It's graduation time here at Stony Brook Medicine's Department of Surgery. Fourteen surgical residents/fellows completed their programs and are graduating. We reached out to them for their comments about this accomplishment, their plans for the future and their advice for current incoming residents and fellows.
The Department of Surgery's 2026 graduates include (in alphabetical order):
Nikita Ahmad, MD; Stefanos Giannopoulos, MD; Omar Itani, MD; Binit Katuwal, MBBS; Christopher Liao, MD; Sarah Liu, MD; Christopher Mazis, MD; Narayan Osti, MBBS; Priyanka Ramachandra, MD; Naina Rao, MD; David Restle, MD; David Shimunov, MD; Niharika (Nikki) Singh, MD; and Daniel Wolbrom, MD
The graduates were all given the same five questions, which asked about their time at Stony Brook, where they're going from here and guidance for our current students. Several of the graduates were available respond to our questions and we thank them for their valuable and insightful answers and time:
1. Can you provide a brief background of your education/training leading up to your residency with Stony Brook Surgery?
DR. STEFANOS GIANNOPOULOS - I earned my medical degree at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece, followed by a post-doctoral research fellowship at the Rocky Mountain Regional VA at the University of Colorado. There, I studied outcomes of therapies for peripheral artery disease, which really deepened my understanding of vascular physiology and fueled my passion for improving patient care. I then began my vascular surgery training at Stony Brook University Hospital, gaining hands-on experience with both arterial and venous diseases while mentoring medical students and junior residents in research and clinical education.
DR. OMAR ITANI - I completed my medical school at the American University of Beirut in Lebanon, followed by surgical residency at Mayo Clinic, University of Minnesota, and Eastern Virginia Medical School. During residency, I was drawn to the complexity, multidisciplinary collaboration and technical challenges within the field of surgical critical care, which ultimately led me to pursue fellowship training at Stony Brook Surgery.
DR. NARAYAN OSTI - I am originally from Nepal and I attended medical school at the Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu. After graduating, I worked as a primary care physician at a rural mountain hospital in Nepal for two years. I then completed my General Surgery residency at Harlem Hospital Center in New York, NY.
DR. NAINA RAO - I earned my BS in Physiological Science at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and my
MD at New York Medical College.
DR. DAVID RESTLE - I attended University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science, Philadelphia, PA, and earned a BS in Engineering in Bioengineering (2013); received my MD from Stony Brook University School of Medicine (2018) and I spent three on research during my residency (2020-2023) working in the lab of Dr. Prasad Adusumilli at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, conducting research in tumor immunology and novel cell-based treatments for metastatic cancer.
DR. NIKKI SINGH - I completed a 7-year combined BA/MD program at Boston University and Boston University School of Medicine before general surgery residency at Stony Brook.
DR. DANIEL WOLBROM - I completed my undergraduate studies in Biology at Stony Brook University, followed by a Master’s Degree in Public Health from Downstate School of Public Health in Brooklyn, New York. After graduate school, I then went on to attend medical school at St. George’s University School of Medicine, St. George's, Grenada, before starting here at Stony Brook University Hospital in 2019 as a general surgery resident. During my training, I spent two years at Columbia University between my third and fourth years as a NIH T32 sponsored postdoctoral fellow in a transplant immunology laboratory, where I researched cardiac xenotransplantation in nonhuman primates.
2. Please share your favorite experiences during your residency.
DR. GIANNOPOULOS - My favorite moments have been a mix of challenging cases and the collaborative environment. Performing complex vascular surgeries where I could apply what I have learned over the years has been incredibly rewarding. Mentoring students and junior residents added another layer of fulfillment.
DR. ITANI - One of my favorite aspects of fellowship was the opportunity to work closely with dedicated faculty mentors who were deeply invested in both my technical growth and professional development. The graduated autonomy in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) was invaluable and helped build both skill and confidence. I also appreciated the collaborative culture—working alongside co-fellows, residents, nurses and multidisciplinary teams made the experience even more rewarding.
DR. OSTI - Some of my favorite experiences include working with the friendly and hardworking ICU staff and fellow residents. I also always looked forward to Dr. Randeep Jawa’s intellectually stimulating educational sessions.
DR. RAO - Camaraderie with my co-residents.
DR. RESTLE - The camaraderie of working with my fellow residents, particularly in the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Also, the opportunity to learn and use new treatments such as robotic surgery to improve patient care.
DR. SINGH - My favorite experience was being part of a team that identified a patient who was critically ill and taking him to the operating room (OR) to fix the problem. Despite the odds, he walked out of the hospital a month later. It was extremely gratifying and reminded me that I have the best job in the world!
DR. WOLBROM - One of my favorite experiences was seeing the residency program come together during the COVID-19 epidemic to support the hospital and our community by providing care to hundreds of COVID-19 patients in the ICU. The general surgery residency program was on the front-line providing care in the ICU for several months in a row, demonstrating that the general surgery residents are the backbone of the hospital.
3. Can you offer any advice for current and future Stony Brook Surgery residents?
DR. GIANNOPOULOS - My advice to current and future residents is to embrace every opportunity to learn, both in and out of the OR. Seek mentorship, take ownership of your education, and never underestimate the value of collaboration with your peers and attending surgeons. Surgical training is intense, but balancing hard work with curiosity and resilience will not only make you a better surgeon but also a more thoughtful clinician.
DR. ITANI - Take ownership of all your surgical patients and invest your energy and knowledge into improving their outcomes. Be proactive in seeking feedback and don’t be afraid to ask questions--growth often comes from moments of uncertainty.
DR. OSTI - Keep up the good work and try to make the most of everything Stony Brook has to offer.
DR. RAO - Take care of yourself like you take care of your patients.
DR. RESTLE - Take advantage of all the learning opportunities available, because residents work hard to have the privilege of learning surgery. Take responsibility for patient care to the greatest extent possible.
DR. SINGH - I will share one of my favorite quotes that I try to guide my life by: "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” -- Aristotle*.
DR. WOLBROM - My advice would be to become the best at whatever it is you are doing. Being a surgeon is more than just knowing how to operate, although being an excellent technical surgeon is an important part of the equation. More so, being an expert in your field, and knowing how to take care of the patients outside the operating room is equally, and sometimes more important.
4. Is there anything else you'd like to add/share regarding your experiences during your residency?
DR. GIANNOPOULOS - Residency at Stony Brook has been an incredibly formative experience. The program’s combination of high-volume complex cases, strong academic support and support on research has prepared me well for independent practice. I am grateful for the mentorship I’ve received, the friendships I’ve formed and the opportunity to contribute to patient care at a different level.
DR. RESTLE - Thank you to my fellow residents, surgery faculty, nurses and the rest of the colleagues I’ve worked at in the hospital during my residency.
DR. SINGH - Residency is what you make of it. Pursue every day with curiosity, preparation and empathy, and you will come out a better person and better doctor at the end of it.
DR. WOLBROM - Surgical residency is a pivotal part of becoming a surgeon. I would encourage the junior residents to enjoy your time in residency, and the unique environment we are in during our time as a surgery resident.
5. What are your post-graduation plans?
DR. GIANNOPOULOS - After graduation, I plan to pursue a faculty position in vascular surgery where I can continue providing high-quality patient care, contribute to research in peripheral artery disease and other vascular conditions and mentor medical students and residents. UPDATE NOTE: Dr. Giannopoulos will be staying with Stony Brook Medicine.
DR. ITANI - Following graduation, I plan to work in a tertiary care center where I can practice trauma, emergency general surgery and surgical critical care, and be involved in teaching and mentoring medical students and trainees.
DR. OSTI - I plan to pursue a career in ACS/Trauma/Critical Care in Eugene, OR.
DR. RAO - Breast Surgical Oncology Fellowship at Rutgers Cancer Institute in New Brunswick, NJ.
DR. RESTLE - Surgical Oncology Fellowship, Roswell Park Cancer Center in Buffalo, NY.
DR. SINGH - I am pursuing a fellowship in plastic and reconstructive surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.
DR. WOLBROM - Following graduation, I will be a fellow at the University of Pennsylvania in surgical critical care. Afterwards, I intend to continue my surgical training in cardiothoracic surgery.
Thank you to our graduating residents and fellows for taking the time answer these questions and offer their advice. We wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors and know that their words of encouragement and guidance will be valuable for future residents, and that, they too, will embrace the knowledge that excellence is, indeed, a habit.
* Attributed to Aristotle, but written as a summary of Aristotle's philosophy by Will Durant in The Story of Philosophy: The Lives and Opinions of the World’s Greatest Philosophers published in 1926.