Who We Are
About the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery at UMass Chan Medical School
Director’s message
The Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship at UMass Chan Medical School is a one-year fellowship accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. The fellowship received initial accreditation in 2011 and matriculated our first fellow in 2012. Eligible candidates must have completed an ACGME-accredited general surgery residency and be eligible for the American Board of Surgery qualifying and certifying exams. The Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery in the Department of Surgery comprises five board-certified colon and rectal surgeons, three nurse practitioners, and an inpatient physician assistant. Division faculty are very active in the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons and hold leadership positions within the society. Several faculty are on the editorial board of the society’s primary journal Diseases of the Colon and Rectum. The fellow will gain knowledge, experience and expertise in the management of the essential components of anorectal and major abdominal surgery, endoscopy and office management of common anorectal conditions during the year-long clinical fellowship. The fellow will also gain significant experience in advanced minimally invasive approaches, including Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery (TEM), robotic assisted approaches, and Transanal TME (TaTME). In addition to the diverse clinical experience, the fellow will be expected to engage in scholarly activity, including completion of a clinical research project culminating in submission of a completed manuscript. This research experience is supported through the division by the Colon and Rectal Surgery Research Core comprising the four faculty members; a fully funded research resident; a clinical research coordinator; a data analyst; and a statistician. The overall aim of the fellowship is to graduate well-rounded surgeons and leaders who will advance the field of colon and rectal surgery through research and investigation.
Karim Alavi, MD
Associate Professor of Surgery
Director, Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship
Director, Department of Surgery Research Core
Mission
Our four-part mission statement encompasses the goals of the UMass Memorial Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery at UMass Chan Medical School and UMass Memorial Medical Center:
- Providing exceptional, state-of-the-art care for our patients
- Educating medical students, residents and practicing physicians
- Advancing the field of colorectal surgery through research and investigation
- Serving as an educational resource and advocate for the Central Massachusetts community
Faculty
- Justin A. Maykel, MD, Division Chief
- Karim Alavi, MD, MPH, Program Director
- Paul R. Sturrock, MD
- Tess H. Aulet, MD, Associate Program Director
- Thomas Peponis, MD
Coordinator
Physician extenders
Katelyn Stickney, FNP, clinical coordinator
Dorcas Taylor, FNP
Tiffany Vo, PA
Jennifer Guertin, PA
Current Fellow
Carlos Fairen Oro, MD
Our current fellow, Carlos Feiren Oro, MD grew up in the sunny city of Valencia, Spain where he obtained his MD degree at the University of Valencia. He moved to the United States after graduation and matched into residency at John Hopkins Hospital where he did his first 2 years of general surgery residency and finished his training at Boston University Medial Center. He joined UMass as the colon and rectal surgery fellow in August 2025. Dr. Fairen's mission is to provide excellent care and improve access to vulnerable populations. His research has been focused on social determinants of health and disparities in colorectal surgery. His work has been puplished in multiple high impact journals including Diseases of Colon and Rectum (DCR) and presented in multiple national meetings. He is a member of the Excellence, Empowerment and Accessibility (EEA) committee at ASCRS. He is also an avid padel player, a racquet sport that he has been playing for 20 years.
Alumni
|
Name |
Residency |
Current Location |
|
Jennifer S. Davids, MD 2013 Graduate |
Brigham and Women’s Hospital |
System Chief, Colon and Rectal Surgery at Boston Medical Center Health System |
|
Erica B. Sneider, MD 2014 Graduate |
UMass Chan Medical School |
Colon and Rectal Surgical: A Division of ProHEALTH Care, Lake Success, New York |
|
Pasithorn Suwanabol, MD 2015 Graduate |
University of Wisconsin |
Assistant professor of surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan |
|
Andrew T. Schlussel, DO 2016 Graduate |
Tripler Army Medical Center |
Assistant professor of surgery, Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, Washington |
|
Uma Phatak, MD 2017 Graduate |
University of Texas at Houston |
Assistant professor of surgery, University of Texas, Galveston, Texas |
|
Cristina Harnsberger, MD 2018 Graduate |
University of California San Diego |
Sansum Clinic Multi-Specialty Clinic, Santa Barbara, California |
|
Clayton Tyler Ellis, MD 2019 Graduate |
University of North Carolina |
Assistant professor of surgery, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky |
|
Sue Jean Hahn, MD 2020 Graduate |
Mount Sinai Hospital (N.Y.) |
Assistant professor of surgery, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, New York |
|
Jeremy Springer, MD 2021 Graduate |
McMaster University in Hamilton Ontario, Canada |
McMaster University, Hamilton Ontario, Canada |
|
John R. Konen, MD 2022 Graduate |
University of Vermont Medical Center (Vermont) |
Assistant Professor of Surgery, Rush Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois |
|
Dong (Don) Yoon, MD 2023 Graduate |
University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California |
General and Colorectal Surgeon |
|
Samatha Rivard, MD 2024 Graduate |
University of Michigan Medical School |
Boston Medical Center |
|
Frances Hu, MD 2025 Graduate |
Brigham and Women's Hospital Boston |
Northside Hospital: Georgia Colon & Rectal Surgical Associates |
Contact us for more information
- 508-334-5430
- 508-334-9232 (fax)
- Email: Katie Schiavone
- Email: Karim Alavi, MD, MPH