2020 Urology Graduation

Graduating Chief Residents Drs. Ali Syed, Tomy Perez, Hong Troung and Endourology Fellow Dr. Kate Smentkowski.

While our traditional year-end graduation plans were disrupted, our enthusiasm for giving our graduates a first-class sendoff remained strong. Much like every other academic group, we are pleased to have been able to conduct a virtual Department of Urology 2020 Graduation and Awards ceremony. The ceremony was broadcast live and friends and family were invited to tune in. The event included as many of the usual elements of our annual graduation program such as the awarding of certificates, the opportunity for the graduates to talk about their experience at Jefferson and the presentation of the personalized bobbleheads. What we did miss was the day long David M. Davis Visiting Professorship, seeing many of our former residents who return to Jefferson for the day and the evening Graduation Banquet at a special venue. We look forward to resuming a full program in person next June.

The graduation ceremony gave us an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of our graduating Chief Residents Drs. Tomy Perez, Ali Syed, and Hong Truong and Endourology Fellow, Dr. Kate Smentkowski. We also acknowledged other trainees who have been a part of our Urology Team over the last year. Lydia Glick from SKMC and Tim Han from the Chicago Medical School Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science completed an outstanding year as our Jefferson Urology Scholars. The Dolores Byrne Senior Urology Award was given to Dr. JY Leong who joined us this year as an intern in Urology. The Max Koppel, MD Resident Achievement Award is presented to resident(s) who have achieved the highest academic score in the yearly “Inservice Exam” sponsored by the American Urological Association. In 2020 this was a tie with Drs. Victor Kucherov and Andrew Salib sharing the award.

We wish our chief residents and fellow well as they depart from their time at Jefferson. Dr. Hong Truong will be starting a two-year Urologic Oncology fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. Dr. Ali Syed will be joining the Advanced Urology Institute New Port Richey, Florida while Dr. Tomy Perez will be heading west to join the Lovelace Medical Group in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Dr. Katherine “Kate” Smentkowski our Fellow in Endourology and Robotic Surgery will be returning home to Maryland to join Chesapeake Urology. Dr. Costas Lallas presents his Jefferson Urology Scholar plaque to Tim Han virtually at home in Chicago.

Dr. Max Koppel Achievement Award winners Drs. Victor Kucherov and Andrew Salib with residency program director Dr. Patrick Shenot.

All graduating residents and fellows receive a special certificate signed by faculty and residents in the Department of Urology. SKMC 2020 graduate Dr. J.Y. Leong receiving the Dolores Shupp Byrne Senior Urology Award from Dr. Byrne. Dr. Lallas with Jefferson Urology Scholar Lydia Glick, SKMC 2021.

Remembering 2020: Even without a DM Davis Visiting Professor our virtual graduation was a success.