Residents – PGY3

Blake Aquarulo, M.D.

Blake Acquarulo, M.D., M.P.H.

Categorical

Undergraduate School: Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA
Medical School: Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University
Hometown: North Haven, CT
Clinical Interests: Breast, MIS, healthcare disparities, surgical education
Favorite thing about UConn General Surgery? The people! UConn feels like home because there’s always someone there to support you, listen, and have your back.
Favorite thing to do in the area/restaurant to eat at: Exploring all the happy hours West Hartford has to offer.

Virginia Byars, M.D.

Virginia Byars, M.D.

Categorical

Undergraduate School: Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
Medical School: University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center
Hometown: Memphis, TN
Clinical Interests: Trauma
Favorite thing about UConn General Surgery? Competing with Juan and Matt to see who can eat the most bagels at Friday conference.
Favorite thing to do in the area/restaurant to eat at: It's a tie between Zohara and the Spigot.

Christine Chen, M.D.

Christine Chen, M.D.

Categorical

Undergraduate School: Macaulay Honors College at The City College of New York, New York, NY
Medical School: SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine
Hometown: New York, NY
Clinical Interests: Undecided
Favorite thing about UConn General Surgery? Co-residents and attendings.
Favorite thing to do in the area/restaurant to eat at: Anything Asian.

Juan Cobar, M.D.

Juan Pablo Cobar Ligorria, M.D., M.B.A.

Categorical

Medical School: Universidad Francisco Marroquín Facultad de Medicina
Hometown: Guatemala City, Guatemala
Clinical Interests: Thoracic Surgery, General Surgery, Acute Care
Favorite thing about UConn General Surgery? The people in my program.
Favorite thing to do in the area/restaurant to eat at: Find new places to eat with family and friends.

Thien-Kim Doan, M.D.

Thien-Kim Doan, D.O.

Categorical

Undergraduate School: University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO
Medical School: Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine-New York
Hometown: Arvada, CO
Clinical Interests: Plastic Surgery...though I am flirting with the idea of colorectal surgery.
Favorite thing about UConn General Surgery? All my co-residents! Without them, residency would never be this fun!
Favorite thing to do in the area/restaurant to eat at: #1 sleep (you always need sleep in residency). #2 eating chicken nuggets on my couch. #3 probably #1 and #2 at the same time. But if I had to choose, I love exploring all of coastal New England and trying all the lobster rolls I can get my hands on. I am from Colorado so I don't get to see the ocean often!

Matthew Garrity, M.D.

Matthew Garrity, D.O.

Categorical

Undergraduate School: University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA
Medical School: University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Beverly, MA
Clinical Interests: Hand Surgery, Plastic Surgery, General Surgery
Favorite thing about UConn General Surgery? The way Dr. Hernon says my last name.
Favorite thing to do in the area/restaurant to eat at: The Spigot Cafe.

Andrea Watters, M.D.

Andrea Watters, D.O., M.S.

Categorical

Undergraduate School: Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
Medical School: New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Glenside, PA
Clinical Interests: Colorectal, Surgical Oncology
Favorite thing about UConn General Surgery? Very clinically busy.
Favorite thing to do in the area/restaurant to eat at: Hiking.

Malika Wilson, M.D. 2026

Malika Wilson, M.D., M.B.A.

Categorical

Undergraduate School: Coe College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Medical School: New York University Grossman School of Medicine
Hometown: Lincoln, NE
Clinical Interests: Transplant
Favorite thing about UConn General Surgery? Support you receive from attendings.
Favorite thing to do in the area/restaurant to eat at: Naples Pizza.