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.

Dr. Asim V. Farooq is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science. He received his medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine where during his time there, he was awarded a grant from Research to Prevent Blindness, allowing him to devote a year to study the pathogenesis of herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection in the cornea. Following, he then completed ophthalmology residency training at the University of Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, and a fellowship in cornea and external disease at the Washington University in St. Louis. During his fellowship, Farooq trained under Dr. Todd Margolis, an expert in herpetic corneal disease.

Dr. Farooq has published 40 peer-reviewed articles and 3 book chapters. His clinical and research interests are focused on ocular surface disease, corneal manifestations of autoimmune disease, as well as corneal infections, especially those caused by HSV, herpes zoster virus (HZV), and cytomegalovirus (CMV). His goal is to better understand the pathogenesis of these viruses, as well as to improve diagnostic accuracy.

Dr. Rebecca Garza earned her medical degree from the University of Illinois and then went on to complete an integrated plastic surgery residency at Stanford University. She then pursued an additional fellowship year of training in reconstructive microsurgery at the University of Chicago before joining the faculty as an Assistant Professor in the Section of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Dr. Garza’s primary clinical focus is on breast reconstruction, lymphedema surgery, and complex reconstructive surgery of the head and neck, extremities, and trunk. She has additional expertise in cosmetic surgery and is working to strengthen resident education in this facet of plastic surgery.

Dr. Garza’s research interests include clinical outcomes in breast reconstruction and lymphedema surgery, as well as studying gender issues and parenthood in surgery. Dr. Garza left UChicago to pursue private practice.

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.

Dr. Zhen Gooi is an Associate Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. He completed his residency in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery and fellowship in advanced head and neck surgical oncology at the Johns Hopkins Hopsital. His clinical focus is on patients with head and neck cancers. He has a special interest in the use of minimally invasive surgical techniques to preserve speech and swallowing function in the treatment of these patients. Dr. Gooi believes that head and neck cancer care is most effective when delivered in a multi-disciplinary setting. In this regard, he is an active collaborator in novel treatment de-intensification protocols to reduce the side effects of head and neck cancer treatment with University of Chicago medical and radiation oncologists. He is passionate in raising the profile of head and neck cancer in the larger medical community and is involved in efforts to increase the awareness of national guidelines pertaining to the treatment of head and neck cancers.

Dr. Gustin is a faculty member of the University of Chicago Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care. He is boarded in both Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine. He was a candidate for the Hospice and Palliative Care Medicine boards in 2012. His background is centered on being a physician educator, which is evident from his multiple teaching awards. His research focuses on the use of high fidelity simulation in medical student, resident, and fellow education.

2013 Pilot Grant Project: An Acute Pain Patient with Advanced Stage Cancer AND A Hospice Patient with Respiratory Distress in the ER: Improving Resident Physician Communications with Patients at the End of Life Utilizing Simulation Training

2012 Pilot Grant Project: Improving Patient Perception During Disclosure Conversations if Unanticipated Outcomes

Dr. Gustin joined the faculty at Loyola University in Chicago, IL in 2015.

Dr. David A. Hampton earned Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and a Minor in Writing from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He graduated from Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis and completed General Surgery Residency at Oregon Health & Science University, and Trauma-Critical Care and Acute Care Surgery Fellowships at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center. He performed additional trauma training at Groote Schuur Hospital at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Dr. Hampton is currently an Assistant Professor of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery and a Commander in the US Naval Reserves assigned to the 4th Marine Logistic Group, Surgical Company Bravo.

Dr. Hampton’s research interests include improving surgical outcomes in austere environments, trauma-critical care resuscitation, compassion fatigue and medical education. He has extensively published and presented at numerous national and international conferences on these topics. Dr. Hampton also serves as the Associate Program Director for the Adult Surgical Critical Care Fellowship and as the Third-year Medical Students’ Associate Surgical Clerkship Director.

Dr. Harmath is a radiologist subspecialized in abdominal imaging, with emphasis in Magnetic Resonance Imaging. She received her medical degree from the Pontifica Universidade Catolica do Parana in Brazil and completed her diagnostic radiology residency at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Illinois, where she served as chief resident from 2002 to 2003, and received the 2002 Radiological Society of North America Resident Research award. She holds a fellowship in body imaging/MRI from Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine. She has been appointed to the rank of Assistant Professor of Radiology at the University of Chicago in August 2017, with clinical responsibilities in the Section of Abdominal Imaging, and has become the Abdominal Imaging Section Chief in 2020. Her clinical and research interests include oncologic imaging, CT and MRI imaging of the digestive system and transplant imaging, as well as multidisciplinary contribution to patient care. She is involved in numerous research projects within her department and in collaboration with colleagues in surgery, OBGYN, urology and medicine. Educational interests include learning facilitation and improvement in medical communication, mentoring and goal achievement. She received The Marc Ronald Tetalman Memorial Award for Outstanding Teaching in 2018 and the Senior Class Teaching Award in 2019. She has been invited for several internal educational lectures in the departments of medicine, such as hepatology and nephrology, as well as surgery. She believes that interdisciplinary communication, trust and knowledge share is key to patient care and the collegial approach with other subspecialties contributes to best healthcare outcomes and lower costs. Dr. Harmath has worked extensively with the radiology departmental Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) committee and BSD the Diversity and Inclusion office developing plans in mentorship, longitudinal DEI goals, and DEI on recruitment.

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.

Jennifer Hofer is an anesthesiologist who specializes in critical care medicine. Jennifer’s affiliation with The University of Chicago has been since college in 1996, through to medical school, residency and fellowship, and now the present as a member of the faculty. She has specific interests in resident education, peri-operative care, and intra-operative coagulopathy including the effects of cell saver administration on bleeding, and outcomes of off-label Factor VII administration.

She has published in Anesthesiology Clinics on “Taking the septic patient to the operating room” and in book chapters on topics including common ICU procedures, electrolyte abnormalities, and pre-operative anesthesia assessments. Jennifer is a Bucksbaum Institute fellow and has an interest in developing the doctor-patient relationship to help physicians become first line responders to identify and stop human trafficking.

2012 Pilot Grant Project: Physicians as First Line Responders Against Human Trafficking