PGY-7

Robert Ziechmann, MD
Medical School: SUNY Upstate Medical University
Undergraduate: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Hometown: Charlotte, NC

PGY-6

Rohan Gupta, MD
Medical School: Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University
Undergraduate: Georgia Institute of Technology
Hometown: La Grange, GA

PGY-5

Prasad Kanuparthi, MD
Medical School: Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
Undergraduate: University of Pittsburgh
Hometown: Downingtown, PA

PGY-4

Hosniya Zarabi, MD
Medical School: Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science 
Undergraduate: Stanford University
Hometown: Hayward, CA

PGY-3

Theodore Hannah, MD 
Medical School: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai 
Undergraduate: Amherst College 
Hometown: Halifax, Nova Scotia 

PGY-2

Neal Patel, MD 
Medical School: Mercer University School of Medicine
Undergraduate: University of Pennsylvania 
Hometown: Covington, GA 

PGY-1

Sami Pathak, MD
Medical School: Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
Undergraduate: Washington University in St. Louis
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA

Alumni

Erin Graves, MD (2024)
Staff Neurosurgeon, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

Alumni Testimonials 

Paulak Ray, MD (2013)

What is your favorite memory of training at Temple?

During my time at Temple, I was involved in the care of a patient who arrived to the ER with a ruptured grade 4 SAH secondary to a pcomm aneurysm. The opportunity for the teamwork between our team, the emergency department, neurointerventional radiology, perioperative services, and the critical care nursing team showed me what true patient care is about, and the responsibility placed on our shoulders by our patients. The trust provided by the attending neurosurgeons, chief residents, and nursing allowed me to dig into the case and strengthen my resolve to dissect the patient’s condition and how to best help them through it.The relationships formed through high-intensity situations like that occur daily and are enduring.

What do you think are the strengths of our program? How did Temple prepare you for life as a fellow and/or attending?

Temple provides a holistic approach to the neurosurgical training experience. The faculty and institution have a long history in educating clinicians who are prepared to take on challenging problems.They teach how to address difficult situations through direct mentorship and humility. In a fast paced field like Neurosurgery, the ability to step back, look at what is in front of you, have confidence in your training and ability to evaluate the available data and literature, and make responsible decisions has been essential in my everyday life.

What advice would you give current and prospective residents?

Be confident in the fact that the faculty truly has your best interest at heart. Listen and learn from them as well as the nursing teams.

How did the connections you made while at Temple impact you, both personally and professionally?

The connections I made during my time at Temple have continued to help me. I never hesitate to call any of the faculty or co-residents. Temple Neurosurgery is a family that I am truly fortunate to be part of.

Leopold Arko, MD (2018)

What is your favorite memory of training at Temple?

My favorite memories are of the group of neurosurgery residents rounding in the morning and going over films in the library. During these rounds, we would all assess the films as a team and discuss new events overnight. It always had a family breakfast type feel, with finally the arrival of the attending just before cases. 

What do you think are the strengths of our program? How did Temple prepare you for life as a fellow and/or attending?

As a small residency, the residents inevitably get to know each other very well. This helps form strong friendships that get you through a busy seven years. Temple prepared me for life as an attending by providing the needed mentorship to become a surgeon. The attendings would spend critical time explaining the reasoning for a case or going through operative nuances. Throughout the residency, I had to complete all aspects of the case including navigation to resection of the tumor. Through this training, I feel like I can operate anywhere with any equipment. 

What advice would you give current and prospective residents?

Find a program that fits your personality, and ambitions, and allows for early operative exposure. Seven years is a long time to be in one place, so knowing that you will meld well with your fellow residents is important. Early operative experience is also key as the more cases you do the better surgeon you will become. In addition, resident autonomy with close supervision in the operating room is important. 

How did the connections you made while at Temple impact you, both personally and professionally?

On a personal level, I have made friends for life during my residency years. I was able to get strong fellowships through the guidance of Temple faculty, which has allowed me to become the attending I am today.