Residency Program

College

  • Sidney Kimmel Medical College

Degree Earned

  • Residency

Program Length

7 years

Program Type

  • On Campus

Call to Actions

Leadership

Name: Christopher Farrell, MD
Positions:
  • Associate Professor of Neurological Surgery
  • Residency Program Director
Name: Victoria Schunemann, MD
Position: Associate Residency Program Director

CONTACT US

Name: Michelle Hoffman
Position: Education Program Administrator

909 Walnut Street
Clinical Office Building 3rd Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19107

Contact Number(s):

Current Residents

PGY-1

James Castiglione, MD
Undergraduate: University of Pittsburgh
Medical: University of Cincinnati

Jimmy grew up in Pittsburgh before earning a bachelor’s degree in bioinformatics at the University of Pittsburgh. He worked as a software engineer for two years before deciding to take the plunge into medicine. He attended the University of Cincinnati for medical school where he was a member of Alpha Omega Alpha and won the H.B. Weiss Academic Achievement Award for academic excellence throughout medical school. During medical school he performed research on aneurysm morphology, ischemic stroke, and deep learning applications in pediatric radiology. He is currently interested in cerebrovascular neurosurgery. In his free time, he enjoys going to electronic music shows, getting dinner with his co-interns, and lifting weights.

Arbaz Momin, MD  
Undergraduate: Mercer University
Medical: Cleveland Clinic College of Medicine

Arbaz grew up in the small rural town of Manchester, GA. He is proud to be the son of Indian immigrants who came to the United States with minimal education and resources. Before heading off to college, he worked as a cashier at Dairy Queen for 5 years. Arbaz is the first person in his family to graduate from college. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Mercer University. Following college, he attended medical school at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, where he was heavily involved in mentorship and research. During medical school, he also obtained his Master of Science degree in Clinical Research from Case Western Reserve University. Arbaz’s research interest include clinical study design and advanced statistical methodologies. He is currently interested in all aspects of neurosurgery and is excited to explore the different subspecialties at Jefferson. In his free time, Arbaz enjoys playing golf, reading non-fiction books, working out, and spending time with his fiancé.

Joseph Schaefer, MD
Undergraduate: University of Minnesota
Medical: Sidney Kimmel Medical College

Joe grew up in Minnesota. He stayed for his undergraduate, studying Chemical Engineering at the University of Minnesota. After college, he moved to Philadelphia for medical school at Jeff. Won over by Philly, he decided to spend the next seven years here for residency. He’s interested in all facets of neurosurgery. In his free time, he likes to golf, play soccer and basketball, and bike. 

Stephanie Serva, MD
Undergraduate: Colorado State University
Medical: University of Colorado 

Stephanie grew up in Southbury, CT before earning a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Science from Colorado State University. She then completed a Master’s in Medical Science at Boston University before attending medical school at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Stephanie was elected Co-President of her medical school class, inducted as a member of Alpha Omega Alpha honor society, and received the Robert J. Glaser, MD award for exceptional leadership and service to the senior class. During medical school, Stephanie was involved in clinical research, primarily focused on spine surgery. In her free time, Stephanie enjoys caring for her house plants, live music events, and trying new restaurants.

Michael Baldassari, MD
Undergraduate: University of Pennsylvania
Medical: Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University

Mike grew up in nearby Collegeville, PA. He moved to Philadelphia to attend the University of Pennsylvania. After graduating, he spent a year as a Harrison Surgical Scholar at Penn investigating intraoperative tumor fluorescence. He attended Jefferson Medical School where he was elected president of the AANS neurosurgery interest group and was a member of AOA. As a student, he became involved with multiple research projects involving vascular and oncological neurosurgery. As a Jefferson resident, Mike is looking forward to developing the clinical and technical skills necessary to form a future career in neurosurgical device development. In his free time, he enjoys seeing his family and fiancé Chelsea, collecting records, playing guitar, watching Philadelphia sports, and maintaining his whiskey bar.

Matthew Lan, MD
Undergraduate: University of Pennsylvania
Medical: Vanderbilt University

Matt grew up nearby in Hockessin, DE, making him a lifelong Philadelphia sports fan. He then earned a Bachelor's degree in Biochemistry and Economics and Master's degree in Chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania. Following college, he made the move south to attend Vanderbilt University for medical school, where he was heavily involved in the Wellness program, mentoring younger students, and research primarily focusing on vascular neurosurgery. He is currently interested in all aspects of neurosurgery and excited to explore the different subspecialties. In his free time, he enjoys playing basketball, tennis, golf, skiing, and the occasional poker night with friends.

Pious Patel, MD
Undergraduate: University of Pennsylvania
Medical: Vanderbilt University

Pious grew up all around North America before earning a Bachelor's degree in Biology/Chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania. He fell in love with Philly and stayed to be part of a healthcare machine learning startup. He then went to Vanderbilt for medical school, where as president of the Vanderbilt AMA, he worked with his classmates to write and pass two health equity resolutions at the TN state legislature. His passion for precision medicine led to several projects incorporating genomics into neurosurgical research. At Jefferson, he is excited to train at a program known for its systems innovation and high-volume, diverse clinical training. In his free time, Pious loves finding new restaurants in Philly's historic and evolving neighborhoods, creating new cocktail recipes, and spending time with his wife, Sanjana.

Karim Hafazalla, MD
Undergraduate: Queen’s University
Medical: Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University

Karim grew up in Cairo, Egypt before immigrating to Canada in 2007. He attended Queen’s University for his undergraduate studies and Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University for his medical degree, where he was president of the student neurosurgery interest group and managing editor for the Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience Journal. He conducted research with the Jefferson neurosurgery department, as well as with Dr. Sunit Das at the University of Toronto. He is an avid food lover, traveler, and vinyl record collector.

Mitchell Self, MD
Undergraduate: Auburn University
Medical: University of Alabama at Birmingham

Mitchell grew up in Muscle Shoals, AL. After graduating high school, he attended Auburn University, where he played baseball for the Auburn Tigers. Following degrees in both Building Science and Biomedical Sciences, he earned his MD from UAB School of Medicine. He is currently interested in all aspects of neurosurgery. In his free time, he enjoys hanging out with family, and birddog, Benelli.

Steven Glener, MD
Undergraduate: University of Florida
Medical: University of Central Florida 

Steven was born and raised in Florida, growing up in Palm City, Florida. He earned his Bachelor's of Science at the University of Florida. He then completed his medical degree at the University of Central Florida, where he earned the Academic Excellence Award for graduating in the top 5% of his class. He is interested in all aspects of neurosurgery, and is entertaining all subspecialties within the field. Steven enjoys fishing, playing basketball, golfing, lifting weights, and maintaining his 65 gallon saltwater aquarium. 

Carrie Andrews, MD
Undergraduate: Johns Hopkins University
Medical: Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University

Carrie grew up in Abington, Pennsylvania, and earned her bachelor’s degree in Biology and Psychology from Johns Hopkins University. She then returned to Philadelphia to attend Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, where she was a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society. During medical school she performed basic science research spinal cord injury and clinical research in vascular neurosurgery. In her free time, she enjoys dance, yoga, and spending time with friends and family.

Evan Fitchett, MD
Undergraduate: University of California at San Diego
Medical: Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University

Evan grew up in Santa Rosa, California, and attended the University of California at San Diego, where he studied Human Biology. He then spent time working at the Scripps Research Institute, studying the influence of sensory experience on neuronal circuit development before moving to Philadelphia to attend the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University. In medical school he was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha honor sociecty and was involved in vascular neurosurgery research. In his free time, he enjoys bowling, listening to classic rock, and wine tasting.

Kavantissa Keppetipola, MD
Undergraduate: University of Pittsburgh
Medical: Rush Medical College

Kavantissa (Kavan) grew up moving across the U.S. before finally settling in Potomac, Maryland near Washington, DC. He attended the University of Pittsburgh, where he graduated with dual degrees in Neuroscience and History. He then moved to Chicago to attend Rush Medical College. As a resident, he appreciates the breadth of neurosurgery practiced at Jefferson, where he is pursuing his interest in stereotactic & functional neurosurgery while keeping an open mind. In his free time, he likes exploring Philadelphia’s restaurants and neighborhoods, and enjoys basketball, history, and the outdoors. 

Adam Leibold, MD
Undergraduate: Indiana University
Graduate: Johns Hopkins University
Medical: Indiana University

Adam grew up in Indiana and attended Indiana University where he studied Microbiology and Immunology. He went on to receive a Master of Science at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health where he studied the immune microenvironment in mouse models of colon cancer. He then went back to Indiana University to complete medical school, where he developed an interest in neurosurgery and applying his immunologic background to the study of brain tumors. In his free time Adam enjoys exploring the Philadelphia food scene, playing golf, snowboarding, and relaxing with his fiancé, Lena, and their dog, Gary.

Lucas Philipp, MD, MPH
Undergraduate: The University of Kansas
Medical/Graduate: Emory University

Lucas was born and raised in the Heart of America, just outside of Kansas City. Initially an aspiring musician studying the saxophone at The University of Kansas, his love of the sciences ultimately prevailed, and he graduated with Honors and Distinction with a degree in Human Biology. He is an Eagle Scout, and a member of Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society. He attended Emory University School of Medicine where he published on multiple topics including the natural history of subarachnoid hemorrhage, new technologies in functional neurosurgery, and predictive risk models in spinal trauma. He completed his M.P.H. in Epidemiology at Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health to further develop his autonomy as a clinical researcher, and interests in global health following surgical outreach endeavors in Puerto Rico and Haiti. He has also sustained a lifelong passion for education, with roles ranging from private tutor for the KU basketball team to authoring medical content with Khan Academy. Outside of work, he enjoys playing/recording music, and spending time with his wife and dog.

Aria Mahtabfar, MD
Undergraduate: University of Pennsylvania
Medical: Rutgers, Robert Wood Johnson

Aria is a native of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey. He received his undergraduate training at the University of Pennsylvania where his interests in health policy the evaluation of quality metrics, cost implications, and organizational structures were fostered. He joined the neurosurgery residency program after graduating from NJMS at Rutgers University. He has pursued research in complex spine and cerebrovascular neurosurgery. In his spare time, he enjoys lifting weights, playing golf, and watching collegiate sports.

Elias Atallah, MD
Medical: Universite Saint Joseph (Lebanon)

Elias was born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon where he attended Saint Joseph University School of Medicine. He served as a teaching assistant in Anatomy throughout medical school as he has a passion for education. He was awarded the USAID service award in recognition of his contributions to community service and advocacy in underserved communities. Upon coming to the U.S., he completed a two-year research fellowship in neurosurgery at Jefferson before starting residency. His primary interests include open and endovascular neurosurgery along with neurooncology. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time outdoors, hiking, camping, squash, and tennis.

Daniel Franco Martinez, MD
Medical: Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE) School of Medicine

Dan is a native of the Dominican Republic where he resided until moving to the U.S. for neurosurgical residency at Thomas Jefferson University. As a young apprentice of the arts, he has yet to decide what he would like to pursue, although he is currently interested in stereotactic & functional neurosurgery along with spine surgery. When out of the hospital, Dan likes to play soccer, listen to Latin music, and enjoy the occasional steak.

Nikolaos Mouchtouris, MD
Undergraduate: University of California at Los Angeles
Medical: Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University

Niko grew up in Athens, Greece and moved to Los Angeles to study Biochemistry at UCLA. He then moved to Philadelphia where he attended Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University. His research interests lie in cerebrovascular neurosurgery and medical technology innovation. In his free time, he enjoys teaching the origin of medical terminology and explaining how to pronounce gyro.

Kevin Hines, MD
Undergraduate: Franklin and Marshall College
Medical: Temple University

Kevin grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania where he attended Franklin and Marshall College. He then made the big move to Philadelphia where he graduated from Temple University School of Medicine. Still entertaining a wide variety of neurosurgical interests, he is grateful for the excellent exposure he has received as a resident. In his spare time, Kevin enjoys playing basketball, watching Philadelphia sports, playing poker, and is currently pursuing an enfolded fellowship in karaoke performance. 

Ritam Ghosh, MD
Undergraduate: New York University
Medical: Rutgers New Jersey Medical School

Ritam grew up in Edison, NJ and attended NYU for his undergraduate education. He then graduated from NJMS at Rutgers University for medical school where he was a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society and received the Peter W. Carmel award in neurological surgery. He has published in topics regarding skull base and vascular neurosurgery and his primary interests include open and endovascular neurosurgery as well as resident education. In his free time, he enjoys sports, movies and exploring the Philadelphia food scene.

Ellina Hattar, MD
Undergraduate: Johns Hopkins University
Medical: Rutgers New Jersey Medical School

Ellina was born in Amman, Jordan and grew up in the Middle East, as well as Odessa, Ukraine and Montreal, Canada. Her family immigrated to Ramsey, New Jersey when she was 13 years of age.  She attended Johns Hopkins University where she earned a dual degree in Neuroscience and Public Health. She returned to New Jersey after college to attend NJMS at Rutgers University for medical school. Ellina enjoys the variety of surgical cases she is exposed to and continues to keep an open mind regarding future sub-specialization. During her spare time, she enjoys running with her husband, Jose (a family medicine resident at Jefferson), having movie nights with their chihuahua, Matilda, and spending time with her close-knit family in New Jersey.

Omaditya (Goldey) Khanna, MD
Undergraduate: Illinois Institute of Technology
Medical: Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science

Omaditya (Goldey) grew up in Bangkok, Thailand before moving to the U.S. to pursue higher education. He graduated from the Illinois Institute of Technology with a degree in Chemical Engineering, and then obtained his medical degree from the Chicago Medical School. He spent a year during medical school pursuing a research fellowship investigating factors that influence the clinical behavior of cerebral cavernous malformations. In his spare time, he enjoys exploring Philadelphia's many coffee shops, following Chicago sports teams, and watching Netflix and HBO.