Abrazo General Surgery Residency Program

Abrazo General Surgery Residency Program

We are pleased to offer the Abrazo General Surgery Residency Program, a five year program. Our first residents started in June 2019.

Residents, faculty and staff that work collaboratively to serve the community that needs us most.

For those with a call to heal, we provide the skills to care for anyone, anywhere, at any time.

  • Strong procedural skills
  • Excellence in quality improvement
  • Foundation in evidence based medicine
  • Grassroots innovation

  • 24-hour access to Midwestern University’s library resources for research
  • Access to Midwestern University’s simulation lab that includes simulation patients, mannequins and task trainer resources
  • Space dedicated to educational activities including computer stations and safe and convenient call rooms
  • Meals provided while on duty including access to the physician’s lounge
  • Elective rotations include all subspecialty surgical practices, general surgery, pathology
  • Use of electronic medical records

  • Monthly grand rounds
  • Weekly basic science conferences
  • Monthly journal club
  • Skills/simulation lab sessions
  • Weekly clinical conference
  • Weekly morbidity and mortality conference

The resident rotation schedule is structured on a mentorship-based approach.

Elena Urbieta
Phone: 623-561-7983
Email: [email protected]

  • All applicants must apply to the General Surgery Residency Program through ERAS (Electronic Residency Application System). It is the applicant’s responsibility to complete all steps outlined on the ERAS website.
  • Abrazo Health only accepts applications from U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
  • Applicants who are granted an interview will be notified via email after application has been reviewed. We encourage applicants to schedule their interview as soon as possible.
  • We also go through the NRMP (National Residency Matching Program). For more information on the Match please go to their website: http://www.nrmp.org/

With easy access to both the outdoors and metropolitan areas, Arizona is one of the best places to live in the U.S. Check out the links below to learn about the growing city of Phoenix and the beautiful state of Arizona.

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Abrazo Arrowhead Campus - Primary Clinical Teaching Site

Abrazo Arrowhead Campus is a 217-bed hospital and one of five hospitals in the Abrazo Health Network. With over 928 affiliated physicians, Abrazo Arrowhead is committed to providing safe and quality care to each patient and a safe and effective learning environment for residents. The services offered at Arrowhead are the following:

  • Da Vinci robotic surgery
  • Diagnostic imaging
  • Emergency care services
  • Cardiology
  • Maternal and fetal medicine
  • Oncology
  • Orthopedics
  • Vascular surgery
  • General surgery
  • Urology
  • Rehabilitation
  • Wound care
  • Trauma care

With this wide range of services, residents will receive a well-rounded education and clinical experience in general surgery cases. The rotation experiences at Abrazo Arrowhead include plastics, soft tissue, breast, head and neck and oncological surgeries. They also include minimally invasive surgeries of the alimentary, abdominal and colorectal regions. All resident PGY levels (1-5) will have rotations at this location. The faculty and staff at Abrazo Arrowhead are dedicated to training residents to become independent, comprehensively trained physicians in the practiced of general surgery.

Abrazo West Campus – Emergency and Trauma Training

The Abrazo West Campus is a 188-bed hospital located in Goodyear, Arizona. Abrazo West has received Level I Trauma Center distinction. Abrazo West is where patients are treated for:

  • Emergency cases
  • Heart and vascular conditions
  • Surgical and procedural care
  • ICU
  • Rehabilitation care

This acute-care hospital also offers advanced surgical technologies for the diagnosis and treatment of patients, and the Level 1 Trauma Center offers advanced treatments for a variety of traumatic injuries. The rotation experiences include adult trauma surgeries, acute care surgeries and surgical critical care with involvement in the ICU. Residents also have exposure to pancreo-hepatobiliary and spleen rotations. PGY levels 1-4 will have rotations at this site.

Abrazo Arizona Heart Hospital – Cardiac and Vascular Surgery Training

Abrazo Arizona Heart Hospital is a world-leading cardiac care center opened in 1998. The surgery resident rotations include cardiothoracic surgery and vascular surgery. PGY levels 1, 2, and 5 have rotations at this site. The faculty and staff at Arizona Heart are dedicated to training residents to become independent, comprehensively trained physicians in the practice of general surgery.

Program Rotations Outside the Abrazo Network

The following rotations take place outside of the Abrazo Network:

  • Two months out of the PGY-4 year are spent at Phoenix Children’s Hospital where residents observe and participate in pediatric surgery with level appropriate supervision.
  • PGY-3 residents spend one month at Maricopa Medical Center in the burn unit and one month at St. Joseph’s Medical Center observing and performing transplants under faculty supervision.

Abrazo General Surgery Residency Contact Information

Elena Urbieta
Phone: 623-561-7983
Email: [email protected]

Abrazo Arrowhead Campus
6525 W Sack Drive #302
Glendale, AZ 85308

Salary

PGY-1 $66,390
PGY-2 $69,711
PGY-3 $72,967
PGY-4  $77,064
PGY-5 $81,474
Chief $85,547

Benefits

  • Medical and Dental Insurance
  • Life and Disability Insurance
  • Employee Retirement Plan
  • Benefits are effective on day one of start date
  • Abrazo covers the cost of ACLS, ATLS, and BLS certifications

Vacation and Leave

  • 21 week days of vacation per Academic Year
  • Six paid holidays per year

Faculty & Residents

Learn more about the residency faculty of the Abrazo General Surgery Residency Program.

William Arnold, M.D., Program Director

Dr. Arnold specializes in general and bariatric surgery and is currently medical director of bariatric surgery at the Abrazo Scottsdale Hospital. He completed his general surgery residency training at TUFTS University in Boston and went on to complete a minimally invasive surgery fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona. Dr. Arnold is committed to leading the Abrazo Health Network General Surgery Residency Program and training residents into becoming excellent general surgeons.

Core Faculty

The following are the core faculty of the General Surgery Residency Program:

Conrad Ballecer, M.D.
Debora McClary, M.D.
Eric Thomas, M.D. (also site director of the Abrazo Arrowhead Campus)

Louis Guzman, MD

Navrooh Kaur, MD

Starla Martin, MD

Allison Soto, MD

Louis Donaldo Guzman

Hometown: Uriangato, Guanajuato
Undergraduate School & Location: -
Medical School & Location: Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, México.
Personal Interests: Driving around unknown neighborhoods, signing out loud while on traffic and stopping at local coffee shops; family time, movie/series/documentary nights, and sports.
Professional Interests: Colorectal surgery, minimally invasive surgery, surgical oncology
Fellowship Institute & Location: General Surgery Residency
Other Education & Location / Comments: -
Recent Presentations & Publications: - GUZMAN L.D., Miranda S., Sepic J., Zelikoff B., Ladner D., Borja-Cacho D., Rick Lieber, James Sliwa, Nadig S, Duarte-Rojo A. Prehabilitation improves physical fitness metrics prior to liver transplantation and expands the pool of transplant-eligible patients. The Liver Meeting: 2025 Abstracts. Hepatology 82(S1):p S1-S2308, October 2025. | DOI: 10.1097/HEP.0000000000001493 - Sepic J., Miranda S., GUZMAN L.D., Rick L., James S., Duarte-Rojo A. Operationalizing a walking exercise prescription based on 6-minute walk test results The Liver Meeting: 2025 Abstracts. Hepatology 82(S1):p S1-S2308, October 2025. | DOI: 10.1097/HEP.0000000000001493 - Roman-Guzman RM, Martinez-Mayorga AP, GUZMAN-MARTINEZ LD, Rodriguez-Leyva I. Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy: A Narrative Review of a Systematic Diagnostic Approach to Avoid Misdiagnosis. Cureus. 2025/1/01 2025;17(1):e76749. doi:10.7759/cureus.76749 - Reyes-Rivera J, GUZMAN LD. NONCONVULSIVE STATUS EPILEPTICUS WITH OPSOCLONUS- MYOCLONUS SYNDROME AS MEDIASTINAL NEUROBLASTOMA PRESENTATION: A CASE REPORT. CHEST. 2023;164(4):A5201-A5202. doi:10.1016/j.chest.2023.07.3370. CHEST annual meeting (Hawaii, 2023). - Ochoa Pérez, U.R., Ontiveros Gassos, M.A., and GUZMÁN-MARTÍNEZ, L.D. (2023) ‘Infecciones Oculares’, in Prontuario de Infectología Pediátrica. 8th edn. San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí: Asociación Mexicana de Infectología Pediátrica, pp. 161– 172. - Román-Guzmán RM, Martínez-Mayorga A, Gonzalez-Lara A, GUZMAN-MARTINEZ LD, Reyes-Rivera J, Rodríguez-Leyva I. Telemedicine and Epilepsy. Experience of the Central Hospital "Dr. Ignacio Morones Prieto" During and Post-pandemic COVID-19. Medical Research Archives. 2024-04-26 2024;12(4)doi:10.18103/mra.v12i4.5274 - Rabiee A., Lindemeyer C., Rabiee A., Mowdawalla C., Castillo S., Davidsohn M., Tow C., Ring T., Bowen K., Laique S., Westgeest e Sousa D., Tapper E., Ng M., Izzy M., Frederick R.T., Enders R., Chara B., Davis J., Al Zureikat Q., Duarte-Rojo A., Thaker S., Guzman L.D., Yang Q., Abraldes J.G., Garcia-Tsao G., Simonetto D., Fortune B. BAVENO VII criteria and ANTICIPATE models predict first decompensation in a multi-center U.S. cohort of patients with compensated advanced chronic liver disease (cACLD). EASL Congress 2026. - Rabiee A., Lindemeyer C., Rabiee A., Mowdawalla C., Castillo S., Davidsohn M., Tow C., Ring T., Bowen K., Laique S., Westgeest e Sousa D., Tapper E., Ng M., Izzy M., Frederick R.T., Enders R., Chara B., Davis J., Al Zureikat Q., Duarte-Rojo A., Thaker S., Guzman L.D., Yang Q., Abraldes J.G., Garcia-Tsao G., Simonetto D., Fortune B. Real-world Liver Stiffness Measurement Predicts Hepatic Decompensation Risk but May Overestimate Risk in Obese MASLD: A Multicenter U.S. Study. VIII Baveno Consensus Workshop 2026. - Duarte-Rojo A., Miranda S., Guzman L.D., Sepic J., Zelikoff B., Boike J., Kulik L., Saffo S., Ganger D., Thaker S., Borja-Cacho D., Nadig S., Ladner D., Koppe S., Lieber R., Sliwa J. Transplant FITness: the role of prehabilitation in expanding the liver transplant (LT) pool. EASL Congress 2026.

Starla Martin, MD

Hometown: Phoenix, AZ
Undergraduate School & Location: Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ
Medical School & Location: St. George's University in Greneda
Personal Interests: Legos, cooking, exercise, and travelling
Professional Interests: Trauma, transplant, hepatobiliary
Residency Institute & Location: Preliminary General Surgery year at Mohawk Valley Health System in Utica, NY (2025-2026)
Fellowship Institute & Location: General Surgery Residency
Other Education & Location / Comments: N/A
Recent Presentations & Publications: Martin, S. Transplant Tourism: How Legalizing A Compensation Scheme for Live Organ Donors Would Reduce the Donor Shortage. Presented at Arizona State University, Barrett The Honors College. April 2020.

Allison A. Soto, MD

Hometown: Santa Rosa, CA
Undergraduate School & Location: Saint Mary's College of California, Moraga, CA
Medical School & Location: University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Personal Interests: I enjoy outdoor adventuring such as snowboarding, hiking, and scuba diving. I value staying active and prioritizing personal fitness, and I find spending time socially with friends helps recharge and maintain my balance.
Professional Interests: My professional aspirations involve pursuing excellence in surgery with special interest in hepatobiliary and surgical oncology. I have passion for teaching and hope to integrate this in my future practice.
Fellowship Institute & Location: General Surgery Residency
Other Education & Location / Comments: NA
Recent Presentations & Publications: Publications Soto A, Spongberg C, Martinino A, Giovinazzo F. Exploring the Multifaceted Landscape of MASLD: A Comprehensive Synthesis of Recent Studies, from Pathophysiology to Organoids and Beyond. Biomedicines. 2024;12(2):397. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12020397 Martinino A, Campagnoli G, Dallavalle G, Soto A, et al. Investigating country-specific perceptions of predatory journals and their impact on scholarly integrity: A systematic review. Cureus. 2024;16(7):e64674. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.64674 Oral Presentations Survival Outcomes of Cytoreductive Surgery with HIPEC in Stage IV Colon Cancer: A NCDB Study. American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress, Chicago, 2025 Challenging Scenarios During Robotic-Assisted Cholecystectomy. XV Worldwide Congress in Robotic Surgery, Rome, 2024 Right Chest Approach for Robotic Thymectomy. XIV Worldwide Congress in Robotic Surgery, Chicago, 2023 Understanding Women’s Health Needs in Rural Belize. Chicago Global Health Conference, Chicago, 2024

NAVROOH KAUR, MD

Hometown: Ashland, Kentucky
Undergraduate School & Location: Aureus University School of Medicine, Aruba
Medical School & Location: Avalon University School of Medicine, Curacao
Personal Interests: Rock climbing, Watching anime, collecting fragrances.
Professional Interests: Immediate professional interest is to gain adequate experience to be a well competent and well skilled resident surgeon. I would love to mentor and teach students someday as well. Long term interests are to find a sub specialty of liking and practice in AZ as a surgeon.
Residency Institute & Location: Abrazo Health Network, Arrowhead campus, Glendale, AZ
Fellowship Institute & Location: General Surgery Residency
Other Education & Location / Comments: Finished High school from India
Recent Presentations & Publications: N/a

 

Alyssa Avalos, MD

Gabriel Avila, MD

Diego Cabrales, MD

Alexander Meraz, MD

Diego Cabrales, MD

Hometown: The Woodlands, TX
Undergraduate School & Location: Purdue University in West Lafayette Indiana
Medical School & Location: St. George's University in Grenada
Personal Interests: I enjoy playing soccer, watching animal documentaries, scuba diving, building LEGOs, traveling, cooking and watching videos on solving intricate sequential discovery puzzles, cardistry and magic.
Professional Interests: Open minded to all surgical specialties.
Fellowship Institute & Location: General Surgery Residency
Other Education & Location / Comments: N/A
Recent Presentations & Publications: N/A

Gabriel Avila, MD

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Undergraduate School & Location: University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles CA
Medical School & Location: St. George's University School of Medicine, Grenada
Personal Interests: Olympic weightlifting, snowboarding, and reading manga and manhwa.
Professional Interests: Trauma and acute care surgery
Residency Institute & Location: Abrazo Health Network, Phoenix AZ
Fellowship Institute & Location: General Surgery Residency
Other Education & Location / Comments: N/A
Recent Presentations & Publications: N/A

Alyssa Avalos, MD

Hometown: Quito, Ecuador
Undergraduate School & Location: Trinity University. San Antonio, TX
Medical School & Location: Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara. Guadalajara, MX.
Personal Interests: Baking, literature, musical theatre
Professional Interests: Research, cardiothoracic surgery
Residency Institute & Location: Abrazo Health Network. Glendale, AZ.
Fellowship Institute & Location: General Surgery Residency
Other Education & Location / Comments: N/A
Recent Presentations & Publications: THE EFFECT OF ANXIETY ON SUGAR-SEEKING BEHAVIOR IN RATS - Society for Neuroscience Large Pelvic Hemorrhage in a Chronically Nutrient-Deficient Patient - ACP

Alexander Meraz, MD, MMS

Hometown: Peoria, Arizona
Undergraduate School & Location: Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, Arizona
Medical School & Location: University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix Phoenix, AZ
Personal Interests: Family time, Orange Theory Fitness, Basketball, motorcycling, cooking
Professional Interests: Trauma surgery, Acute Care Surgery, Trauma/Surgical ICU, Palliative Care
Residency Institute & Location: Abrazo Arrowhead Campus Glendale, Arizona
Fellowship Institute & Location: General Surgery Residency
Other Education & Location / Comments: Masters of Medical Science at University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ
Recent Presentations & Publications: ICU Utilization on the Acute Care Surgery Service at Banner-University Medical Center Phoenix During the COVID Era Alexander Meraz MMS UACOM-P MS4, Paul Dabrowski, MD, Associate Clinical Professor, Surgery

 

 

Kaitlin Kaluzny, DO

Cheyenne McKee, MD

Amanda Phillips, MD

Jon Vimmerstedt, DO

 

Frederick Alt, DO

Jonathan Saavedra, MDJustin Shun, MDSean Wale, DO 


Florian Walter, DO

   

 

Justin Shun MD

Hometown: Oakland, CA
Undergraduate School & Location: UCI, California
Medical School & Location: RFUMS, Illinois
Personal Interests: Interested in traveling, food, and hanging with family!
Professional Interests: I am interested in pursuing MIS for fellowship.
Residency Institute & Location: Abrazo
Fellowship Institute & Location: General Surgery Residency
Other Education & Location / Comments: None
Recent Presentations & Publications: None

Jonathan C. Saavedra, MD

Hometown: Miami, FL
Undergraduate School & Location: Florida International Univeristy Miami, FL
Medical School & Location: American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine Cupecoy, Sint Maarten
Personal Interests: Golf, Cars, Legos
Professional Interests: Vascular surgery
Residency Institute & Location: Preliminary Surgery - Ascension Providence Detroit, MI General Surgery - Abrazo Health Network Glendale, AZ
Fellowship Institute & Location: General Surgery Residency
Other Education & Location / Comments: N/A
Recent Presentations & Publications: Poster Presented at: Abrazo Health Network Research Symposium; March 2025 Saavedra, J., Gupta, S., Kaluzny, K., Lipton, B. Evaluation of Diagnostic Confirmatory Tools Used in Patients with Choledocholithiasis Within the Abrazo Community Health System. Poster Presented at: Abrazo Health Network Research Symposium; March 2026 Saavedra, Jonathan; Pushnick, Alexander; Smith, Stephen T. Staged Resection of Bilateral Carotid Body Tumors: A Surgical Approach to a Rare Bilateral Presentation Poster Presented at: Abrazo Health Network Research Symposium; March 2026 Saavedra, Jonathan; Soto-Diaz, Fernanda P.; Zhubi, Ylli Sigmoid Malignancy Unmasked: A Rare Case of Sigmoid Intussusception Masquerading as Chronic Rectal Prolapse Saavedra, Jonathan; Zhubi, Ylli; Sigmoid Cancer Presenting as Rectal Prolapse: A Case of Intussusception Video Presentation at SAGES; March 2026 Are Vascular Surgery Expert Witnesses Actually Vascular Surgery Experts? Culhane JohnT, Saavedra Jonathan, Garcia-Neuer Marlene, Soh Ina, Meltzer Andrew. Accepted at VAM 2026

Sean Wale, DO

Hometown: La Habra, California
Undergraduate School & Location: Boise State University Boise, ID
Medical School & Location: Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine Meridian, ID
Personal Interests: Traveling with my wife and kids Boating and water sports Watching the Arsenal
Professional Interests: Minimally Invasive Surgery Hernias and Complex Abdominal Wall
Residency Institute & Location: Mountain Vista Medical Center Mesa, AZ Abrazo Health Phoenix, AZ
Fellowship Institute & Location: General Surgery Residency
Other Education & Location / Comments: n/a
Recent Presentations & Publications: -Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis for Acute Superior Mesenteric Artery Occlusion: A Case Report (https://www.cureus.com/articles/472343-catheter-directed-thrombolysis-for-acute-superior-mesenteric-artery-occlusion-a-case-report#!/) -Tracheal Mucormycosis After Duodenal Perforation: A Case Report -The Missing Link: The Rare Case of Congenital Absence of the Inferior Vena Cava

Frederick Alt DO

Hometown: Dubuque IA
Undergraduate School & Location: University of St. Thomas St. Paul, MN
Medical School & Location: Midwestern University Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine Glendale, AZ
Personal Interests: Dogs and pine trees
Professional Interests: Overall surgical competency
Residency Institute & Location: Abrazo Health Network, Abrazo Arrowhead Hospital Glendale, AZ
Fellowship Institute & Location: General Surgery Residency
Other Education & Location / Comments: MA Biomedical Sciences Midwestern University Glendale, AZ
Recent Presentations & Publications: None recent

Florian Walter, DO

Hometown: Here
Undergraduate School & Location: Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ
Medical School & Location: Midwestern University Downers Grove, IL
Personal Interests: TRAINS
Professional Interests: Minimally invasive surgery, foregut surgery
Residency Institute & Location: Conway Medical Center - Transitional year residency Conway, SC Abrazo Health - General surgery residency Phoenix, AZ
Fellowship Institute & Location: General Surgery Residency
Other Education & Location / Comments: N/A
Recent Presentations & Publications: N/A

 

 

 

Miguel Arasa, MD

Kareem Dannaoui, MD

Imran Hussain, DO


Paola Moran, MD		Cristhian Navarrete, MD

Miguel Alfredo Arasa, MD

Hometown: Weston, FL
Undergraduate School & Location: University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Medical School & Location: Frank H. Netter School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University, North Haven, CT
Residency Institute & Location: East Carolina University PGY-1, Greenville, NC
Abrazo Health Network, Phoenix, AZ
Fellowship Institute & Location: General Surgery Residency

Imran Hussain, DO

Hometown: Mesa, AZ
Undergraduate School & Location: Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ)
Medical School & Location: Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine at Midwestern University (Downers Grove, IL)
Personal Interests: Basketball, Fishing, Rescuing Golden Retrievers
Professional Interests: Trauma Surgery/Critical Care Surgery
Residency Institute & Location: Abrazo Health (Glendale, AZ)
Fellowship Institute & Location: General Surgery Residency
Other Education & Location / Comments: N/A
Recent Presentations & Publications: Direct Peritoneal Resuscitation

Kareem Dannaoui, MD

Hometown: Phoenix
Undergraduate School & Location: PVCC Phoenix,AZ
Medical School & Location: Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara
Personal Interests: BIKES!
Professional Interests: Trauma Hepatobiliary
Residency Institute & Location: Abrazo
Fellowship Institute & Location: General Surgery Residency

 

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