Residency training at NorthShore University HealthSystem occurs at Evanston, Glenbrook, and Skokie hospitals. The hospitals share a common medical staff, management staff and board of directors.
View our Organization Profile
Together, Evanston, Glenbrook, and Skokie hospitals have over 600 beds, including 200 internal medicine beds. We care for close to 30,000 inpatients and 200,000 outpatients annually. Emergency room visits account for an additional 72,000 patients each year. Our occupancy rate - averaging 82% - provides a rich mix of clinical challenges and learning opportunities. Approximately 40% of our patients are Medicare, 50% are HMO/PPO/managed care, and 10% are Medicaid or other. The Department of Medicine is comprised of 15 divisions with over 600 teaching attending physicians.
Program Leadership
John P. Erwin, III, MD, FACP, FAAC, FAHA
Chair, Department of Medicine
Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Dr. Erwin is the Louise W Coon Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at NorthShore University HealthSystem and Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. He began his tenure with NorthShore in April of 2020 after having served as Clinical Professor and Dr. A. Ford and Brooksie Nell Boyd-Wolf Endowed Department Chair of Internal Medicine and Senior Staff Cardiologist at Baylor Scott and White Health and Texas A&M University College of Medicine. Dr. Erwin had been on the faculty of Baylor Scott & White Health and Texas A&M College of Medicine since he completed his training in 1998. He previously served as assistant dean for Continuing Medical Education at Texas A&M College of Medicine. Erwin has an international reputation as an expert in the fields of clinical cardiology, valvular heart disease and quality improvement.
Dr. Erwin received his Bachelor of Science in Biology with a pre-med emphasis from Stephen F Austin State University in 1988 while attending on a Division I NCAA football scholarship and his Doctor of Medicine from Texas A&M University in 1992 where he was an AOA graduate. He completed his internal medicine residency and cardiology fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
As a graduate of the Intermountain Healthcare Advanced Fellowship in Quality Improvement in Healthcare, he served as system co-chair for Baylor Scott & White’s Cardiovascular Best Practice Committee. He has served on several national committees of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association including serving as chair of the ACC Core Curriculum Section for the Annual Scientific Sessions. He is a member of the Integrated Learning Committee and CV Management Committee as well as serving on the Board of Trustees for the American College of Cardiology/MedAxiom. Erwin is the immediate past president of the Texas Chapter of the ACC and past governor for the State of Texas to the ACC Board of Governors. Dr. Erwin has also been inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Medical Educators at Texas A&M College of Medicine and has been honored for the last 20 years as a Texas Super Doctor and America’s Best Doctors.
Liza G. Icayan, MD, FACP
Program Director, Internal Medicine
Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Dr. Icayan completed Internal Medicine Residency at the University of California - Davis in 1993 and served as Chief Resident from 1993-1994. She practiced primary care at the University of California - Davis Medical Center and remained involved in medical student and residency education before moving to Chicago and joining the NorthShore University HealthSystem in 1997. In 2001, she became Associate Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency, serving until 2011. She additionally served as Transitional Year Program Director from 2004-2011 and has been Program Director for Internal Medicine since 2011. A recipient of multiple teaching awards, her primary passions include all aspects of medical education and mentorship. Other interests and scholarly activity include curriculum development, electronic health record enhancement, resident evaluation and faculty development. In her free time, she is an avid musician.
Arfaa Ali, MD
Associate Program Director, Internal Medicine
Hospital Medicine
Dr. Ali graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine in 2014 and went on to complete her residency in Internal Medicine at Saint Louis University in 2017. After completing residency, Dr. Ali stayed on as faculty at Saint Louis University and thereafter served as the Section Chief of Hospital Medicine from 2019-2020. She then worked at the Medical College of Wisconsin and Loyola University Hospital as an Academic Hospitalist. She joined NorthShore in 2023 as an Academic Hospitalist and Associate Program director for the Internal Medicine Residency program. Throughout her career, she has focused on medical education and has a special interest in developing mini chalk talks. When outside of the hospital, she enjoys lifting weights, cooking new recipes and spending time with her husband and son.
Catherine Glunz, MD
Associate Program Director, Internal Medicine Residency Program
NorthShore Community Health Center Medical Director
Senior Clinician Educator, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Dr. Glunz graduated from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine in 1998 and completed an Internal Medicine-Pediatrics residency at the University of Chicago in 2002. After completing residency, Dr. Glunz stayed on at the University of Chicago to work both as a clinician and the Associate Program Director of the Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Program for the next decade. In 2013, Dr. Glunz joined NorthShore. Since her arrival at NorthShore, she has worked as an Associate Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency Program and as the Medical Director of the NorthShore Community Health Center and oversees the Internal Medicine Residency Continuity Clinic experience. Throughout her career, she has focused on resident medical education and is very passionate about this topic. When outside of the hospital, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and being outdoors.
Ashley Trotter, MD
Associate Program Director, Internal Medicine Residency Program
Hospitalist Medicine Teaching Chief
Senior Clinician Educator, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Dr. Trotter attended medical school at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, including an additional research year in the Cominelli Lab. She completed her Internal Medicine residency at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, graduating in 2017. Throughout residency she was active in optimizing student and resident training and experience then continued with her role in medical education when she joined NorthShore University HealthSystem in 2019 as an academic hospitalist. She currently serves as one of the Teaching Chiefs for Hospital Medicine, managing faculty education, before becoming an Associate Program Director in 2022. Dr. Trotter is dedicated to resident wellness and has an interest in optimizing feedback techniques. Outside of the hospital, she enjoys activities such as hiking, trying new restaurants, and traveling.
Elizabeth Ward, MD
Associate Program Director, Internal Medicine Residency Program
NorthShore Community Health Center Associate Director
Clinician Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Dr. Beth Ward attended medical school at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She then went on to complete an Internal Medicine Residency at the University of Chicago (NorthShore) Program, where she was recognized by the University of Chicago students for her teaching abilities. After residency, she stayed on at NorthShore to complete a Chief Resident year and then joined the staff as a primary care physician. She continued her involvement in resident education by becoming an Assistant Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency. She enjoys making learning fun and developing innovative curriculums. Her ongoing collaborative efforts in implementing an Advance Care Planning Resident Education Curriculum have received national recognition. She is a devoted Disney enthusiast and enjoys reading and crafting in her spare time.
Alina Elperin, MD
Assistant Program Director, Internal Medicine Residency Program
Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Dr. Alina Elperin attended medical school at the Rosalind Franklin University-Chicago Medical School. She then completed an Internal Medicine Residency at the University of Chicago (NorthShore) and later stayed on to complete a Chief Resident year. She then joined the staff as a primary care physician and continued her role in medical education as a Site Director for the internal medicine residency at Skokie Hospital. Her role in medical education evolved into Assistant Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency as well as the Co-Director of Internal Medicine Grand Rounds at NorthShore. Her clinical passion is Obesity Medicine, Preventative Medicine and Cardiometabolic health. She loves gardening, nature walks, spending time with her husband and children and a good cup of coffee.
Division Heads
Cardiology
Gregory Mishkel, MD, MBA
Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Medical School: University of Toronto
Post-Graduate Training: University of Toronto, University of Ottawa, McMaster University, Indiana University – MBA Kelly School of Business
After moving to the USA in 1992, Dr. Mishkel practiced Interventional Cardiology in Springfield IL as well as participated in multiple clinical trials across a wide swath of the discipline. He had an academic appointment at the Southern Illinois University and was the Executive Directive of Prairie Heart Institute. He received his MBA in 2017, and came to NorthShore in Jan/2019 to become the leader of the Division of Cardiology, and the VP of Cardiology Operations of the CardioVascular Institute.
Combined Division of Hematology/Oncology
Bruce Brockstein, MD
Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Medical School: University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Post-Graduate Training: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania [Internal Medicine], University of Chicago Medical Center [Hematology/Oncology]
Dr. Brockstein is the Director of the Kellogg Cancer Care Center, and the Division Head of Hematology/Oncology. He specializes in medical oncology focused on head and neck cancers, sarcomas and melanomas, and is the editor and an author for the Head and neck Cancer Section for UpToDate.
Dermatology
Jason Waldinger, MD
Emergency Medicine
Ernest Wang, MD, FACEP
Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Medical School: Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Post-Graduate Training: McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University [Emergency Medicine]
Ernest Wang, MD, FACEP is the Alvin H. Baum Family Fund Chair of Simulation and Innovation at NorthShore University HealthSystem in Evanston, IL and a Clinical Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. He is the Chief of the Division of Emergency Medicine, he serves as the Assistant Dean for Medical Education in the Office of Academic Affairs, and he is the Chair of Simulation at NorthShore University HealthSystem in Evanston, IL. He has over 70 peer-reviewed publications and has lectured nationally on topics in emergency medicine and simulation with a focus on simulation-based medical education. He created the Illinois College of Emergency Physicians (ICEP) Emergent Procedures Simulation Training Course in 2010 and the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) Simulation-based Immersive Medical (SIM) Training Course in 2013. Both provide critical emergency medicine simulation training for emergency care providers at the state and national level.Dr. Wang served as the President of the ICEP in 2019-20 and is active in advocacy for emergency care in the state of Illinois. On a national level, Dr. Wang serves as the 2020-2021 Educational Steering Committee Chair for ACEP. He serves as an Item Writer and Committee member for the MyEMCert Maintenance of Certification Track and as an Oral Examiner for the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM).
Gastroenterology
Kavitha Singh, MD
Genetics
Peter Hulick, MD, MMSc
Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Medical School: Jefferson Medical College
Post-Graduate Training: Mayo Clinic/St. Luke’s Hospital [Internal Medicine], Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Children’s Hospital in Boston [Medical Genetics]
Dr. Hulick completed his clinical medical genetics residency at Harvard Medical School where his clinical concentrations included connective tissue diseases such as Marfan syndrome and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome while also maintaining a general genetics clinic. During his medical genetics residency, he graduated with a master's in medical science degree from the Harvard Medical Scholars in Clinical Science program. His current clinical interests, in addition to general genetic syndromes, include connective tissue disease, cardiovascular, and cancer genetics. Current research activities include studies that identify and measure the influences of our genes on health and how to effectively manage these risks. He is also active in leading efforts to incorporate genomic information and testing into the NorthShore University HealthSystem.
General Internal Medicine
Gary Kaufman MD
Senior Clinician Educator, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Medical School: Rush Medical College
Post-Graduate Training: McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University/Evanston Hospital
Dr. Kaufman has a busy internal medicine practice in Highland Park, IL. He has served as Vice-Chair of Medicine at Highland Park Hospital and is active in the quality structure of NorthShore University HealthSystem, serving as the Chair of the Ambulatory Quality Committee.
Geriatric Medicine
Victoria Braund, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Medical School: University of North Dakota
Post-Graduate Training: University of North Dakota [Internal Medicine], University of Chicago [Geriatric Medicine]
Dr. Braund maintains an active clinical practice and is a teacher of Geriatrics in both the Internal Medicine and Family Medicine residencies at NorthShore. She is also a certified medical director of Mather LifeWays, an Evanston-based not-for-profit group of senior living communities. Her clinical interests include aging well, memory loss, end of life care, and transitioning seniors and their families through various levels of care in the community.
Infectious Diseases
Todd J. (TJ) Nega, MD
Senior Clinician Educator, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Medical School: Medical University of the Americas
Post Graduate Training: Rush University Medical Center
Dr. Nega maintains an active clinical practice in both inpatient and outpatient settings. He provides care to patients with a wide variety of conditions, including HIV, travel medicine, sepsis, bone and joint infections, and respiratory infections, among others. Current projects include antimicrobial stewardship, laboratory utilization, wound care, and technology implementation. Dr. Nega also enjoys working with and mentoring residents.
Nephrology
Stuart M. Sprague, DO, FACP, FASN, FNKF
Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Medical School: Michigan State University
Residency Rush Presbyterian St. Luke’s Medical Center
Post-Graduate Training: University of Chicago [Nephrology]
Dr. Sprague currently serves as the Chief of the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension at NorthShore University HealthSystem. He is internationally recognized in the field of bone and mineral metabolism, having authored over 180 peer-reviewed articles, and spoken at numerous national and international professional meetings, previously served as the chairperson of the medical advisory board of the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois, the education committee of the American Society of Nephrology, the program committee of the National Kidney Foundation and the American Society of Nephrology. He currently is a member of the leadership committee of the Global Bone and Mineral Initiative, an international scientific organization under the auspices of the National Kidney Foundation and European Renal Association to evaluate the diagnosis and management of bone, mineral and cardiovascular disease in patients with chronic kidney disease. He is on the editorial board of several prominent Nephrology journals, a reviewer for the NIH, served as chairperson for the Technical Expert Panel on mineral metabolism for CMS and serves as a scientific consultant to industry. He maintains an active clinical practice in metabolic bone disease and nephrolithiasis as well as clinical nephrology.
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Joseph T. Alleva, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Medical School: Chicago Medical School
Post-Graduate Training: Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago [Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation], Buffalo Spine and Sports Medicine [Spine and Sports Medicine]
Dr. Alleva cares for patients with spine related conditions including the use of electrophysiologic studies and advanced pain management procedures.
Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine
Neil Freedman, MD
Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Medical School: Mount Sinai School of Medicine of City University
Internship, Residency and Fellowship: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Neil Freedman, MD is the division head of pulmonary, critical care, allergy and immunology for the Northshore University Health System, the Vice Chair of Inpatient Services in the Department of Medicine at Northshore and a Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. Since October of 2019, he has also assumed the role of Vice President of Acute and Post-Acute Care integration where he oversees several of the health system’s service line provider operations including hospitalist medicine, critical care and emergency medicine. During our recent COVID crisis, he was part the leadership team that helped design and implement the inpatient strategy to successfully manage our inpatients across the health system.
On a national level, Dr. Freedman has been extremely active in the leadership and educational activities of several professional societies including the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST), the American Thoracic Society and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). He currently serves on the Board of Regents and the Finance Committee for CHEST where he also chairs the Health Policy and Advocacy Committee. Prior to his role on the Board of Regents at CHEST, he served on the Board of Trustees of the CHEST Foundation for 4 years. In addition to his voluntary leadership positions, he has had the privilege to chair and or participate as faculty in over 300 sessions at international meetings including chairing the American College of Chest Physicians Annual CHEST meeting in 2016. His efforts in education have been recognized at the national level by being awarded the Excellence in Education Award from the AASM in 2016 and the Distinguished Chest Educator Award from the American College of Chest Physicians from 2016-2020. Finally, Dr. Freedman is a member of the writing committee for the pulmonary board exam for the American Board of Internal Medicine.