Current Residents
7th Year Residents
Mehmet Berk, M.D.
Chief Resident
Mehmet C. Berk, M.D., joined neurological surgery in July 2006 as a year two resident. He obtained a medical degree from Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey and a degree in neurosurgery from Ankara University School of Medicine, Turkey. Dr. Berk has completed fellowships in stereotactic and functional neurosurgery (at University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, and Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada), and fellowships in pediatric neurosurgery (at University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada, and Washington University, St. Louis, MO). He worked as a research associate at Louisiana State University, in Shreveport, LA. Dr. Berk has contributed to the neurosurgical clinical research literature with more then 60 publications in Turkish and North American scientific journals, and gained over 160 citations in Science Citation Index.
Ahmed Raslan, M.D.
Chief Resident
Ahmad M.T. Raslan, M.D., entered the neurological surgery residency program in 2006 as a year two resident. Raslan received his undergraduate bachelor degree of medicine and surgery (B.M., B.Ch.) from Ain Shams University, Abbassia, Cairo, Egypt, in 1994. In 1998, Raslan received a master’s degree in medicine from Ain Shams University, specializing in surgery. From 1995 to 1999, Raslan was a resident of neurosurgery at Ain Shams University, and in 2000 he moved to Ankara, Turkey, as a clinical fellow in functional and stereotactic surgery, working with Professor Kanpolat in the Department of Neurosurgery, Ankara University. In 2002, Raslan received a medical degree from Ain Shams University, specializing in neurosurgery. Dr. Raslan, joined neurological surgery as an instructor in functional and stereotactic neurosurgery in 2004-2005. In 2005-2006, he completed a neurosurgery fellowship at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
6th Year Residents
Mark Piedra, M.D.
Research
Mark Piedra, MD, joined neurological surgery in July 2006, as a year one resident. A native New Yorker he spent much of his childhood in Caracas, Venezuela, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. After graduating high school, he worked as a computer consultant for IBM for several years and in 1996 graduated from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, with a bachelor’s degree in physics. He then worked for some engineering firms before volunteering for the Peace Corps, where he spent two years teaching high school math and science in rural Zimbabwe. In 1999, Dr. Piedra returned to Alaska and spent a few more years working for engineering companies and as an instructor at the University of Alaska. He received his medical degree from the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in May 2006. He enjoys the outdoors, hiking, canoeing, downhill skiing, and flying airplanes.
Eric Thompson, M.D.
Research
Eric Thompson, MD, joined neurological surgery in July 2006, as a year one resident. In 2002, he completed a bachelor’s degree in psychology at Duke University, Durham, N.C. In May 2006, he completed a medical degree at University of Nebraska College of Medicine, Omaha. Throughout medical school, Dr. Thompson served as an academic leader and was the recipient of many academic achievement awards. His interests include international travel, music, classic literature, downhill skiing, golf, and he is fluent in Spanish.
5th Year Residents
Neil Roundy, M.D.
Senior Resident
Neil Roundy, M.D., joined neurological surgery in July 2007, as a year one resident. He graduated from the University of Arizona, Tuscon, AZ in June 2007. Dr. Roundy has served as coordinator of the Cross Streets Medical Free Clinic in Tuscon, and in other volunteer capacities for the underserved. His interests include rock climbing, mountain biking, snowboarding and photography.
Hai Sun, M.D., Ph.D.
Senior Resident
Hai Sun, M.D., Ph.D., joined neurological surgery in July 2007, as a year one resident. He graduated from Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, NH in June 2007. Dr. Sun is trained in both medicine and biomedical engineering. His interests include woodwork, distance running and international travel.
4th Year Residents
Brian T. Farrell, M.D., Ph.D.
Veteran's Administration and Doernbecher Children's Hospital
Brian T. Farrell, M.D., Ph.D., graduated from University of Nebraska Medicine Center, College of Medicine, Omaha, Neb. in June 2008. Dr. Farrell’s doctoral dissertation examined Mechanistic Insights in CAG-CTG Contractions in Cultured Human and Simian Cells. His interests include surfing, running, golf, and classical and jazz trumpet.
Nathaniel Whitney, M.D., M.S.
Veteran's Administration and Doernbecher Children's Hospital
Nathaniel Whitney, M.D., M.S., received his medical degree from Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, Calif. in June 2008. He received a bachelor's degree from Walla Walla University in 2000 and a master's degree in developmental biology from the same university in 2003. His research focused on the ubiquitin system and its specific role in cell type differentiation and tissue organization. After his graduate studies Dr. Whitney worked as a new home framer, then entered medical school. Dr. Whitney has been involved with charity programs for adults and children, and he also enjoys the outdoors, hiking, canoeing, writing music and working with music groups.
3rd Year Residents
Jesse Liu, M.D.
Elective Year
Jesse Liu, M.D. was educated at Pacific Union College, Amgwin, Calif. and earned his medical degree from Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, Calif. in June, 2009. At Loma Linda, he has served in the elected role of class pastor and in the Student Senate. His scientific work has concentrated on embryological development of the limb bud. He is also a cellist and rock climber.
Jeffrey Raskin, M.D.
Elective Year
Jeffrey Raskin, M.D. was educated at Pomona College, Claremont, Calif. and spent part of his undergraduate years doing research in Developmental Biology at University College London, London, England. He holds a master’s degree in cell and molecular neurobiology from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif. Dr. Raskin graduated in June, 2009 with a medical degree from the University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno, Nev. where he has served as president of his class and was awarded "Outstanding Student in Surgery for the Class of 2009". In addition to his neuroscientific pursuits, Dr. Raskin is interested in literary descriptions of medical care and edited the UNSM literary annual. He enjoys camping and hiking.
2nd Year Residents
Priscilla Pang, M.D., M.S.
Junior Resident
Priscilla Pang, M.D., M.S., graduated in June 2010 with a medical degree from Case Western University, Cleveland, OH. She also holds a Master of Science degree from Case in applied anatomy. Her research interests have included molecular mechanisms of neural protection and empiric antibiotic utilization in the clinical setting. While an undergraduate at Johns Hopkins University, she was a nationally competitive cyclist. She also enjoys rock climbing.
Abigail Rao, M.D.
Junior Resident
Abigail Rao, M.D., graduated in June 2010 with a medical degree from Brown University, Providence, RI. As a Howard Hughes Research Scholar, she had worked at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development on hippocampal dendritic potassium channels. As an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, she studied the expression of nestin in neural stem cells. She has served in the Big Sisters program and enjoys travelling with her family.
1st Year residents
Kelly Bridges, M.D.
Intern in Neurological Surgery
Kelly Bridges, M.D., graduated from the University of Nevada School of Medicine in June 2011, where she has been formally recognized for “altruism in medicine” and is a member of the Gold Humanism Honor Society. She was previously an undergraduate in neuroscience at UCLA. While at at UCLA she published in the Journal of Neuroscience for research regarding neuron circuitry in the brainstem. Kelly received "Outstanding Student in Neuroscience" award and the American Medical Women's Association award for "Academic Achievement" for being among the top 10% of women, while in medical school. She is an outdoor enthusiast and has built both a cabin and house with her family.
Frances Hardaway, M.D.