Faculty

Noaman Ali, MD

Program Director

Dr. Noaman Ali completed his Medical Education at Northeastern Ohio Medical University and subsequently did general surgery residency at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, MI. After graduation, he completed Hepato-Pancreatico-Biliary Surgery fellowship at Cleveland Clinic. He brings to the program years of GME experience and innovative ideas, incorporating new technologies and focusing on complete training of residents, both clinical and practice management. He practices Surgical Oncology at HCA Florida Orange Park Hospital and specializes in MIS and robotic HPB surgery.

Victor Sukhovitsky, MD

Associate Program Director

Dr. Victor Sukhovitsky is an acute care surgeon who is board certified in general surgery and surgical critical care. After earning his medical degree from AUC School of Medicine, Dr. Sukhovitsky completed his residency and fellowship training at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra / Northwell Health program based at Long Island Jewish Medical Center and North Shore University Hospital in New York. Dr. Sukhovitsky's clinical interests include emergency general surgery, surgical intensive care, trauma, and minimally invasive surgery. He is passionate about medical ethics, quality improvement, and mentoring the next generation of surgeons.

Hussain Abbas, MD

MIS/Bariatric Surgery

Dr. Abbas is a board-certified surgeon and fellowship trained in minimally invasive surgery. After his surgical residency at St. Mary’s, a Yale University-affiliated hospital, Dr. Abbas completed a fellowship in minimally invasive gastroesophageal and bariatric surgery at the University of Florida, Gainesville.

Alex Crean, MD

Colon and Rectal Surgery

Dr. Crean is a leader in colorectal surgery treating both benign and malignant conditions using minimally invasive and robotic techniques. After obtaining his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia, he completed his general surgery training at Drexel University/Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia. Afterward, he pursued an additional year of fellowship training to specialize in colorectal surgery at Stony Brook University Hospital.

Andrew Schlussel, MD

Colon and Rectal Surgery

Dr. Schlussel earned his medical degree from the Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Davie, Florida and completed his residency in general surgery from Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu, HI. After residency, Dr. Schlussel completed a fellowship in Colon and Rectal Surgery at UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worchester, MA. Dr. Schlussel is a Veteran of the US Army, having served 15 years on Active Duty, and he currently continues to support the medical mission of our Armed Forces in the US Army Reserves. He specializes in minimally invasive procedures, including robotic and laparoscopic surgery, and is committed to treating patients with an advanced approach.

Adil Khan, MD

Vascular Surgery

Dr. Khan is a Vascular Surgeon based in Jacksonville. With a passion for advancing patient care, he offers residents a comprehensive rotation that covers the full spectrum of vascular surgery. From traditional open surgical procedures to innovative endovascular techniques, Dr. Khan ensures that aspiring surgeons gain invaluable hands-on experience and insight into this dynamic field. His commitment to education and mentorship fosters the next generation of vascular specialists.

Anand Gupta, MD

Dr. Gupta brings over 30 years of experience in General surgery. His practice encompasses all aspect of general surgery, including endocrine, abdominal/GI, hernia, surgical oncology, and MIS/Robotic surgery

Russel Smith, MD

Dr. Smith has over 20 years of experience in Head and Neck Surgical Oncology. Dr. Smith has dedicated his career to multidisciplinary care of patients with head and neck cancer. His practice includes surgical care of all aspects of head and neck cancer including open and endoscopic skull base surgery, transoral robotic surgery for laryngopharyngeal cancers, and minimally invasive thyroid and parathyroid surgery. Beyond the immediate cancer directed therapies, Dr. Smith emphasizes the importance of rehabilitative care as a part of cancer survivorship as a part of his clinical practice.

HCA Florida Orange Park Hospital Team

Trauma/Acute Care Surgery/Surgical Critical Care

Keith Clancy, MD

Trauma Medical Director

Mark Blum, MD; Victor Sukhovitsky, MD; Antonio Lozada, MD; Mohammed Mohammed, MD

HCA Florida Orange Park Hospital is a high-volume Level 2 Trauma Center. Residents rotate with the faculty for rotations of Acute Care Surgery, Trauma, SICU, and night float. They are exposed to all aspects of Acute Care surgery, including ICU management, robotic surgery, and both operative and non-operative trauma. Their team is passionate about acute care surgery, medical ethics, and resident mentorship and training.

General Surgery

Kara Wanchick, MD

General Surgery

Dr. Kara Wanchick is a MIS-fellowship trained general surgeon. She attended the University of Toledo School of Medicine and completed her surgical residency at the Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, Virginia. She became Chief Resident in surgery and subsequently served in the U.S. Navy as a general surgeon. She has been deployed twice to Afghanistan and the Persian Gulf and was awarded the U.S. Navy Commendations Medal for her distinguished service. Dr. Wanchick then completed her fellowship at the University of Miami in bariatric, metabolic and minimally invasive surgery. She specializes in general, MIS, and breast surgery

Julia Heizmann, MD

General Surgery

Dr. Heizmann is fully trained in general surgery with expertise in minimally invasive and robotic surgery. She obtained her medical degree from the University of Central Florida College of Medicine in Orlando and then went on to complete her residency in general surgery at the University of Florida – Jacksonville.

Noaman Ali, MD

HPB/Surgical Oncology

Dr. Ali completed residency at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak Michigan, the went on to complete HPB surgery fellowship at Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio. He practices complex surgical oncology, including endocrine, GI, and sarcoma surgery. He is passionate about resident education and brings exposure to complex oncology to the residency program.

Sunil Sharma, MD

MIS/Bariatric Surgery

Dr. Sharma is a leader in MIS/Bariatric surgery in the region. He focuses on MIS weight loss surgery, both laparoscopic and robotics. He has a passion for research and gives residents exposure to both inpatient and outpatient weight loss procedures.

Robert Still, MD

Cardiothoracic/Vascular Surgery

Dr. Still brings decades of experience and exposes residents to all aspects of CT and vascular surgery. He provides excellent autonomy and residents work one-on-one with him on the rotation. He is passionate about complex cardiovascular care and resident education.

Jose Baez, MD/Riley Schlub, MD/ Guilherme Giusti, MD

Hand and Plastic Surgeon

Drs. Baez, Giusti and Schlub are hand and plastic surgeons. They bring exposure to all aspects of hand surgery, as well as plastic and reconstructive surgery to the residency program. Residents operate one-on-one with their team, without fellows and are offered an excellent training in complex reconstruction, fractures, and degenerative disorders of the hand and wrist.