Meet Our General Surgery Residents

About Our Surgery Residents

Our residents come from many parts of the world and many different backgrounds. We strive to recruit residents of high academic and personal quality who, through our General Surgery Residency Program, will develop into excellent clinicians, teachers, and scholars.

Residency Leadership

Chief Administrative Residents

Kayla Isbell, MDKayla Isbell, MD

University of Alabama School of Medicine

Kayla’s hometown is Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Kayla received her BS in Mathematics from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a Masters in Applied American Politics and Policy from Florida State University. Kayla received her MD from the University of Alabama School of Medicine where she received the Paul W. Burleson Scholarship, the Society of Thoracic Surgery Looking to the Future Scholarship, and was a recipient of a NIH research training grant. Kayla was a member of the Admissions Committee, the Student Government Association, and volunteered at Equal Access Birmingham, a free clinic. Kayla was the co-founder and President of the Cardiothoracic Surgery Interest Group and pursued research in cardiothoracic surgery with James Kirklin,MD. Her surgical interests include general surgery. Kayla enjoys  drawing, reading, and traveling.

Claire Sokas, MDClaire Sokas, MD

Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University

Claire’s hometown is Highlands Ranch, CO. Claire received a BS in Chemistry at the University of Notre Dame and was the recipient of the Irish Clover Award for outstanding service to the student body. Claire received her MD from the Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University and served on the Admissions Committee, the Professional Conduct Committee, the Student Advisory Committee on Professionalism, and was a student leader for the Jefferson Center for Inter-Professional Education. Claire was elected into the George McClellan Surgical Honors Society. Her surgical interests include colorectal surgery as well as clinical effectiveness research and quality improvement. Claire is an avid runner and has volunteered as a guide for Achilles International in both Philadelphia and Boston.

Administrative Residents for Research

Margaret Berrigan, MDMargaret Berrigan, MD

George Washington University School of Medicine

Margaret's hometown is Washington, DC. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Virginia, where she received a BA, majoring in Biology and Spanish, and subsequently obtained a Masters in Physiology from Georgetown University. She received her MD from George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, where she was elected to AOA, was the recipient of the 2017 and 2018 Cecile and Seymour Alpert Medical Scholarship and served as Co-President of the Student Council. She engaged in a number of clinical research projects throughout medical school. Margaret's interests include hiking, travel, and crafts. Her current clinical interest is pediatric surgery.

Thomas Hirsch, MDThomas Hirsch, MD

Medical College of Wisconsin

Thomas's hometown is Springfield, Massachusetts. He received his BS from Northeastern University, majoring in Behavioral Neuroscience. He subsequently matriculated to Medical College of Wisconsin where he was elected to AOA and the Gold Humanism Honor Society. As a medical student, Tom studied the role of bacterial enzymes that trigger the generation of hydrogen sulfide, which protect bacteria against antibiotics and strategies to disable these enzymes to enhance their susceptibility to antibiotic treatment. Tom enjoys playing the guitar, sports, independent films and filmmaking. His clinical interest is pediatric surgery.

For more information, please contact:

Department of Surgery
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Lowry Medical Office Building
110 Francis Street, Suite 9B
Boston, MA 02215
Phone: 617-632-9236
617-632-7424
Email us