Resident Graduation Dinner 2024 in Baltimore

James Assif, MD
PGY-5
SUNY Upstate Medical University

James chose the University of Maryland not only for the program's strength in training, but because of the family he gets to be a part of for his four years in training. He has made lasting relationships with his mentors, co-residents, and coworkers that aren’t found easily in a training program.

Soha Bazyar, MD
PGY-5
Mashhad University of Medical Sciences

Soha enjoys going to work every day at the University of Maryland, as well as the culture and sense of community in the department. She receives a great training experience and access to research opportunities, along with a supportive environment.

Hua-Ren Ryan Cherng, MD
PGY-5
University of Maryland School of Medicine

Ryan loves the comradery and collegiality of this residency and his co-residents, the commitment to education demonstrated by the faculty, and the breadth of training that the residency program offers.

Alexander Allen, MD
PGY-4, co-chief resident
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine

When Alexander was applying to residency, Maryland had everything he was looking for in a program: excellent clinical training and volume, access to a variety of technologies including hyperthermia, Gamma Knife, on-site proton radiotherapy, robust clinical research with ample opportunities for resident involvement, and nationally renowned clinical and physics faculty. He remembered being blown away on his interview day after hearing about these features of the program, and also seeing how incredibly friendly and approachable all of the residents and attendings were. He also enjoys that the Baltimore Ravens stadium is a 4-minute drive from the hospital.

Matthew Brown, MD
PGY-4, co-chief resident
University of Alabama School of Medicine

Matthew grew up in Huntsville, AL and spent most of his life there through medical school. He thoroughly enjoyed all his oncology rotations, and combined with his interests in the physical sciences, radiation oncology was an obvious choice for him. During his free time, he enjoys swimming, playing the piano, and exploring Baltimore as well as the surrounding areas.

Why University Maryland? Matthew was initially drawn to the University of Maryland by the wide range of cutting-edge technologies employed in the department, and eh was particularly impressed by both the clinical and research training benefits that came with that. He chose Maryland because the culture of the program stuck out to as being heavily education-focused, and his experiences here have only further confirmed that.

Muhammad Ali Hamza, MD
University of Maryland School of Medicine

Muhammad was attracted to the residency program at the University of Maryland in part because of the emphasis on advancing the field of radiation oncology through multidisciplinary research and innovation, while still keeping patient care, compassion, and empathy at the forefront.

Adeniyi (Niyi) Olabumuyi, MBBS
PGY-3
University of Ibadan College of Medicine

Our program was highly recommended to Niyi by one of his colleagues. He felt that our program has great faculty-to-resident relationships with diverse backgrounds, as well as faculty who are interested in the growth and well-being of the residents. His research interests include breast, prostate, and cervical cancers; molecular determinants and risk factors in oncology system/quality improvement; and global oncology.

Austin Thompson, MD
PGY-3
California Northstate University College of Medicine

Austin chose UMMC because it is a top-tier academic institution with state-of-the-art technology in radiation oncology. He feels that he will receive good mentorship here from leaders in the field as well as a robust and varied education in the various modalities offered in radiation oncology, and that he will be an adept clinician when he graduates. His interests include therapeutic radiation treatments for benign conditions, such as low-dose radiation therapy for osteoarthritis. He is also interested in investigating disparities in access to care and how to bridge those gaps in conjunction with improving patient outcomes.

Reza Zarinshenas, MD
PGY-3
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Travis Hoover, MD
PGY-2
Penn State College of Medicine

Travis feels thrilled to be at the University of Maryland for his radiation oncology residency, and truly cannot imagine a better program for himself. He anticipates vigorous training in all facets of the field, along with the extensive research opportunities. Travis looks forward to working with people who view their colleagues as a sort of "family", and he finds Baltimore to be a beautiful city. Travis plans to focus much of his research on the intersection between radiation oncology and pathology. He also has an interest in research related to equity, specifically examining the Baltimore community’s access to radiation therapy and how it might be improved.

Yomna Khamis, MD, MSc
PGY-2
Alexandria University in Alexandria, Egypt

Science and technology are ever-evolving fields, with new discoveries and advancements made daily. Yomna considers herself an eager learner, especially when the knowledge gained can lead to change and improvement. Her passion lies in radiation oncology, a field she believes to hold immense potential for patient care. Yomna's research interest lies in radiotherapy for head and neck conditions, with a specific focus on reducing toxicity.

Paul Armstrong
University of Virginia School of Medicine

Jay Clark, DO
Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine
United States Army

Olufela (Felly) Jean-Koleoso
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

Anita Nwiloh
Meharry Medical College

Sarah Anne McAvoy, MD
Associate Professor
Vice Chair for Education
Residency Program Director
Department of Radiation Oncology

‌Wendla (Wendy) K. Citron, MD
Assistant Professor
Residency Program Associate Director‌
Medical Director, Tate Cancer Center - UM BWMC
Department of Radiation Oncology