Associate Junior Faculty Scholars

Dr. Mary Kate Erdman is an orthopaedic trauma surgeon and Assistant Professor at the University of Chicago in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitative Medicine. She earned her medical degree from the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, followed by orthopaedic surgery residency training at Los Angeles County + University of Southern California Medical Center. She then completed a fellowship in orthopaedic traumatology at Harborview Medical Center at the University of Washington.

At the University of Chicago Medical Center, Dr. Erdman serves as co-director of the Trauma Limb Salvage Program. She is also the Simon Diversity Scholar in her department and a member of the Pritzker School of Medicine Admissions Committee. Her research focuses on ballistic trauma of the extremities and pelvis, outcomes following traumatic injury, and innovations in surgical technique.

Deeply committed to education, Dr. Erdman teaches and mentors learners at every level of training. She is an active member of the Orthopaedic Trauma Association, Foundation of Orthopaedic Trauma, American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American College of Surgeons, and Mid-America Orthopaedic Association.

Nathaniel J Glasser, MD, MPP is a general internist, pediatrician, and health researcher in the Section of General Internal Medicine. Clinically, he practices primary care for both pediatric and adult patients, and hospital medicine for adults. He loves partnering with patients to develop healthcare plans that are both evidence-based and tailored to individual needs and values.

His research focuses primarily on how health behaviors convey information about people’s identities and, relatedly, how people tailor their health behaviors to convey information about their identities to others. Often, his research focuses on masculinity, exploring how social pressures on boys and men to fit in occasionally wind up at odds with the recommendations of health professionals. His work investigates new and innovative ways to help engage boys and men across the life course in preventive healthcare.

He also works as an educator, helping train the next generation of health professionals, including medical students and residents.

Board-certified surgeon, Justin Hatchimonji, MD, MBE, MSCE, specializes in trauma surgery and surgical critical care. With his expertise in complex emergency surgery, Dr. Hatchimonji provides exceptional care for patients facing acute medical conditions.

Because he understands that trauma centers can be scary and intimidating to people, Dr. Hatchimonji works closely with his patients and their families, making sure they are well-informed and comfortable with every step of their care plan. Dr. Hatchimonji believes in treating the immediate medical issue, as well as supporting the overall well-being of his patients through comprehensive care and clear communication.

Dr. Leung brings a unique global health perspective, informed by her work on co-creation methods and adolescent mental health interventions in Ghana. Her expertise in human-centered design and implementation science enables her to develop solutions tailored to the needs of underserved populations. Dr. Leung’s focus on reciprocal innovation—adapting strategies from resource-limited settings to high-resource settings—aligns with the center’s mission to address systemic inequities in healthcare delivery.

Dr. Perry Morocco is a pediatric hematologist and oncologist at the University of Chicago, where he cares for children with blood disorders and cancers, including leukemia and lymphoma. His clinical focus includes benign bleeding disorders and anemias, and he performs procedures such as lumbar punctures and bone marrow biopsies as part of his comprehensive approach to patient care.

A member of the Children’s Oncology Group, Dr. Morocco is actively involved in clinical trials aimed at improving and optimizing treatments for pediatric cancer patients. His research interests center on medical education, reflecting his dedication to advancing both clinical practice and physician training.

Driven by a passion for patient-centered care, Dr. Morocco emphasizes guiding families through what he calls “a marathon, not a sprint.” He takes a holistic view of each patient’s journey, considering not only medical needs but also personal goals—whether returning to sports or attending meaningful family events—helping young patients and their families navigate cancer treatment with compassion and support.

Dr. Tomas Ignacio Munoz is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Section of Neonatology at the University of Chicago. He is board-certified in Pediatrics, Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, and Adult and Pediatric Sleep Medicine.

He received his medical degree from Universidad Nacional Pedro Henriquez Ureña in the Dominican Republic, completed his pediatric residency at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center in New York, and his fellowship in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine at Loyola University Medical Center. He later completed fellowship training in Adult and Pediatric Sleep Medicine at the University of Illinois Hospital and Health Science System.

At the University of Chicago, Dr. Munoz provides clinical care in neonatology and pediatric sleep medicine. His research focuses on sleep and respiratory control in premature infants and infants born with craniofacial malformations, including the Premature Recovering Infant Sleep Metrics (PRISM) study, supported by a grant from the Little Giraffe Foundation. His scholarly contributions include peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, and invited editorials on neonatal and pediatric sleep medicine. He also serves as a reviewer and editor for pediatric and sleep medicine journals.

Dr. Baddr Shakhsheer is a pediatric surgeon and surgical ethicist at the University of Chicago. He earned his undergraduate degree with the University of Virginia and his medical degree from Eastern Virginia Medical School. He completed residency training in General Surgery at the University of Chicago. He completed a fellowship in Clinical Medical Ethics at the MacLean Center at the University of Chicago. He then completed a pediatric surgical fellowship at Washington University in Saint Louis. Dr. Shakhsheer’s clinical interests lie in the surgical care of children, especially those with congenital disorders and pediatric cancers, including complex hepato-pancreato-biliary problems. He specializes in the application of minimally invasive techniques to pediatric patients. His research interests include clinical medical ethics, especially surgical ethics and informed consent. He serves as faculty in the MacLean Center and as Co-Director for the ethics consult service.

After completing her undergraduate degree at the University of California at Davis and her master’s in biomedical sciences at Tufts University, Dr. Stark obtained her medical degree from Georgetown University and completed both her pediatric residency and neonatology fellowship at Duke University. During her fellowship, she was awarded the Thrasher Research Foundation Early Career Award and completed a research fellowship at the Duke Clinical Research Institute.

Dr. Stark has been an Assistant Professor in Pediatrics at the University of Chicago since 2024. Her areas of research interest include screening methodologies and clinical outcomes of cytomegalovirus, particularly in preterm infants.

Dr. Dhara Amin is an accomplished emergency medicine physician and educator. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Illinois Wesleyan University and earned her Doctor of Medicine from Rush Medical College. She completed her residency in Emergency Medicine at Los Angeles County + USC Medical Center, followed by a fellowship in teaching through the American College of Emergency Physicians.

Dr. Amin’s career has centered on improving healthcare quality and patient safety, particularly for vulnerable populations. She has led numerous quality improvement initiatives at safety-net hospitals in Los Angeles and Chicago, focusing on communication strategies for patients with limited English proficiency (LEP). Her work on reducing diagnostic errors in LEP patients earned her a prestigious DxQI Seed Grant from the Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine (SIDM) and the organization’s Emerging Leader award in 2022.

Currently, Dr. Amin is the Assistant Medical Director of the Emergency Department at the University of Chicago Medical Center and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine. Her academic interests include advancing diagnostic safety and enhancing physician-patient communication through innovative practices such as simulation training. Dr. Amin’s commitment to healthcare equity and her extensive leadership in emergency medicine continue to impact the field at both local and national levels.