Meet the Medical College of Wisconsin Adult Neurology Residents

The Adult Neurology Residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin is fully accredited by the ACGME as a categorical program. We take either six or seven residents per year (alternating years); 2022-2023 we will be welcoming six new residents. Our outstanding residents are the core of the program. To give you a better feel for our program, we have put together several videos to let you hear from some of our residents in their own words. Our Chief Residents, Dr. Jennifer Collins and Dr. Michael Dryden, have provided welcome letters as well to help you get to know them and our program better.

During our virtual interview process, you will have additional opportunities to speak with our residents (via telephone, video conference, or email). In the meantime, I invite you to view these videos to get to know us better.

What do you like to do for fun?

What interested you in the Neurology Residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin?

What will you miss the most when you graduate from the Neurology Residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin?

What do you like about life in Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin?

Class of 2024

Armghan Ans, MD

Resident

Medical School: Services Institute of Medical Sciences; About Me: I think I can do all the sports in the world, except for bullfighting.

Tyler Heinrich, DO

Resident

Medical School: Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine; About Me: I’ve made a lot of free time to read around the subject of epistemology.

Brittany Legg, MD

Resident

Medical School: University of Louisville School of Medicine; About Me: I’m a gardening enthusiast, both indoors and out!

Michael Mendoza, MD

Resident

Medical School: Medical College of Wisconsin; About Me: I'm a big fan of collecting books. The coolest book in my collection is a First Edition of the original Flexner Report.

Hatem Tolba, MD

Resident

Medical School: Tanta University Faculty of Medicine; About Me: I’m a soccer maniac and I used to play it professionally before medical school. I still play as often as possible and I support Manchester United.

Class of 2025

Chehan Herath, MD

Resident

Medical School: Medical College of Wisconsin; About me: I have an identical twin brother.

Adil Chohan, DO

Resident

Medical School: Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine; About me: I won a regional speech contest when I was a kid.

Amro Elrefaei, MD

Resident

Medical School: Mansoura University Faculty of Medicine- Egypt; About me: I am left handed and the only (O-ve) blood group in my family.

Brian Kelley, DO

Resident

Medical School: Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine; About me: Myself and an internal medicine resident at MCW married identical twins.

Joseph Nashid, DO

Resident

Medical School: New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine; About me: In my spare time I spend time with my 3 kids who are full of energy and play all kinds of sports.

Krysten Rutzinski, MD

Resident

Education: Medical College of Wisconsin; About me: I leased a horse during undergrad.

Class of 2026

Britta Bureau, MD

Resident

Medical School: Medical College of Wisconsin; About me: I have toured 45 of the 50 states.

Osayd Buirat, DO

Resident

Medical School: Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine; About me: I have established multiple businesses in the wireless industry.

Erie Gonzalez Gutierrez, MD

Resident

Medical School: Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de Santiago de Cuba; About me: In my free time, I enjoy playing guitar and piano. I am also an avid automobile enthusiast. Favorite car: Air-cooled 993 Turbo

Shama Patel, DO

Resident

Medical School: University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine; About me: I love to travel around the country and critique pizza/food. Ask me what my favorite pizza place is!

Parker Scott, MD

Resident

Medical School: St. George's University School of Medicine Grenada; About me: I have played the drums since I was 8 years old.

Dean Waldhart, DO

Resident

Medical School: University of Pikeville - Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine; About me: I currently possess seven different coffee brewers and counting!

Class of 2027

Nicole Avendano, MD

Resident

Medical School: University of Illinois-Peoria; About me: I was a competitive gymnast for 15 years.

Whitt Davis, DO

Resident

Medical School: A.T. Still University of Health Sciences Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine; About me: I am a motorsport enthusiast.

Priya Dhinsa, DO

Resident

Medical School: Lincoln Memorial University - DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine; About me: I have a great interest in learning about different natural stones. I have a vast collection of crystals, gemstones, and rocks from all over the world.

Ruaa Elbella, MD

Resident

Medical School: University of Khartoum Faculty of Medicine; About me: I enjoy baking in my free time. My favorite thing to make/eat is baklava.

Jonathan Kiermayr, DO

Resident

Medical School: Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine; About me: I'm a triplet, but I'm the only one of us in medicine and I take great joy in that.

Joseph Perrigoue, DO

Resident

Medical School: Lincoln Memorial University - DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine; About me: Becoming a neurologist is my second career, my first was as a combat medic in the Army,

Jessica Smith, MD

Resident

Medical School: University of Kansas; About me: As a kid growing up in Colorado, my dad would encourage me to keep up with the adults on hikes by saying "the bears always target the slowest person." So now when you see me speed walking though the hospital, you know why!

Recent Program Graduates

Following graduation from our program, our former residents have pursued many different career opportunities. While some chose to go directly into practice after residency, most pursued fellowships. We have had graduates complete fellowship training in virtually all subspecialty areas of Neurology at a wide range of outstanding programs across the country including the Medical College of Wisconsin, Cleveland Clinic, Mayo, Johns Hopkins, Washington University at St. Louis, University of Chicago, and Emory to name but a few.

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2023

Jennifer Collins, MD - Headache Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin
Michael Dryden, MD - Clinical Neurophysiology Fellowship, Medical College of Wisconsin
Annaliise Hayrynen, MD - Sleep Medicine Fellowship, University of Wisconsin- Madison
Ryan Lee, MD - Movement Disorders Fellowship, Medical College of Wisconsin
Tina Nigam, MD - Vascular Neurology Fellowship, University of Michigan
William Pennant, MD - Neurosurgery Residency, Medical College of Wisconsin

2022

Allison Block, DO – Multiple Sclerosis Fellowship – University of Chicago
Darren DuGas, MD – Clinical Neurophysiology Fellowship – Yale
Brian Johnson, DO – Headache Fellowship – Oregon Health and Science
Joyce Okendo, MD – Neuro Critical Care Fellowship – Washington University in St. Louis
Danish Pardhan, MD – Neurohospitalist – Medical College of Wisconsin

2021

Kevin Chow, MD – Vascular Fellowship – Medical College of Wisconsin
Ruchi Dhyani, MD – Clinical Neurophysiology and Epilepsy Fellowship – University of Pittsburgh
Brandon Overholt, DO – Neurocritical Care Fellowship – University of Maryland
Vishal Pandya, MD – Epilepsy Fellowship – John Hopkins
Ahmad Sawalha, MD – Epilepsy Fellowship –Mayo Clinic

2020

Daniel Champeau, MD – Neurophysiology Fellowship – Medical College of Wisconsin
Marek Cierny, MD – Vascular Neurology Fellowship – Cleveland Clinic
Sam Hooshmand, DO – Neuroimmunology and MS Fellowship – Medical College of Wisconsin
Tracy Trolanikunnel, MD – Movement Disorder Fellowship – University of Florida
Pamela Youseef, MD – Private Practice – Doral, Florida

2019

Nicola Carlise, MD – Neuroimmunology and MS Fellowship – Medical College of Wisconsin
Salman Farooq, MD – Neurology Attending – Medical College of Wisconsin
Salman Jafri, DO – Private Practice – Ponoma, California
Sumaiya Khondker, MD – Neurocritical Care Fellowship – Emory University
Amanda Willcox, DO – Neurocritical Care Fellowship - Medical College of Wisconsin

2018

Gabriel Bonnell, MD – Neurology Attending – Medical College of Wisconsin
John Andrew Cox, MD – Neurocritical Care/Neurointerventional Fellowship, Medical College of WI
Mohammad (Ashish) Kabir, MD – Clinical Neurophysiology Fellowship – University of WI-Madison
Gregory Rozansky, MD – Neurocritical Care Fellowship – Medical College of Wisconsin
Brandon Strawn, DO – Private Practice, Beloit, WI