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Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Department of Pediatrics

Meet the Fellows

Current Trainees

Matthew Doerfler, MD

Matthew Doerfler, MD (2021-2024)

  • Program: Child Neurology
  • Medical School: Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
  • Residency: McGaw Medical Center Northwestern University, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
  • Research: Pediatric neuroinflammatory disease
Martha Finch, MD

Martha Finch, MD (2021-2024)

  • Program: Child Neurology
  • Medical School: University of Texas Health Science Center McGovern Medical School
  • Residency: McGaw Medical Center Northwestern University, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
  • Research: Pediatric Charcot Marie Tooth Bone Health, Development of Implicit Bias in Children, Delivering Prognostic Information to Parents 
Barrie Jo Kaiser, MD

Barrie Jo Kaiser, MD (2021-2024)

  • Program: Child Neurology
  • Medical School: University of Oklahoma School of Community Medicine
  • Residency: University of Oklahoma School of Community Medicine
  • Research: Neurocritical care. 
Megan Garcia-Curran, MD, PhD

Megan Garcia-Curran, MD, PhD (2022-2025)

  • Program: Child Neurology
Elizabeth Tranel, MD

Elizabeth Tranel, MD (2022-2025)

  • Program: Child Neurology
  • Medical School: University of Michigan Medical School 
  • Residency: McGaw Medical Center Northwestern University, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
  • Research: General neurology, medical education  
Heather Voss-Hoynes, MD, PhD

Heather Voss-Hoynes, MD, PhD (2022-2025)

  • Program: Child Neurology
  • Medical School: University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences 
  • Residency: McGaw Medical Center Northwestern University, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
  • Research: Mangement of refractory status epilepticus 
Maren Heller, MD

Maren Heller, MD (2023-2026)

  • Program: Child Neurology
  • Medical School: University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine
  • Residency: McGaw Medical Center Northwestern University, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
  • Research: Fetal and neonatal neurology, neurodevelopmental outcomes, cultural competency in healthcare, mental health advocacy
Pooja Shah, MD

Pooja Shah, MD (2023-2026)

  • Program: Child Neurology
  • Medical School: Weill Cornell Medical College
  • Residency: McGaw Medical Center Northwestern University, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
  • Research: Traumatic brain injury prevention, drowning prevention, pediatric stroke
Laura Swanson, MD, PhD

Laura Swanson, MD, PhD (2023-2026)

  • Program: Child Neurology
  • Medical School: University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
  • Residency: McGaw Medical Center Northwestern University, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
  • Research: Epilepsy genetics

Past Fellows

First Position After Graduation

Holly Schiedermayer Keeley, MD (2020-2023)

Sarah Oswald, MD (2020-2023): Fellowship in Neuromuscular Medicine, McGaw Medical Center Northwestern University, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

Heba Akbari, MD (2020-2023): Fellowship in Epilepsy, McGaw Medical Center Northwestern University, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

Laura Bliss, MD (2019-2022):  Epilepsy Fellow, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL

Bridget McGowan, MD (2019-2022): Neuromuscular Fellows, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL

Priya Purushothaman, MD (2019-2022):

Joshua Cousin, MD (2018 - 2021): Epilepsy Fellow, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX

Joanna Garcia Pierce, MD (2018 - 2021): Epilepsy Fellow, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL

Talia Shear, MD (2018 - 2021): Health Services Clinician (Neurology), Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital/Northwestern University, Chicago, IL

Matias Lopez Chacon, MD (2017-2020): Neuromuscular Fellow, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL

Ethan Rosenberg, MD (2017-2020): Neurocritical Care Fellow, Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, WA

Laura Vernon, MD (2017-2020): Neonatology Neurology Fellow, Washington University, St. Louis, MO

Reega Purohit, MD (2016-2019): Epilepsy Fellow, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL

Alejandro Delatorre, MD (2016-2019): Pediatric Neurologist, Quito, Ecuador

Theresa Czech, MD (2015-2018): Epilepsy Fellow, Ann & Robert H Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL

Divakar Mithal, MD PhD (2015-2018): Neurocritical Care Fellow, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL

 

Rebecca Garcia Sosa, MD (2013-2016): Epilepsy Fellow, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL

Tracy Gertler, MD (2013-2016): Research fellow/Instructor (R25), Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL 

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