Resident Profiles

Name

Melinda Aliza Costa, MD

Email

mcosta@surgery.usc.edu

Hometown

Cooper City, FL

Undergrad

University of Pennsylvania

Grad School

University of Pennsylvania

Melinda is currently a Chief resident in the combined General Surgery/Plastic Surgery program.

Name

Justin Thomas Kane, MD

Email

jkane@surgery.usc.edu

Hometown

Irvine, CA

Undergrad

University of Notre Dame

Grad School

Keck School of Medicine of USC

Name

Lily Feng Lee, MD

Email

llee@surgery.usc.edu

Hometown

Houston, TX

Undergrad

Case Western Reserve University

Grad School

Case Western Reserve University

I am most fascinated by surgery of the face - because that is what creates your first impression of someone. My research interest lies in the regeneration of hair and sebaceous glands. Spare time is spent with family, organic gardening, and SCUBA diving.

Name

Ali M Soltani, MD

Email

asoltani@surgery.usc.edu

Hometown

San Clemente, CA

Undergrad

University of Southern California

Grad School

Keck School of Medicine of USC

I enjoy MLB baseball and NHL hockey, and playing with my son, etc...

Name

Chandra Ellis, M.D.

Name

Goretti Ho, M.D.

Undergrad

Brown University

Grad School

The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University

Name

Sheila Nazarian Mobin, M.D., M.M.M.

Email

snazarian@surgery.usc.edu

Undergrad

Columbia College, Columbia University

Grad School

Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University

Work interests include craniofacial surgery, clinical research, leadership and professionalism studies.

Name

Haritha Veeramachaneni

Email

hbodduluri@surgery.usc.edu

Hometown

NYC and Durham, NC

Grad School

Vanderbilt University School of Medicine

Indian classical dance, SCUBA diving, animals/wildlife, spending time with my family, friends, and amazing husband. I would like a plastic surgery career incorporating yearly international service.

Name

Daniel Matthew Barrett, MD, MHA, MS

Email

daniel.barrett@surgery.usc.edu

Hometown

Warrenton, Virginia

Undergrad

James Madison University

Grad School

Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine

I am interested in all aspects of plastic surgery, including limb, hand, and facial reconstruction. I also have an interest in clinical research. I enjoy climbing, traveling, surfing, beach volleyball, and anything else outdoors.

Name

Wai-Yee Li, MD, PhD

Email

waiyee.li@surgery.usc.edu

Hometown

London, England

Undergrad

Birmingham University School of Medicine

Grad School

Birmingham University School of Medicine

I am interested in facial development and ultimately plan to pursue a career in Pediatric Plastic Surgery. I enjoy spending time with my friends and family, classical music, scuba diving and travelling.

Name

Grace Lan-Fang Yu, MD

Email

grace.yu@surgery.usc.edu

Hometown

Fresno, CA/Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Undergrad

Princeton University

Grad School

Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Name

Seth Ashley Eberlin, MD

Email

seth.eberlin@surgery.usc.edu

Hometown

Buffalo, NY

Undergrad

Yale University

Grad School

Keck School of Medicine of USC

I'm interested in burn reconstruction. I enjoy any kind of outdoor activity or sport.

Name

Ryan Matthew Spivak, MD, MS

Email

ryan.spivak@surgery.usc.edu

Hometown

Philadelphia, PA

Undergrad

Pennsylvania State University, Georgetown University

Grad School

University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

As a first year resident, my clinical interests in plastic surgery are broad, with a focus on cleft palate surgery, and microsurgery for head and neck, breast, and skin cancer reconstruction. I hope to make significant contributions over my next six years in the USC Plastic Surgery Research Lab, coordinating projects involving stem cell and gene therapy for microsurgical free flaps and cleft palate, and bio-reactor aided perfusion systems for microsurgical free flap tissue engineering. I just moved to Los Angeles with my wife Danielle, who is an art curator, and we have been enjoying our time exploring all that Southern California has to offer.

Name

Margaret Jane Starnes, MD

Email

margaret.starnes@surgery.usc.edu

Hometown

Pasadena, CA

Undergrad

University of Notre Dame

Grad School

Keck School of Medicine of USC

I am a local girl who returned to Southern California after college for medical school, the great weather, and family. I enjoy hiking, running, reading, and Fighting Irish football. I haven't yet decided what area of Plastic Surgery to pursue, as they are all great!

Name

Fan Liang, M.D.

Undergrad

Princeton University

Grad School

Harvard Medical School

I am a second year resident at USC and new transplant to Southern California. My greatest challenges this past year include re-learning how to drive and deciding on where to eat, given the amazing variety and quality of LA restaurants! My focus in plastic surgery is still undecided, though I did spend time during medical school investigating composite tissue transplantation and xenotransplantation. As I settle into my intern year, I can say that I love working with my fellow residents and attendings, and am constantly inspired by their dedication and excellence towards patient care.

Name

Erin Weber, M.D., Ph.D.

Undergrad

Rice University

Grad School

Keck School of Medicine of USC

Name

Caroline Yao, M.D.

Undergrad

Princeton University

Grad School

Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons

I would like a plastic surgery career that involves clinical research and international service, as I was inspired by a medical mission trek through the Himalayan Mountains during medical school. My interests are drawing/painting, playing squash, music (both classical and rock), and hiking/camping. In my spare time, I’m either travelling or working on my next big art project. I hope to use my past experiences in business/finance to make medicine run more effectively on a systems level, so that we may continue to improve the delivery and quality of surgical care.