UNLV Medicine

Dr. James M. Alexander, MD is a professor and chair of the department of obstetrics and gynecology. A 1991 graduate of the University of Texas at Houston, he went on to complete his residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and completed a fellowship in Maternal Fetal Medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern. After his fellowship, he stayed on as faculty at UTSW where he served in many leadership positions including chief of the obstetrics service.

Dr. John Anooshian, an associate professor in the UNLV School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, received his medical degree from the University of Nevada Reno School of Medicine. 

Anooshian completed his general psychiatric residency at the University of Hawaii School of Medicine. 

Board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, he is medical director and senior psychiatrist at the UNLV Medicine-Mohave Counseling Center. 

Dr. Ovunc Bardakcioglu, an associate professor of surgery at the UNLV School of Medicine, serves as chief of the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery.

Dr. Bardakcioglu was educated in Germany and chose to specialize in general surgery during his residency at Beth Israel Medical Center.

He completed a fellowship in colon and rectal surgery at Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles.

Prior to becoming the clinical director of The UNLV Ackerman Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment Solutions, Dr. Julie F. Beasley was in private practice for 17 years,  providing neuropsychological assessment and treatment for children from birth to 25 years of age.

Dr. John Brosious, an assistant professor of plastic surgery at the UNLV School of Medicine, had the highest score in the country when he took the written exam to become certified with the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

Dr. Bradley Burger, who completed  his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Minnesota, is an assistant professor with the UNLV School of Medicine. 

An honors graduate of the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, Dr. Burger has practiced as a general Ob/Gyn in both Nevada and Montana for 10 years. 

Dr. Burger, whose research has been published in the peer-reviewed Seminars in Oncology Journal, received his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology with honors and distinction from Penn State University. 

Dr. Carroll is originally from Scottsdale, Arizona.  He received his Bachelors of Science from the University of Arizona where he double majored in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics as well as Molecular and Cellular Biology.  He continued his education at the University of Arizona for medical school.  He then moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan to complete his surgical residency.  He has always had a passion for the injured patient.  He followed his passion to Las Vegas where he has now completed his fellowship in Acute Care Surgery. 

Dr. Chang, an assistant professor of pediatric surgery at UNLV School of Medicine, is a board-certified general and pediatric surgeon.

Her areas of special interest include surgical disease of the newborn gastrointestinal tract, anorectal malformations, pediatric surgical oncology, minimally invasive surgery, and surgery for inflammatory bowel disease.

Dr. Harry H. Ching, an assistant professor of otolaryngology-head & neck surgery and facial plastic surgery at the UNLV School of Medicine, treats a variety of disorders, including nasal obstruction, sinus disease, smf facial trauma.

His clinical interests also include cosmetic facial surgery – rhinoplasty, facelift, blepharoplasty, brow lift, Asian eyelid surgery, and scar revision. He also specializes in reconstruction of the face for skin cancer, treatment of eyelid disorders, Botox injections and other injectable filler treatments. 

Dr. Laura Culley, the UNLV School of Medicine Associate Dean of Community Engagement, has more than 25 years of experience as a board-certified physician in internal medicine, serving in leadership positions with two medical practices in New York City and Las Vegas.

She previously served as medical director of Volunteers in Medicine of Southern Nevada. For nearly 30 years, Dr. Culley operated a private practice in New York City and then Las Vegas.

Dr. de Guzman is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology, and practices general obstetrics and gynecology. His main interests include general obstetrics, family planning, contraception counseling, STD screening and treatment, and gynecological surgical procedures.

Dr. de Guzman worked at the Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates and its affiliated Harvard University hospitals for the last 3 years prior to joining the UNLV faculty.

Dr. David Di John, an associate professor of pediatrics at the UNLV School of Medicine, and the program director of the UNLV Maternal-HIV program. 

He has more than 30 years of experience in research and treatment of pediatric infectious diseases, including clinical care for women, infants, children and youth with HIV/AIDS. 

He directed a pediatric AIDS clinic in New York, taught clinical pediatrics for 18 years at New York University Medical Center, and served as director of pediatric infectious diseases for Flushing Hospital Medical Center in New York.

Dr. Nora Doyle, the UNLV School of Medicine Assistant Dean for Ultrasound Education as well as a professor of maternal fetal medicine, was named in 2017 as one of America’s Top Obstetricians and Gynecologists by the Consumers Research Council of America.  

Rajany V. Dy, MD graduated from the De La Salle Health Sciences Institute, Manila, The Philippines in 2007. She trained in Internal Medicine at the Yale New Haven Hospital and Pulmonary / Critical Care Medicine at University at Buffalo. She specializes in pulmonary diseases and the care of critically ill patients. Her interests include interstitial lung diseases, COPD, ARDS and fluid management in the ICU. Dr.

Sabrina Eisinga was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. She attended Arizona State University where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and a minor in Spanish. Later, she attended Nevada State College where she obtained her Nursing degree. She earned her master’s degree in Nursing with a specific concentration of Family Nurse Practitioner at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. In her free time, she enjoys, traveling, playing tennis, going to the gym, and spending time with her family.

John Fildes, MD, FACS, FCCM, FPCS (Hon) is the Associate Dean for External Affairs at the UNLV School of Medicine. In addition, he is Professor and Inaugural Chair of the Department of Surgery. He served as Interim Dean from September 2019 through April 2020.

Dr. Fontenelle-Gilmer, an assistant professor in the UNLV School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, specializes in child and adolescent psychiatry. Dr. Fontenelle-Gilmer treats patients on the psychiatry consultation service at UMC hospital.

A graduate of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, she completed residencies at Harvard Medical School and Sheppard Pratt Hospital and completed a Master Health Science degree at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. 

Dr. Douglas R. Fraser, is an associate professor in the UNLV School of Medicine Department of Surgery, and is the Trauma Medical Director at University Medical Center in Las Vegas. As the Chief of Trauma, he works daily to ensure the complex operations of the only Level 1 Trauma Center in Nevada.

Dianne Lynn Galgana, who received her doctorate in nursing practice from the University of Cincinnati, is a pediatric nurse practitioner for the UNLV School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics. 

She also received her master’s degree in nursing from the University of Cincinnati. Dianne Galgana completed her bachelor’s degree in nursing from UNLV.

Prior to joining  UNLV Medicine, she worked in Las Vegas for Sunrise Pediatrics, Sunrise Children’s Hospital and Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center.

Dr. Mario J. Gaspar de Alba is responsible for the evaluation and treatment of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities for the UNLV Ackerman Autism Center and Neurodevelopment Solutions. He also assists the UNLV School of Medicine to achieve and maintain a diverse faculty and student body, which in turns creates a culture of inclusion among patients and throughout the entire school.

Dr. Nadia Gomez, an associate professor of gynecology and director of the minimally invasive gynecology surgery division at the UNLV School of Medicine, became in 2015 the first female physician to perform robotic benign gynecological surgery at University Medical Center, where she is currently the vice chair of the robotics committee.

Dr. John Marshall Ham, a professor of surgery at the UNLV School of Medicine, has performed more than 1,000 kidney transplants in his career, recently reaching a career high of 78 in one year.

Josh Harrold, APRN,  is originally from the East Coast. He went to college at Thomas Jefferson University, where he got both his BSN and MSN, with a concentration in pediatric primary care. Josh has a particular interest in developmental pediatrics. 

Josh has been practicing as a primary care pediatric nurse practitioner for five years.

Josh has five years experience in pediatric primary care, three of which he served in the United States Air Force. 

Dr. Sara Hunt, an assistant dean of behavioral health sciences with the UNLV School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, also serves as director of the UNLV Mental and Behavioral Health Coalition. 

She completed her doctorate in psychology at Utah State University. Dr. Hunt completed her pre-doctoral internship in Toronto, Canada. Her research and clinical interests have focused on individuals with chronic health concerns. 

Dr. Jayaraj earned his medical degree from Stanley Medical College, Chennai, Inda. He completed his Internal Medicine Residency training at University of Nevada School of Medicine, Las Vegas. He completed his Gastroenterology Fellowship at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Dr. Jayaraj’s clinical interest include prevention of colorectal cancer by screening and surveilance colonoscopy, general hepatology and bariatric endoscopy. 

Dr. Jones-Betancourt is originally from Vista, CA located in San Diego county. She was the first person to attend college at the University of California, Berkeley where she studied environmental biology with an emphasis on human health. She attended University of California, Davis for medical school where she was involved with student run clinics and the Latino Medical Student Association. She completed her residency training at University of Southern California Los Angeles county. Dr.

Dr. Oriaku A. Kas-Osoka, an assistant professor in the UNLV School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics, is one of the few Southern Nevada physicians who specializes in adolescent medicine.

With an educational background that includes a fellowship in adolescent medicine from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Medical Center, Dr. Kas-Osoka appreciates that working in academic medicine allows her to work with both patients and students.

Dr. Nazia Khan, an assistant professor in the UNLV School of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine, received her medical degree at Dow Medical College in Pakistan.

Board certified in internal medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine, she completed a residency at the University of Nevada Reno School of Medicine.

Her research includes work done at the LDS Hospital Cardiovascular Research Division in Salt Lake City, UT. 

Dr. Daniel Kirgan, a professor in the UNLV School of Medicine Department of Surgery, is currently vice chair of the department, and chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology. 

A graduate of the George Washington University School of Medicine, he completed his general surgical residency at the University of Nevada Reno School of Medicine. Following completion of his residency, Dr. Kirgan did a two-year surgical oncology fellowship at the John Wayne Cancer Institute in California. 

Dr. David Kuykendall, an assistant professor with the UNLV School of Medicine Department of Family and Community Medicine, is proud of his community-focused and volunteer activities, which include assisting with Volunteers of Medicine of Southern Nevada, the Nevada Obstetrical Charity Clinic and participating in the Nevada Radiation Exposure Screening and Education Program to identify people exposed to radiation at the Nevada Test Site. 

Dr. Eden Lee currently serves as associate director of Psychiatry Residency Training Program for UNLV School of Medicine.

She is a teaching attending for Psychiatry Consultation-Liaison Service at University Medical Center of Southern Nevada. Dr. Lee attended medical school at De La Salle University Health Sciences Institute in the Philippines. She completed her residency at Case Western University-MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Lee is board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Dr. Kate Martin, an associate professor in the UNLV School of Medicine Department of Family and Community Medicine, developed a health assessment and promotion program to improve the quality of life for adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities. 

Serving as the medical school’s director of community engagement, Dr. Martin is also the residency program director for the UNLV School of Medicine Department of Family and Community Medicine. 

Dr. McNickle, an Assistant Professor at the UNLV School of Medicine Department of Surgery, is the Section Chief of Emergency General Surgery.

Dr. McNickle earned her medical degree from Rush Medical College and completed her General Surgery Residency at the University of Illinois-Chicago at Mount Sinai Hospital. She completed her Acute Care Surgery Fellowship at University of Nevada-Las Vegas. Dr. McNickle is Board-certified in general surgery and surgical critical care.

Dr. Rebecca Meyers joined the UNLV faculty in 2017 as a pediatric hospitalist. 

Her primary clinical roles include caring for hospitalized children at University Medical Center in Las Vegas. In addition, she is involved in medical education by instructing resident physicians and medical students during their inpatient service. Dr. Meyers’s professional interests include the care of medically complex children and pediatric transplant recipients, as well as quality improvement. 

Dr. Evelyn Montalvo Stanton, who completed a research fellowship in pediatric pulmonology at Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons, the New York City medical school where she later taught, is the chair of the UNLV School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics.

A graduate of  Rutgers New Jersey Medical School — she subsequently held an appointment there as a clinical associate professor of pediatrics — Dr. Montalvo Stanton also served in New Jersey as Barnabas Health Medical Group’s Division Director of Pediatric Pulmonology.

Dr. Alison Netski, an associate professor and chair of the UNLV School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, specializes in the treatment of adults with a broad range of psychiatric illness, including mood, psychotic, and anxiety disorders.


Board certified from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, Dr. Netski attended the University of Nevada Reno School of Medicine and completed her residency in psychiatry at the University of Maryland/Sheppard Pratt.  

Dr. Matthew Ng, an associate professor at the UNLV School of Medicine, is also residency program director for the otolaryngology-head & neck surgery residency training program. He specializes in otology-neurotology and lateral skull base surgery.

Specializing in otology-neurotology, Dr. Ng treats all forms of hearing loss, tinnitus, chronic ear infection, cholesteatoma, facial nerve disorders, dizziness, and imbalance, as well as tumors of the lateral skull base. 

Dr. Oluwafunmilola Okuyemi, an assistant professor in the UNLV School of Medicine Department of Otolaryngology, is currently the only active otolaryngology-trained microvascular reconstructive surgeon in Nevada. 

Her research interests include clinical outcomes research investigating functional outcomes in head and neck cancer treatment, and microvascular reconstruction. Dr. Okuyemi also has interest in investigations into possible future head and neck transplantation therapies.

Kikelomo Omotoso, APRN started her nursing career in Maryland. She went to Marymount University in VA where she studied nursing after her first degree in Business and Finance. She then went to Drexel University in PA where she did her Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner program and earned Master’s in Nursing. She is in the process of finishing her PhD in public health at Walden University. Kike has a particular interest in the care of adolescents and young women. She believes in health education, disease prevention and health promotion.

Dr. Elissa Palmer, a professor, and chair of the UNLV School of Medicine Department of Family and Community Medicine is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians.

With research interests that include Marfan syndrome, a genetic disorder of the connective tissue, and the development of medical genetics computer programs, she has published articles in publications that include Academic Medicine, the Journal of Genetic Counseling and Physician Leadership Journal.

Dr. Patel completed her undergraduate training at the University of California at San Diego where she completed her premed study while enjoying classes such as a History of the Beatles.

Doctor John Phelps is a graduate of Georgetown University School of Medicine. He is double board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. He completed his fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He also completed a second fellowship in Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery.

Dr Jahan Z Riaz is a graduate of Quaid-e-Azam Medical College,Pakistan. He did Internal Medicine Residency Training at St Agnes Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland.

Dr. Riaz has worked as a Hospital Medicine Specialist at Jefferson Regional Medical Center, Pine Bluff, Arkansas and the Veterans Hospital, that is also in Little Rock. He has served as a part-time Clinical Instructor at the University Of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. He is currently working as an Assistant Professor and Attending Physician at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Medicine.

Dr. Arthur Oliver Romero, an assistant professor in the UNLV School of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine, graduated from the University of Philippines College of Medicine. 

He specializes in pulmonary critical care medicine and internal medicine.

Dr. Romero is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in pulmonary disease, critical care medicine and internal medicine.

Dr. Ashley Sarasan, who completed a fellowship in geriatrics at the Mayo Clinic, is a UNLV School of Medicine Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine with clinical interests that include Parkinson’s disease, end of life care and Alzheimer’s disease.

A graduate of India’s M.S. Ramaiah Medical College, Dr. Sarasan completed her residency in internal medicine at Saint Peter’s University Hospital, a major clinical affiliate of Rutgers  Biomedical and Health Sciences in New Jersey.

Dr. Michael Scheidler, an associate professor in the UNLV School of Medicine Department of Surgery, is chief of the Division of Pediatric Surgery. 

Board certified in general and pediatric surgery. Dr. Scheidler’s clinical interests include neonatal surgery, thoracic surgery, pediatric bariatric surgery, pediatric surgical oncology, and pediatric laparoscopy.

A member of the American College of Surgeons and American Pediatric Surgical Association, Dr. Scheidler attended University of Pittsburgh and graduated from the Temple University School of Medicine.

Dr. Joseph Shea, M.D. specializes in both Obstetrics and Gynecology and Family Medicine.

He most recently completed his residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology through the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, School of Medicine where he also obtained advanced Family Medicine Obstetrics fellowship training.

His prior residency training in Family Medicine was completed through the University of Connecticut.

An academic background in sociology and public health has served as a catalyst for Dr. Dodds Simangan’s approach to pediatric medicine. That educational framework, says the assistant professor in the UNLV School of Medicine’s Department of Pediatrics, led to an understanding that medicine and community are directly intertwined. During medical school, he took part in a service-centered education model, training in underserved areas of Hawaii and volunteering in social justice and community outreach organizations.

Brandon T. Snook, MD, FACS

General Surgery, Trauma and Surgical Critical Care

Dr.  Snook, an associate professor with the UNLV School of Medicine Department of Surgery, is a trauma surgeon who is board certified in general surgery and surgical critical care.

A graduate of the Boston University School of Medicine, he completed surgical residency with the US Air Force at Keesler Medical Center in Mississippi, and went on to do an acute care surgery fellowship at the University of Nevada Reno School of Medicine.

Dr. Spinner is a board-certified otolaryngologist with additional fellowship training in the area of Pediatric Otolaryngology.

Her scope of practice encompasses all aspects of pediatric head and neck disease including disorders of the ear, complex airway disease, cleft lip and palate, sleep disturbances, neck masses, and sinus conditions.

Dr. Joseph Thornton, an associate professor with the UNLV School of Medicine, has been a practicing colon and rectal surgeon in Las Vegas for more than 25 years.

A graduate of Meharry Medical College in Nashville who later did a colon rectal surgery fellowship at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, Dr. Thornton is board certified in colon and rectal surgery and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons.

Dr. Sandhya Wahi-Gururaj, an associate professor in the UNLV School of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine, is a board-certified general internist and currently serves as the internal medicine residency program director. 

A member of the American College of Physicians, Dr. Wahi-Gururaj has helped to shape curricula and training programs for local fellows and residents while maintaining a clinical presence that centers on establishing long-lasting, communicative relationships with her primary care patients.

Dr. Robert Wang, a professor, and chair of otolaryngology at the UNLV School of Medicine has more than 30 years of experience in dealing with conditions of the ear, nose, and throat and related structures of the head and neck.

With expertise in head and neck cancer treatment, Dr. Wang runs the sole head and neck tumor board in Las Vegas, partnering with Dr. Oluwafunmilola Okuyemi who performs the reconstruction.  Dr. Wang performs robotic-assisted as well as laser surgery for cancers.

Dr. Brian C. Ward, an assistant professor of surgery at the UNLV School of Medicine, is a general surgeon who treats patients with a wide variety of conditions, including hernias and diseases of the breast, stomach, colon, rectal, small bowel and gallbladder.

He also handles cases involving skin and soft tissue masses and disease.

Earning his MD from Indiana University, Dr. Ward completed his residency at UNLV in general surgery. He also holds a doctorate in biomedical engineering from Purdue University.

Dr. Jonathan Wirjo, an associate professor in the UNLV School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, received his medical degree from Western University Health Sciences. 

He completed his residency in psychiatry at the University of Nevada Reno School of Medicine. 

Board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Dr. Wirjo  is chair of psychiatry at Mountain View Hospital. Dr. Wirjo treats patients on the psychiatry consultation service at UMC hospital.

Dr. Ryan A K Young, an assistant professor in the UNLV School of Medicine Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, graduated from the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine. 

He completed his OB/GYN residency at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine. Upon completion of his residency training, he joined the School’s Faculty and is now currently an Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, School of Medicine.