The St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program in Stockton, California, is a community-based experience. This 355-bed facility offers high-volume, diverse patient cases, preparing residents for comprehensive urological care. As part of Dignity Health, we are a member of CommonSpirit Health's national network of more than 2,200 care sites across 24 states. That broad perspective supports our local commitment to community-based training, health equity and compassionate care. Primary training is at St. Joseph's Medical Center, augmented by diverse experiences at VA Northern California, Sutter Medical Group, and Kaiser Permanente. Residents serve medically underserved communities in the Central Valley. The program emphasizes evidence-based learning, team-based approaches, and scholarly activity to foster excellent care and impact community well-being.
Welcome to the St. Joseph's Urology Residency Program in Stockton, California. We are committed to training urologists who provide the highest quality of care to diverse and medically underserved communities. Our program fosters a culture of excellence, evidence-based learning, and team-based care, with diverse training experiences in both academic and community settings. Residents have ample opportunity to learn from various urology subspecialties and engage in scholarly activity. We invite you to learn more about our challenging and innovative program.
Paul Lee, MD Program Director
Our comprehensive curriculum provides diverse training experiences, primarily at St. Joseph's Medical Center, with support for off-site rotations.
PGY-1 training focuses on foundational surgical skills, including adult urology, general surgery, interventional and vascular radiology, plastic surgery, nephrology, and surgical intensive care.
PGY-2 expands clinical responsibility with rotations in adult urology, voiding disorders, outpatient urology at VA Sacramento, and minimally-invasive surgery at Kaiser Manteca.
PGY-3 residents gain experience in adult urology, urologic oncology at VA Sacramento, pediatric urology at Kaiser Roseville, and dedicated time for research or electives.
PGY-4 focuses on advanced subspecialty training including pediatric urology, adult voiding disorders/FPMRS, urologic oncology, and minimally-invasive surgery/robotics, alongside research or electives.
PGY-5 residents assume chief resident responsibilities in adult urology for both inpatient and outpatient settings, with dedicated time for research or electives.
Every Monday morning, residents have protected education time from 7:30am to noon. This includes lectures on high-yield urology topics by medical students, residents, and faculty. Monthly rotations include simulation labs, Morbidity & Mortality Conference, Journal Club, AUA Update Series review, and self-study time. Residents receive free access to AUA Self-Assessment Study Program (SASP), AUA Update Series, and valuable urology texts.
The program strictly adheres to ACGME residency work hour limits of 80 hours per week, averaged over a four-week period, to support resident well-being. Residents rotating on services outside the home site will not take multiple calls.
Residents are given OR time starting in intern year, with increasing responsibilities as they progress through the program and demonstrate proficiency with each faculty member.
Residents are required to complete two scholarly activities, with at least one being a quality improvement project to fulfill ACGME requirements. Projects are developed longitudinally and often presented at the St. Joseph’s Annual Symposium and at state and national conferences, leading to publications in retrospective research and case reports.
Electives allow residents to tailor their educational training to align with their individual career plans. Supportive attendings discuss elective opportunities early in training to personalize the learning experience.
Training occurs at St. Joseph's Medical Center and extends through a network of affiliated sites across Northern and Central California. The program partners with these institutions to provide residents with diverse clinical experiences across a broad patient population.
St. Joseph's Medical Center
Stockton, California
Community partner sites
Sutter Gould Medical Group
Stockton, California
Kaiser Permanente
Roseville, California
Kaiser Foundation Hospital/Medical Center
Manteca/Modesto, California
Touro University Medical Group
Stockton, California
Residents receive educational, wellness and leave benefits designed to support their professional development and well-being.
Annual resident salaries are:
PGY-1: $78,000
PGY-2: $79,170
PGY-3: $80,358
PGY-4: $81,563
PGY-5: $82,786
Additional financial support includes:
Chief resident stipend: $2,000 annually
CME allowance: $1,000 annually
Relocation bonus: $1,500 for residents moving more than 50 miles; available during the first year only
Annual professional society membership
Specialty-specific educational subscriptions and question-bank resources
Meal stipend
White coat
Three pairs of scrubs annually
Free parking at St. Joseph’s Medical Center and parking reimbursement at other clinical sites
In-Shape Health Club membership
$100 annual Lyft Healthcare benefit
Well-Being Index resources
UpToDate
Sanford Guide mobile app
Lexicomp
VisualDx
Dignity Health and CommonSpirit Health Library Web Portal
Touro University medical resources
ClinicalKey, Ovid, PubMed, MD Consult and The New England Journal of Medicine
Full-text articles and interlibrary loan services
Full-time medical librarian on-site
On-site support from a GME research director with expertise in biostatistics
21 days of paid vacation
9 days of sick leave
6 weeks of paid medical, parental or caregiver leave immediately available for qualifying needs
Additional leave as permitted under St. Joseph’s Medical Center policies and California law
Stockton, CA, is a historic gold rush port city on the banks of the mighty San Joaquin River, offering a diverse community and convenient access to popular Northern California destinations. It is a 60-minute drive to the San Francisco Bay Area and a 90-minute drive to the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
Application Process
Applications are accepted through ERAS and require an application through the American Urological Association Match for the 2026–2027 academic year. The program accepts two residents per year and has consistently filled both positions.
Required application materials:
Interview Season Information
Interviews for the 2026–2027 cycle will be held virtually via Zoom, following SAU-AUA Match policy recommendations. Interview invitations will be sent on the universal date of October 24, 2025. Interviews will occur on Fridays, November through December 2025, meeting core faculty, residents, and adjacent faculty. An optional in-person social event will be offered on December 19, 2025, after rank lists are submitted.
International Medical Graduates
The program considers and interviews IMGs. ECFMG Certification is required for interviews, though interviews may be granted to IMGs enrolled in medical school who meet other criteria. The program does not directly sponsor J-1 or H1 visas, with the exception of ECFMG sponsored J-1 Visas. Noncitizens must provide employment authorization by the interview date.
Medical Student Clerkships
Medical students interested in the residency program are invited for a four-week rotation on the urology service, gaining experience in clinic, operating room, and hospital floor with core faculty and residents. Applications for the 2026–2027 academic year are reviewed March 1 – April 1, 2026. Touro students can enroll in off-season blocks.
Paul Lee, MD
Role: Program Director
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Medical school: New Jersey Medical School
Residency: University of Massachusetts Medical Center
Fellowship: Senior Registrar in Pediatric Urology, Hospital for Sick Children
Clinical/academic interests: Urology, Pediatrics
Michael Zhang, MD
Role: Associate Program Director
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Medical school: Thomas Jefferson University
Residency: New York Medical College
Fellowship: Endourology/Robotics
Andrew Wang, MD
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Residency: Eastern Virginia Medical School Urology
Kurt Roemer, MD
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Medical school: University of Mississippi
Residency: Naval Regional Medical Center
Clinical/academic interests: Urology
Peter Garbeff, MD
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Residency: Mayo Clinic
Clinical/academic interests: Urology
Nathan Kludt, MD
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Residency: UC Davis Medical Center
Board certification: Plastic Surgery
Clinical/academic interests: Aesthetic and reconstructive surgery
Purushottama B. Sagireddy, MD, FASN
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Residency: University of Illinois, Chicago
Fellowship: University of Texas, San Antonio
Board certification: Nephrology
Clinical/academic interests: Nephrology
Shelley Godley, MD
Role: Site Director
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Residency: UC Davis Medical Center
Natalie Hartman, MD
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Residency: Loyola University Medical Center
Thenappan Chandrasekar, MD
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Residency: UC Davis Medical Center
Fellowship: Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (Robotics), University of Toronto (Urologic Oncology)
Clinical/academic interests: Robotics, Urologic Oncology
Dana Nanigian, MD
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Residency: UC Davis Medical Center
Arden Plumb, MD
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Residency: Loyola University Medical Center
Raymond Mark Bernal, MD
Role: Site Director
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Residency: Temple University Hospital
Fellowship: Reconstructive Urology and GU Cancer Survivorship, Male Infertility & Male Sexual Dysfunction
Clinical/academic interests: Reconstructive Urology, GU Cancer Survivorship, Male Infertility, Male Sexual Dysfunction
Aron Bruhn, MD
Role: Site Director
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Residency: New York University Medical Center
Board certification: Urology
Jennifer Yang, MD
Role: Site Director, Pediatric Urology
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Residency: New York Presbyterian Hospital
Fellowship: Pediatric Urology
Board certification: Pediatric Urology
Clinical/academic interests: Pediatric Urology
Samuel Chan, MD
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Residency: New York University Medical Center
Kit Chang, MD
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Residency: New York University Medical Center
Ian Cooke, MD
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Residency: Emory University Hospital Fellowship: MIS & Urologic Oncology
Clinical/academic interests: MIS, Urologic Oncology
Andrew Giem, MD
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Residency: University of Tennessee School of Medicine
Richard Ho, MD
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Residency: Yale University
Vesna Ivancic, MD
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Residency: UC Los Angeles Medical Center
Fellowship: Pediatric Urology
Clinical/academic interests: Pediatric Urology
Chen Lang, MD
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Residency: Loyola University Medical Center
Dennis Lee, MD
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Residency: University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine
Fellowship: Urologic Oncology & Robotic Surgery
Clinical/academic interests: Urologic Oncology, Robotic Surgery
Christopher Li, MD
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Residency: Albany Medical Center
Thaiphi Luu, MD
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Residency: Methodist Hospital
Frank Myers, MD
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Residency: SUNY Downstate Medical Center
Fellowship: Urologic Oncology & Robotic Surgery
Clinical/academic interests: Urologic Oncology, Robotic Surgery
Son Nguyen, MD
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Residency: UC Davis Medical Center
Roland Palvolgyi, MD
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Residency: UC Davis Medical Center
Michael Shulman, MD
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Residency: University of Texas Southwestern Medical School
Carmen Stapp, MD
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Residency: UC Davis Medical Center
Kimberly Takahashi, MD
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Residency: Baylor College of Medicine
Scott Troxel, MD
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Residency: UC Davis Medical Center
Fellowship: UC Davis Medical Center
Weichen Xu, MD
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Residency: UC Davis Medical Center
Lindsay Yuh, MD
Role: Faculty
Program/affiliation: St. Joseph's Medical Center Urology Residency Program
Residency: UC Davis Medical Center
PGY-5
Medical school: Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Spirit Lake, Iowa
Personal interests: Hiking, skiing, scuba diving, live music, surfing—even when it involves wiping out—and spending time with his dog, Dak
Medical school: New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University
Hometown: Hammond, Indiana
Personal interests: Traveling and seeking new adventures with her dog, Gambit; exploring food and doughnuts; cooking Italian dishes; and creating vegan baked goods
PGY-4
Medical school: Drexel University College of Medicine
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Personal interests: Hiking, spending time outdoors, traveling to new countries and trying new restaurants
Medical school: Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Personal interests: Hiking, baking, cake decorating, aerial circus and gardening
PGY-3
Medical school: Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Personal interests: Basketball, comfort food and FC Barcelona
Medical school: University of Queensland
Hometown: Orange, California
Personal interests: Knitting, crocheting, traveling, sipping matcha green tea lattes and spending time outdoors while avoiding bugs
PGY-2
Medical school: Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific-Northwest
Hometown: Friday Harbor, Washington
Personal interests: Ocean kayaking, skiing, hiking, running, biking, golf, soccer, podcasts, watching Survivor and spending time with his dog, Moira
Medical school: Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific
Hometown: Monterey Park, California
Personal interests: Basketball, snowboarding, fishing, pickleball and exploring the local food scene
PGY-1
Medical school: University of California, Riverside School of Medicine
Hometown: Victorville, California
Personal interests: Weightlifting, exploring new coffee and matcha shops, trying new foods and spending time outdoors
Medical school: Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Snohomish, Washington
Personal interests: Traveling, learning new languages, camping, hiking, climbing, gardening and cooking
Claudia Manzo
Urology Residency Program Administrator
Email: claudia.manzo@commonspirit.org
SJMCUrologyResidency@commonspirit.org
Address:
St. Joseph’s Medical Center
1800 North California Street
Stockton, CA 95204
For general GME inquiries:
Joanne Daly, Department of Academic Affairs and Graduate Medical Education
Email: sjmcgmeleadership@commonspirit.org
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