcester is a comfortable city with tons of restaurants, great outdoor spaces, and easy access to nearby destinations in New England.
Research Interests/projects: Craniofacial, microsurgery, medical education -
Sivana Barron, MD (PGY-1)
Hometown: Weston, MA
Undergrad: Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME
Medical School: Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA/ Portland, ME
Why the Woo? Hands down, the people. I wanted a residency program where I would be challenged but supported by faculty and my co-residents. On interview day, everyone I spoke with was warm, inviting, and fun--I easily felt like I was amongst friends. This in conjunction with its high operative volume, case variety, bustling and growing restaurant scene, and ease of access to trails/ mountains/ beaches, I knew UMass Chan was a perfect fit for me.
Research Interests/projects: Gender affirmation, breast reconstruction, aesthetics -
Jane McLarney, MD (PGY-1)
Hometown: Lowell, MA
Undergrad: Bates College, Lewiston, ME
Medical School: Tufts University School of Medicine
Why the Woo?: The UMass plastics program is exactly what I wanted for residency - a busy academic center that serves a diverse patient population with a resident team that is absolutely top notch and attendings who are dedicated to helping you become a fully capable, safe, conscientious, and caring plastic surgeon. From day one it has been apparent that the service moves fast, the learning curve is steep, and you have full support from your coresidents in learning how to be effective in all matters regarding patient (and self) care. Also, the Worcester area is an incredible place to live with tons of good restaurants, ample mountain biking trails close by, bodies of water to swim in (Lake Quinsigamond!), and hiking and skiing all within a couple hours travel. Such an awesome place and program!
Research Interests/projects: Medical education and patient education especially regarding perceptions of plastic surgery and the resulting relationship between patients and plastic surgeons