Dr. Stobnicki received his education at the Medical Academy of Warsaw in Poland; he had over 4 years of general surgery training before moving to Chicago. He completed a general surgery/urology residency at the University of Illinois Hospitals in Chicago. Dr. Stobnicki founded Northwest Metropolitan Urology Associates in 1986 and became Board Certified in Urology in 1988, recertified in 1997. He belongs to numerous professional societies and is a fellow in the American College of Surgeons. He speaks Polish, Russian, and some French. His clinical interests include urologic oncology, stone disease, incontinence, and diseases of the prostate.

Mark T. Brandt, M.D., F.A.C.S.

Dr. Brandt attended the University of Michigan Medical School before completing residency programs in General Surgery in Boston and Urology at the University of Cincinnati. He is board certified in Urology, a fellow of the American College of Surgery, and a member of a long list of professional organizations. Currently, he is a clinical professor at Chicago Medical School and an instructor at the Chicago Prostate Cancer Center -- where he performed radioactive prostatic seed implantation live before an international audience. A member of Lutheran's Cancer Board, he has been at the cutting edge of minimally invasive surgery and cancer treatment. He was the first area physician to successfully perform bladder replacement surgery following the removal of the bladder for cancer. In addition, he led the team performing the first laparoscopic radical nephrectomy (kidney removal) at Lutheran General Hospital.

Dr. Brandt is also active in female urology and is a member of the Comprehensive Continence Center where complex cases of incontinence are treated using state of the art equipment and techniques. Other areas of interest are minimally invasive treatment of stones and benign prostatic disease, as well as general urology. Dr. Brandt has been listed in the Consumers Checkbook, published by Consumer Reports, for the last 3 years, as one of the elite group of urologists recommended by other area doctors to treat their own family members.

Joseph DeOrio, M.D.

Dr. Joseph DeOrio earned his bachelor’s degree in Molecular Biology at Princeton University, where he completed a year-long thesis in the study of viral particles for use in gene therapy. He then earned his

medical degree at Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine, where he graduated with honors and was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha National Medical Honors Society.

He completed his General Surgery and Urology residency training at the University of Southern California-Los Angeles County Medical Center, a center world-renowned for innovative approaches to urologic cancers, and a forerunner in the development of urinary diversion and bladder replacement surgery. During residency, Dr. DeOrio was recognized by the mayor of Los Angeles for his dedication to providing awareness and education to the community regarding prostate cancer.

Dr. DeOrio is a member of the American Urologic Association and the Chicago Urologic Society. He actively participates in student and medical resident education, and conducts lectures for other physicians regarding urologic diseases.

Dr. DeOrio has extensive training in the field of urologic cancers, and is trained in the use of the daVinci robot for the treatment of prostate cancer and other urologic diseases. Other areas of interest include diseases of the prostate, including benign enlargement of the prostate, and Dr. DeOrio is well-versed in minimally-invasive surgery for treatment of voiding difficulties. He is also involved in the aggressive treatment of erectile dysfunction, and has undergone additional training in the placement of penile prosthetics. Comprehensive treatment of voiding difficulties, kidney stones, male infertility, and urinary incontinence completes his scope of practice.

Walter S. Falkowski, M.D., F.A.C.S.

Dr. Falkowski attended Princeton University and George Washington University School of Medicine. He completed his internship in L.A. County Harbor General Hospital, and his residency in urology, as well as a research fellowship at Northwestern University Medical Center. He was Board Certified in 1984 and joined this practice in April of 1997. His main interests are urologic oncology and urologic prosthetics.

Lara Hammond, M.D.

Dr. Hammond completed residency training programs in General Surgery and Urology at Southern Illinois University (SIU) in Springfield, IL after graduating from The Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Dr. Hammond's special interests include minimally invasive surgery, particularly robotic surgery, incontinence surgery, and stone disease. In addition, she developed expertise in the treatment of urologic diseases of women through spending her last year of training at SIU with a nationally recognized expert in the field of female urology.

Dr. Hammond was the first surgeon to perform robotic assisted laparoscopic sacral colpopexy in Chicago.

Dr. Hammond is a member of the American Urologic Association, the Chicago Urologic Society, and is a regular contributor to For Her Information and Today's Chicago Woman magazines.

Brian Hennig received his Master's Degree in Physician Assisted Studies from Finch University of Health Sciences / The Chicago Medical School in 1999. Following graduation, Brian completed an intensive one year residency in Urology with our practice. He is currently involved in both adult and pediatric urology and helps in training our current PA Urology Residents. Prior to becoming a PA, he received an undergraduate degree in biology from The Ohio State University and had been working in Child Abuse Prevention at Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
   

Shannon H. Zilligen is another one of our Physician Assistants. Shannon attended the University of Kansas and received her Bachelors in Exercise Physiology/Cardiac Rehab. She received her Masters of Science in Physician Assistant Practice at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science (formerly Finch University/The Chicago Medical School). Shannon also completed our rigorous urology residency program. She is involved in all aspects of our practice from the operating room to the clinic, including the Advanced Center for Urodynamics. Before becoming a PA-C, Shannon worked in cardiac rehab and was a nurse care technician (NCT) on a surgical unit at Lutheran General Hospital. She enjoys helping train the new PA residents and has done research in the area of prostate cancer. Shannon is proficient in Spanish.
   

Donna Mullahy, PA-C

Donna Mullahy is a physician assistant here at NMUA. Prior to completing her PA education at Midwestern University, she attended Eastern Illinois University and National College of Chiropractic. She also completed an intense one year residency program in Urology before joining our practice. Her current practice interests revolve around urinary incontinence and urodynamics testing.