Meet the Fellows

What drew you to this field?

The diversity of GI is what drew me to this field. There is inpatient and outpatient, high and low acuity, specialty care and primary care.  I also love procedures and using innovative technology to help children.
 
What are your clinical interests? How did you become interested in this area?

I am interested in interventional endoscopy, obesity, eosinophilic GI disease, inflammatory bowel disease, medical education, and bioethics. My interests in GI stem from my experiences as a medical student with exemplary mentors. The GI attendings were the best proceduralists, educators, advocates, and compassionate physicians I encountered, and I want to be just like them.

 
What are your research interests

I am interested in interventional endoscopy, eosinophilic GI disease, obesity, and inflammatory bowel disease.

Why did you choose Lurie?

Lurie’s strong reputation in the region for GI and liver, the size of the program, the high acuity and complexity of the patients, and the geographic location. 

 
What do you do for fun or to relax?

I enjoy relaxing with my family, running, exercising, and going out to eat.

 
What do you love most about Chicago?
The food is excellent! The summers are beautiful! There is always something to do and explore.

What drew you to this field?
I have always been interested in GI due to experiences with members of my family. Pediatric GI doctors have always been in my life and have really changed our lives. As I was going through my medical training, I kept an open mind but always came back to GI due to the longitudinal patient relationships, the diverse pathology we see, and the range of patient acuity. I also love the procedural component and the mix between inpatient and outpatient.

What are your clinical interests? How did you become interested in this area?
I am interested in inflammatory bowel disease. I love the longitudinal relationship with patients and all of the novel treatments that are around now that we can use to make some very sick patients much better. New technology, such as intestinal ultrasound, is also making for a much more comprehensive and better patient experience and I am excited to be at the forefront of these advances. I also am interested in nutrition and celiac disease.

What are your research interests
I am interested in clinical outcomes research in IBD. Specifically, I am looking at healthcare disparities and barriers to care within different patient populations. I am fortunate that we have a large database within our IBD center to conduct such a project and feel grateful to have a lot of support in my research interests. I have always been involved with outcomes-based work ever since medical school, and I love that the results can directly translate to patient care and system-wide/institutional changes in healthcare delivery.
 
Why did you choose Lurie?
I did an away rotation here during residency and was so impressed with everything about this program. The department is big enough that everyone has a niche, but small enough that we get to work closely with every attending. The liver transplant program here is very strong, and I feel as though I will leave fellowship as an autonomous and strong GI clinician and researcher. 
 
What do you do for fun or to relax?
I love to spend time with my husband and son, go on walks through all the nearby neighborhoods of Chicago, and try new restaurants. We also spend a lot of time at home hosting friends for dinner.
 
What do you love most about Chicago?
Chicago is a wonderful city! Having lived only in the northeast prior to moving here for fellowship, I can confidently say that Chicago is truly the best of both worlds-has everything you could possibly need within a few minute walk of your home, but also is clean, easy to navigate, and very family friendly. It is very easy to live here and feel completely settled. 

  

What drew you to this field?
I love the diversity of pathology in GI and understanding how all the different organs (including the hepatobiliary system) all function together and impact one another within the giant “fun slide” that is the GI system! And every day feels unique in this field because of the good mixture of inpatient, outpatient, and complex procedures that we frequently perform.

What are your clinical interests? How did you become interested in this area?
I’m very interested in inflammatory bowel disease and I’m also curious about advanced endoscopic procedures. IBD is fascinating to me because there is still so much we don’t know about it, the field is always advancing with newer therapies available, and I appreciate the opportunity to develop longitudinal relationships with these patients. Also, I want to learn more about diet and integrative medicine with the hopes to apply those tools/knowledge as adjuncts in IBD management.

What are your research interests?
I am interested in IBD, intestinal ultrasound, nutrition, and integrative medicine techniques.

Why did you choose Lurie?
I did a rotation at Lurie and absolutely fell in love with the hospital and everyone I met in the GI department (fellows and faculty) from the very beginning. Everyone was incredibly welcoming, the culture felt very inclusive, and the program leadership were clearly extremely supportive of their fellows’ wellness. Also, I wanted to be at a tertiary center that performed advanced GI therapies and diagnostics, had a strong liver transplant program, and had high volume and acuity of patients. And I grew up in the nearby suburbs so it was nice to be back in Illinois and get to live in the city!

What do you do for fun or to relax?
I love walking around the city (or scootering!) and exploring new cafes, restaurants, or fun activity spots. I like to read and often find a scenic spot outside (during the warmer months) to spend a few hours reading. I also enjoy spending time with friends and family.

What do you love most about Chicago?
I love how walkable, lively, and diverse the city is. Each neighborhood has its own vibe, there’s always something to do, the architecture is so cool, and I love being by the lake during the summer!

 

What drew you to this field?
 
I’ve always been drawn to pediatric GI because of the wide variety of disease. But the true moment was when I grabbed the endoscope for the very first time as a resident. That was when I realized this is something I want to do for life. Also, I love that pediatric GI blends procedures, outpatient care, and inpatient care.
 
What are your clinical interests? How did you become interested in this area?
 
My main clinical interests are IBD, EoE, and advanced endoscopy. But to be honest, I genuinely enjoy every aspect of GI and hepatology, which makes it hard for me to choose one specific niche right now, because everything in this field excites me.
 
What are your research interests
 
I’m interested in translational research. During fellowship, my goal is to build strong methodology skills and ultimately contribute to improving patient care through research.
 
Why did you choose Lurie?
 
I did an observership at Northwestern before, and I always admired this place. Lurie Children’s provides outstanding training. I feel like the most important thing to grow as a pediatrician and subspecialist is just seeing as many different patients and pathologies as possible, and Lurie provides that variety and depth.
 
What do you do for fun or to relax?
 
I like taking walks by the lake. It’s beautiful, and by the end of the walk my mind always feels clear again.
 
What do you love most about Chicago?
 
Chicago has everything a big city offers, but also space and nature. It’s the perfect balance; you don’t have to give anything up.