Resident Profiles
Resident profiles:
Nathan Baruch, MD
2021 - Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, Temple, TX
2017 - Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
Taylor Blackwood, DO
2021 – University of North Texas Health Science Center at Forth Worth - TCOM
2015 - Baylor University, Waco, TX
Where are you from/hometown: Friendswood, TX
Career Interest: Upper Extremity, Sports Medicine
Favorite thing to do in Lubbock: Golf, Chimy's
OR Playlist of choice: Summer Hits of the 90's
Favorite post-call snack: Chipotle
Kadi Cooley, MD
2021 – West Virginia University School of Medicine, Charleston, WV
2017 – University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY
Where are you from/hometown: Wrightstown, WI
What is it you enjoy about TTUHSC Ortho? During my visiting rotation I felt comfortable with the residents and faculty. The program is like a large family and everyone looks out for each other. The faculty take the time in the OR to make sure the residents are ready to operate independently. All other staff members are also very helpful and made me feel comfortable and like I was at home during my rotation.
Career Interest: undecided
Favorite thing to do in Lubbock: Check out the local breweries and restaurants. I also enjoy going to the multiple small lakes in and around Lubbock.
OR Playlist of choice: Beast Mode
Favorite post-call snack: String Cheese
Benjamin McIntosh, MD
2020 - University of Arizona COM, Phoenix, AZ
2015 - University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
Shelby Buckner, MD
2022 - TTUHSC, Amarillo, TX
2016 - Dallas Baptist University, Dallas, TX
Austin Cross, MD
2022 - CMU College of Medicine, Mount Pleasant, MI
2017 - Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Paul Gaschen, MD
2022 - TTUHSC, Lubbock, TX
2018 - Baylor University, Waco, TX
Where are you from/hometown: Lubbock, TX
What is it you enjoy about TTUHSC Ortho? I wanted to go to a program where the residents work hard and graduate being able
to operate confidently. Many of my mentors completed their training here so I knew
this is the place I was looking for. I also grew up in Lubbock and knew it was the
perfect size for a residency program – there is plenty to do when you are not working.
Finally, I felt like the attendings and residents treated each other like a family,
and I wanted a program that was collegial like this.
Career interest (i.e. subspecialty): Sports
Favorite thing to do in Lubbock: First Friday Art Trail, Fishing, Hunting, Live Music
OR Playlist of choice: Koe Wetzel or HARDY radio
Favorite post-call snack: Capital Pizza
Clint Hydrick, MD
2022 - Mayo Medical School, Rochester, MN
2017 - University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL
Alexander Abraham, MD
2022 - University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine
2017 - Ball State University
Ruthvik Allala, MD
2023 - Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at TCU
2018 - University of Texas at Austin
Camas Curran, MD
2023 - University of Washington School of Medicine
2017 - The College of Idaho Caldwell, ID
Where are you from/hometown: Boise, ID
What is it you enjoy about TTUHSC Ortho? Blue collar program with lots of operative time and progressive autonomy. Strong
trauma experience. Awesome culture and comradery. Smaller town with reasonable living
expenses.
Favorite thing to do in Lubbock: Pick up heavy weights and put them back down, play with my dogs, spend time with
my husband Harley
OR Playlist of choice: Shinedown, Papa roach, AC/DC, One Last Night, Electric Call Boy
Favorite post-call snack: Indian food, donuts
Kyle Messer, DO
2021 - Marion College of Osteopathic Medicine
2017 - Indiana University Bloomington, IN
Austin Anfinson, DO
2024 - Kansas City University
2018 - D'Youville University, NY
Evan Bradshaw, MD
2024 - TTUHSC, Amarillo, TX
2020 - University of Texas at Austin
Where are you from/hometown: Frisco, TX
What is it you enjoy about TTUHSC Ortho? My favorite things about the program are the camaraderie amongst the residents, the operative experience, and the open dialogue between residents and faculty on how to advance the program. These things combined make TTUHSC Ortho a fantastic place to train.
Career interest: Undecided
Favorite thing to do in Lubbock: Golf
OR Playlist of choice: There are only two types of music… Country and Western. I listen to both.
Favorite post-call snack: Breakfast tacos
Neal Weldon, MD
2024 - University of Nebraska College of Medicine
2019 - University of Nebraska
Where are you from/hometown: Lincoln, Nebraska
What is it you enjoy about TTUHSC Ortho? The town is a hidden gem and the residents are so warm and welcoming. The 1-1 mentorship model with attendings allows early trust to be built leading to earlier autonomy in the OR.
Career interest: TBD. I love joints, sports, hand, spine.. all of it.
Favorite thing to do in Lubbock: Mens league soccer, golfing with the boys, shooting guns, riding ATV’s
OR Playlist of choice: Anything country or 90’s R&B
Favorite post-call snack: Fried Chicken
Brianna Wolkober, MD
2024 - TTUHSC, Amarillo, TX
2020 - Texas Christian University
Where are you from/hometown: Brighton, WI
What is it you enjoy about TTUHSC Ortho? I love the culture here, and I feel like everyone really looks out for one another.
The early operative experience was another huge plus for me as well as seeing how
confident the graduating residents are in their diagnostic and surgical skills. I
also like that interns can take buddy call with the junior resident to get more experience
before being on primary call. Lastly, I appreciate that we have daily morning conference
which allows for dedicated time for education.
Career interest: Sports – I’d like to volunteer with Justin Sports Medicine Team eventually!
Favorite thing to do in Lubbock: Ride horses, farmer’s market on Saturdays, or anything outdoors
OR Playlist of choice: I can’t pick just one and it really depends on the vibe, but anywhere from AC/DC,
country western, Taylor Swift, 2000s rap/hip hop
Favorite post-call snack: Breakfast sandwich from Sugar Browns
Rorie Brister, MD
2025 - TTUHSC, Lubbock, TX
2021 - Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Jocelin Loewen, MD
2024 - TTUHSC, Lubbock, TX
2020 - Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Where are you from/hometown: Seminole, TX
What is it you enjoy about TTUHSC Ortho? Early operative experience, buddy call, night float, etc. Also appreciate the culture of balancing hard work with life outside the hospital as well.
Career interest: Maybe trauma or peds
Favorite thing to do in Lubbock: Wineries, The Range, try new restaurants
OR Playlist of choice: Texas country or 2000s hits
Favorite post-call snack: Breakfast burrito from Rise and Shine
David Mikhail, MD
2025 - University of Texas Southwestern Medical School
2020 - The University of Texas at Dallas
Where are you from/hometown: Flower Mound, TX
Career interest (i.e. subspecialty): Pediatrics
Favorite post-call snack: Breakfast Burritos
Noah Thomas, MD
2025 - Meharry Medical College
2020 - University of Arkansas Main Campus
Where are you from/hometown: Little Rock, Arkansas.
What is it you enjoy about TTUHSC Ortho? My favorite part of the program is how everyone looks out for one another and the early emphasis on OR experience. I got along with the residents here more than I did anywhere else and they instantly made me feel like family.This program also takes the time to listen to the residents and is growing and ever evolving. Training here, I am confident that I will be a great surgeon due to the graduated autonomy and support, not only from my residents, but from the attending physicians as well.
Career interest: Arthroplasty or trauma but I am open to all specialties.
Favorite thing to do in Lubbock: Find secret fishing spots and trying the new food!
OR Playlist of choice: Early 2000’s Hip-Hop and R&B.
Favorite post-call snack: Core power and a white raspberry quest protein bar.
2024-25
- John Chappa, MD - Adult Reconstruction, Lennox Hill
- John Fisher, MD - Sports, Steadman Hawkins
- Caleb Gottlich, MD - Limb Lengthening and Complex Reconstruction, Hospital for Special Surgery in NYC
- Kaitlin Rush, DO - Pediatrics, Texas Children's
- Jacqueline Van Gheem, MD
2023-24
- Christopher Gerzina, MD - Trauma, University of Florida
- Alexis Rounds, MD - Sports, University of Utah
2022-23
- Dominic Campano, MD - MSK Oncology, University of Miami
- Andrew Mikeska, DO - Spine, Harborview University, Washington
- Stephen Sierra, MD - Sports, Steadman Hawkins, Colorado
2021-22
- Dylan Homen, MD - Sports, University of Kentucky
- Amanda Purcell, MD - Pediatrics, University of Utah
- Jon Cooper Wall, MD - Pediatrics, Baylor/Texas Children's Hospital
2020-21
- Brenton Albracht, MD - Adult Reconstruction, University of Missouri
- Christian Douthit, MD - Hand and Upper Extremity, San Antonio Hand Center, San Antonio, TX
- Jessica McGraw, MD - Baylor Pediatric Orthopaedic Fellowship, Texas Childrens Hosptital, Houston, TX
2019-20
- Matthew Blue, MD - Adult Reconstruction, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Ian Ratheal, MD - Arthroplasty, Ortho San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
- Kevin West, MD - Sports Medicine, Baptist Health South Florida, Miami, FL
2018-19
- Jacob Murphree, MD - Trauma, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
- Eric Wait, MD - Ortho Pediatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
- Travis Winston, MD - Ortho Pediatrics, Washington University, St. Louis, MO
2017-18
- Ali Ashraf, MD - Sports Medicine, NY/Sports Medicine Clinic of North Texas,
Dallas, TX - Thomas Githens, DO - Trauma, Stanford, CA/Saint Mary's Hospital, Grand Junction, CO
- Craig Winkler, MD - Adult Recon, Jackson, MS/Texas Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, The Woodlands, TX
2016-17
- Samuel Strebel, MD - Adult Recon, Baltimore, MD/Tri-City Orthopaedics, Kennewick, WA
- Jaime Villarreal, MD - Spine, Plano, TX/Doctors Hospital at Renaissance, Edinburg, TX
- Adam Wooldridge, MD - Oncology, Gainesville, FL/Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
2015-16
- Cody Beaver, MD - Ortho Pediatrics, Nashville, TN/Texas Tech Physicians, Lubbock, TX
- Kathlyn Drexler, MD - Hand, Dallas, TX/Avera, Sioux Falls, SD
- Dustin Moore, MD - Private Practice, Legacy Bone & Joint Orthopaedics, Austin, TX
2014-15
- Jessie Dickens, MD - Sports Medicine, Zephyr Cove, NV/West Texas Orthopaedics, Midland, TX
- Stephen Flores, MD - Sports Medicine, Phoenix, AZ/Covenant Medical Group,
Lubbock, TX - Jordan Simpson, MD - Adult Recon, Houston, TX/Texas Tech Physicians, Lubbock, TX
2013-14
- Clint Beicker, MD - Sports Medicine, Greenville, SC/Texas Hill Country Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, Fredericksburg, TX
- Blake Clifton, MD - Sports Medicine, Albuquerque, NM/Alpine Orthopaedics,
Gunnison, CO - John Roaten, MD - Ortho Pediatrics, Memphis, TN/Cook Children's Medical Center, Ft. Worth, TX
2012-13
- Joseph Bergman, MD - Adult Recon, Salt Lake City, UT/Flathead Orthopaedics,
Kalispell, MT - Todd Bradshaw, MD - Sports Medicine, Albuquerque, NM/Amarillo Bone & Joint, Amarillo, TX
- Jeremy Saller, MD - Ortho Pediatrics, Wilmington, DE/Children's Hospital of the King's Daughter, Norfolk, VA