New General Surgery Residents 2024
PGY4
Bona Ko, MD
Hometown: New York City
Journey to Stanford: Undergrad at Vassar College (Art History, Chemistry), MPH at Columbia University, Medical School at Case Western Reserve University; spent my professional development time doing the following: research in palliative / end-of-life care medicine and health services as well as working as a healthcare consultant on large scale quality improvement initiatives for hospital systems
Why Stanford: The General Surgery program offers the unique opportunity for residents to experience training across many types of facilities, which can only make me clinically stronger! Also, Stanford as an institution and the Surgery Department seems to be a place that embraces diversity. I think you really see this when you take a look at where faculty, residents, and students are from and when you get to know a bit about their life experiences.
Interesting Fact: I love the outdoors! One of my all-time favorite things is to go hiking with my Australian Cattle dog, Fiona.
PGY3
Anish Jain, MD
Hometown: Greenbelt, MD
Journey to Stanford: I did my undergraduate and medical studies at Howard University (Washington DC) as part of their accelerated BS/MD program. After my first two years of surgical residency I completed a two year T32 Fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center after which I was given the opportunity to join the Stanford General Surgery program.
Why Stanford: Stanford provides its trainees with extensive operative volume, a robust research/academic infrastructure, state of the art simulation/educational facilities, and the opportunity to learn from leaders in academic surgery. Plus everyone involved with the program is so kind and helpful!
Interesting Fact: When I was a medical student in DC I used to volunteer at Children's National Medical Center where I would often be asked to dress up as Dr. Bear (the hospital's official mascot)
PGY2
Cintia Kimura, MD
Hometown: Sao Paulo, Brazil
Journey to Stanford: I went to medical school in Brazil, at Universidade de São Paulo. There, I also trained in general and colorectal surgery. Following that, I completed my PhD on anal cancer screening strategies and decided to move to the U.S. to pursue a career in academic surgery. Prior to joining Stanford as a surgery resident, I did two years of research on surgical prehabilitation as a postdoc at Stanford and completed my intern year at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach.
Why Stanford: Having worked in many places in Brazil and in the U.S., I can say that Stanford is where I met the most brilliant and inspiring people. The collaborative and supportive environment at Stanford is exactly what I sought for my personal and professional growth.
Interesting Fact: I love road trips and will take my dog everywhere I can!
Interns
Baylee Bakkila, MD
Hometown: Newport Beach, CA
Journey to Stanford: I majored in biology and political science as a Stanford undergraduate before heading to Yale for my medical degree. My research and policy work have centered on healthcare affordability and insurance reform, especially for patients with diabetes and those undergoing oncologic surgery. Surgery seemed like a natural fit when looking for a specialty that challenged me to excel in multiple arenas, relied on teamwork and collaboration, and provided the immediate satisfaction of improving a patient's health, often in the span of a few hours.
Why Stanford: Stanford has it all! A kind and encouraging community of expert surgeons and trainees, endless interdisciplinary resources for collaborative research, cutting edge clinical care, and a top-notch location in my home state.
Interesting Fact: I was on the surf team in high school.
Serena Bidwell, MD, MPH, MBA
Hometown: Dexter, Michigan
Journey to Stanford: I completed my undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan in Neuroscience and English and then stayed to pursue an MPH focused on global health epidemiology. My original plan to work in the public health space and give a voice to patient experiences through storytelling evolved into a desire to care directly for patients while interning at a national cancer center in Thailand. I then came to Stanford and worked as a researcher in S-SPIRE for two years where I cultivated an interest in health services research, mixed methods, and youth mentorship programs. I returned to the University of Michigan for medical school, which I coupled with an MBA primarily focused on healthcare administration and non-profit management.
Why Stanford: Stanford has always felt like home to me—my parents even got married in the church on campus when my mom was a medical student here. The combination of a warm, welcoming culture with brilliant faculty who are leading cutting-edge research and innovative projects provides the perfect balance for growth. The opportunities are endless here with supportive faculty and colleagues to help each of us reach our individual goals. The perfect weather and abundance of outdoor activities are definitely an added bonus, especially coming from the Midwest.
Interesting Fact: I worked as the baker for a summer camp one year during undergrad.
Paulina Gutkin, MD
Hometown: Tappan, NY
Journey to Stanford: I went to undergrad at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, PA, where I majored in Biology, minored in Neuropsychology, and was fortunate to earn a Division 1 softball scholarship. An east coaster wanting to explore the country before medical school, I worked for two years as an assistant clinical research coordinator in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Stanford. I then went to Medical College of Wisconsin for medical school and solidified my love for pursuing general surgery. I'm so excited to join the Stanford Surgery family!
Why Stanford: My first exposure to Stanford was when I took a two-year research position with the Department of Radiation Oncology after college. Coming from the east coast, I fell in love with the warm microclimate of Palo Alto and the proximity to beaches, Tahoe, and Napa. More importantly, the strong mentorship and friends I gained made Stanford truly feel like home. On my visiting Sub-I rotation, it was clear that Stanford Surgery held the same values in providing strong mentorship and resources to foster clinically excellent and technically sound leaders in the field. The amount of support available, from APPs and peers to faculty and leadership, is palpable. I chose Stanford because the people here become family, and I know I will be supported in my research, fellowship, and career pursuits.
Interesting Fact: I try to travel as much as I can and have been to most US states, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Portugal, France, Amsterdam, Israel, Italy, Greece, Thailand, and Vietnam (so far).
Reine Ibala, MD
Hometown: Congo (Brazzaville) / Littleton, CO / West Haven, CT
Journey to Stanford: During undergrad, I studied Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology at Yale University. I earned an MPH in Global Health at Harvard TH Chan and then went to Weill Cornell Medical College.
Why Stanford: For me, Stanford’s program stood out because of its “surgery AND” philosophy. I was excited to hear how diverse projects could be during professional development time. With renowned leaders in advocacy, policy, and other disciplines across the varying schools on campus, I wanted the opportunity to explore my passions at the highest level. The “surgery AND” mentality was also a key aspect of the community. I could tell connections among residents and faculty extended outside the hospital. I felt that residents were seen not just for their clinical and research contributions, but for who they were as people. Their warmth, quirks and unique interests outside of medicine were celebrated and supported. At Stanford, I felt like I could be completely myself AND the best surgeon I could be. I couldn’t be more thankful to get to grow here!
Interesting Fact: In a past life, I competed and toured internationally with my college a cappella group. I once got to sing for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg!
Grace Klaris, MD
Hometown: New York City
Journey to Stanford: I’ve wanted to be a doctor for most of my life. I loved basic anatomy in middle school and gravitated towards all things medical. For undergrad, I studied human biology at Stanford with a concentration in the health and human rights of underserved populations. There, I became more interested in global health and earned a Fulbright to conduct maternal health research in India after graduation. While at The Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University, I fell in love with surgery and the magic of the operating room. The rest is history!
Why Stanford: I wanted a program that was pushing the boundaries of what a surgical residency could be— somewhere that cared about training technically excellent surgeons and compassionate physicians, but also implored its residents to be innovative leaders in whatever they pursued. Stanford is a program that is reimagining what residency is at every level, from supporting (and actually encouraging) resident wellness to offering limitless possibilities during professional development time. And more than anything, I just really loved the people.
Interesting Fact: I have worked on farms in South Africa, Italy, and on San Juan Island in Washington State. I was also the personal assistant to a chef in New York before starting medical school!
David Krist, MD, PhD
Hometown: Naperville, IL
Journey to Stanford: I did my undergrad at Grinnell College before completing my PhD in Chemistry at Northwestern University and MD at Carle Illinois College of Medicine. I also worked as a postdoc with Prof. Dr. Brenda Schulman at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry deciphering ubiquitin ligase mechanisms
Why Stanford: I came here for world-class surgical training. Also, Stanford and the Bay Area offer an ideal ecosystem in which to investigate impactful biomolecular questions to advance patient care. I am thankful to train as a surgeon-scientist at Stanford.
Interesting Fact: We have two kids!
James McDermott, MD
Hometown: Wayne, PA
Journey to Stanford: After growing up in Pennsylvania, I moved to Washington, DC to attend Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, where I majored in Science, Technology, and International Affairs with a concentration in International Security. I intended to follow my grandfather's footsteps, looking for a career in military service and foreign policy. However, my interests expanded to the structural and policy factors that impact access to healthcare and perpetuate health inequity. I joined the MedStar-Georgetown Surgical Outcomes Research Center, where we evaluated disparities in surgical care. This research confirmed my desire to become a physician, leading me to the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. With the support of my family and outstanding mentors, I am proud and honored to continue my training in the Stanford General Surgery Residency Program.
Why Stanford: As a visiting medical student, I was attracted to the culture that demands respect, teamwork, grit, compassion, and humility. Bring a relentless pursuit of your passion and big goals, because Stanford's General Surgery Program is the place to make it all happen.
Interesting Fact: I have never tasted a hamburger!
Kevin Nee, MD
Hometown: Bay Area, CA
Journey to Stanford: The first time I ever dreamed about being a doctor was as a high school student volunteering here at Stanford. This interest in medicine lead to an EMT certification and a degree in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology. At UCLA I fell in love with cell biology and research and decided to get my MD/PhD at UC Irvine. There I discovered new breast cancer cell types and interactions which led to co-first author publications in Nature and Nature Genetics.
Why Stanford: Stanford is my dream program in so many ways. From being the birthplace of my nascent physician dreams, to my research passions leading to collaborations with Dr. Delitto and Dr. Longaker. During my away rotation, I discovered that Stanford was a perfect place for my research and surgical goals. But most of all, I found a family that I wanted to join, with an ethos that I aspire to everyday. This is my hometown, I love the Bay Area and its people, it is my honor to serve them.
Interesting Fact: I was a UCLA Cheerleader and Archery All-American. I am a Brazilian jiu-jitsu purple belt.