Urology

The Cook County Urology Residency program leverages a rich heritage of fulfilling our mission and serving the citizens of Cook County, while simultaneously advancing the frontiers of urological surgery.
Program Contact
Maire Leahy, MHA
Program Coordinator and Student Rotations Point of Contact
(312) 864-0395
[email protected]
Patricia Vidal, MD
Urology Residency Program Director
(312) 864-5215
[email protected]

Quick Links

About

Our mission is to develop physicians who are empathetic and competent in their care of urologic patients by acquisition of medical knowledge and surgical skills primarily through didactics, direct patient experience, and compassionate supervision in a five-year urban training program.

In alignment with our hospital mission, we immerse the residents in the care of a diverse, vulnerable underserved patient population and focus on high quality care/reduction of urologic disease disparities.

Ultimately the program aspires to produce autonomous and competent surgeons who are life-long learners who will excel in an academic or clinical setting and be leaders as well as models of professionalism in the field of urology.

Application

To apply: OneAAMC | Sign in

Curriculum

PGY-1

  • Our residents spend 5 months on the Urology Service and the other 7 months off-service doing rotations in General Surgery, Interventional Radiology, Trauma, and Plastic Surgery, Surgical Critical Care
  • While on Urology, our residents help with management of inpatients consults, starting to work on their surgical procedure skills while rotating at Provident Hospital, and working on clinic-based procedures

 

PGY-2

  • Our residents spend the entire second year on the Urology Service at John. H Stroger Hospital
  • The year is spent managing inpatient consults, mastering clinic-based procedures, working on endoscopic skills, and rotating on the Pediatric Urology Service

 

PGY-3

  • 8 months at John H. Stroger Hospital
    • While at John H. Stroger Hospital, our residents master their endoscopic skills with more complex endoscopic surgeries, and start working on their open surgery skills within General Urology, FPMRS, Urologic Oncology Surgery
  • 4 months at Christ Hospital
    • While at Christ Hospital, our residents manage inpatient consults and spend time in the OR working on perfecting their General Urology skills, and working with specialists in Robotic Surgery and FPMRS

 

PGY-4

  • 6 months at John H. Stroger Hospital
    • While at John H. Stroger Hospital, PGY-4s continue mastering their open and Robotic surgical skills, scrubbing in on complex Oncologic and Reconstructive cases
  • 4 months at Christ Hospital
    • While at Christ Hospital, our residents continue perfecting their General Urology skills, and working with specialists in Robotic Surgery and FPMRS
  • 2 months at Northwestern University Memorial Hospital
    • Typically, our residents spend their time at Northwestern rotating on elective working with specialists in male sexual, endocrine and reproductive health

 

PGY-5

  • 6 months at John H. Stroger Hospital
    • During the 6 months at Stroger, our PGY-5s are the chiefs, overseeing the Urology Service. Additionally, they continue to master their Robotic, Oncologic and Reconstructive surgery skills
  • 6 months at Christ
    • During the 6 months at Christ, our PGY-5s are the chiefs, overseeing the Urology Service. Additionally, they continue to master their Robotic, Oncologic and Reconstructive surgery skills

Faculty

Dr. Courtney Hollowell
Chairman of Urology
Medical School: University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago
Residency: University of Chicago
Fellowship: University of Chicago in Urologic Oncology
Interests: Oncology, Reconstructive Surgery

Dr. Patricia Vidal
Program Director
Medical School: University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria
Residency: University of Illinois at Chicago
Interests: Prostate Cancer, Penile Cancer, General Urology

Dr. John Houston
Medical School: Yale University School of Medicine
Residency: Baylor College of Medicine
Fellowship: Northwestern University in Pediatric Urology
Interests: Pediatric Urology, Reconstructive Surgery

Dr. Mark Wille
Medical School: University of Chicago School of Medicine
Residency: University of Chicago
Interests: Endourology, General Urology

Dr. Traci Beck
Medical School: University of Pittsburg Medical College
Residency: University of Chicago
Fellowship: Cedar Sinai in Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery
Interests: Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery

Dr. Ryan Dobbs
Medical School: Emory University
Residency: University of Illinois at Chicago
Fellowship: University of Pennsylvania in Minimally Invasive Surgery
Interests: Robotic Surgery, Endourology, Reconstructive Surgery

Dr. Florian Stroie
Medical School: Midwestern University Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: Cook County Health
Fellowship: University of South Florida in Andrology and Sexual Medicine
Interests: Men’s Sexual Health

Current Residents

Chief Residents, PGY-5

Jonathan Alcantar
Hometown: Arroyo Grande, CA
Undergrad: Princeton University
Medical School: University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago
Interests: Endourology, Men’s Health, addressing health disparities and promoting health equity
Hobbies: Exploring Chicago’s food scene, biking/running around the city, planning out vacations, NBA

Nkiruka Odeluga
Hometown: Bay Area, CA
Undergrad: University of California Santa Barbara
Medical School: Western University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Interests: Reconstructive Surgery
Hobbies: House plant enthusiast, theater, baking

PGY-4

Alina Gandrabur
Hometown: Queens, NY
Undergrad: Fordham University
Medical School: University of Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine
Interest: Reconstructive surgery, minimally invasive surgery
Hobbies: Traveling, tennis, trying new restaurants, spending time with friends and family

Faris Najdawi
Hometown: Sioux City, IO
Undergrad: University of Iowa
Medical School: Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Interests: General Urology, Oncology, Reconstructive surgery
Hobbies: Skiing, snowboarding, soccer, basketball

PGY-3

Emily Hahn
Hometown: Columbus, OH
Undergrad: The Ohio State University
Medical School: Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine
Interests: Andrology, Pediatrics
Hobbies: Cooking, teaching her puppy new dog tricks, hiking, spending time with family

Brandon Piyevsky
Hometown: Cleveland, OH
Undergrad: Northwestern University
Medical School: Wright State University
Interests: Robotic, Reconstructive Surgery
Hobbies: Cooking, seeing live music, mixology

PGY-2

Mustafa Farooqi
Hometown: Lisle, IL
Undergrad: University of Illinois at Chicago
Medical School: Rosalind Franklin Chicago Medical School
Interests: Robotic Surgery, Urologic Oncology, Men’s Health
Hobbies: Playing basketball, watching Chicago Bears football, spending time with family and friends, trying new restaurants

Samuel Lassiter
Hometown: Denver, CO
Undergrad: University of Colorado, Boulder
Medical School: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
Interests: Andrology, Robotics/Minimally Invasive Surgery
Hobbies: Rock-climbing, triathlons/marathons, skiing, hiking, knitting

PGY-1

Paul Bojrab
Hometown: Fort Wayne, IN
Undergrad: Purdue University Fort Wayne
Medical School: Indiana University School of Medicine
Interests: Robotics, reconstructive surgery
Hobbies: Spending time at the lake, video games, trying different foods, traveling

Natalie Mainland
Hometown: Oak Creek, WI
Undergrad: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Medical School: University of Toledo College of Medicine
Interests: General urology
Hobbies: Travel, writing, martial arts, trying different soft-serve ice cream


Where Are Our Alumni Now

Class of 2025
– Private Practice in San Diego, CA
– Fellowship in Reconstructive Surgery at Baylor Scott and White Center in Fort Worth, TX
— Hospital employment in Orlando, FL

Class of 2024
– Private Practice in Bronx, NY
– Fellowship: Male Reproductive Medicine and Surgery Fellowship at Stanford University
— Hospital employment in Bay Area, CA

Class of 2023
– Private Practice in Phoenix, AZ
– Private Practice in Maui, HI

Class of 2022
– Private Practice in Colorado Spring, CO
– Fellowship in Andrology and Sexual Medicine at University of South Florida    — Academic Urology in Chicago, IL

Class of 2021
– Private Practice in Pittsburgh, PA
– Private Practice in Westchester, NY

Class of 2020
– Private Practice in El Paso, TX
– Fellowship in Robotic and Minimally Invasive Surgery at University of Southern California
—  Private Practice in Phoenix, AZ

Class of 2019
– Private Practice in Los Alamitos, CA
– Fellowship in Andrology and Infertility at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN
— Private Practice in Rockford, IL

Class of 2018
– Academic Practice in Bronx, NY
– Private Practice at Kaiser Permanente in Tacoma, WA

Sites

AUA - Home - American Urological Association (auanet.org)

Society of Academic Urologists | Home (sauweb.org)

For Sub-I Medical Students

  • We accept fourth year medical students who are interested in doing a Sub-I rotation at Cook County Health between July till the end of September
  • If you are interested in rotating with us and learning more about out program, please visit: Cookcountyhealth.org - under Education & Research and click on Medical Student Rotations and then email completed forms to our Program Coordinator Maire Leahy [email protected]

PGY-1

  • Our residents spend 5 months on the Urology Service and the other 7 months off-service doing rotations in General Surgery, Interventional Radiology, Trauma, and Plastic Surgery, Surgical Critical Care
  • While on Urology, our residents help with management of inpatients consults, starting to work on their surgical procedure skills while rotating at Provident Hospital, and working on clinic-based procedures

PGY-2

  • Our residents spend the entire second year on the Urology Service at John H. Stroger Hospital
  • The year is spent managing inpatient consults, mastering clinic-based procedures, working on endoscopic skills, and rotating on the Pediatric Urology Service

PGY-3

  • 8 months at John H. Stroger Hospital
    • While at John H. Stroger Hospital, our residents master their endoscopic skills with more complex endoscopic surgeries, and start working on their open surgery skills within General Urology, FPMRS, Urologic Oncology Surgery
  • 4 months at Christ Hospital
    • While at Christ Hospital, our residents manage inpatient consults and spend time in the OR working on perfecting their General Urology skills, and working with specialists in Robotic Surgery and FPMRS

PGY-4

  • 6 months at John H. Stroger Hospital
    • While at John H. Stroger Hospital, PGY-4s continue mastering their open and Robotic surgical skills, scrubbing in on complex Oncologic and Reconstructive cases
  • 4 months at Christ Hospital
    • While at Christ Hospital, our residents continue perfecting their General Urology skills, and working with specialists in Robotic Surgery and FPMRS
  • 2 months at Northwestern University Memorial Hospital
    • Typically, our residents spend their time at Northwestern rotating on elective working with specialists in male sexual, endocrine and reproductive health

PGY-5

  • 6 months at John H. Stroger Hospital
    • During the 6 months at Stroger, our PGY-5s are the chiefs, overseeing the Urology Service. Additionally, they continue to master their Robotic, Oncologic and Reconstructive surgery skills
  • 6 months at Christ
    • During the 6 months at Christ, our PGY-5s are the chiefs, overseeing the Urology Service. Additionally, they continue to master their Robotic, Oncologic and Reconstructive surgery skills

Dr. Courtney Hollowell
Chairman of Urology

  • Medical School: University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago
  • Residency: University of Chicago
  • Fellowship: University of Chicago in Urologic Oncology
  • Interests: Oncology, Reconstructive Surgery


Dr. Patricia Vidal
Program Director

  • Medical School: University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria
  • Residency: University of Illinois at Chicago
  • Interests: Prostate Cancer, Penile Cancer, General Urology


Dr. John Houston

  • Medical School: Yale University School of Medicine
  • Residency: Baylor College of Medicine
  • Fellowship: Northwestern University in Pediatric Urology
  • Interests: Pediatric Urology, Reconstructive Surgery


Dr. Mark Wille

  • Medical School: University of Chicago School of Medicine
  • Residency: University of Chicago
  • Interests: Endourology, General Urology


Dr. Traci Beck

  • Medical School: University of Pittsburg Medical College
  • Residency: University of Chicago
  • Fellowship: Cedar Sinai in Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery
  • Interests: Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery


Dr. Ryan Dobbs

  • Medical School: Emory University
  • Residency: University of Illinois at Chicago
  • Fellowship: University of Pennsylvania in Minimally Invasive Surgery
  • Interests: Robotic Surgery, Endourology, Reconstructive Surgery


Dr. Florian Stroie

  • Medical School: Midwestern University Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine
  • Residency: Cook County Health
  • Fellowship: University of South Florida in Andrology and Sexual Medicine
  • Interests: Men’s Sexual Health
Urology

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