Core Residency Faculty and Staff
Professor and Chair
Program Director, Orthopaedics Residency Program
Dr. Rajiv Rajani is a Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon who is fellowship trained in Pediatric and Adult Orthopaedic Oncology. He received his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Michigan. He then completed his residency at Emory University, and his fellowship at the University of Florida.
He is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Texas Tech Health El Paso Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation. His expertise especially lies in the diagnosis and treatment of all bone and soft tissue tumors of the extremities in both pediatric and adult patients. Dr. Rajani is an active member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS). He also is a member of the Connective Tissue Oncology Society (CTOS), International Society of Limb Salvage (ISOLS), the Texas Orthopaedic Association (TOA) and the American Orthopaedic Association (AOA).
Dr. Rajani served for four years on the AAOS Council on Research and Quality along with the Diversity Advisory Board. He also served on the AAOS Council of Education. Along with completing a term on the MSTS Evidence-Based Medicine Committee, he additionally has served as the MSTS Fellowship Committee Chair, spearheading the society effort to develop a fellowship credentialing pathway. He is a member of the AOA Council of Residency Directors.
His previous appointment was Vice Chair for Education and Residency Program Director for the UT Health San Antonio Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. He also served on the Board for the Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas.
For a list of his publications, please visit his Google Scholar profile: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=JW7GalkAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao
He speaks English and basic Spanish.
Associate Professor
Dr. Adam Adler is a Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon who is also fellowship trained in Orthopaedic Trauma. He received his Doctor of Medicine from the University of New Mexico. He then completed his residency at SUNY Downstate/Kings County Hospital, and his fellowship at Stanford University. He is an Associate Professor, Director of the Orthopaedic Trauma Service and Associate Residency Program Director for the Texas Tech Health El Paso Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation. His practice focus includes orthopaedic trauma, adult hip reconstruction, limb deformity correction, and pelvis and acetabular surgery. He has served the El Paso community since 2016.
Dr. Adler is an active member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA), AO Trauma, and AO North America.
Dr. Adler serves on the Texas Tech/University Medical Center Field Amputation Team. He was also a vital component of treating patients and coordinating care in two mass casualty events: Hurricane Sandy (2012) and the El Paso Walmart Mass Shooting (2019).
He speaks English and basic Spanish.
Assistant Professor
Dr. Corning is a Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon who is fellowship trained in Orthopaedics Sports Medicine. He received his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. He completed his residency at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, and his fellowship at Barton Health/Lake Tahoe Orthopedics Sports Medicine. He is an Assistant Professor and Director of Sports Medicine in the Texas Tech Health El Paso Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation. He is an active member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AAOSM). He has served the El Paso community since 2021.
Dr. Corning also serves as the team physician for the El Paso Locomotives.
He speaks English and basic Spanish.
Professor
Douglas T. Cromack, M.D., FACS is Board Certified in Hand with the American Boards of Plastic Surgery and Plastic Surgery with the American Board of Plastic Surgery. He received his M.D. from University of Vermont College of Medicine, in Burlington, VT. He completed extensive training in Surgical Oncology from National Institutes of Health, National Center Institute in Bethesda, MD; Resident Research at Washington University, Department of Surgery, St, Louis, MO and Plastics Residency from St. Louis University, Division of Plastic Surgery, St. Louis, MO and General Surgery Residency, St. Louis University, Department of Surgery, St. Louis, MO. He completed an Internship in General Surgery at Medical Center Hospital of Vermont, Burlington, VT and his fellowship in Hand Surgery at Washington University, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, St. Louis, MO.
Dr. Cromack is an active member of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH), Fellow American College of Surgeons (FACS), and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). Dr. Cromack was a clinical professor at University of Texas Health San Antonio, Department of Orthopaedic in San Antonio, TX from 2005 until August 2024.
Dr. Cromack joined Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso in May 2025, as a Professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery - specializing in Plastic and Hand Surgery.
Dr. Cromack’s clinical practice focuses on adult and pediatric hand surgery. Other areas of expertise include peripheral nerve surgery and limb salvage after trauma.
He is pleased to be and serve the El Paso community.
Assistant Professor
Plastic Hand and Microvascular Surgery
Director of Limb Restoration
Shawn Diamond, M.D., grew up in Southern California and graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of California Los Angeles with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. He received his M.D. from Cornell University where he was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society.
Dr. Diamond met his wife, a fourth generation El Pasoan, during his time in New York. Subsequently, he completed general surgery training in Santa Barbara, California and is certified by the American Board of Surgery. Dr. Diamond joined the Harvard Plastic Surgery Residency and was awarded the Resident Teacher of the year award in 2019 and served on the Plastic Surgery Executive Committee. He completed subspecialty hand and microsurgery training in the combined Orthopaedic and Plastic Surgery fellowship at the University of California, Irvine.
Dr. Diamond joined Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso as an assistant professor in the Department of Surgery - specializing in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. He is an active educator of the Texas Tech Health El Paso General Surgery residency program, the combined William Beaumont Army Medical Center/Texas Tech Health El Paso Orthopaedic residency program, and Paul L. Foster School of Medicine medical students. Dr. Diamond’s clinical practice focuses on adult and pediatric hand surgery, replantation, lower extremity limb salvage, amputation care, targeted muscle reinnervation and brachial plexus birth injury. He serves as the director of the Limb Restoration Program at Texas Tech Health El Paso. In addition to his work locally, Dr. Diamond also serves as a reviewer for the Journal of Reconstructive Microsurgery and has presented original research in the field of limb salvage at various national and international meetings. He is pleased to return to his wife’s hometown with his two young children to serve El Paso.
He is triple board-certified in general surgery, plastic surgery and hand surgery.
Associate Professor
Dr. Karim Elsharkawy is a Board-Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon who is fellowship trained in Adult Reconstruction Surgery. He received his Doctor of Medicine from the Cairo University School of Medicine, Egypt. He completed his residency at the Cleveland Clinic in addition to a post-doctoral research fellowship. Dr. Elsharkawy also completed the Otto E. Aufranc Fellowship in Adult Reconstruction at the New England Baptist Hospital in Boston. He is an Associate Professor and Director of the Adult Reconstruction Service in the Texas Tech Health El Paso Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation.
His practice focus includes primary and revision total hip and knee arthroplasty procedures. He has extensive research experience in the area of joint replacement and its effects on the geriatric population. He has also co-authored several peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters on hip and knee replacement.
He is an active member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, Royal College of Surgeons of England, and the American Association for Physician Leadership. He previously served as an Assistant Lecturer at Cairo University School of Medicine, Egypt.
He speaks English, French and Arabic.
Associate Professor
Dr. John A. Heflin is a board-certified Pediatric Orthopaedics and is fellowship-trained in Pediatric Orthopaedic. He earned his Doctor of Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA.
He completed his internship and residency at Emory University School of Medicine (Orthopaedics) at Atlanta, GA. He completed his Fellowship at University of Utah (Pediatric Orthopaedics) in Salt Lake City, UT.
He is an Associate Professor in the Texas Tech Health El Paso Department of Orthopaedic
Surgery and Rehabilitation. His practice focus on spinal Deformity Evaluation, Nonsurgical,
and Surgical Management of the thoracic and lumbar spine; Spinal Trauma Care & Pediatric
Orthopedic Trauma and Fracture Care. Conditions he treats are Adolescent idiopathic
scoliosis, Early onset scoliosis, Congenital scoliosis,
Neuromuscular and syndromic scoliosis, Kyphosis, Spondylolysis, Spondylolisthesis,
Disk Herniation, Radiculopathy, Spinal fractures & Spinal Tumors.
Dr. Heflin is an active member of American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America, Pediatric Spine Study Group, Utah Medical Association & Utah State Orthopaedic Society.
He speaks English.
Assistant Professor
Dr. Lauren N. Stimson is a board-eligible orthopaedic surgeon who is fellowship-trained in orthopaedic trauma. She earned her Doctor of Medicine at Texas A&M College of Medicine in Bryan, Texas.
She completed an orthopedic surgery residency at Wayne State University/ Detroit Medical Center. She then completed an orthopedic trauma fellowship at Yale University.
She is an assistant professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation at Texas Tech University Health Science Center in El Paso, TX. Her practice includes the management of pelvic ring and acetabular fractures, upper and lower extremity fractures, post traumatic infections, fracture nonunions, fracture related infections, and periprosthetic fractures.
Dr. Stimson is an active member of AO Trauma, the Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA), and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). She has experience in clinical and basic science research, with multiple peer-reviewed publications. A list of Dr. Stimson’s publications can be found on her Google Scholar Profile: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Ok9RIQYAAAAJ&hl=en=
She speaks English.
Assistant Professor
Dr. Andrew Tyler is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon who is fellowship-trained in orthopaedic trauma. He earned his Doctor of Medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, where he also earned his Doctor of Philosophy in immunology.
He completed his internship and residency in orthopaedic surgery at the University of Pennsylvania and a fellowship in orthopaedic trauma from Vanderbilt University.
He is an assistant professor in the Texas Tech Health El Paso Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation. His practice focus includes orthopaedic trauma, upper and lower extremity fracture repair, musculoskeletal infection, post-traumatic reconstruction, limb deformity correction, pelvic and acetabular surgery, and adult shoulder, hip, and knee reconstruction.
Dr. Tyler is an active member of AO Trauma, the Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA), the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), and the American Orthopaedic Association (AOA). He has extensive experience performing clinical and basic science research and has published multiple peer-reviewed manuscripts and book chapters.
He speaks English and basic Spanish.
Assistant Professor
Dr. Taylor Yong is a board-eligible orthopaedic surgeon who is fellowship trained in orthopaedic trauma. He received his Doctor of Medicine here at Texas Tech Health El Paso. He then completed a unique 6-year residency track at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center which included a Master of Science in Healthcare Research from the Dartmouth Institute. After residency, he completed his orthopaedic trauma fellowship at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Dr. Yong was also awarded the prestigious AO Trauma North America Jack McDaniel Memorial Fellowship, completing additional training at Universitätsspital Basel in Switzerland. His practice focus includes orthopaedic trauma, the polytraumatized patient, pelvic and acetabular surgery, and musculoskeletal infection. He is an Assistant Professor for the Texas Tech Health El Paso Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation. He has served the El Paso community since 2022.
Dr. Yong is an active member of AO Trauma, the Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA), the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), and the American Orthopaedic Association (AOA) Emerging Leaders Program. He is passionate about education, mentorship, and research. For a list of his publications, please visit his Google Scholar profile: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&tzom=360&user=KPF8XpAAAAAJ
He speaks English and has a limited-working proficiency with Spanish.
Associate Professor
Dr. Marcella R. Woiczik is Board-Certified in Orthopaedic Surgery and is fellowship-trained in Pediatric Orthopedics. She earned her Doctor of Medicine at Medical College of Ohio (Medicine) in Toledo, OH.
She completed her internship and residency at Medical College of Wisconsin (Orthopedics) in Milwaukee, WI. She completed her Fellowship at University of Utah School of Medicine (Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery) in Salt Lake City, UT in 2008.
She is an Associate Professor in the Texas Tech Health El Paso Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation. Her practice focuses on Pediatric Orthopedic Trauma and Fracture Care, Hip reconstruction: Infant through Young Adult, Limb and Foot deformity treatment. Conditions she treats are Fracture Care and Traumatic Injury,
Abnormal Gait, Hip Dysplasia (DDH), SCFE, Legg Calve Perthes Disease, Benign Bone Lesions, Genu Varum & Valgum, Femoral & Tibial Torsion, Limb Length Discrepancy, Neuromuscular Disorders, Congenital & Metabolic Disorders, Skeletal Dysplasia, Foot & Ankle Conditions, including – Clubfoot, Congenital Vertical Talus, Pes planus, Tarsal Coalition, Accessory navicular, Toe-walking & Polydactyly.
Dr. Woiczik is an active member of American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America.
She speaks English.