Current Anesthesiology Residents

Muhammad Afzal, MD

Hometown: Queens, NY 

Undergraduate: University of Buffalo  

Medical School: St. George's University School of Medicine  

Professional Interests: Cardiac anesthesia but keeping my options open 

Hobbies/Interests: Baseball (go Mets!), music festivals, and ice cream enthusiast 

Fun Fact: tea > coffee

Brent Cordon, MD

Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska   

Undergraduate: BYU-Idaho  

Medical School: University of Nebraska  

Hobbies/Interests: Spending time with my wife and 3 kids, board games, disc golf, paddle boarding, fishkeeping.   

Melissa Emilcar, DO

Hometown: Cambria Heights, NY 

Undergraduate: Adelphi University 

Medical School: NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine 

Clinical Interests: Obstetric anesthesia, neuroanesthesia, medical education  

Hobbies/Interests: Weightlifting, traveling, playing pickleball, piano, photography, fashion  

Syn Hae Yoon, MD

Hometown: Seoul, South Korea  

Undergrad: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor  
Medical School: Konkuk University School of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea  

Professional Interests: Regional anesthesia, Pain medicine, clinical research / Academic Practice    

Hobbies/Interests: Exploring new restaurants, traveling   

Fun Fact: I became my children's hairstylist and have since mastered a wide range of kids' hairstyles.

Maham Ahmed, MD

Hometown: East Elmhurst, NY  

Undergraduate: City University of New York, Hunter College  

Medical School: State University of New York, Upstate Medical University-Norton College of Medicine  

Professional interests: Cardiac anesthesia, clinical research, medical education  

Hobbies/Interests: Traveling, fitness, spending time with friends and family, arts and crafts 

Fun Fact: I was born Iqra, a name meaning “to read”. But after a year of unexplained illness, a religious scholar suggested a change – sensing the name did not align with my energy. He suggested Maham, meaning “the moon’s glow”, and my health quickly improved. 

Diamond Clough, MD

Hometown: Queens, NY  

Undergraduate: Northeastern University  

Medical School: New York Medical College  

Hobbies/Interests: Strength training, Pilates, Yoga, Spending time with family and friends  

Fun Fact: I am a certified professional trainer 

James Tautkus, MD

Hometown: York, PA 

Undergraduate: University of New Hampshire 

Medical School: St. George's University School of Medicine 

Hobbies/Interests: Hanging out with family and friends, playing tennis, running  

Fun Fact: I got heckled while presenting a President’s Choice award-winning abstract at ASRA. It was an unforgettable academic moment

Kyle Yano, DO

Hometown: Hawai’i Kai, HI / Lake Forest, CA  

Undergrad: University of Redlands  

Medical School: Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine  

Professional Interests: Pediatric Anesthesia / Private Practice  

Hobbies/Interests: Eating Rice, Golf, Snowboarding, Running  

Fun Fact: Every year my entire extended family gets together for Christmas and wears matching outfits.