Faculty

Welcome from the directors

Welcome to the Ascension Saint Joseph - Chicago Obstetrics & Gynecology Residency. We established our training program in 1937, which conforms to all the requirements specified by the ACGME and is fully accredited.

Our community-based, active clinical department is known for its commitment to medical education. The full-time chairperson, 13 faculty, and teaching attending physicians are responsible for training the department's 12 residents.

Our institution enjoys its academic affiliation with the University of Illinois in Chicago and our department participates in the teaching of the medical students from two medical schools during their OB/GYN clerkships.

Qualified and committed subspecialists provide resident training in the subspecialties of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Gynecologic Oncology, Maternal/Fetal Medicine and Urogynecology. These dedicated professionals work with and supervise the resident staff in caring for hospital and clinic patients.

We take pride in caring for our patients regardless of race, religion or insurance status, in an environment that promotes teamwork and supportive peer relationships.

Every effort has been made to provide residents with an excellent training experience in all aspects of modern obstetrics and gynecology. The performance of our residents in their board examinations and the accreditation history of our training program reflect the quality of our residents and their educational program.

I hope that the information to follow will give you a better perspective of our Residency Program and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Good luck in your quest for a residency program, and do not hesitate to contact our residency coordinator.

Sincerely,

Eden Takhsh, MD, FACOG
Chairman and Program Director

Raynelda Hidalgo, MD
Associate Program Director

Leadership & organization

The teaching faculty at Ascension Saint Joseph - Chicago and the other affiliated institutions are committed to providing residents with the education and skills necessary to become outstanding obstetricians and gynecologists.

The following list provides information about our faculty. All of our subspecialists are board-certified in their respective subspecialty field.

Eden Takhsh, MD
Chairman, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Program Director, Obstetrics and Gynecology
Residency Training Program

Raynelda Hidalgo, MD
Associate Program Director, Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency Training Program

Freidoon Azizi, MD
Director, Gynecologic Oncology
Associate Professor, Clinical Obstetrics & Gynecology, Northwestern University Medical School

Howard Strassner, MD
Director, Maternal/Fetal Medicine
Professor, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rush University

Xavier Pombar, DO
Maternal/Fetal Medicine
Assistant Professor, Rush University

Ramkrishna Mehendale, MD
Maternal/Fetal Medicine
Assistant Professor, Rush University

Ramakrishna Velamati, MD
Director, Neonatology

Sohail Siddique, MD
Director, Urogynecology and Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery
Ascension Saint Francis, Ascension Saint Mary - Chicago, Ascension Saint Joseph - Chicago

Additional faculty members

  • Ewa Bilinski, MD
  • Kornelia Krol, MD
  • Ernest Nora, III, MD
  • Teresa Tam, MD
  • Samantha Score, DO
  • Kristen Gallagher, DO
  • Vanessa Archil, MD
  • Tamara Perry, MD
  • Sue Kafali, MD
  • Alia Siddiqi, MD
  • Nawar Hatoum, MD
  • Nicole Williams, MD
  • Yvonne Wolny, MD