General Surgery Residency

About

The University of Hawai’i Surgical Residency Program is an approved five-year general surgery training program accredited by the ACGME. The Program operates in an integrated and affiliated community hospital system in which patients are treated by University Faculty and University-affiliated, Private Surgical Attending Physicians with Clinical Faculty appointments. The training of all Surgical Residents takes place primarily in four Honolulu community hospitals.

During the first two years, residents complete a series of required rotations which prepare them to either continue their training in general surgery or in a surgical subspecialty. Throughout their five years of training, residents will have increasing responsibility for surgical care, culminating in their chief year, when they will assume total responsibility for patient care and administration of a surgical team.

In 1949, The Queen’s program was approved for three years of training and over the next ten years graduated one Chief Resident every year. During the 1950s one and two-year residencies in General Surgery were established at St. Francis and Kuakini Medical Centers. In 1959, largely as a result of favorable recommendations made by site visitor surgeons, the Conference Committee on Residency Training approved the Surgical Program at The Queen’s Medical Center for four years. In 1961, The Queen’s Medical Center joined with St. Francis Medical Center and Kuakini Medical Center, inaugurating the Integrated Surgical Residency Training Program. Residents rotated on services in all three hospitals, coming under the tutelage of a number of capable surgical teachers in both general surgery and subspecialties.

In 1972, as the University of Hawai’i John A. Burns School of Medicine grew and prospered, it gave impetus to the Residency Training Program and eventually assumed responsibility for the Program as the Institutional Sponsor. The first Professor of Surgery and first Program Director was Dr. Richard Mamiya who was instrumental in raising the number of residents to 20 and incorporating Straub Clinic and Hospital, Kauikeolani Children’s Hospital, and Kaiser Hospital into the integrated program. In 1972, the name of the residency program was changed to the University of Hawai’i Surgical Residency Program.


Program Directors
Dr. Richard Mamiya (1972-1974), Dr. Thomas Whelan, Jr. (1974-1990), Dr. J. Judson McNamara (1991-1998), Dr. George McPheeters (1998-2002), Dr. Danny Takanishi (2002-2015), Dr. Kenric Murayama (2015-2023). As of January 1, 2024, Dr. Chad Cryer became Program Director.

The Surgical Residency Program seeks to prepare Residents to become surgeons of the highest caliber by providing a rich educational experience in a variety of clinical settings. The three main program components – curriculum, research, and service – are structured to enable the resident to acquire the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and clinical judgment needed for the practice of general surgery.

Faculty & Staff

There are approximately 30 academic faculty, and 150 private surgical attending physicians appointed as clinical faculty members. In addition to the Directors of Surgical Education (DSE), there are division chiefs for anesthesiology, ENT, emergency medicine, neurosurgery, ophthalmology, orthopaedic surgery, pediatric surgery, plastic surgery, radiology, surgical critical care, surgical research, thoracic, transplant, trauma, urology, and vascular surgery. Faculty to Resident Ratio is 1.0:1.4. Learn more about our Department of Surgery Faculty here:

Chad Cryer, MD, FACS
Assistant Professor of Surgery

Program Director

Dean Mikami, MD, FACS
Interim Chair of Surgery and Associate Chair of Clinical Affairs

Associate Program Director

Christina Wai, MD, FACS
Associate Professor of Surgery

Associate Program Director

Riley Kitamura, MD, FACS
Assistant Professor of Surgery

Director of Surgical Education at The Queen’s Medical Center – West O’ahu

Elna Masuda, MD
Assistant Professor of Surgery

Director of Surgical Education at Straub Medical Center

Jason Spiker, MD
Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgery

Director of Surgical Education at Kuakini Medical Center

Susan Steinemann, MD, FACS
Professor of Surgery

Director of Surgical Education at The Queen’s Medical Center – Punchbowl

Designated Institutional Official at the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine

Russell Woo, MD, FACS
Professor of Surgery

Director of Surgical Education at Kapi’olani Medical Center for Women and Children

Program Details

Rotation Schedule

The training of all Surgical Residents takes place primarily in five Honolulu community Hospitals: The Queen’s Medical Center Punchbowl (Manamana), The Queen’s Medical Center West O’ahu, Straub Benioff Medical Center, Kuakini Medical Center, and Kapi’olani Medical Center for Women and Children. Residents will also rotate at North Hawai’i Community Hospital located on Hawai’i Island (Big Island) during their PGY 3-4 years.

Typical Rotations (Subject to Change)

Ìý PGY1 PGY2 PGY3 PGY4 PGY5
QMC Punchbowl (Manamana)
General Surgery 6 Blocks 3-4 Blocks 4-5 Blocks 3-4 Blocks 6 Blocks
ACS/Trauma 2-3 Blocks 2-3 Blocks 1-2 Blocks 2 Blocks
Surgical ICU 1 Block 2 Blocks 1 Block
Night Float 2-3 Blocks 2 Blocks 1 Block
QMC West O’ahu
General Surgery 2 Blocks 1 Block
Straub Benioff Medical Center
General Surgery 2-3 Blocks
Vascular Surgery 1 Block 1-2 Blocks
Kuakini Medical Center
General Surgery 2-3 Blocks 3 Blocks
Kapi’olani Medical Center for Women and Children
Pediatric Surgery 1 Block 1 Block
North Hawaii Community Hospital
Rural Service 1 Block 1 Block
Elective Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý
Ìý 1 Block

The Queen’s Medical Center – Punchbowl (Manamana), located in downtown Honolulu is a private, non-profit, acute medical care facility. It is the largest private hospital in Hawaii, licensed to operate with 505 acute care beds and 28 sub-acute beds. The medical center has more than 3,000 employees and over 1,200 physicians on staff. As the leading medical referral center in the Pacific Basin, Queen’s offers a comprehensive range of primary and specialized care services. Queen’s is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and affiliated with VHA Inc., the national health care alliance. Queen’s serves as the primary training site for the Surgical Residency Program and its Surgical Critical Care Fellowship. Surgical Residents also rotate at QMC for a number of Electives.

The Queen’s Medical Center – West O’ahu is the newest member of The Queen’s Health Systems family of companies. This 104-bed hospital offer a wide array of primary and specialty care services provided by a dedicated team of health care providers. From outpatient specialties like gastroenterology, wound care, neurology, surgery, cardiology, cancer care and after hours care for children, to preventive screenings like mammograms and colon cancer screenings, Queen’s West Oahu continues to grow with the community and bring more advanced health services closer to home for Central and West Oahu families.

Straub Benioff Medical Center was founded in 1921. It is a fully integrated nonprofit health care system with a 159-bed hospital in Honolulu, a network of neighborhood clinics and a visiting specialist program that reaches throughout the state of Hawai’i. With 200 employed or contracted physicians who are leaders in their fields, Straub provides its patients with expert diagnoses and treatments for more than 32 different medical specialties, including bone and joint, heart, cancer, endocrinology /diabetes, family medicine, gastroenterology, geriatric medicine, internal medicine, women’s health, vascular and urology. Straub is home to the Pacific Region’s only multi-disciplinary burn treatment center.

Kuakini Medical Center is a teaching hospital with accredited programs in medical residency, surgical residency and geriatric fellowship under the John A. Burns School of Medicine. It is a non-profit organization licensed by the Department of Health for 40 SNF (Skilled Nursing Facility) Beds, 147 ICF (Intermediate Care Facility) Beds, and 34 residential care home beds. Kuakini Medical Center is also the eighth largest private acute care hospital in Hawaii.

Kapi’olani Medical Center for Women & Children (KMCWC) has played a vital role in the health of Hawaii’s women and children. Today, as the state’s only specialty hospital, Kapi’olani is well recognized as Hawaii’s leader in the care of women and children. It is also a major training facility for the University of Hawai’i, John A. Burns School of Medicine’s Pediatric and Ob/Gyn residency programs.

Application

Applications must be made through the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). Only complete applications will be considered for review. The latest date applications will be accepted is December 1. 

It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all required documents are submitted. The following documents are needed to complete your application:

  • Standard ERAS Application (All PGY-1 positions are filled through the NRMP. Please include your NRMP number on your ERAS application. We cannot list anyone on our rank list if we do not have your NRMP number.)
  • Personal Statement
  • At least 3 letters of recommendation
  • Dean’s Letter
  • Medical School transcript
  • Transcript of all USMLE scores (see NBME.org for information on requesting transcripts)
  • ECFMG certification, if applicable

Due to the large number of applications we receive each year, all applications are screened by the Selection Committee and interviews are by invitation only. Applicants invited for an interview will be notified by email. Currently, all interviews are conducted virtually. We do not offer in-person or hybrid interviews.

Additional information about the program can be found in the , our program ID number is 4401421085. Here you will find more information regarding application deadlines, interview periods, USMLE requirements, work schedule, and more.

More Information for Prospective Residents
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information on drug testing requirements

Residents in 2024-2025

Level 5 Chief Residents

Jessica Kieu, MD
Hometown: Wichita, KS
University of Missouri – Kansas City

Scott Marison, Jr., MD
Hometown: Honolulu, HI
University of Hawai’i John A. Burns School of Medicine

Jared Su, MD
Hometown: Irvine, CA
Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University

Motohisa Tsuruta, MD
Hometown: Miyazaki, Japan
Saga University Faculty of Medicine

(L-R) Drs. Motohisa Tsuruta, Jessica Kieu, Jared Su, Scott Marison, Jr.

Level 4 Residents

Kameko Karasaki, MD, MS
Hometown: Kailua, HI

University of Hawai’i John A. Burns School of Medicine

Andrew Malaney, MD
Hometown: Findlay, OH

Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine

Kiyonari Noguchi, MD

University of Hawai’i John A. Burns School of Medicine

Amelia Wong, DO
Hometown: Stanford, CA

Western University of Health Sciences


Level 3 Residents

Rachel Contopoulos, DO
Hometown: Oakland, CA

Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Sylvia Koo, MD
Hometown: Honolulu, HI

University of Hawai’i John A. Burns School of Medicine

Nicholas Lin, MD
Hometown: Chino Hills, CA

Wake Forest University School of Medicine

Amy Liu, MD

Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine

Natalie Rodriguez, MD, MS
Hometown: Alhambra, CA

University of Illinois at Chicago


Level 2 Residents

Alexander Cong, MD
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA

Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Royce Kwon, MD


University of Hawai’i John A. Burns School of Medicine

Kasey Tamamoto, MD
Hometown: Kailua, HI

University of Hawai’i John A. Burns School of Medicine

Sarah Yager, MD
Hometown: Pryor, MT

Washington State University College of Medicine

Rhuyan Zhang, MD

University of Utah School of Medicine


Level 1 Residents

Shirley Cheng, MD
Hometown: Honolulu, HI

University of Hawai’i John A. Burns School of Medicine

Anthony Ma, MD
Hometown: Arcadia, CA

California Northstate University College of Medicine

Hidenori Maki, MD
Hometown: Kanagawa, Japan

University of Tokushima School of Medicine

Andrea Thi, MD

University of Nevada Las Vegas School of Medicine

Nathaniel Villanueva, MD
Hometown: Richmond, BC, Canada

University of Hawai’i John A. Burns School of Medicine

Graduates of Our Program

Surgical Residency Program 1980-1981

Fellowships and practices after graduating from our program:

2024 Graduates
H. Akin Erol, MD – Surgical Critical Care Fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, followed by Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship at the University of Kentucky
Dylan Goto, MD – Advanced Therapeutic Endoscopy and Gastrointestinal Surgery Fellowship at The Ohio State University
Larry Hromalik, Jr., MD – Acute Care Surgery Fellowship Program at The Ohio State University

2023 Graduates
Yuen-Jing Alexis Chen, MD – Practice in La Grange, Illinois
Matthew Kawahara, MD – Vascular Surgery Fellowship at Beaumont Health at Royal Oak
Reid Sakamoto, MD – Complex GI and Foregut Surgical Fellowship at Providence Portland Medical Center
Farris Serio, DO – Surgical Critical Care Fellowship at Oregon Health and Sciences University

2022 Graduates
Kliment Bozhilov, MD
– Stanford Abdominal Transplant Fellowship at Stanford Medical Center
Simon Che, MD – Minimally Invasive Surgery Research at Northshore University
Reid Mahoney, MD – Vascular Surgery Fellowship at Oregon Health & Science University

2021 Graduates
Kyrillos Awad, DO
– Surgical Critical Care Fellowship at Virginia Tech Carilion
Andrew Mueller, MD – Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship at Creighton University
Vincent Nip, MD – Surgical Critical Care Fellowship at the University of Kansas

2020 Graduates
Colin Doyle, MD
– Private practice in Honolulu, Hawaii (Completed Surgical Critical Care Fellowship at the University of Hawaii)
Brian Hodgens, MD – Advanced GI MIS Fellowship at Keck School of Medicine of USC
Ashley Marumoto, MD – Breast Oncology Fellowship at Cedars-Sinai
M. Krishna Rao, MD, MPH – Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship at Ohio Health Grant Medical Center
John Vossler, MD, MBA – Thoracic Surgery Fellowship at the University of Utah School of Medicine

2019 Graduates
Aaron Brown, MD
– Private practice in Wheatland, Wyoming
Judi Ramiscal, MD – Surgical Oncology Fellowship at John Wayne Cancer Institute at Providence St. John’s Health Center
Hung Truong, MD – Minimally Invasive Surgery Fellowship at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Benefits & Salary

summary of salary & benefits

Contact

University of Hawai’i Surgical Residency Program
1356 Lusitana Street 6th Floor, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Program Administrator: Lori Bland
Email: surgery@hawaiiresidency.org
Phone: (808) 586-2920 | Fax: (808) 586-3022

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