2027 Chief Residents with Drs. Fields and Qi
2027 Chief Residents
Caitlin Cook, M.D.
Administrative Chief Resident
Caitlin was born in Virginia and spent a portion of her childhood living in rural outback Alice Springs, Australia. She graduated from the University of Virginia where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology and a minor in Bioethics. She moved to New Orleans and started her medical training at Tulane University School of Medicine where she met her husband, Charlie, who currently works as a critical care paramedic in Rochester. During residency, Caitlin completed one year of dedicated research time which largely focused on trauma and emergency general surgery, as well as trauma center community outreach and engagement. Her family welcomed their first daughter, Carter, during residency. Caitlin is interested in trauma critical care and will be completing a two-year trauma/ACS fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania. Her favorite activities include spending time with and cooking for her family, visiting local wineries, and hosting the annual residency Friendsgiving event.
Yeu Sanz (Sam) Wu, M.D.
Administrative Chief Resident
Sam was born and raised on Long Island, New York. She graduated from Cornell University and earned a BA in Chemistry and Chemical Biology. Following her undergraduate studies, she spent three years working in a cardiothoracic transplant and interventional cardiology research lab at New York Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center prior to attending medical school at Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, where she was inducted into both the Alpha Omega Alpha and Gold Humanism Honor Societies. She began General Surgery residency at the University of Rochester in 2020 and spent two years at New York Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center working on clinical outcomes research in pediatric surgery resulting in multiple publications and presentations at national conferences. She will be headed back to New York Presbyterian/Columbia Medical Center for a fellowship in Pediatric Surgery. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband, cat, and family, exploring new cafes and markets, traveling, baking, and reading.
Jose Aldana, M.D.
Jose Aldana was born and raised in Trujillo, Venezuela. He earned his medical degree from the University of Carabobo in Valencia and completed his general surgery residency in Caracas before moving to the United States. At Washington University in St. Louis, Jose pursued outcomes and basic science research in trauma and acute care surgery. His work included helping develop a rabbit model of hemorrhagic shock to investigate field resuscitation using artificial erythrocytes. He subsequently completed two preliminary years of general surgery training at Washington University before joining the University of Rochester, where he will complete his general surgery residency. In 2027, Jose will continue his surgical training at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) as a fellow in Vascular Surgery. His journey through surgical training across two countries has been unconventional, shaped by persistence, resilience, and a willingness to take on challenging problems. His experiences have given him a broad perspective on medicine and surgery and reinforced his commitment to caring for critically ill patients. Outside of surgery, Jose enjoys staying active through hiking, running, and biking. He is also an avid traveler and enjoys cooking—particularly Italian food.
Sameer Khan, M.D.
He was born and raised in Karachi, Pakistan, and completed his medical education at Aga Khan University. Following medical school, he joined the Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), where he conducted research on artificial womb technology, including the Biobag system developed to support extremely premature infants. His work focused on understanding this innovative approach to supporting fetal development outside the uterus, with the goal of providing a safer bridge for infants born at the limits of viability while reducing the complications associated with conventional mechanical ventilation. He subsequently joined the University of Pennsylvania, where he completed two years of preliminary general surgery training before joining the University of Rochester to complete his general surgery residency. He is particularly interested in surgical critical care and acute care surgery and will be joining Loma Linda University for a fellowship in Surgical Critical Care and Acute Care Surgery. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family, exploring local hiking trails, and making the most of the outdoors.
Anthony Loria, M.D.
Anthony was born and raised in Arlington, Virginia. He earned his bachelor’s degree from George Mason University before completing his MD at the VCU School of Medicine. He then moved to Rochester to complete his general surgery residency at the University of Rochester. Following residency, Anthony plans to pursue fellowship training in Colon and Rectal Surgery, with a particular interest in the surgical management of inflammatory bowel disease. Outside of medicine, he enjoys spending time with his wife and their two children, as well as fishing and enjoying the outdoors.
Simon Shin, M.D.
Simon was born in Seattle, Washington. He earned his Bachelor of Science in biochemistry at the University of Washington. After spending 2 years working in the research lab at the Seattle Children’s Research Institute, he attended the University of Nebraska Medical Center and completed an MD/PhD program. He began his general surgery residency at the University of Rochester in 2022 and developed a growing interest in complex hernias. He will be starting his fellowship in MIS/Abdominal Wall Reconstruction at the Washington University in St. Louis in 2027. Outside of work, Simon enjoys working out at the local gym and exploring new playgrounds with his wife and three daughters..