Urology

PGY-1

Dr. Maylynn Ding

Undergraduate: McMaster University, Bachelor of Health Sciences

Medical School: McMaster University

Why did I choose Urology? So many reasons! I started medical school thinking I would become an internist like my grandfather, but found myself drawn to the OR. Urology stood out because of the diversity in conditions and procedures, and all the cool tech at your disposal. I also enjoyed clinics, where there is the opportunity to counsel and medically manage patients. 

Why McMaster Urology? For me, McMaster Urology is where it all started. The program is known for its excellent surgical training, and I absolutely loved working with all the staff and residents during my time in medical school. 

Urological Interests: Everything at the moment! Excited to see where residency takes me. 

Other Interests: Traveling, art galleries and music concerts, hikes, always looking for book and restaurant recommendations, spending time with family and friends. 

Dr. Michael Korostensky

Undergraduate: Biochemistry, University of Calgary

Medical School: University of Calgary

Why did I choose Urology? It's high-tech, diverse, challenging, and fast-paced. But the best part is being able to provide care that truly improves patients’ quality of life.

Why McMaster Urology? Supportive staff and residents, world-class research opportunities, outstanding surgical training, and shiny new operating rooms. 

Urological Interests: Everything.

Other Interests:  Enjoying the great outdoors, travelling to warm places, cooking.

Dr. Braden Millan

Undergraduate: Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, University of Alberta

Medical School: Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary

Why did I choose Urology? Urologists are extremely talented surgeons with easygoing and funny
personalities, which makes working with them so much fun. Urology is at the forefront of technological advances in Medicine and Surgery, making it such an exciting field to be a part of.

Why McMaster Urology? McMaster has the best minimally invasive surgery program in the country, which I wanted to be a part of. Secondly, all the people at St. Joseph’s were extremely welcoming and friendly when I visited for elective, and I knew it would be a great fit for me for my residency training.

Urological Interests: As a soon the be first year resident there are many aspects of Urology that
I am extremely interested in. Currently, minimally invasive surgery is one that I am extremely excited about, and it has a broad range of applications in Urology. That being said, I am sure this could change over the next five years.

Other Interests:  Sports, in particular hockey (Go Oilers!), golf, and tennis. I also take as many opportunities as possible during time off to travel and explore new countries and cultures.

PGY-2

Dr. Hark Randhawa

Undergraduate: McMaster University (BHSc, Specialization in Global Health)

Medical School: McMaster University

Why did I choose Urology? Wide scope of operative procedures including endoscopic and open intervention, lots of opportunity to optimize patient care from a multidisciplinary perspective, and a unique mix of medical and surgical management.

Why McMaster Urology? Incredible mentors and support staff, co-residents that go to bat for you, high volumes of clinical and operative exposure, and to earn the ‘Mac Lifer’ badge

Urological Interests: Oncology, transplant, and basically everything else at this point

Other Interests: Family, friends, travel, global health, education, fitness

Dr. David Sands

Undergraduate: McMaster University

Medical School: University of Ottawa

Why did I choose Urology? The mix of both medicine and surgery, the importance of empathy, strong interpersonal skills, and affability within the profession, and the resulting number of positive patient outcomes achieved from urologic surgery

Why McMaster Urology? High volume centre spanning the breadth of all urological subspecialties with great mentors and a fantastic resident group

Urological Interests: I am still exploring the variety of specialization options within the field of urology but currently have a particular interest in urologic oncology.

Other Interests:  All sports, in particular hockey, music, quality time with family and friends, food (the Hamilton food scene is fantastic!)

Dr. ​Omar Aljarallah

Undergraduate: Arabian Gulf University

Medical School: Arabian Gulf University

Why did I choose Urology? I always loved working within the abdomen at the same time I wanted to do a specialty where I can be focused rather than generalized. I found that Urology suited my interests as I can do a wide variety of procedures from minor procedures to major abdominal and pelvic surgeries. And because we do a lot of Robotic surgeries and we are kind of at the Frontier when it comes to using technology in surgery, I found that this was very special and intriguing to me.

Why McMaster Urology? Our Program is highly reputable amongst other urology programs across Canada. We are known to be a busy with a high volume of surgeries. In addition, McMaster is one of the leading universities in research, this was very appealing to me as there is great research opportunities and encouragement from the program and the university. Our team is very cohesive and we value this greatly. I like how Hamilton is a city that is growing and improving by the day. It is in a strategic location between Toronto and the US. Most major cities are within reasonable driving distances. It is also great city for starting a family. 

Urological Interests: Although I'm still exploring urology and different aspects of it, I believe I lean more towards Andrology and UroOncology. Both specialties are quite different but each one of them has its own appeal to me.

Other Interests:  I enjoy cooking(you never had steaks in your life if you haven't tried mine). It is definitely a release for me. I also enjoy playing FIFA on PS4. I love watching European Soccer teams as well as Mixed Martial Arts, namely UFC(Go GSP!!). If I get the time I play around with my RC car(I own a crawler); it's time consuming though. Maybe when I become a senior!!Sports, in particular hockey (Go Oilers!), golf, and tennis. I also take as many opportunities as possible during time off to travel and explore new countries and cultures.

Dr. Jaskirat Saini

Medical School: All Saints University School of Medicine, Dominica

Why did I choose Urology?  I think urology is one of the most unique specialty in medicine and surgery. During my time on urology electives I realized urology is well balanced consisting of both surgery and office-based practice. Great diversity of complex surgeries and surgical procedures. What I liked about urology the most is the impact we have on the patient’s life and how happy we feel after improving their quality of life. Another reason I became interested in this field is the diversity of subspecialty options urology offers in combination with tremendous research opportunities.

Why McMaster Urology? Excellent faculty staff with great interest in resident education and who are very supportive, large patient volume center and early hands on experience. Great Collegial environment with great colleagues.

Urological Interests: Urological Oncology and Endourology. Too early to decide.

Other Interests: Spending time with family and friends, hockey, volleyball and listening to music.

PGY-3 

Dr. Paul Cheon

Undergraduate: Health Sciences, McMaster University

Medical School: University of Toronto

Why did I choose Urology?  I fell in love with the complexity and breadth of procedural skills, diversity of practice, and an environment full of down-to-earth people I can thrive in!

Why McMaster Urology? Early hands-on experience, rigorous training, wide range of urological exposure, ample opportunities for research, supportive staff and administration, collegial and tight-knit group of residents, and coming back to Hamilton - where it all began!

Urological Interests: Too early to tell, as all areas of urology are equally interesting to me so far!

Other Interests: Travelling, music, hitting the gym, chilling with friends, sports (Raptors, Leafs, Red Sox), and video games to hone my hand-eye coordination for urological procedures. 

Dr. Cameron Lam

Hometown: St. Albert, Alberta

Undergraduate: Mechanical Engineering at the University of Toronto

Medical School: McMaster University

Why did I choose Urology? I really enjoyed working with the diverse patient population and as a surgical specialty it offered the ideal mix between surgery and medicine. Urology has a wide range of procedures and the advancement of surgical technology/technique make it an exciting time to be training in this field.

Why McMaster Urology? McMaster Urology offered a great combination of early exposure, excellent surgical training, and patient volume. A big draw for me was that the entire group was tight-knit and clearly enthusiastic about their training.

Urological Interests: I think it's still too early for me to know, but I have really enjoyed general urology, MIS, and endourology so far!

Other Interests: Skiing, basketball, volleyball, golf, cooking, and spending time with my family

Dr. Catherine Lovatt

Name: Catherine (Kate) Anne Lovatt

Hometown: Vancouver, BC

Undergraduate: Bachelors of Science in Physiology UBC

Medical School: UBC

Why did I choose Urology? I love the combination of large and small surgical procedures with a good sprinkling of medical management! Urological conditions have a huge impact on patients' lives and it is the best feeling to know that you are actively improving someone's quality of life!

Why McMaster University? The community spirit of McMaster Urology was palpable! I was also impressed by the quality of research and dedication to innovation at McMaster.

Urological Interests: Too early to tell!

Other Interests: I love to travel and explore new places! I also fill my time with swimming, yoga and spending time with family and friends. 

Dr. Richard Di Lena

Hometown: Woodbridge, Ontario

Undergraduate: Life Science at Queen's University

Medical School: Queen's University

Why did I choose Urology? Unique speciality that allows for balance of surgical and medical management of patients.  Great patient population in an innovative and exciting field.

Why McMaster Urology?  Great, supportive group with excellent surgical training. 

Urological Interests: General Urology, Endourology, MIS

Other Interests: Hockey, golf, outdoors, travelling, and obviously Nonna's home cooking

Dr. George Goucher

Hometown: Fredericton, New Brunswick

Undergraduate: McMaster University 

Medical School: Memorial University of Newfoundland

Why did I choose Urology?  It’s an incredibly rewarding field that allows you to combine surgical skills, technology and clinical knowledge to make a real difference for your patients. Often times our treatments directly improve the quality of life of our patients, and the bond we form with them is strong. I also found Urologists to be the most enjoyable physicians to work with in the hospital.

Why McMaster Urology? McMaster allows me to get great surgical training working with nationally recognized staff who prioritize resident education, while being surrounded by a supportive and outgoing group of residents.

Urological Interests:  I find working with oncology patients to be fulfilling, especially as urologists where we have such a diversity of treatment options and plans to offer our patients. Otherwise I am interested in exploring the breadth of urology as I progress through my residency.

Other Interests: I’m a fairly straightforward guy; I like getting outdoors and staying active, spending time with friends and family, travelling when I get the chance and enjoying good food. 

Dr. Yanbo Guo

Hometown: Shanghai, China and Markham, Ontario

Undergraduate: McMaster University

Medical School: McMaster University

Why did I choose Urology? The ability to provide direct interventions in wide variety of situations and make definitive impacts on patient's lives. Urology is also a field that embraces technology and innovation, something I've been passionate about and would want to incorporate into my future.

Why McMaster Urology? It is somewhere with the training, resources and environment to push me to the most of my ability.

Urological Interests: All of it, in particular, oncology and minimally invasive surgery.

Other Interests: Family, friends, travel, photography, sports, and fitness.

PGY-5

Dr. Udi Blankstein

Hometown: Toronto

Medical School: University of Toronto

Why did I choose Urology? I was exposed to the field early on and quickly realized I enjoyed working with the patient population and being able to provide practical solutions to a majority of their urological ailments. Additionally, there is a balanced mix of surgical and medical treatments and a broad variety of procedures to choose from.

Urological Interests: Too early to tell and too much to choose from!

Other Interests: Travel, Hiking, Cycling, Guitar, Tacos.

Dr. Andrew Stokl

Hometown: Ancaster

Undergraduate: McMaster University

Medical School: University of Ottawa

Why did I choose Urology? During medical school I found urology to be the best fit for me as this speciality encompasses a diverse patient population, a large variety of procedures and a perfect mix of medicine and surgery. I thoroughly enjoyed my elective experiences and found that I meshed well with the multidisciplinary team involved in urologic practice.

Why McMaster Urology? Home sweet home! Being born and raised in Hamilton (Ancaster), it was a fairly easy decision for me to continue my medical training in this great city! McMaster's Urology program provides its residents with excellent surgical exposure, outstanding teaching opportunities and an overall collegial atmosphere.

Urological Interests: General Urology, Endourology, MIS; But I am open minded to the great variety of sub-specialities urology has to offer.

Other Interests: Family, friends, travelling and sports namely hockey, baseball and golf. I also enjoy fishing and weight lifting (separately). Go Leafs Go! 

Dr. Alaya Yassein

Hometown: Bowmanville, Ontario

Undergraduate: Life Sciences at Queen's

Medical School: McMaster University

Why did I choose Urology? Diverse patient population, huge scope of practice, good balance between surgery and clinic.

Why McMaster Urology? Excellent surgical training. Approachable, tight-knit group.

Urological Interests: Everything !

Other Interests: Running, hiking, gardening, podcasts.

 

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Dr. Yuding Wang

Hometown: Scarborough

Undergraduate: Queen's University

Medical School: University of Western Ontario

Why did I choose Urology: To me, urology is a dynamic field encompassing an array of sub-specialties with a diverse patient population and wide spectrum of pathologies. This variety is challenging but highly stimulating. Furthermore, many urological diseases occupy a unique position that is amenable to medical and/or surgical management, allowing you to be more than just “the surgeon” but also to participant in the long-term care of patients. Lastly, urology is constantly at the forefront of applying new research and new surgical innovations, such as implementing life prolonging chemotherapeutic and immunologic agents for advanced RCC or defining the use of new minimal invasive surgical techniques such as robotic assisted surgeries- means you'll never be bored!

Why McMaster Urology: Wonderful group of peers. Great mentors. Ample research opportunities and lots of hands on experience guided by some of the best urological surgeons in Canada.

Urological Interests: almost everything so far

Other Interests: spending time with family and friends,sports (baseball, volleyball, soccer), travelling, movies, eating great food!

 

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