Dr. Matthew Grimes has been selected to join the Trauma and Urologic Reconstructive Network of Surgeons (TURNS). This is a multi-institutional collaborative of reconstructive urologists focused on advancing knowledge and improving patient care in the field of reconstructive urology.

Dr. Walid Farhat was appointed President Elect for the American Association of Pediatric Urologists (AAPU). This organization works to promote pediatric urology practice and education as well as connect practitioners involved in pediatric urology. Dr. Farhat will be serving as president for the 2026-2027 term.

Dr. Vinaya Bhatia was appointed Social Media Co-Chair for the American Association of Pediatric Urologists (AAPU). She will work to spread awareness of the AAPU's work to support research, academics, and professional mentorship.

Dr. Kyle Richards has been selected to participate as Course Co-Director for the AUA CodingPlus educational series. This course will explore coding changes and discuss current issues in urology coding and billing. Live virtual courses will be offered quarterly in 2025.

Dr. Dan Gralnek performed the first iTind procedure in the state on January 28th. The procedure was performed in clinic without requiring anesthesia. The Endourology Section of UW Urology is now offering UroLift, Rezum, Optilume, and iTind minimally invasive surgical therapies (MISTs) for enlarged prostates as well as being a national leader in HoLEP surgery.

Dr. Stephen Nakada has been selected to receive the 2025 Karl Storz Lifetime Achievement Award from the Endourological Society. This honor is given to an endourologist whose lifetime contributions have had a major impact on the field of Endourology.

We are delighted to share our 2025 Match results and we look forward to welcoming our new residents to Madison and the Department in June!

Hanna Kherzai will receive her doctorate of medicine degree from the University of Illinois, where she was a participant in the Global Medicine Program. She received a BS degree in Economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Hanna is dedicated to serving asylum seekers and is proud of her work with the Afghan Activist Leadership Institute. In her spare time, she enjoys writing poetry, reading, and learning languages.

Koumani Ntowe is completing her medical education at Duke University. She received a BS degree in Biomedical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Koumani has a passion for addressing healthcare inequities and has been involved in many research projects related to breast cancer. Koumani spent a month rotating with us this past summer and in her free time enjoys playing the flute, rollerblading, and reading.

Nicole Ronczkowski is completing her fourth year of medical school at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. Nicole received a BS degree in Biology and Foreign Language from the University of Georgia and a MS in Neuroscience from Georgia State University. She has served in many leadership roles in medical school, working to raise over $1 million for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Nicole has completed numerous full and half marathons and enjoys rock climbing, boxing, and creating hand-crafted garments.  

Ga Mei (Erica) Zeng will graduate from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in May. Erica received a BS degree in Economics from Georgetown University and an MS in Biomedical Science from Duke University. She has an interest in health policy and has been a staunch patient and student advocate during medical school. Erica spent a year working on projects with Dr. Richards and she looks forward to returning to Madison for residency training. In her spare time, she enjoys playing and following soccer, movies, true crime podcasts, and creating gifts for loved ones.

February 3, 2025 marked National Women Physicians Day. In honor of this day, we'd like to recognize and thank the women physicians on our faculty and in our residency program for their strength, determination, and leadership - and for the outstanding care they provide to our patients every day.

Row 1: Drs. Sarah McAchran, Margaret Knoedler, Betsy Koehne, Emily Serrell, Sara Best

Row 2: Drs. Vinaya Bhatia, Shannon Cannon, Kristin Ebert, Zoe Blumenthal, Emily Davidson

Row 3: Drs. Emily Ellman, Megan Roedel, Lisa Teixeira, Holly Smith, Ellen Ward