The Cook County Health Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency Program has eight residents and is an integral part of the hospital.

The OMFS outpatient clinic is one of the three busiest clinics in the hospital, treating on average 15,000 patients a year, also making it one of the top 10 busiest outpatient OMFS residency clinics in the nation.
OMFS plays a pivotal role in the care of emergency and trauma patients as well as providing valuable services to the community in the treatment of oral and maxillofacial pathology and disorders.  

Chief Residents 

  • Dr. Michael Ginzburg, University of Pennsylvania
  • Dr. Ali Al-Sammak, University of Pennsylvania
Third  Years 
  • Dr. Preston Banoub, Harvard University  
  • Dr. Emad Fard, University of Western Ontario
Second Years 
  • Dr. Jordan Elmowitz, University of Pittsburgh
  • Dr. Brian Cherny, University of Illinois Chicago
Medical School
  • Dr. Rahul Rajagopalan, University of Connecticut
  • Dr. George Rumman, University of Toronto
First Years 
  • Dr. Parth, Shah, University of Pennsylvania
  • Dr. Gregory Benz, University of Illinois Chicago
    2023
    • Dr. Ali Al-Qudsi,
    • Dr. Othman Rezki
    2022
    • Dr. Laila Malaki 
    • Dr. Sean Mogadam

    2021

    • Dr. Joseph Fanti
    • Dr. Wu Zheng 

    2020 

    • Dr. Mohamed Boukheir
    • Dr. Stephen Martin

    2019 

    • Dr. Taneenop Aramphongphan 
    • Dr. Anthony Elger 
      • Julie Laverdiere, DDS
      • Khaled Abughazaleh, DDS
      • Laila Malaki, DMD
      • Matthew Hamedani, DDS

          Program Overview

          Cook County Health accepts two residents for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) residency program. One position is for a four-year OMFS certificate track and the second is a 6-year, MD-integrated OMFS track. The program is fully accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).

          Residents will rotate with surgical and anesthesia services at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital and other affiliated hospital systems.

          Stroger Hospital of Cook County has a well-renowned Level-1 trauma center and one of the nation’s busiest emergency departments. During their training, residents will be exposed to a high volume of major operating room cases, outpatient OMFS procedures, and outpatient general anesthesia cases.

          Residents accepted in the MD-integrated OMFS track will obtain their medical degree from Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. The link will take you to their website for further information regarding the medical school.

          Application for Residency

          Cook County Health Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery participates in PASS/MATCH and has two residency positions. One position is for a four-year certificate and the other position is for a dual-degree MD position.  

          To be considered for a residency position with Cook County Health Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery: 

          • Submit an application through the American Dental Education Association through the ADEA PASS website 
          • Submit the following to ADEA PASS: 
            • Official dental school transcripts 
            • Official undergraduate transcripts 
            • CBSE examination results
            • Three letters of recommendation 
            • Copy of CV 
            • Tofel scores, if applicable 
            • ECE report for non-US transcripts 
            • 2×2 photo
          • You must meet the following requirements: 
            • Have passed Part I of the National Dental Board Examination 
            • Be a graduate of a U.S. or Canadian dental school or an equivalent program 
            • Be proficient in the English language 
            • Have taken the NBME CBSE examination 
          • Prior to enrollment in the program you: 
            • Must have passed Parts I and II of the National Dental Board Examination 
            • Must have earned a DMD/DDS. degree or an equivalent 
            • Must be eligible for an Illinois state dental license, temporary or permanent 
          Please contact Maire Leahy or Dr. Biraj Shah for any questions regarding the residency application.

          Application for Internship

          Cook County Health  Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery offers non-categorical paid internship positions.  

          To apply:  email mleahy2@cookcountyhhs.org  and CC: biraj.shah@cookcountyhhs.org.  

          Include the following:

          • CV 

          • CBSE score report 

          • Official dental school transcript  

          • Letter of recommendation

          • Any other supporting documents

          Applicants must meet the following requirements:  
          • Must be a graduate of a U.S. or Canadian dental school or an equivalent program  

          • Must be proficient in the English language  

          • Must have passed Parts I, II, and National Dental Board Examination  

          • Must have earned a DMD/DDS degree, or equivalent  

          • Must be eligible for state dental license; temporary or permanent Illinois license is required  

          Externships

          Cook County Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery offers a 1-4 week externship for those students interested in pursuing a career in oral and maxillofacial surgery. 

          During your time at Cook County you will be exposed to oral and maxillofacial surgery and will have the opportunity to and will be expected to participate in the following: 

          • Assisting in the operating room 

          • Daily rounds 

          • Consults in the emergency and trauma departments 

          • Work in the outpatient and diagnostic clinics 

          • Taking call with the residents 

          • Weekly seminars and lectures 

          To Apply 

          1. Contact Maire Leahy via mleahy2@cookcountyhhs.org. Send your name and requested dates for externship.  

          2. In the email, state that you are a student wishing to rotate with the department of oral and maxillofacial surgery and would like an application to rotate at John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County. When planning your schedule, please keep in mind that it takes time to apply and be accepted.  

          3. Send the following materials to our department via email as soon as possible: 

            • NBME/CBSE score report (if available) or NBDE/INBDE report 

            • A letter of good standing from your Dean 

            • CV 

            • Class rank, if applicable 

            • Proof of malpractice insurance. If your school does not offer this service, many companies will temporarily cover you for a couple of weeks for a small fee. We do not recommend anyone. 

          Clinical Schedule

          Four-Year Certificate Track

          Year One 
          Year Two 
          Year Three 
          Year Four 

            Six-Year MD Track

            Year One 
            • Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery– 11 months 
            • Must pass USMILE Step I prior to starting medical school in June

            Year Two 
            Year Three
            Year Four 
            • Anesthesia
            • Pediatric Anesthesia  
            • General Surgery and other surgical specialty rotation
            Year Five
            • Surgical subspecialty rotation
            • Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
            Year 6
            • Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

            Scope of Training

            • Cleft Lip & Palate

            • Craniofacial Surgery

            • Dental Implants/Zygomatic Implants

            • Dentoalveolar Surgery with Local or General Ambulatory Anesthesia

            • Facial Cosmetic Surgery

            • Facial Reconstructive Surgery

            • Facial Trauma Surgery

            • Management of Head & Neck Infections

            • Management of Oral and Head & Neck Cancers

            • Microneurosurgery

            • Microvascular Reconstructive Surgery

            • Obstructive Sleep Apnea Surgery

            • Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology / Tumors

            • Orthognathic Surgery

            • Outpatient Anesthesia

            • Pre-Prosthetic Surgery

            • Management of Temporomandibular Joint Disorder

            Benefits

            Program Contact

            Biraj M. Shah, DDS, MD
            Program Director, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency
            312-864-0395
            Email

            Maire Leahy, MHA
            Program Coordinator
            (312) 864-0395
            Email

            Maria Rodriguez, OMFS Student Extern Coordinator
            312-864-3202
            Email

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