Current Head and Neck Surgery Residents

Aria Jafari, MD (PGY-6)
Hometown: Orinda, CA
Undergrad: University of California, San Diego; Physiology and Neuroscience, Healthcare-Social Issues
Medical School: Stanford University
Outside Interests:  Photography, traveling, hiking, discovering good coffee and food.
Research Interests: Outcomes after sinus surgery, peri-operative care and pain management, surgical care in resource-limited settings, humanitarian surgical outcomes and global health policy.

Daniel Schaerer, MD (PGY-6)
Hometown: San Diego, CA
Undergrad: Stanford, Human Biology
Medical School:  Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Outside Interests:  Being a dad to two kids, Crossfit
Research Interests: Spiral ganglion growth/Cochlear implantation

Sunny Haft, MD (PGY-5)
Hometown: Bowie, MD
Undergrad: Williams College; Art History and Studio, Chemistry
Medical School:  University of Pennsylvania
Outside Interests:  Anything outdoors, wakesurfing, hiking, playing with Dexter my labradoodle, taco festivals, homebrews
Research Interests:  HPV Head and Neck Cancer

John Pang, MD (PGY-5)
Hometown: Clearwater, Florida
Undergrad: University of Florida, Chemistry
Medical School:  Johns Hopkins University SOM
Outside Interests:  Golf, music, dogs, surfing, and running
Research Interests: Head and neck cancer, health care economics, HPV oncogenesis mechanisms

David Bracken, MD (PGY-4)
Hometown: Tullamore, County Offaly, Republic of Ireland
Undergrad: Sam Houston State University; Bachelor of Music: Vocal Performance. Studied Vocal Pedagogy and Choral Conducting.
Medical School:  University of Texas: Houston
Outside Interests:  Opera, Karaoke, Soccer, Racquetball
Research Interests: Non invasive monitoring methods of swallowing and phonatory function. (ex. High Density Surface Electromyography (HD sEMG), Multidisciplinary Education in care and treatment of Laryngectomees., Chromoendoscopy techniques in laryngoscopy, Performing Arts Medicine. Application of 3D printing for medical education.

Bharat Panuganti, MD (PGY -4)
Hometown: San Jose, CA
Undergraduate: Saint Louis University; Health Information Management/Biology
Medical School: Saint Louis University
Outside Interests: Sports (spectator and player), working out, golf, food, politics, history, reading
Research Interests: Cancer genetics, social media

Joshua Stramiello, MD (PGY-3)
Hometown: Tampa, FL
Undergrad: University of South Florida; Biomedical sciences, minors in Anthropology and Biophysics
Medical School: University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine
Outside Interests: Outdoor activities with my kids and playing guitar
Research Interests: Innovation in Otolaryngology, 3D printed pediatric airway stents, Tele-robotics

Andrey Finegersh, MD, PhD (PGY-3)
Hometown: Mission Viejo, CA
Undergrad: UCLA; Psychobiology
Medical School:  University of Pittsburgh
Outside Interests: Family (married with 2 kids), exploring San Diego, traveling, golf, tennis, home remodeling projects
Research Interests: Epigenetic mechanisms of head and neck cancer, clinical research

Jesse Qualliotine, MD (PGY-3)
Hometown: Fairfax, VA
Undergrad: Columbia University; Biomedical Engineering
Medical School:  Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Outside Interests:  Dog beach, rock climbing, jogging, succulents, music
Research Interests: Nanoengineering applications in Head & Neck surgery, HPV-associated oropharynx cancer, translational research

Emily Funk, MD (PGY-2)
Hometown: Lancaster, PA
Undergrad: Stetson University; Spanish
Medical School:  Penn State University College of Medicine
Outside Interests:  traveling, baseball, exploring San Diego, boating, music/concerts, local wines and beers, cooking, hiking, reading
Research Interests: robotic technology, innovative design, tumor virology and immunology

Robert Saddawi-Konefka, MD, PhD (PGY-2)
Hometown: South Bend, IN
Undergrad: University of Southern California, Neurosciences
Medical School:  UCSD
Outside Interests:  Surfing, Camping and Backpacking, Family Time
Research Interests: Immuno-Oncology, Immunotherapies and Mechanisms of Tumor-Immune Resistance

Kayva Crawford, MD (PGY -1)
Hometown: Portland, OR
Undergrad: University of Washington; Spanish, Bioethics and Humanities
Medical School: Tufts University School of Medicine
Outside Interests: marathon running, piano, reading, hiking, painting, baking
Research Interests: population-based research, head and neck oncology, pediatric otolaryngology

Farhoud Faraji, MD, PhD (PGY -1)
Hometown: Sacramento, CA
Undergrad: University of California, Berkeley; Molecular & Cell Biology
Medical School: Saint Louis University
Outside Interests: Terrestrial and marine naturalism, scuba and freediving, climbing, hiking, yoga, travel, culinary arts, sailing, live music, horticulture and botany.
Research Interests: Head and neck oncology, metastasis biology, transcriptional biology, cell-mediated immunity, medical education.

Omid Moshtaghi, MD (PGY-1)
Hometown: San Diego, CA
Undergrad: San Diego State University; Biology.
Medical School: University of California, Irvine.
Outside Interests: Surfing, hiking, camping, and spending time with family.
Research Interests: Hidden hearing loss, dizziness, tinnitus, patient decision making, and bioelectric technology.