Alumni
We are proud of the more than 40 surgeons who have completed our fellowship program. From 2015-2022, we had a third fellowship spot primarily working with the divisional faculty at Memorial Hermann Memorial City. While that separate fellowship position is no longer offered, the faculty continue to play a key role in our fellowship education. Graduates from our fellowship program are well-prepared for private, group, or academic practice. Our fellowship alumni practice around the country, and many of them have leadership roles within their organizations.
| Year Graduated | Name | Current Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Clara Zhu, MD | Associated Surgeons of San Luis Obispo/Dignity Health |
| Christopher Carnabatu, MD | University of Tennessee Knoxville | |
| 2024 | Oscar Olavarria | UTHealth Houston |
| Luke Craford | UTHealth Houston | |
| Cristina Perez-Viso | Memorial Hermann Medical Group – Pearland | |
| 2023 | Francisco Guerra | Surgical Associates (OK) |
| Andy Harner | Alabama Bariatrics and Minimally Invasive Surgery (AL) | |
| 2022 | Sara Monfared | Cleveland Clinic/Akron General Hospital (OH) |
| Josh Weis | UT Southwestern/VA Hospital Dallas (TX) | |
| Kelly Shortridge (Memorial City) | Abrazo Health (AZ) | |
| 2021 | Vishal Kudav | Bhatti GI Consultants (MN) |
| Shaan Akhtar | St. Charles Health System (Oregon) | |
| Eric Rachlin (Memorial City) | Kelsey Seybold Clinic (TX) | |
| 2020 | Michelle Scerbo | UTHealth Houston |
| Julie Holihan | UTHealth Houston | |
| Eric Duffy (Memorial City) | Treasure Coast Surgical Specialists – St Lucie (FL) | |
| 2019 | J Cole Cowling | UTHealth Houston |
| Ekatarina Elliott | UTHealth Houston | |
| Victoria Chang (Memorial City) | Turnquest Surgical Solutions (TX) | |
| Pouya Iranmanesh (International) | Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève (Switzerland) | |
| 2018 | Kendell Sowards | HCA Gulf Coast/Kingwood (TX) |
| John Hall | Singing River Health System (MI) | |
| Jessica Marshall (Memorial City) | Memorial Satilla Specialists (GA) | |
| 2017 | Melissa Felinski | UTHealth Houston |
| Adam Purtell | West Texas Bariatrics at SWAT Surgical Associates (TX) | |
| Brandon Fadner (Memorial City) | Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Group (TX) | |
| 2016 | Aarthy Kannappan | Loma Linda University Health (CA) |
| Christian Perez | Harbor-UCLA Medical Center (CA) | |
| Tanya Kajese (Memorial City) | UTHealth Houston | |
| 2015 | Cody Starnes | Starnes Surgical (Solo Private Practice), Sherman, TX |
| David Gochnour | St Joseph Health Medical Group (Bryan/College Station, TX) | |
| 2014 | Peter A. Walker | UTHealth Houston |
| Shinil K. Shah | UTHealth Houston | |
| 2013 | Harvey Rainville | New York Bariatric Group (NJ) |
| Hossein Bagshahi | Bagshahi Bariatric and General Surgery (Solo Private Practice), Fort Worth, TX | |
| 2012 | Nicholas Brown | Wichita Surgical Specialists (KS) |
| Nathan Miller | Private Practice, Salt Lake City, UT | |
| 2011 | Kenneth Tieu | Health First (FL) |
| Nathan Allison | Health First (FL) | |
| 2010 | Todd Worley | Houston Methodist Hospital |
| Kanayochukwu Aluka | ||
| 2009 | Benjamin Leong | Solo Private Practice, Corona, CA |
| Todd Wilson | UTHealth Houston | |
| 2008 | Brad Snyder | UTHealth Houston |
| 2007 | Harvinderpal Singh | Private Practice, Tomball, TX |
| Michael Kia | Surgical Specialists of Michigan, Flint, MI | |
| 2006 | Sherman Yu | Texas Laparoscopic Consultants, Houston, TX |
| Benjamin Clapp | El Paso Bariatric Surgery (Solo Private Practice), El Paso, TX | |
| 2005 | Ajay Chopra | Albert Einstein College of Medicine (NY) |
| Richard Altieri | Private Practice, Panama | |
| Donna Francis | ||
| 2004 | Fernando Miranda | Private Practice, Houston, TX |