2021 Residents

Tokunbo Adeniyi, M.D.

Medical School: University of Illinois at Chicago

Undergrad: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Activities/Hobbies: Traveling and exploring, eating Thai, window shopping

Hometown: Chicago, IL

Why McGovern? McGovern Med EM felt like the perfect fit. Academic, level one institution centered in the largest medical center, might I also add, located in the 4th largest/diverse city in the country. It was important to find a program that not only housed some of the most intelligent, humbled educators but served a community similar to home.

Interests Within EM: Administration

Fun Fact About Yourself: Love EVERYTHING COCONUT!

Marleesa Bastian, M.D.

Medical School: Meharry Medical College

Undergrad: Xavier University of Louisiana

Activities/Hobbies: Dance, Fitness, Photography, Travel, Music Festivals, Happy Hours, spending time with my husband, daughter, and Yorkie

Hometown: New Orleans #WHODAT

Why McGovern? McGovern Med EM offers a very challenging program with a diverse group of faculty that are super supportive! This program will prepare you for any ED after residency. Also, Houston is LIT, It’s an amazing city with good food, sports, entertainment, and a diverse group of people. Lastly, I love my class! I couldn’t have picked a better group to go through the trenches of EM with!

Interests Within EM: Health Policy, Global Health, Ultrasound

Fun Fact About Yourself: I danced with the incredible superstar Beyoncé during her Super Bowl performance in my hometown, New Orleans!

Rachel Bower, M.D.

Will Ciozda, M.D.

Medical School David Geffen School of Medicine UCLA

Undergrad: University of Southern California

Activities/Hobbies: Biking, Swimming, Eating

Hometown: Los Angeles

Why McGovern? Texas is a great place to live, explore and learn EM

Interests Within EM: Ultrasound, Innovation

Chigozie Dike, M.D.

Medical School: McGovern Medical School

Undergrad: Xavier University of Louisiana

Activities/Hobbies: TRAVEL!! Foodie, Music

Hometown: Houston, TX

Why McGovern? Amazing diverse city with experiences at Memorial Hermann in the heart of the med center and county hospital LBJ. This city is home but McGovern Med EM is also a family where we work hard and play hard with leadership who is willing to listen and receptive to change.

Interests Within EM: education, community engagement

Brad Egbers, M.D.

Medical School: University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine

Undergrad: United States Naval Academy

Activities/Hobbies: Brazilian jiu jitsu, counter insurgency aka parenting, EDM

Hometown: Bettendorf, IA

Why McGovern? The culture of team work and the outstanding people

Interests Within EM: Ultrasound, evidence-based medicine, ketamine

Fun Fact About Yourself: Don’t worry. I’ve been bald since 19.

Thomas Gerbus, M.D.

Medical School: The Ohio State University College of Medicine

Undergrad: Xavier University

Activities/Hobbies: Water sports, Weightlifting, Trying new restaurants, Cooking, Flying (2nd seat is still pretty great!)

Hometown: Cincinnati, OH

Why McGovern? The people, breadth of pathology, acuity of patients, different practice styles at the different sites, job opportunities, plenty of ways to get involved. I knew I’d be incredibly well trained and I would be happy while doing so!

Interests Within EM: Ultrasound, ED Throughput, QA, Critical Care

Renita Goetz, M.D.

Medical School: Sanford School of medicine

Undergrad: University of South Dakota

Activities/Hobbies: Cheering on Arsenal, hitting a spin class, and exploring Houston

Hometown: Selby, SD

Why McGovern? This was my favorite interview by far. I vibed with all the people and the energy surrounding the residency is contagious

Interests Within EM: Global health

Donna Hassani, M.D.

Medical School: University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine

Undergrad: Northwestern University

Activities/Hobbies: Reading, Tennis/Soccer, Traveling

Hometown: Tampa, FL

Why McGovern? The people. When I interviewed here, I saw the bond between residents was second to none.

Interests Within EM: Administration/Leadership, Advocacy Ultrasound, Education

Derek Herkes, D.O.

Medical School: Nova Southeastern University

Undergrad: University of Miami

Activities/Hobbies: Gracie Jiu Jitsu, Yoga, Freediving.

Hometown: Chicago, IL

Why McGovern? McGovern Med EM was my number one choice for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, our training is conducted in the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical center in the world, which allows us to be educated and mentored by highly ranked faculty who rank among the very best in their field. In addition to training at the busiest level one trauma center in the nation, I love that Houston offers diverse neighborhoods, a large variety of arts and entertainment, and an endless amount of nature trails for running and/or walking my dog. Additionally, the airports offer quick, easy, and affordable access to Mexico and Central America. Training at McGovern Med EM is a truly unique experience in the sense that what you do here will not only impact local and international patients and their families but also how emergency medicine is practiced around the world.

Interests Within EM: Wilderness / Austere Medicine, Global Health, and Ultrasound.

Jasmine Hopkins, M.D.

Ismail Kassim, M.D.

Medical School: Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University

Undergrad: North Carolina State University

Activities/Hobbies: Sports, Sleeping, Eating, Admin Vice Chief

Hometown: High Point, NC

Why McGovern? Houston is a great city. Big program. People are nice

Interests Within EM: Admin, Community Engagement, Underserved Populations, Global Health, QI

Monica Lopez, M.D.

Medical School: New York Medical College

Undergrad: Columbia University

Activities/Hobbies: Keeping my dog alive & well, Hulu/Netflix/Prime, yoga sometimes, eating delicious things all the time

Hometown: Lawndale, CA

Why McGovern? The Memorial Hermann & LBJ combo punch. Herman has all the bells & whistles (level 1 trauma, neurosurgery, cath lab, etc) in a major US city. You learn to be comfortable with the highest level of acuity, including LVAD, transplant & oncology patients. Also, LifeFlight is in house and I’m ALL about the trauma. LBJ keeps you grounded about a patient population with profound needs both medical and beyond, a county hospital population where you’ll pretty much learn Spanish by immersion/out of necessity. LBJ also teaches you about escalation of care when your setting has limitations.

Interests Within EM: Ultrasound! It allows for making more informed medical decisions, deciding if a trauma patient needs to go to the OR vs CT or deciding if the postpartum patient who comes in with shortness of breath is in acute heart failure.

Danielle O’Connell, M.D.

Medical School: UT Health at San Antonio

Undergrad: Baylor University

Activities/Hobbies: Puppies!

Hometown: Katy, TX

Why McGovern? The people! My colleagues are not only brilliant, they are also really stinkin’ cool. Also, the training here is unmatched.

Interests Within EM: Academics, Ultrasound

Abiola Oso, M.D.

Medical School: Morehouse School of Medicine

Undergrad: Georgia State University

Activities/Hobbies: Basketball (Lets play or debate who’s the GOAT), Football (esp. Fantasy), Hip Hop Junkie, Houston Food Scene, Sneakerhead, Traveling to natural wonders of the world, Game Nights

Hometown: Atlanta, GA

Why McGovern? Coming from Grady Hospital in ATL, I wanted to be at a hospital that was comparable in volume and acuity. I get all that and more here at McGovern Med EM. Between LBJ & MHH, you get the full spectrum of patients and many at their sickest. It is also a diverse program that reflects the demographic of patients that we see. This program is such an amazing place to train with great ancillary staff that make coming to work an honor and pleasure. Wouldn’t change a thing if I could do it all over again.

Interests within EM: Informatics and Technology, Website Development, Sports Medicine, Community Service

Fun Fact About Yourself: I established a Free Health Clinic for underserved patients back home in ATL which is still thriving and includes a dental clinic, mental health clinic, and a women’s clinic

Shah Steiner, M.D.

Medical School: University of California, Davis

Undergrad: University of California, Irvine

Activities/Hobbies: Cars, card games, tennis, bowling, fishing.

Hometown: Irvine, California

Why McGovern? Exposure, volume, training, environment.

Interests Within EM: Education

Fun Fact About Yourself: Likes classic movies, music, and cars.

Hutch Stilgenbauer, M.D.

Medical School: Ross University

Undergrad: Texas Tech University

Activities/Hobbies: Running, British car restoration, motorcycling, anything outdoors, spending time with my family.

Hometown: Houston, TX

Why McGovern? Nowhere has a better patient population both acuity and numbers, in the setting of the best faculty and education in emergency medicine.

Interests Within EM: Pre-hospital medicine, rescue and austere environments, disaster response.

Fun Fact About Yourself: I ride a BMW motorcycle every day 🙂

Krystal Turgiss, M.D.

Medical School: University of Nevada Reno, School of Medicine

Undergrad: University of Nevada, Reno

Activities/Hobbies: Music Festivals, being outside, pool/beach, going on adventures, hiking, travel, Netflix, billiards, dodge ball, volleyball.

Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada

Why McGovern? Large class size, in a big city. Program was genuinely diverse. Awesome resident personalities on interview day- including the PD. Loved the split in clinical training between LBJ, the county site and MHH, the academic site. Competitive salary, no state income tax and affordable cost of living.

Interests Within EM: Wellness, Education, Ultrasound