Senior Faculty Scholars

Daniel Johnson, MD, has focused his career on improving access to quality healthcare. In 2010 he created ECHO-Chicago, a telehealth program for community level capacity building using case-based interactive sessions to education primary care providers in the diagnose and management of common chronic complex health conditions. The program has educated thousands of adult and pediatric primary care providers across Chicago and Illinois and contributed to the creation of ECHO programs elsewhere in the US and other countries.

Dr. Johnson is a physician, scholar and educator. He completed his training in 1986 and is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in Pediatrics and Pediatric Infectious Disease. At University of Chicago Medicine since 2007, he is Professor of Pediatrics in the Department of Pediatrics where he serves as Vice Chair for Clinical Services and Section Chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. He has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed articles and abstracts.

Megan Applewhite, MD, MA, FACS, is a board-certified general surgeon who specializes in endocrine surgery. She is also the Associate Director of the MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics. She completed her general surgery residency at the Lahey Hospital and Medical Center in Burlington, MA, and her fellowship in endocrine surgery as well as clinical medical ethics at the University of Chicago. Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Chicago, she was at Albany Medical College, where she was an Associate Professor of Surgery and the John A. Balint MD Chair for Ethics Education and Research.

Dr Applewhite’s clinical practice involves the surgical treatment of benign and malignant diseases of the thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal glands. She focuses her care on engaging in personalized and thoughtful discussions with patients about quality of life and patient reported outcomes for their particular diagnosis.

Her academic interests are in both the quality of care of patients with surgical endocrinopathies, as well as in clinical medical ethics, and the intersection between patient care and bioethics. Specifically, she has an interest in healthcare in the incarcerated patient population, research ethics and informed consent, and military medical ethics.  Since 2020, she has served as a Senior Bioethics Consultant to the Department of Defense Medical Ethics Center, which is charged with the development, evaluation and implementation of a systematic Department of Defense Medical Ethics Program across the entire Military Health System/DoD.

As a dedicated colleague and teacher, Dr. Applewhite enjoys the mentoring trainees and junior faculty. She recognizes the importance of team cohesiveness and support as critical to positive culture and flourishing at work.

Dr. Monica Malec is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of Palliative Medicine clinical programs in the section of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine. She received her medical degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine and completed her Internal Medicine training at Rush University Medical Center. Dr. Malec is board-certified in Hospice and Palliative Medicine and is a fellow of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. An expert in the management of complex pain and non-pain symptoms, she strives to support patients throughout the trajectory of their illness to achieve the best possible quality of life.

Dr. Malec is a University of Chicago Center for Healthcare Delivery Science and Innovation Scholar focused on improving processes for advance care planning and communication with patients about their values and preferences for care. She is working to create educational programs to develop communication skills around serious illness for providers at all levels to promote goal-concordant care for patients.

Dr. Seeba Anam is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience known for her contributions to mental health research and advocacy, particularly in addressing stigma and promoting cultural competency in healthcare. She is a key figure in the REACT program, which focuses on recovery after violent injury, and has been instrumental in various initiatives to combat stigma against mental health.

In 2023, Dr. Anam was elected as the Deputy Representative to the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Assembly for the Asian American Caucus, a role highlighting her leadership in addressing discrimination. She also co-authored an impactful Action Paper on anti-Asian discrimination in media, which led to the APA Communications department developing a national press kit for journalists.

Dr. Anam’s research efforts extend to the University of Chicago Center for Asian Health Equity, where she published a JAACAP review of the film “Shang-Chi” and a significant chapter on clinical concerns affecting South Asian American youth. She also led a Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois-funded study on media, mental health literacy, and stigma in diverse Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities, aiming to create culturally tailored mental health education materials.

Currently, Dr. Anam’s pioneering work explores the potential of Narrative Medicine to enhance culturally informed care, improving patient-doctor relationships in diverse communities. Her innovative approach aligns with the mission of the Bucksbaum Institute, promising significant contributions to scientific discovery and clinical practice.

Dr. Michael Kurz is a Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Section of Emergency Medicine at the University of Chicago. Previously, Dr. Kurz served as a Professor in the Departments of Emergency Medicine and Surgery at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).

Dr. Kurz earned his MD from the University of Virginia School of Medicine, along with an MS in Health Evaluation Sciences. He completed his residency in Emergency Medicine at the University of Chicago and a fellowship in Emergency Cardiac Care at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). At VCU, he directed Emergent Cardiac Care and the ARCTIC program.

In 2013, Dr. Kurz joined UAB, where he held several leadership roles, including Vice Chair for Research and Director of the Alabama Resuscitation Center. His multidisciplinary UAB Post Arrest Service achieved a remarkable 31% survival rate for cardiac arrest patients, vastly surpassing the statewide average of 3%.

Dr. Kurz’s research focuses on sudden cardiac arrest, intra- and post-arrest care, novel biomarkers, and resuscitation systems of care. He has led research teams enrolling over 20,000 subjects and has conducted NIH, Department of Defense, and foundation-funded studies. He has authored over 150 peer-reviewed publications and serves as a guest editor for Circulation.

Nationally, Dr. Kurz has contributed to AHA Emergency Cardiac Care guidelines since 2010 and will chair the 2025 AHA advanced life support guidelines. He has trained numerous residents and fellows, many of whom have become successful physician-scientists. His vision for Emergency Medicine includes advancing education, research, and clinical collaborations to enhance emergency medicine at UChicago Medicine.

Dr. Kimberly Kenton is a Tenured Professor and Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at the University of Chicago, where she also serves as the Chief of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery. With a 20-year career dedicated to advancing pelvic floor care for women, Dr. Kenton is recognized internationally for her pioneering work in minimally invasive treatments for complex pelvic floor disorders, utilizing laparoscopic and robotic surgical techniques.

A prolific scientist with over 250 peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Kenton has continuously received federal funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for nearly two decades. She is the primary investigator on multiple NIH grants, including those within the Pelvic Floor Disorders Network. Her research has significantly advanced patient-oriented outcomes and surgical treatments for conditions such as urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse.

Dr. Kenton has held numerous leadership roles in national and international specialty societies, including the American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), and the American Urogynecologic Society. She has also been a director of both residency and fellowship programs, earning numerous national awards for her excellence in teaching and mentorship.

Dr. Kenton holds a Master of Science in Clinical Research Design and Statistical Analysis from the University of Michigan and is deeply committed to improving the quality of life for women with pelvic floor disorders through her clinical expertise and research innovations.

Christina Lewicky-Gaupp, MD, FACOG, FACS, is an expert urogynecologist and reconstructive pelvic surgeon. Dr. Lewicky-Gaupp’s practice emphasizes a patient-centered, individualized approach to diagnose and treat pelvic health issues, such as pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, maternal birth trauma and urogenital fistulas. Using advanced treatment options, she strives to provide the most effective and efficient treatments for these complex, personal conditions. With compassion and understanding, Dr. Lewicky-Gaupp works with each patient to develop the best possible solution.

Dr. Lewicky-Gaupp’s research has focused on clinical outcomes trials as well as the optimization of treatment of maternal birth trauma. In addition to being dedicated to her patients, Dr. Lewicky-Gaupp is a passionate educator who has received multiple awards for outstanding teaching. In addition to a lifelong career of teaching medical students, residents and fellows in the clinic and operating room, she has served as an Associate Residency and Fellowship Program Director and is currently the Program Director of the Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery Fellowship at the University of Chicago.

Dr. John McConville is an Associate Professor of Medicine and the Vice Chair for Education in the Department of Medicine at the University of Chicago. He earned his undergraduate degree in Philosophy from the University of Notre Dame and completed his medical degree at Penn State University. He then returned to the Midwest for internal medicine and Pulmonary/Critical Care fellowship training at the University of Chicago.

During his fellowship and as a junior faculty member, Dr. McConville researched the role of airway smooth muscle in the pathogenesis of asthma and the interactions between obesity and asthma. Over the past 15 years, he has focused on clinical practice and medical education. He served as the program director for the Pulmonary and Critical Care fellowship program before becoming the Internal Medicine residency program director, a role he has held for the past decade.

As Vice Chair for Education, Dr. McConville is dedicated to advancing medical education and has a particular passion for teaching residents how to incorporate bedside ultrasound into their daily practice. He is actively involved in the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine (AAIM), where he has contributed to various committees aimed at improving transitions across the medical education continuum. Additionally, he co-leads the University Assembly of Internal Medicine program directors.

Dr. McConville’s commitment to medical education and his extensive experience in clinical practice and program leadership make him a valuable asset to the University of Chicago and the broader medical community.

Ted Skolarus, MD, MPH, FACS, is a urologic oncologist who specializes in the care of patients with prostate cancer, including caring for men with elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and performing transperineal prostate biopsy.

Dr. Skolarus has fellowship training in urologic oncology, health services research and implementation science. His research aims to better understand and improve the care of men with prostate cancer.

With over 175 publications, Dr. Skolarus has expertise in quantitative and qualitative health services research, clinical trials and state-of-the-art implementation science methods to optimize best practice implementation in real-world clinical settings. In other words, he studies issues of cost, quality, and access to healthcare, and strategies to help get patients the right care in the right place at the right time.

Dr. Skolarus has presented at numerous regional, national and international meetings and organizations. He serves as faculty in the National Cancer Institute’s Training Institute for Dissemination and Implementation Research in Cancer, as well as a reviewer for the NIH Center for Scientific Review. His research has been funded by the National Cancer Institute, VA Health Services Research and Development Service (HSR&D), American Cancer Society, and the American Urological Association.

Dr. Brian Callender is an adult hospitalist in the section of Hospital Medicine and an Associate Professor of Medicine. He attended the Pritzker School of Medicine and continued at the University of Chicago for his residency training in internal medicine. He is a graduate of the Medical Education Research Innovation Teaching and Scholarship (MERITS) fellowship and the MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics fellowship.

An academic hospitalist, Dr. Callender is interested in how the health humanities can improve the patient experience, provider-patient relationships, and our understanding of the illness experience and the practice of medicine. These interests have led to the development of a number of courses that explore the phenomenology of illness and the visual culture of medicine including: The Body in Medicine and the Performing Arts; The Narratives and Aesthetics of Contagion: Knowledge Formation and the COVID-19 Pandemic; Graphic Medicine: Comics Creation as Knowledge Formation; Graphic Medicine: Concepts and Practice; The Art of Healing: Medical Aesthetics in Russia and the US; Death Panels: Exploring Dying and Death Through Comics; and [Re]Framing Graphic Medicine: Comics and the History of Medicine

His interest in the visual culture of medicine has resulted in the co-curation of several exhibitions at the University Library’s Special Collections Research Center: Imaging and Imagining: The Human Body in Anatomical Representation (2014); The Fetus In Utero: From Mystery to Social Media (2019); [Re]Framing Graphic Medicine: Comics and the History of Medicine (2022)

Dr. Callender is particularly interested in the field of graphic medicine, defined as the intersection of comics, health, and medicine. These interests include teaching graphic medicine courses, using comics in patient education and science communication, conducting workshops on comics-making for patients and providers, and researching the historical and contemporary uses of comics within healthcare. He is a co-editor of the Graphic Medicine Series at the Penn State University Press and was co-chair of the 2022 Graphic Medicine conference held at the University of Chicago.