Class of 2021
Rami G. Alrabaa, MD
- UCSF Sports Medicine & Shoulder Surgery Fellowship
Medical School: Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
Undergraduate: Ramapo College of New JerseyWhy did you choose Columbia Orthopedics?
I was fortunate enough to rotate as a visiting medical student at Columbia Orthopedics and that was the best decision for my future career at the time. After spending a few days interacting with faculty, staff, and residents, I knew this was the place I wanted to call home for residency and was lucky enough to do so. This is the most well rounded program and has unparalleled mentorship and support. What is most striking is that Columbia Orthopedics is in the biggest city in the world yet has a small family feel to it. I feel very blessed to be training at one of the best orthopedic programs in the world where I have met lifelong friends and mentors.
What is your favorite bone?
Love them all!
What's the best place you have traveled since your residency started?
Chicago
Where are you from?
Syria (until age 10)
Favorite restaurant in NYC?
Hard to pick one favorite, I love middle-eastern food, but I also like BBQ, burgers, mexican, and indian, basically anything but a salad!
Favorite activity outside of work?
Gym, basketball, PING PONG!
Dream concert (even if band not together or alive)?
Deadmau5, Steve Aoki, Oliver Heldens combo.
Best Pandora station for the OR?
Electro, house
Favorite night float snack?
TBD, but probably chocolate covered coffee beans
What is your spirit animal?
Lion
Carl L. Herndon, MD
- OrthoCarolina Adult Reconstruction Fellowship
Medical School: University of Florida College of Medicine
Undergraduate: Northwestern UniversityWhy did you choose Columbia Orthopedics?
I chose Columbia Orthopedics after spending a month here as a Sub-I during medical school. The thing that set it apart then, and what continues to set it apart now is the people and the relationships here. We have access to the best attendings in the country, learn from them daily across every subspecialty, and match at the best fellowships in the nation. I also have the best co-residents anywhere and have made lifelong friends. The camaraderie and mentorship are phenomenal, and I have grown so much as a surgeon, physician, and person since arriving here. I love coming to work every day and I would rank Columbia #1 again and again!
What is your favorite bone?
Femur
What's the best place you have traveled since your residency started?
Asheville, NC
Where are you from?
Wilmette, IL
Favorite restaurant in NYC?
Indian Road Cafe
Favorite activity outside of work?
Hiking/running
Dream concert (even if band not together or alive)?
John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman
Best Pandora station for the OR?
Florida Georgia Line
Favorite night float snack?
Dried Mango
What is your spirit animal?
Barn Owl!
Ajay S. Padaki, MD
- UCSF Sports Medicine & Shoulder Surgery Fellowship
Medical School: Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons
Undergraduate: Pennsylvania State UniversityWhy did you choose Columbia Orthopedics?
I chose Columbia Orthopaedics due to the unrivaled opportunity to spend five more years in New York City in a program that exemplifies family culture. The robust mentorship, research acumen, and graduated operative autonomy all provide the training to produce academic leaders. Combined with the exceptional advocacy and leadership obsessed with improvement and optimization, the program was uniquely enticing, and I have never looked back.
What is your favorite bone?
Radius
What's the best place you have traveled since your residency started?
Morocco
Where are you from?
Allentown, PA
Favorite restaurant in NYC?
Pio Pio
Favorite activity outside of work?
Traveling
Dream concert (even if band not together or alive)?
Ke$ha
Best Pandora station for the OR?
Chainsmokers
Favorite night float snack?
Sour gummy worms
What is your spirit animal?
Tiger
Paul J. Park, MD, MMS
- Spine Fellowship, Columbia & NewYork-Presbyterian Och Spine Hospital
Medical School: Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Undergraduate: Dartmouth CollegeWhy did you choose Columbia Orthopedics?
I chose Columbia because it really felt like a family - even when I was a sub-intern. It's clear here that everyone from co-residents to fellows and attendings is genuinely invested in your education and wants you to succeed and go on to do great things in the field of orthopedics. Year after year, residents have moved on to some of the best fellowships in the country. The opportunity to learn from esteemed faculty mentors in the OR and clinic – in addition to the support to pursue courses, meetings, cadaver labs, and international opportunities – sets residents up to not only to be great surgeons but also future leaders. Lastly, I love that when going out, inevitably fifteen-or-so other residents will get called across classes, and we'll all have a great time together in this amazing city. The relationships I've made here will continue long after residency comes to an end.
What is your favorite bone?
L5
What's the best place you have traveled since your residency started?
Cape Town, South Africa
Where are you from?
Massapequa Park, Strong Island
Favorite restaurant in NYC?
Cote
Favorite activity outside of work?
Kicking it with my co-residents
Dream concert (even if band not together or alive)?
Weezer
Best Pandora station for the OR?
Kygo
Favorite night float snack?
Black Coffee
What is your spirit animal?
Bear
Nana O. Sarpong, MD, MBA
- HSS Adult Reconstruction Fellowship
Medical School: Tufts University School of Medicine
Undergraduate: Brandeis UniversityWhy did you choose Columbia Orthopedics?
Without debate, Columbia Orthopedics is the best program in the world and that is why it was ranked #1 on my list. The residents here were some of the most intelligent, collegial, hard-working, and friendly I came across during my interview trail. Under the leadership of Drs. Levine, Jobin, and Lynch, the dedication to resident, fellow, and medical student education is unprecedented, and there is a strong focus on maintaining a collegial environment that fosters and promotes excellent training. We have world-class faculty ubiquitously across all divisions that are dedicated to education, research, and above all, exceptional patient care. With a class size of 6, I found this to be the perfect fit for me, in developing meaningful relationships with my co-residents, fellows, as well as my attendings over the years. We continue to work hard, but play even harder, with the added luxury of living in the best city in the world. To top it all off, our residents match at the best fellowships in the country across all sub-specialties. I would rank Columbia Orthopedics #1 over and over again!
What is your favorite bone?
Tibia
What's the best place you have traveled since your residency started?
Napa Valley
Where are you from?
New York, NY
Favorite restaurant in NYC?
Budakkan
Favorite activity outside of work?
Exploring the astounding restaurants and bars NYC has to offer
Dream concert (even if band not together or alive)?
The Weekend
Best Pandora station for the OR?
Phil Collins Top Hits
Favorite night float snack?
Blueberry-flavored Chobani w/ granola bar
What is your spirit animal?
Elephant
Hasani W. Swindell, MD
- Rush University Sports Medicine Fellowship
Medical School: Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons
Undergraduate: University of PittsburghWhy did you choose Columbia Orthopedics?
During the residency application and interview process, Columbia offered a unique, unrivaled opportunity to grow into a knowledgeable, technically skilled, compassionate and incredibly competent orthopedic surgeon, educator, researcher and physician with the perfect blend of skills to ultimately push and advance the field of orthopedics. From my time as a medical student at Columbia, to my sub-internship month, and ending with the interview day, it was obvious that the faculty and residents at Columbia are truly part of a larger (and historic) family where people genuinely cared about your interests, your general well-being and your future success (whatever that may be!). Between the operative days working with and picking the brains of a tremendous set of faculty that lead the charge in their respective orthopedic subspecialties, to hanging out in the resident library with the best group of co-residents in the country, I can honestly and humbly say that coming to Columbia was, and still remains, one of the best decisions I've ever made in my life.
What is your favorite bone?
Clavicle
What's the best place you have traveled since your residency started?
St. Lucia
Where are you from?
Southfield, MI
Favorite restaurant in NYC?
Sweet Chick
Favorite activity outside of work?
Seeking out NYC's best tacos
Dream concert (even if band not together or alive)?
Tupac or Notorious B.I.G. (I love both coasts equally)
Best Pandora station for the OR?
Classic Hip Hop Radio
Favorite night float snack?
Hot Cheetos
What is your spirit animal?
Silverback Gorilla
