Current Residents

Chief Residents

Coleman, Madi M.D.

Hometown: Acworth, GA

Undergrad: University of Georgia

Med School: Medical College of Georgia

Career interest or chosen specialty: General Surgery

Hobbies in residency: Rock climbing, playing music, making art, exploring the outdoors, cooking/ baking, hanging with friends around Birmingham, and cheering on the Dawgs!

Thoughts about our program: The bottom line with any respectable surgery residency is that it will be hard - the hours are long, the work is challenging, and it will push you to the limits of what you think you are capable of. The beauty of a program like ours is that it undoubtedly does all of these things, but it does so in a supportive environment where we genuinely care for the success and well-being of each other and our patients. Stepping into Birmingham, I knew absolutely nobody and I never could have anticipated that this group of people would become my family, my mentors, and the people who make me laugh every day. All of this is only made better by our rigorous operative experience (as a third year I am consistently performing the majority of major cases), the early autonomy we are granted in direct patient care, and the wide breadth of surgical experience we are exposed to. This program challenges me to be the best doctor, surgeon, and human being I can be, and for that I am very grateful.

Garriga, Galen M.D.

Hometown: Mobile, AL

Undergrad: University of South Alabama

Med School: University of South Alabama Medical School

Career interest or chosen specialty: General Surgery

Hobbies in residency: Disc golf, hiking, running, soccer, fish aquariums. Raised Southern Baptist. Spending time with my significant other Megan. Ball is life, at least according to our dog Ollie.

Thoughts about our program: I am very thankful and blessed to be in the Brookwood Baptist Health Surgery Residency Program. I was initially very interested in the program given its high volume robotic surgery, as that is what I would like to do in my career. Since being here, I have made life-long friends and have become part of a growing family. Residency is hard no matter where you go. However, being in a program where your co-residents, attendings, and administrative staff treat you like their family makes the struggles of residency much easier to bare. That is a trait that this program guarantees, and I would absolutely choose this program again and again.

McNair, Chris D.O.

Hometown: Chattanooga, TN

Undergrad: University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Med School: Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

Career interest or chosen specialty:General Surgery/Bariatric Surgery

Hobbies in residency: Playing guitar, collecting fountain pens, spending time with my wife and our two children

Thoughts about our program: I rotated here during my fourth year of medical school and it really felt like a great fit for what I was looking for in a residency program. We operate early and get exposure to a vast amount of surgical pathology. Our attendings are excellent teachers. All of the residents here are cohesive and look after one another.

Switzer, Jacob M.D.

Hometown: Fairhope, AL

Undergrad: University of Alabama at Birmingham

Med School: University of Alabama School of Medicine

Career interest or chosen specialty: Community General Surgery

Hobbies in residency: Golf, fishing, music.

Thoughts about our program: I was drawn to Baptist surgery residency for a number of reasons. The early operative experience, case volume, and robotic training are several strengths of the program that set it apart from other surgical residencies. The camaraderie and friendship among residents is also a quality of the program which is unmatched elsewhere. I feel blessed to train at such a great program and could not imagine being anywhere else.

Thomas, Evan D.O.

Hometown: Auburn, Alabama

Undergrad: University of Mississippi

Med School: Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

Career interest or chosen specialty: Plastic Surgery

Hobbies in residency: Hunting, fishing, golf, spending time with my wife and daughter

Thoughts about our program: This program is amazing. I couldn’t imagine myself anywhere else. We truly are a family. I would come to this program 10/10 times. You will be a well-trained general surgeon at the completion of this program, ready for independent practice. Baptist has a strong fellowship match rate if you choose to peruse a specialty.

2025 - 2026 PGY-4

Bland, Sydney, M.D.

Hometown: Columbia, SC

Undergrad: Clemson University

Med School: University of South Caroline School of Medicine Greenville

Career interest or chosen specialty: Considering Plastic Surgery

Hobbies in residency: Working out, skiing, cooking, and reading

Thoughts about our program: I knew I wanted to stay in the south close to SC for residency, and I was interested in a high-volume community surgery program. I was able to check both of those boxes by choosing our program. When interview day came around, I remember having genuine conversations with attendings and residents alike, and I was able to appreciate how supportive the residency family truly was. I knew the support system would be important since I was going to be states away from my support system at home.

Clements, Austin, D.O.

Hometown: Birmingham, AL

Undergrad: University of Alabama

Med School: Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine -Auburn Campus

Career interest or chosen specialty: Vascular Surgery

Hobbies in residency: Traveling, Golf, Exploring new cuisine, Pickleball

Thoughts about our program: Baptist is a unique and special program to train as a general surgery resident. Although a community program, Baptist is situated between cutting edge surgical technology, academia, and classic general surgery training. As an intern, I performed cases skin-to-skin that may be reserved for upper-level or chief residents at other programs. The early responsibility and operative experience has accelerated my general surgery training beyond the expected work of a resident at my level. Given my intern year experience, as a PGY-2 I am able to hone my skills as an open, laparoscopic, and robotic surgeon without the burden of a technological learning curve. Aside from the OR, our program guards our residents as an absolutely essential piece of our organization. Our attendings are not only our leaders, but they are also our friends and mentors. With direct access to our attendings on a daily basis, I am a better surgery resident and future surgeon because of their willingness to teach and mentor. Lastly, our resident family is just that, a family. Through various highs and lows of my own or my colleagues, we have prioritized and supported one another. Overall, Baptist has proven to be the best fit for me and my wife Jess as I pursue my goal to become an excellent surgeon.

Touros, Kiara, D.O.

Hometown: Vero Beach, FL

Undergrad:Florida State University

Med School: Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine

Career interest or chosen specialty: General/Undecided

Hobbies in residency: Travel, Reading, Sleeping, Checking out local restaurants, Baking

Thoughts about our program: I chose this program due to the heavy operative experience and camaraderie among residents. We have heavy robotic experience and are well-prepared for transitioning to practice and fellowships.

White, Ashlyn, D.O.

Hometown: Greenville, SC

Undergrad: University of South Carolina

Med School: Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medcine at Carolinas

Career interest or chosen specialty: Colorectal Surgery

Hobbies in residency: Beach volleyball, mountain climbing, running.

Thoughts about our program: I was drawn to this program because of the strong robotic curriculum, faculty investment, and supportive atmosphere. Also, Birmingham itself has lots to offer!

Xu, Jeffrey, D.O.

Hometown: San Jose, CA

Undergrad: University of California, San Diego

Med School: Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine

Career interest or chosen specialty: General Surgery

Hobbies in residency: Spending time with my wife and kids, foodie, video games

Thoughts about our program: I was first drawn to this program because of two things: how family-friendly the residents, attendings, and administrators are, and how well-prepared the graduates are for general surgery practice. As an intern, I completed many skin-to-skin cases including cholecystectomies and appendectomies within the first week of residency. The amount of hands-on experience, along with autonomy, allowed me to understand the practice of surgery rather than just having general knowledge. As a PGY-2, I've rotated at UAB for pediatrics, trauma/burn ICU, and transplant, which broadened my surgical experiences.

2025 - 2026 PGY-3

Howard, Hannah, M.D.

Hometown: Lowndesboro, AL

Undergrad: Huntingdon College

Med School: University of Alabama School of Medicine

Hobbies in residency: Spending time with my husband and dog, reading, and going to the lake

Career interest or chosen specialty: Trauma/Critical Care

Thoughts about our program: BBH stood out to me for several reasons. First, it was obvious that the residents truly got along with each other and supported their co-residents. I was looking for a program that emphasized operative experience early and often, and it was evident that BBH residents were operating from the beginning of intern year. I also liked that research and surgical education were prioritized. Finally, it was important to me that my future program be high-volume and create independent surgeons ready for practice at the end of residency, which is one of the biggest strengths of this program. We are also well-supported if we choose to pursue fellowship following residency. I feel fortunate to have matched here and to have the opportunity to work with such a great group of people..

Lawson, Damon, M.D.

Hometown: Knoxville, TN

Undergrad: University of Tennessee

Med School: University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine

Hobbies in residency: Soccer, skateboarding, playing with my dogs, trying new coffee shops, and watching Tennessee football.

Career interest or chosen specialty: Trauma or general surgery

Thoughts about our program: When looking for a training program, I emphasized programs that would have me in the OR early and often. BBH hits that mark, as I have scrubbed into cases nearly every day of residency as an intern. Attendings here are very supportive and they foster resident learning through early autonomy with patient care and intraoperative training.

Mason, Jack, M.D.

Hometown: New Albany, MS

Undergrad: University of Mississippi

Med School: University of Mississippi School of Medicine

Hobbies in residency: Spending time with family, watching Ole Miss sports, golf, video games

Career interest or chosen specialty: General Surgery

Thoughts about our program: I chose Baptist Health because of the early operative experience and strong case volume, which fit well with my career goals as a surgeon. The program gives residents hands-on responsibility from the start while also providing a supportive learning environment. Birmingham is also a great city to live in, with a good mix of community and opportunities both inside and outside the hospital.

Thomas, Sam, M.D.

Hometown: Talladega, AL

Undergrad: Auburn University

Med School: University of South Alabama College of Medicine

Hobbies in residency: Cooking, baking, video games, clay shooting, spending time with family and friends

Career interest or chosen specialty: General Surgery/ Undecided

Thoughts about our program: I chose Brookwood Baptist Health for my surgical residency because it instills strong surgical skills including ample exposure to robotic surgery. It is also a close-knit program that is truly a big happy family!

Vobbilisetty, Vijay, M.D.

Hometown: Birmingham, AL

Undergrad: University of Michigan

Med School: University of South Alabama College of Medicine

Hobbies in residency: Hiking, running, pickleball, tennis

Career interest or chosen specialty: General Surgery/ Undecided

Thoughts about our program: Early operative experience. Good exposure to robotic surgery. Great cohort of residents.

2025 - 2026 PGY-2

Calise, Ashley, D.O.

Hometown: Memphis, TN

Undergrad: University of Tennessee

Med School: Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine

Hobbies in residency: Reading, being outside, running, painting

Career interest or chosen specialty: Undecided/General Surgery

Thoughts about our program: I chose Brookwood because, since my very first interaction at my interview, it just felt like home. You could tell there was a genuine spirit of camaraderie and faculty wanted to see residents succeed. I came for a second look and all my feelings and initial impressions were validated. At the end of the day, most surgery residencies offer the same things and it's the people you work with who make or break a program. The people here are out of this world! A nice bonus is the early operative experience and autonomy. I genuinely cannot imagine being anywhere else for my surgery training!

Covil, Ethan, M.D.

Hometown: Easley, SC

Undergrad: Wofford College

Med School: University of South Caroline School of Medicine

Hobbies in residency: Running, hiking, hunting, being active within my local church

Career interest or chosen specialty: MIS/General Surgery

Thoughts about our program: When my wife and I were evaluating programs, we had a checklist of: 1) would the program provide excellent training and help me become the best version of myself 2) would the program invest in me as a person 3) would the program nurture and support my wife for who she is, rather than just being another surgery spouse. We could not be happier with BBH! There is a standard of excellence at this program that is embodied by our attendings, who deeply care about our education and training. We operate early and often- my first month of intern year I logged over 50+ OR cases! The residents truly are supportive of one another and friendly- a group of us go to church together and my wife hosts Bachelor watch parties every week!

Reese, Tyler, D.O.

Hometown: Panama City, FL

Undergrad: Georgia Southern University

Med School: Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine at Auburn

Hobbies in residency: Working out, golfing, fishing, cooking

Career interest or chosen specialty: General Surgery

Thoughts about our program: This program really has a tight knit group of residents. From the top down, they not only care about you becoming a good, competent, and safe surgeon but also they care about you as a person. The hands on experience, early OR time, and heavy emphasis on robotic surgery are a few of the big reasons I chose BBH for surgery residency! I feel like I will be well prepared at the end of my 5 years here to go out and practice on my own.

Stroud, Brooks, M.D.

Hometown: Macon, GA

Undergrad: University of Georgia

Med School: Mercer University School of Medicine

Hobbies in residency: Golf, spending time with my wife, yard work, exercising

Career interest or chosen specialty: Undecided

Thoughts about our program: I chose BBH because of the solid fellowship matches, preparedness to operate straight out of residency, robotic experience, and the early operative opportunities. Now that I am here and have met everyone I realize how lucky I am to be part of a program with so many good people and teachers. Chief residents and faculty are absolutely willing to teach and I have seen that this program is not toxic in any way. Residents get more hands on intraoperative experience and autonomy at a much earlier stage than larger academic programs which was a large focus for me when choosing programs because I was tired of watching surgery and ready to get hands on and operate. Birmingham is a surprisingly young city with a great food scene, breweries, and plenty of things to do. My wife and I couples matched here and we are very happy with the program and the city. It doesn’t hurt that there is a great golf scene either!

Touliatos, Gabe, D.O.

Hometown: Birmingham, AL

Undergrad: Auburn University

Med School: Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine at Auburn

Hobbies in residency: Basketball, fishing, hiking

Career interest or chosen specialty: General Surgery

Thoughts about our program: Being from Birmingham and rotating with the program in medical school, I like the community the program provides, the amount of OR exposure we get with high volume community surgeons, and I love the city of Birmingham as a whole. All the upper level residents and the attendings are invested in making me a better surgeon in the OR as well as on the floor with the way they view the patient as a whole person and not just a problem that needs solving.

PGY-1 Categorical

Bell, Andrew, D.O.

Hometown: Tallassee, AL

Undergrad: Auburn University

Med School: Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine at Auburn

Hobbies in residency: Hunting, Golf, Spending time outdoors with family and dogs

Career interest or chosen specialty: Undecided

Thoughts about our program: The people here are all pulling in the same direction. Residents work together and support each other to grow as future surgeons at all levels. The attending surgeons are skilled and genuinely care about resident growth and development. From day one, you learn skills to become a fully functional surgeon in 5 years, and are surrounded by great people to operate with.

Criswell, Tyler, M.D.

Hometown: Snead, AL

Undergrad: Auburn University

Med School: University of Alabama School of Medicine

Hobbies in residency: Cattle farming, small engine mechanics, hunting of all types, and estate sale shopping.

Career interest or chosen specialty: Undecided, but likely rural General Surgery

Thoughts about our program: One of the main reasons why I chose this program is that while rotating here as a medical student, I saw the way residents looked out for one another here. Since starting, there have been multiple upper-level residents reach out to make sure everything is going ok, checking in and trying to help me make the most of residency. I grew up in Alabama and plan to stay after graduating, so there is no better patient population to learn from than here in Birmingham. Since starting, I have had the chance to be in the OR scrubbing cases almost every single day. The operative experience we get here is unmatched.

Garrett, Maggie, M.D.

Hometown: Smyrna, GA

Undergrad: Vanderbilt University

Med School: Medical College of Georgia

Hobbies in residency: Reading, rock climbing, knitting

Career interest or chosen specialty: General Surgery

Thoughts about our program: I loved the camaraderie between residents, the operative experiences offered, and the support from the PD and APDs. Birmingham is also a blast, so much to do on the days you’re not in the hospital. Bakery hopping is a new favorite hobby!

Griffin, Ebony, D.O.

Hometown: Rusk, TX

Undergrad: University of Texas at Tyler

Med School: Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine at Louisiana

Hobbies in residency: Yoga, hiking, and birdwatching!

Career interest or chosen specialty: Rural General Surgery

Thoughts about our program: I chose Baptist Health because from the moment I arrived on interview day it felt like home! I had nothing but positive interactions with the residents and faculty who all seemed very close with one another and invested in each other's future.
Aside from that, Baptist Health offers everything I want in a program - a diverse patient population, high volume of general surgery and specialized cases, and the opportunity to participate in global surgery. As a small town girl, Birmingham has been a dream! I love the variety in food places and there is always something to do - whether it's live music, attending a Barons game, or going for a hike at Ruffner Mountain!

Krewson, Sarai, M.D.

Hometown: Gainesville, TX

Undergrad: University of Texas at Arlington

Med School: Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at TCU

Hobbies in residency: Reading, writing, coffee, hanging with my cats

Career interest or chosen specialty: General Surgery or Colorectal Surgery

Thoughts about our program: The residents in this program are incredibly supportive of each other. They not only want you to succeed as a surgeon, but they also care about you succeeding and thriving as a person. This program is also special because of the early operative experience. They prioritize getting you in the OR early and often. There are also tons of opportunities for hands-on bedside procedures.

PGY-1 Preliminary

Burbank, Emily, D.O.

Hometown: Delray Beach, FL

Undergrad: University of Florida

Med School: Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine at Auburn

Hobbies in residency: Rhythm based cycling, working out, going to the beach, live music, checking out breweries

Career interest or chosen specialty: General Surgery

Thoughts about our program: I was drawn to Baptist Health because of the early operative exposure and hands-on experience starting from day one, as well as the strong camaraderie between residents and attendings. The collaborative, supportive environment and immediate involvement in surgical cases make it an ideal place to grow.

Davis, Trey, D.O.

Hometown: Hattiesburg, MS

Undergrad: University of Mississippi

Med School: William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Hobbies in residency: Any sport, hunting, video games

Career interest or chosen specialty: General Surgery

Thoughts about our program:This program provides residents of all levels with the most operative time of any other program I worked with, which was a huge factor for me. The residents also really take care of one another and prioritize everyone’s families, like mine, with a wife and two kids who are always included in program events. Birmingham has been great for my family and me because there are plenty of events and activities to help pass the time on the long days. But we get plenty of golden weekends, so I get to try all their top choices when I’m off!

Kenawy, Ahmed, M.D.

Hometown: Panama City, FL

Undergrad: Florida State University

Med School: Florida State University College of Medicine

Hobbies in residency: Traveling, basketball, soccer, and swimming

Career interest or chosen specialty: Interventional Radiology at USF

Thoughts about our program: I chose Baptist Health for the early hands-on experience of a surgical internship and the healthy culture amongst the residents and attendings. I feel very supported by my chiefs and attendings to reach my goals as a future interventional radiologist. Lastly, Birmingham is a great city to live in with a lot to offer!

Smith, Elyse, M.D.

Hometown: Jackson, MS

Undergrad: University of Mississippi

Med School: University of Mississippi School of Medicine

Hobbies in residency: Running/being outdoors, reading a good book, enjoying a glass of wine at sunset!

Career interest or chosen specialty: Surgery

Thoughts about our program: The culture of the program! You'll be hard-pressed to find another program where the residents and faculty treat each other like family and look out for each other the way everyone at BBH does.

Webb, Maddex, M.D.

Hometown: Niceville, FL

Undergrad: University of Mississippi

Med School: East Tennessee State University James H. Quillen College of Medicine

Hobbies in residency: Watching sports, hanging out with friends, playing games

Career interest or chosen specialty: General Surgery

Thoughts about our program: The Baptist Health General Surgery Program is a great place to train. All the residents get along well and genuinely have each other’s back and best interest in mind. The attendings are mostly easy to get along with, willing to teach, and take the time to work with residents of all levels. Birmingham is also a great place to live with plenty to do!