Neurosurgery Residency

This residency is designed to advance clinical, educational, and research activities in the field of neurosurgery. Residents will learn to treat highly complex neurological disorders and less complicated clinical issues. Each resident will gain exposure in diverse care settings. While Saint Luke's Marion Bloch Neuroscience Institute is the primary site, residents' clinical rotations and training are shared with University Health Truman Medical Center, Children’s Mercy Hospital, and Kansas City VA Medical Center. 

This residency is a seven-year program. Neurological Surgery Rotations and rotation sites are listed below:

Neurosurgery Residency Program Chart

For more information about the University of Missouri–Kansas City Neurological Surgery Residency.

• Saint Luke’s Hospital is recognized nationally by U.S. News & World Report in Neurology and Neurosurgery.
• Saint Luke’s Marion Bloch Neuroscience Institute is designated AS an Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center and a Level 1 Time-Critical Diagnosis Center with multiple benchmarks above the national average.
• One of the first hospitals in the region to use the minimally invasive ROSA® surgical robot to treat epilepsy.
• Saint Luke’s Marion Bloch Neuroscience Institute is a Level 4 Comprehensive Epilepsy Center.

Saint Luke's Hospital Physicians

• Carlos A. Bagley, MD – Neurosurgery
• Jonathan Breshears, MD – Neurosurgery
• Yifei Duan, MD – Neurosurgery

• Gurpreet S. Gandhoke, MD – Neurosurgery

   

• Bartosz Grobelny, MD – Neurosurgery
• Jared Halpin, MD – Interventional Neuroradiology  
• William Holloway, MD – Interventional Neuroradiology  
• Joseph Loeb, DO – Interventional Neuroradiology  
• Coleman Martin, MD – Interventional Neuroradiology  
• Erik Sembroski, MD – Critical Care Medicine
• Monir Tabosha, MD – Neurosurgery
• Tarek El Ahmadieh, MD – Neurosurgery
• Andrew Abumoussa, MD – Neurosurgery

Children's Mercy Hospital Physicians

• Melissa Gener, MD – Pathology

Kansas City VA Medical Center Physicians

• James Wolter, MD – Neurosurgery

   

University Health Truman Medical Center Physicians

• Heather Klepacz, MD – Trauma

We participate in the NRMP Residency Match. 

The residency program selects the best qualified candidates regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, cultural background, religion, sexual orientation, color, national origin, handicap, or age. Upon careful review of all applications, we offer interviews to selected applicants. In accordance with UMKC School of Medicine policy, we will not interview, rank, or accept H-1B applicants in the UMKC Neurosurgery Residency Program.

Candidate requirements include:

• U.S. citizen or J-1 visa sponsorship
• Completion of an accredited medical degree
• A completed application form through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS)
• Medical student performance evaluation (MSPE) from the candidate’s medical school
• Recommendation letters from three faculty members
• Medical school transcripts
• Personal statement
• Educational Commision for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) certification, if applicable
• For osteopathic applicants, we accept results of Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination of the United States (COMLEX-USA) and/or United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) exams

Anas Abou Merhi, MD 
PGY 1

Hometown: Beirut, Lebanon

Medical School: Beirut Arab University

Career Interests: I am deeply passionate about the intersection of discovery and practice in neurosurgical oncology and cerebrovascular surgery. My goal is to build a career as a physician-scientist, bridging mechanistic neuroscience with innovative clinical care.

Hobbies: Weightlifting and contact sports—specifically boxing and MMA—learning about different cultures, and watching historical documentaries and autobiographies. 

Gustavo M. Cortez, MD 
PGY 2

Hometown: Brazil

Medical School: University of Western São Paulo, Brazil

Internship: University at Buffalo, New York

Career interests: I am interested in cerebrovascular and endovascular neurosurgery, particularly in caring for patients with ischemic stroke, intracranial aneurysms, and vascular malformations.  

Hobbies: Running, cycling, strength training, playing tennis, reading about neuroscience and human behavior, and spending time with family and friends. 

Shahab A. Sattari, MD 
PGY 3

Hometown: Ahvaz, Khuzestan, Iran

Medical school: Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences

Career interests: Spine, neurological trauma, and open vascular surgery.

Hobbies: Going to the gym, hiking, and cooking.

Luke Pearson, MD 
PGY 4

Hometown: Orlando, Florida

Medical school: University of Central Florida College of Medicine

Career interests: Complex and minimally invasive spine surgery. I am committed to mastering advanced techniques that improve patient outcomes, reduce recovery times, and improve cost effectiveness.

Hobbies: Spending quality time with family, staying active through weightlifting, and exploring new destinations through travel. 

Saint Luke’s is proud to call Kansas City home. With locations on both sides of the state line, the Health System serves more than 2.1 million people and 240 neighborhoods in Kansas and Missouri. Discover why Kansas City is one of the top U.S. cities in which to live and work. USA Today has regularly named Kansas City a top area for affordability, high-quality schools, and low traffic. Learn more at visitkc.com.