Montage Medical Group welcomes three new urologists, increasing access for community
The urologists at Montage Medical Group brought their experience, practice, passion for the field, and family to Montage Health because they want to be part of an institution that provides quality care to its patients, community, and staff. And, because they have the opportunity to make significant and profound differences by improving their quality of life. Urology is a surgical specialty involving management of the urinary system, treating all aspects of health and function, from the kidney down to the bladder, including sexual function. It encompasses voiding dysfunction, kidney stone disease, sexual health, cancer of the kidneys, bladder, and prostate, as well as urinary tract infections, infertility, and vasectomies.
“Urology has such a deep meaning. It affects all of us in our daily lives. It can be as simple as quality of life and as dramatic as quantity of life,” says Dr. Craig Stauffer. “Whether we are addressing cancer or just bothersome symptoms, urology is personal. We’re all honored to be taking care of people in some of their most sensitive moments.” Dr. Stauffer completed coursework at St. Mary’s College of Maryland and Johns Hopkins universities before attending medical school at the University of Maryland. His residency at Stanford brought him to California, where he enjoys an active outdoor lifestyle.
Dr. Harsha Mittakanti was studying biomedical engineering at the University of Texas at Austin when he realized he wanted to go into medicine. After graduating magna cum laude, he headed to Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, followed by a residency at Stanford, training alongside Dr. Stauffer. “I became very interested in minimally invasive surgery through robotics,” says Dr. Mittakanti, “so I did a fellowship in robotic urologic surgery at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, with Dr. James Porter, a world leader in robotics, which was a great way to learn and advance my skillset,” he says. “Montage Medical Group wanted to start a robotics surgery program at Community Hospital. The opportunity to start a program from scratch was very enticing, and it’s so gratifying to know we are saving our patients from having to travel to undergo complex operations. This is not a typical community hospital. We have some phenomenal surgeons, with tremendous skills and expertise.”
What Dr. Kyla Velaer appreciates most about moving to the Monterey Peninsula is the sense of community she feels here. “It reminds me of home,” she says, “I’ve always wanted to work in the community where I live. I can feel the closeness of it here, and it’s so special to be part of it and find ways to contribute, give back.” A graduate of the University of Kansas with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry, driven by “a love of math and science and the constant pursuit of the underlying explanations for everything,” she went on to the University of Iowa College of Medicine. During her Stanford residency, with both Dr. Stauffer and Dr. Mittakanti, Dr. Velaer developed special interests in pediatrics, neurogenic bladder, voiding dysfunction, and robotic surgery. “What I really like about the field is that when we treat a patient, we address super sensitive topics, things we can do something about to improve quality of life. But first we need to help patients feel comfortable, so we can help them.”
Dr. Jon Soble grew up in Los Angeles and did his undergraduate and medical schooling at
Northwestern University in Chicago. He then completed his residency at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, followed by fellowship training in advanced minimally invasive cancer and kidney stone disease at The Cleveland Clinic. After an academic teaching position in urology at the University of Chicago, Dr. Soble and his wife moved to California where he practiced in San Luis Obispo for several years before joining Montage Medical Group in January. “The things I appreciate most about urology are really getting to know my patients and having the ability to change their lives for the better,” he says. Outside of his pursuit of excellence in urology, Dr. Soble enjoys local food and wine, travel and art, and scuba diving and flying.
Board-certified with the American Board of Urology, Dr. Evan Rosen joined Montage Medical Group in January, after spending more than 20 years in clinical practice in South Florida, where he served eight years as chief of surgery and spent 10 years on the medical executive committee. A love
Urology has such a deep meaning. It affects all of us in our daily lives. It can be as simple as quality of life and as dramatic as quantity of life. — Dr. Craig Stauffer
of interacting with, connecting with, and helping people led him to pursue a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Emory University in Georgia, before going on to Georgetown University School of Medicine. A two-year general surgery program, followed by a three-year residency, anchored the Long Island native at Beth Israel Medical Center in Manhattan for five years. “I knew by the end of medical school,” he says, “that I wanted to be a urologist, a surgical specialty that incorporates a large amount of medicine to create a patient connection, long term.”