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Improving the physician-patient relationship
and patient care through teaching and research
Since its founding in 2011, the Bucksbaum Institute has appointed, trained, and supported the research of, more than 514 physicians, medical students, and undergraduate student scholars. This map reflects the locations of more than 65 faculty and graduated medical student scholars who have moved from the University of Chicago to other academic programs. Their training at the Bucksbaum Institute will enable them to develop strong doctor-patient relationships and provide excellent patient care.
Dara graduated summa cum laude and with election to Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Pennsylvania in 2009 with a BA in Biological Basis of Behavior and Hispanic Studies. Following graduation, Dara worked in consulting for three years at Bain & Company. As a medical student, Dara has conducted research with Vineet Aurora on the relationship between patient satisfaction and communication among their providers.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Bio
Dr. Amanda Adeleye is a reproductive endocrinologist and an Assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the section of reproductive endocrinology and infertility. She completed her medical degree at Columbia University. Dr. Adeleye completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Columbia’s New York Presbyterian Hospital. She pursued a fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility at the University of California San Francisco. She is interested in health care disparities in fertility care as well as the reproductive considerations for transgender and non-binary people. Dr. Adeleye also has an interest in patient education and is on the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, Patient Education committee and Society for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Medical Student and Resident education committee. As of 2024, Dr. Adeleye, joined CCRM Fertility as the Medical Director of the Chicago center.
Hasenin Al-Kahersan, graduated with highest distinction and election to Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Michigan in 2013 with a BS in Cell & Molecular Biology and Arabic & Islamic Studies. As a medical student, he has researched the pathophysiology of cataracts with Eric Beyer, MD/PhD. He has also helped to analyze Simfield, a cost-effective glaucoma-screening tool. After his first year, Hasenin travelled to Germany and Poland as a Medical Fellow with the Fellowship at Auschwitz for the Study of Professional Ethics, examining both physician involvement in Nazi crimes and issues in contemporary medical ethics.
Dr. Al-Khersan is an Ophthalmology Resident at the University of Miami Beascon Palmer in Miami, FL.
Department of Medicine
Bio
Dr. Anderson is an Associate Professor of Medicine, Director, Advanced Heart Failure Program, and Medical Director, Cardiac Transplant Service. Dr. Anderson is a highly skilled specialist in heart failure and the care of patients before and after heart transplant. He has extensive expertise in the medical management of heart failure and cardiac transplant recipients.
Dr. Anderson is currently researching promising new therapies and techniques to treat the condition. He is actively involved in national studies involving mechanical circulatory support. Here at the University of Chicago, Dr. Anderson works side by side with other medical and surgical heart failure experts to determine the best treatment plan for each patient. Dr. Anderson is known for his excellent patient care and teaching skills.
In 2013, Dr. Anderson joined the faculty at Northwestern University in Chicago, IL.
Department of Psychiatry
Bio
Dr. Danielle Anderson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience.
She completed her medical degree at University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine. She received training in psychiatry at the University of Chicago and fellowship training in geriatric psychiatry at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. Her interests include psychiatric complications that arise in dementia, late life depression, and how medical education impacts the empathy of developing physicians. She believes that communication and conveying understanding to diverse populations are essential to clinical excellence.
Dr. Anderson joined the faculty at Northwestern University in Chicago, IL in 2015.
Abena Appah-Sampong graduated with honors from the University of Chicago in 2016 with a BA in Public Policy and Biology. As an undergraduate, Abena volunteered childcare and tutoring services at the Maria Shelter. After college, Abena completed a public interest fellowship at the Cook County Health and Hospitals System, where she worked to build infrastructure implementing the health system’s strategic plan and conducted analyses advocating for the addition of bilingual nursing staff.
As a medical student, Abena is the co-director of the Maria Shelter clinic and serves on the Wellness committee. She co-organized a conference for Black and Latina Women in Medicine in the Chicagoland area and was also as a mentor for HPREP, a healthcare pipeline program for underrepresented minorities. She is also working with Dr. Neda Laiteerpong to forecast future racial disparities in diabetes complications using simulation modeling.
Dr. Appah-Sampong is currently a surgical resident at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Department of Neurology, Department of Surgery
Bio
Dr. Agnieszka Ardelt is trained in Neurology with sub-specializations in Vascular Neurology and Neurocritical Care. She cares for critically ill patients with brain and spinal cord injuries and participates in clinical trials involving this patient population. In May 2014, Dr. Ardelt became the Director of the Neurosciences Intensive Care Unit and Co-Director of the Comprehensive Stroke Center at the University of Chicago. Her work and research recognize the need to develop comprehensive multidisciplinary and longitudinal approaches to the care of patients. Dr. Ardelt is currently enrolled in a health care MBA program. Dr. Ardelt is committed to educating patient care-providers and is interested in real-time problem solving and communication in order to improve patient outcomes. She hopes to develop a system-wide, high-quality, longitudinal (pre-hospital to post-acute care) multidisciplinary delivery of care to patients with acute catastrophic neurologic conditions.
Dr. Ardelt is now a physician at MetroHealth in Cleveland, OH.
Department of Surgery
Bio
Dr. Yolanda T. Becker is a professor of surgery and director of kidney and pancreas transplantation at University of Chicago Medicine. She attended Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and completed her residency at Vanderbilt University. She them completed her transplant fellowship at the University of Wisconsin where she joined the faculty prior to coming to the University of Chicago.
Dr. Becker is a past Board President of the OPTN/UNOS (Organ Procurement and Transplant Network/United Network for Organ Sharing). She has served on the UNOS corporate affairs, nominating committee, and board governance subcommittees. She has chaired the Policy Oversight Committee, setting policy for organ transplantation nationwide. Dr. Becker has served as an elected member of the American Society of Transplantation (AST) board of directors and led several AST committees. In recognition of her work, Dr. Becker was named a Fellow of the American Society of Transplant and has also been awarded the “Friend of Nursing Award by the International Transplant Nurses Society.
Her current research interests include education of patients across the health literacy divide as well as the treatment of obesity in patients with kidney failure. Dr. Becker is committed to education; she have developed curriculum focused on communication, professionalism and practice-based learning, and she has received the Department of Surgery Excellence in Teaching award multiple times since 2011. Please join me in welcoming Dr. Yolanda Becker as a Senior Faculty Scholar.
Steven graduated from Stanford University in 2012 with a BS in Biology with distinction. In medical school, he has developed an ongoing IRB-approved clinical trial on treating leukemia patients. Currently, Steven is the co-president for the Latino Medical Student Association, the local coordinator for ASAP, a youth substance abuse prevention program, and president of the Oncology interest group.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Bio
2014-2015 Senior Faculty Scholar – Retired
Anita Blanchard, MD’90, is a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB-GYN) at UChicago Medicine and serves as Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education and Designated Institutional Official, supervising and supporting 133 residency and fellowships programs including 1023 residents and fellows. She maintains accreditation standards, promotes professional development, and fosters strategic initiatives and innovation in medical education. She served as the associate program director in OB-GYN for 5 years and residency program director for OB-GYN for 13 years prior to her promotion to the GME office in 2017. She has devoted 22 years of her career to medical education.
As a practicing gynecologist, Dr. Blanchard specializes in treatment of cervical dysplasia, menopause management, and geriatric gynecologic care. She is a former trustee and past vice president of the board of directors for the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, a former member of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) OB-GYN review committee, and the University’s co-PI of the ACGME Pursuing Excellence Initiative.
Dr. Blanchard is committed to enhancing Chicago’s South Side community by increasing the diversity of physicians and building programs to fulfill community needs. She has created innovative community programs including seminars highlighting maternal and adolescent topics. She also founded the Graduate Medical Education Resilience Initiative focused on physician wellbeing. Together with the Urban Health Initiative team, her Graduate Medical Education team launched a new program, Community Champions, facilitating resident and fellow participation in community engagement in Winter 2021.
Dr. Blanchard earned a bachelor’s degree in Neurobiology and Physiology from Northwestern University and completed medical school and her OB-GYN residency at the Pritzker School of Medicine. She is active in many civic organizations and enjoys living in the South Side community she serves with her husband, Martin Nesbitt and their five children.