Haley D'Souza, M.D.

Hometown: Virginia Beach, VA

Medical school: Eastern Virginia Medical School

Hobbies/interests: My interests include golf, photography, board games, trivia, sailing, SCUBA diving, and origami.

Piotr Kopinski, M.D., Ph.D.

Hometown: Krakow, Poland

Medical school: University of Pennsylvania – Perelman School of Medicine

Hobbies/interests: I love music, playing the piano, composing, and orchestra conducting. I am also a fan of winter sports, including downhill and cross country skiing.

Jessica Kraker, M.D., M.S.

Hometown: Plymouth, MN

Medical school: Medical College of Wisconsin

Hobbies/interests: I love hanging out with friends and family, playing soccer, kickboxing, hiking, camping, going to concerts, making spicy food, drinking coffee, trying craft beer, reading, and watching psychological thrillers and documentaries.

Timothy Xu, M.D.

Hometown: Livingston, NJ

Medical school: Mayo Clinic

Hobbies/interests: My hobbies include tennis, volleyball, high-intensity interval training (Insanity), fencing, and spending time with dogs. 

Grayson Ashby, M.D.

Hometown: Columbus, OH

Medical school: Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine

Hobbies/interests: My interests include fly fishing, disc golf, gardening, cooking new recipes with my wife, and hanging out with our two cats.

Why Mayo Clinic? Mayo Clinic offers a phenomenal breadth and depth of opportunities with support to pursue your individual path, but to me, Mayo is most remarkable because it is a values-driven organization that demonstrates daily the importance of putting the needs of our patients first. I can't imagine a better place to learn to care for others through medicine.

Tyler Bahr, M.D.

Hometown: Houston, TX

Medical school: University of Texas - San Antonio

Hobbies/interests: Cycling, distance running, swimming, triathlons, hiking, camping, kayaking, board games, acapella singing, playing the piano and organ, and enjoying family time with my wife and two boys.

Why Mayo Clinic? Family-friendly community, unparalleled focus on patient-centered care, a workplace culture of kindness and respect, beautiful facilities with inspiring art and architecture, and the unique opportunity to be trained in a medical center with international reputation that serves patients with the most complex cases from around the world. 

Darrell Kohli, M.D.

Hometown: Rapid River, MI

Medical school: Michigan State University - College of Human Medicine

Hobbies/interests: I enjoy all kinds of outdoor activities including fishing, hunting, hiking, and camping. I also enjoy staying active, which includes weightlifting, biking, and skiing.

Why Mayo Clinic? The collegial, team-oriented, and innovative culture at Mayo Clinic quickly became evident to me and is the main reason I desire to train here. The educational environment here at Mayo is special and something I knew I wanted to become a part of. 

Vishal Swaminathan, M.D.

Hometown: San Ramon, CA

Medical school: Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University

Hobbies/interests: I enjoy baking, playing board games, and listening to true crime podcasts in my free time. I also am a fan of stand-up comedy and an avid traveler, visiting new countries with my friends and family whenever possible!

Why Mayo Clinic? Mayo Clinic is consistently at the forefront of innovation and patient care, providing a wonderful environment for trainees to become the best physicians they can be. I am supported by an incredible group of mentors and peers who support my future goals in medicine and encourage me to reach my full potential.

Rachel Israilevich, M.D.

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA

Medical school: Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson

Hobbies/interests: I enjoy cooking, discovering new restaurants (especially hole-in-the-walls), hosting events, playing piano, traveling, beach days (I guess lake days now), and bad dad jokes.

Why Mayo Clinic? I loved my away rotation at Mayo and felt that the training environment and education here were unparalleled. Some of the biggest draws to Mayo in particular were the strong emphasis on mentorship, early autonomy and patient continuity through the resident clinic, and an abundance of research opportunities and support (with one of, if not the most generous conference attendance policies out there). Mayo’s program will also set you up to excel in whichever career path within ophthalmology you choose, and I am very fortunate for the opportunity to train here.

Kerri McInnis-Smith, M.D.

Hometown: Bozeman, MT

Medical school: Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine

Hobbies/interests: I am happiest when I’m spending time with my husband, almost 2-year-old son, and newborn twins. We enjoy traveling, trying new restaurants and craft breweries, and most outdoor activities, especially downhill skiing and hiking. Our goal is to eventually visit all of the National Parks in the US!

Why Mayo Clinic? Over the last four years as a Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine student, I’ve experienced the values and practices of Mayo Clinic that make it such a special place for trainees, employees, and, most importantly, patients. The team-oriented culture at Mayo affords top-notch patient care in a positive and friendly workplace environment. I am so excited to transition from medical school in Arizona to residency in Minnesota, where I can stay a part of the Mayo family but move to a smaller town known for its family friendliness and year-round outdoor activities.

Grace Xiao, M.D.

Hometown: Vancouver, Canada

Medical school: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Hobbies/interests: I love exploring the outdoors, especially biking, running, paddle boarding, and skiing. I also enjoy playing music and writing songs on the piano or guitar.

Why Mayo Clinic? The inspiring culture of patient-centered care and focus on innovation and research! Mayo Clinic provides the incredible opportunity to train in an outstanding medical institution that is team-oriented and serves patients with complex cases from all around the world.

Ashley Zhou, M.D.

Hometown: St. Petersburg, FL

Medical school: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Hobbies/interests: I love planning and executing adventure itineraries in my free time, traveling around the world, or playing tourist in the cities in which I live. Inside the gym, I enjoy weightlifting and salsa dancing, while outside the gym, I love reading, watching everything A24 and HBO Max, and petting every dog I encounter.

Why Mayo Clinic? Mayo Clinic is a special place and has been so over the course of its legacy. Ophthalmology has a unique role at Mayo as the first surgery performed at St. Mary's by the Mayo family was in fact an eye surgery. I am excited to be training at an institution that has always prided itself on valuing innovation, collaboration, and above all, putting the needs of our patients first.

Nirupama Devanathan, M.D.

Hometown: Fort Wayne, IN

Medical school: Indiana University School of Medicine

Hobbies/interests: I enjoy learning languages, watching international films and dramas (especially K-Dramas), connecting with nature, and playing the harmonium. 

Why Mayo Clinic? 

Mayo Clinic’s culture is innovative and intentionally collaborative, facilitating strong mentoring relationships. I am excited for the opportunity to train at Mayo Clinic and experience the program’s curated clinical curriculum, resident clinic, and world-class research and professional development opportunities.  

Rani Hassoun, M.D.

Hometown: Chicago, IL

Medical school: Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Hobbies/interests: I enjoy playing sports (especially basketball!), reading, traveling, exploring different cuisines, trying out new board games, brushing up on my foreign language skills, and spending time with family and friends.

Why Mayo Clinic? Mayo Clinic is a truly unique place that stood out to me for a variety of reasons. The department’s emphasis on patient care, innovation, and resident education strongly resonated with me and my future goals. I am very excited to be joining such a wonderful department with proven mentors and unparalleled support.

Sydney Roston, M.D.

Hometown: Mendota Heights, MN

Medical school: University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

Hobbies/interests: I love trail running, marathons, cross-country skiing, hiking, and lake days! 

Why Mayo Clinic? I'm a born and raised Minnesotan and have dreamt of training at Mayo since the day I decided I wanted to be a physician! The summer before interviews, I met a bunch of the Mayo residents at a conference and they seemed like amazing people. They were so welcoming to me when I didn't know anybody else at this conference, and I could see myself being colleagues with all of them. From the start, I had a great feeling about Mayo and knew that I would have endless opportunities to figure out what my passions are and work my very hardest at them!

Ia Ong Vang, M.D.

Hometown: Missoula, MT

Medical school: Medical College of Wisconsin

Hobbies/interests: exploring national parks, hiking alpine lake trails, exploring craft and farmers markets, reading 

Why Mayo Clinic? Mayo Clinic offers a variety of opportunities that suit the diverse interests of its trainees. I felt I could create my own journey here; explore and expand my specific passions and have them support and cheer me on the entire way. Additionally, the strong clinical and surgical training will ensure I'll be the best ophthalmologist I can be.