HCC New Haven was initiated in 2025 as a partnership between Yale School of Medicine and 3 area high schools: Hill Regional Career High School, James Hillhouse High School, and Wilbur Cross High School.
The faculty sponsors of the program at Yale School of Medicine are Dr. Shannon Small, Assistant Professor of Surgery
Yale School of Medicine; and Dr. Dirk C Johnson, Associate Professor of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine. The program is supported by Yale’s Office of New Haven Affairs, Public School Partnership under the leadership of Dr. Maria Parente, Associate Director of Public School Partnerships; Claudia Merson, Director of Public School Partnerships; and Dina Natalino, Supervisor of College & Career Pathways for New Haven Public Schools.
Shannon F.R. Small, M.D., FACS
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Yale School of Medicine
Trauma/Critical Care/Acute Care Surgeon
Department of Surgery
Lawrence + Memorial Hospital
Dirk C. Johnson, M.D., FACS
Associate Professor of Surgery
Yale School of Medicine
Department of Surgery
Division of General Surgery, Trauma and Surgical Critical Care
The High School Program Leader at Hill Regional Career High School is Dr. Haifa Abdel-Jalil under the leadership of Principal Shawn A. True.
At James Hillhouse High School, the program is conducted under the leadership of Principal Antoine Billy.
At Wilbur Cross High School, the program is conducted under the leadership of Principal Matthew Brown.
Yale surgical resident program co-directors are Dr. Rachel Rivero, and Dr. Stephanie Carter.
Stephanie Carter, MD
Surgical Research Resident, Yale School of Medicine
Rachel Rivero, MD
PGY4 Surgical Resident, Yale School of Medicine
MD, Boston University School of Medicine, 2020; BS, Tufts University, 2015