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n Feature Story: Macs in Medicine: The Journey from White Gowns to White Coats
Macs in Medicine
The Journey from White Gowns to White Coats
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We take great pride in all our Mighty Mac physicians and encourage you to visit our website at mothermcauley. org/alumnae where you can find a larger directory of physician alumnae. Please note that the information listed is what has been provided to our alumnae office. We invite you to help keep our records current and submit your contact information and update to alumnae@ mothermcauley.org.
Women in medicine and science often face unique challenges. The path to accomplishing and advancing their career may involve balancing personal and professional obligations while dispelling long held cultural norms. It’s hard to believe that there was a time when women were simply discouraged from entering the medical field! Many specialties were simply seen as unfit for women because of demanding hours that could infringe upon traditional familial expectations.
The world of medicine has evolved and is a very different place than decades ago. Today, nearly half of medical and biological sciences doctoral students in the U.S. are female, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. Fifty years ago, the percentage of M.D. graduates who were women hovered around just 10 percent. Each year, women are achieving new milestones of representation in the medical field, strengthening the pipeline of female physicians.
We are proud to feature just a few of the many stories of McAuley women who have found fulfillment and success through their work as physicians. They are driven and determined and their accomplishments prove that it is impossible to stop a Mac on a mission. How reminiscent of Catherine McAuley! Leadership, drive, education -- finding their niche and using it to make a difference -- is what distinguishes these McAuley women, whether it’s sharing their skills and expertise, or taking a seat at the table with key decision-makers. Their stories speak to the essence of a McAuley education and what makes our school and the community of women who call it their own so distinctive.
Claudia Johnson, ’68, M.D.
From Hyde Park to Shelbyville and Many Places in Between
As we spoke on the phone a few weeks ago, Dr. Claudia Johnson ’68, a practicing gastroenterologist-internist, described herself as a Renaissance woman. By the time the encounter ended, I had realized she was right.
“I could never ignore the fact that I was a minority student at McAuley,” said Claudia. “But my main concern was making sure that I got through the classes because I wanted to become a doctor.”
Medicine became her first love at an early age as she suffered numerous serious allergies and spent hours in emergency rooms and doctors’ offices. “I had serious bouts with hives and swelling that even interfered with my breathing --- a medical emergency. This drove me to have a strong desire to help people --- to make them feel better just like I did when I left the emergency room.”
When she entered McAuley in the fall of 1964, her focus was stronger than ever. McAuley offered the perfect springboard.
“I remained academically focused. My parents did not want me looking at boys, so they thought that McAuley was a perfect fit.” They were rarely wrong.
While at McAuley, Claudia did not participate in many extracurriculars.
“I knew that I had a specific job to complete, and I perceived high school as the first of many necessary steps. Socially, I judged people by the way they treated me. I did not have the time to focus on preconceived notions that there could ever be problems. Anyone was a friend who treated me as a friend.”
Dr. Johnson never forgets how the home background and parental inspiration provided the perfect foundation for getting the most out of her high school education.
Claude Mandel Johnson, her father, never had formal education beyond the third grade. However, he wanted her to seize every opportunity to excel in life. “He quizzed me and helped me with homework in high school and even in college. He would pull all-nighters with me sitting at the dining room table, making sure that I had mastered the content.” Years later, Claudia went on to build and name her medical facility in tribute to her father: Claude Mandel Medical Center.
In the summer before freshman year at McAuley, he pushed her into taking a typing class.
“I really didn’t want to do that, but it did have definite benefits for a freshman. When I entered the beginner typing classes, I could already type 60 words a minute. I had to slow down to ‘keep up’ with the rest of the class. Mrs. McCabe was the teacher. I’ll never forget how impressed she was!”
“But altogether, typing taught me to think through my fingers and not necessarily through my voice. Today, given how important technology is in medicine, it’s wonderful to talk to a patient and write their history without ever losing eye-contact or communication.”
“My mother was also a driving force in my life, and she was my official driver.”
Mrs. Johnson drove Claudia to and from McAuley every day without fail for four years.
Marguerite Johnson stepped into action when the McAuley art teacher challenged the students to learn about architectural history and style. “My mother drove me around the entire city, and we would look at the tops of buildings, and she would have me draw them. I was never much of an artist, but my mother insisted and stated, ‘All my children can draw, and you can too.’ So, we got an A for the assignment.”
Still, freshman year did not go by without presenting challenges.
“I remember having a hard time in a Latin class. But I did not want to switch to an alternate language because I believed that Latin was needed for medical school. That never proved to be true.”
By all standards, McAuley provided precisely what she needed.
“I received rigorous training at McAuley because of its standard of excellence. It prepared me for the good, the bad, and the ugly.”
When she arrived for college at Loyola University, Claudia was surprised by how some of her friends did not realize the course-
work rigor and did not successfully obtain their degrees. “Although I was well prepared for the course work, I still had some things to learn.”
She vividly recalled her first biology course at Loyola. She aced the first test. But the response that followed, while it could be perceived as well-intentioned by some, drove home the overarching societal prejudice that Claudia could not ignore.
“I got the highest score on the test, and the teacher called me out, saying, ‘Well, if she got the highest score, then you [classmates] certainly can do it. What happened to you? Why did she get the highest score?’”
“I was more than aware that the comment was directed at all my nonminority male classmates. Even if well-intended, the comment would not be socially acceptable today.”
Stories like this were not unusual, she continued. Claudia often encountered various counselors who tried to steer her away from medicine.
“But I knew what I wanted to do and what type of strength I had to have to get there. One of them even went so far as to say that I would never become a doctor. At that point, I stopped listening to counselors and never turned back.”
Following graduation from Loyola, Claudia entered The Chicago Medical School. Her internship and residency in internal medicine were completed at Cook County (now John Stroger) Hospital. Immediately after, she went on to complete a gastroenterology fellowship at The University of Illinois.
After completing both doctorate and post doctorate training, Claudia had not figured where and how to start the business of medicine. She began moonlighting at various emergency rooms in Chicagoland and throughout the entire state of Illinois. Time spent as a locum tenens physician, which allowed her to travel and practice medicine in rural areas, places where she had previously never been exposed. It was baptism by fire when she arrived in Shelbyville. One of her first cases was to remove a fishhook from a child’s arm.
“I had never been fishing. I didn’t even know what a fishhook looked like!”
With the guidance of a colleague, she tackled (pun intended)
the removal. Another case involved a man who, while laughing in a silo, had the misfortune of having a bat fly directly into his open mouth, scrape the back of his throat, and then fly out.
“Oh, I saw a lot of strange things, but the patients were so wonderful and always grateful. Some of them were farmers. Many of them showered me with homemade gifts and homegrown produce.”
Someone even offered her a miniature horse as a “thank you.”
“No matter where I have practiced, it’s the patients that inspire me. They go through so much and sometimes have so little. They are grateful for every minute of life. I can never complain. Knowing that I can help, even if it is only holding the hand of someone dying despite all medical efforts, it truly is a privilege.”
For a few years, Claudia served as a civilian gastroenterology consultant at Scott’s Air Force Base in Belleville, Illinois.
While the work was engaging, the somewhat nomadic lifestyle was not. Claudia decided it was time to put down roots and took a job in the ER at Bethany Methodist Hospital (now called Methodist Hospital).
“It was close to the west side medical district. I was there a short time before I moved on to South Chicago Community Hospital (now Advocate Trinity Hospital).” She remains on the hospital’s staff to this day.
Shortly after the inception of her practice over 30 years ago, Claudia began “Perfect Balance Nutrition” programs where she specializes in non-surgical methods of weight loss, including placement of intragastric balloons. This complete program includes dietitians, psychologists, and exercise trainers. Along with this team, she directed several nutrition grants in Chicago Public schools and focused on adolescent nutrition. She gained notoriety for her work and was featured on NBC Channel 5 News and other outlets.
In 2012 she founded Future-Doc Enterprise. The program focuses on training and preparing international medical graduates for
their practical exams and successful careers as physicians.
“I am a sponge for information, and that has aided me in all that I do. If I see something and think that I can be in love with it, I give it a try.”
Recently Claudia added another new procedure to her practice.
“I’m doing something called anorectal manometry,” said Claudia as she excitedly explained that this procedure is done to detect abnormalities in muscle tone and function that could possibly contribute to constipation or diarrhea.
I also learned that the doctor has a history of being a principal investigator for gastroenterology trials, (particularly, peptic ulcer disease, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, colon cancer and esophageal reflux disorders) and internal medicine clinical trials and she is still active in this arena.
Notably, she is the only minority female physician on the southside of Chicago with a more than 20-year history of conducting highly-regulated clinical trials from her own practice.
Definitely not one to remain complacent, instead of slowing down business activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Claudia saw an opportunity to treat a broader patient base.
“Virtual medicine lends itself to discovering new and varied cases. I am seeing a lot of major anxiety disorders during this time. The bottom line is people just want to feel better.”
Speaking with Dr. J (as some of her patients for over 30 years call her), one can quickly tell that she is driven not only by the joy of learning but also by her compassion and love of communicating with people.
“I enjoy living by the motto I coined for my practice [Claude Mandel Medical Center], ‘where health and caring go hand-inhand.’”
As the interview progressed, it became quite clear why Claudia is a Renaissance woman. The analogy applies to her life.
“Even though I have specialties in medicine, I don’t like to pigeonhole myself into any one area. I have an unquenchable thirst for learning”
At the age of 45, Claudia decided to pursue another passion of hers and enrolled in Columbia College of Chicago. While actively practicing medicine, she earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Again, it points back to the liberal arts education and Renaissance mindset, which comprises the McAuley education’s backbone.
Claudia’s interest in journalism, including investigative journalism, led to numerous outlets, including the Chicago Defender, where she was the medical columnist for six years. For one Chicago Tribune feature story, she dared to go undercover into the office of a naturopath, posing as a patient wanting a colonic, which is not a validated procedure in the practice of medicine. She assured me that she did not get the colonic. She has also written feature stories for magazines and interviewed celebrities about their health issues, including the late Cardinal Francis George.
“I have an appreciation for many cultures, music, science - these areas broaden my perspective for writing and being compassionate towards others. I think that journalism has helped me peel back any physician-patient barriers, put patients more at ease, and then I can really talk to them. Often the reward is making a quicker diagnosis. But the real gift is the relationship and the trust.”
Claudia is continually growing, expanding her gastroenterology – internal medicine practice to include new procedures and treatment plans.
Claudia believes that the well-rounded liberal arts education at McAuley has given her an attitude for success and diverse thinking. Today the doctor divides her clinical hours between Claude Mandel Medical Center’s two locations – the primary site on Chicago’s southeast side and a branch located at CSO Multiplex Medical Center in Hyde Park and, of course, virtual medicine, along with several community hospitals and Chicagoland surgery centers.
While some of her contemporaries have retired, Claudia isn’t ready to slow down. She looks forward to doing more creative writing and helping more patients. She is currently writing medical articles for an online magazine, and she has even written a few screenplays.
No matter what direction she heads next, this she knows for sure: “With a McAuley education, nothing will stop you. That education was priceless.”
Diane M. Twickler, ‘72, M.D., FACR
A Mac Deep in the Heart of Texas
“My skills were quite limited in typing class, and I remember Sr. Mary Marguerite, who taught the class, telling me ‘it’s OK not to be good at typing’…that I was ‘a smart young lady’ and that ‘I should strive to be more than just a secretary.’ I think about that statement a lot because she was among the many teachers at McAuley to instill in us the confidence that we could do more.”
Such serendipitous words for Dr. Diane M. Twickler ’72 who says “just so you know, I still can’t type! But I do encourage everyone to be proficient in their typing skills.”
Diane has enjoyed a successful career in medicine. At the University of Texas (UT) Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, she is a tenured professor of Radiology, and Obstetrics and Gynecology, and holder of the Dr. Fred Bonte Professorship in Radiology. She serves the Department of Radiology as vice-chair at large, after several roles in residency education.
Diane, like many physicians in an academic environment, focuses her efforts in three areas: patient care, research and education. Her clinical interests include fetal and gynecologic imaging with ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and imaging of maternal complications of pregnancy. Her work throughout the years has significantly impacted improvements in patient care.
Looking back now, how“Confidence is something ever, she admits that the all women must learn road to her current career and for me, it did not was not always clear. come easy (some now Diane attended the Unimight find that hard to versity of Illinois (U of I) believe). Similar to many at Champaign-Urbana women growing up in the ’60s and ’70s, I followed and later transferred to the University of Chicago Medical School to comnotions of the prescribed plete her undergraduate roles for women, which and clinical studies to earn were limited.” a degree in occupational therapy (OT). After graduation, she worked in OT at Christ Medical Center (now Advocate Christ Hospital). In the years that followed, her confidence in her skills and a desire to pursue medicine began to flourish.
“Somewhere, somehow we learned that we’re not the center of the universe; our life becomes about what we can do for others. I think my decision to go into medicine is part of the underlying premise of that. I knew I wanted medicine but it wasn’t openly apparent that there were careers for women beyond things like nursing, OT or physical therapy. When I began working at Christ I decided that I could, and would, become a doctor.”
After long days at Christ, she drove into the city to continue her premedical courses at the U of I Chicago Medical School. Acceptances for medical school rolled in and Diane decided again on U of I. She later transferred to UT, which she says “was the best academic decision I ever made.” She completed her residency training in diagnostic radiology and received advanced training in body imaging through a fellowship at UT Southwestern.
The focus of her research is Women’s Imaging, with emphasis in obstetrical and gynecologic MRI and ultrasound. This includes fetal MR biometry and associated quantitative assessment of fetal dysmorphology, ultrasound and MRI in placentation, and imaging of ovarian and uterine diseases. Working with experts in maternal fetal medicine, magnetic resonance, statistics, and biomedical engineering, this multidisciplinary team is employing the latest technological advances, including how Artificial Intelligence (AI) aids in prenatal assessment of the fetus and placenta during pregnancy.
“AI can take images and translate them, without the human eye even viewing it, to predict abnormalities or diseases,” said Diane. “Can you teach a machine how to find the placenta and then how to find the disease of the placenta, and then how do you apply it to clinical care? It is a cross-disciplinary approach and when we’re all in the room together trying to figure things out it can be really fun.”
Although COVID forced the cancellation of many current elective studies, Diane’s department was one of the few that forged
ahead while taking the necessary pre- ing, and writing for the Inscape newscautions for patients and staff. “We con- paper. “McAuley allowed me to grow in tinued to do ultrasounds on our preg- a positive direction through the inhernant women, because you can’t cancel ently stressful teenage years by providwhen the babies are due.” ing a nurturing environment for young The other part of Diane’s job is in edu- to work as a team and emphasize the escation. She is the former vice-chair of sentials of service to others.” academic affairs and also is part of a fiveperson Strategic Planning Committee Diane, in the far right foreground, next to Gwen Carroll in Another key point of note is that Diane for Undergraduate Medical Education, their Intro to Physical Science class. is surrounded by other strong women whose focus is implementing an innova- educated in the Mercy tradition. Besides tive curriculum for medical students at UT Southwestern. her two sisters, Carol Twickler Gadomski ‘68 and Sue Twickler “Because I’m in a highly technical field, I get to take what I learn of the Saint Xavier Academy (the precursor to Mother McAuley) from radiology and imaging and apply it to education. I take full class of 1946. When Diane met her husband, George Wendel, also advantage of what I’ve learned from my colleagues and help pro- a physician, she learned that his mother, Mary Isabelle Collins mote educational applications of information systems.” Wendel, also is an alumna of the Academy from the class of 1952.
Diane’s work has garnered her several teaching and mentorship awards, most recently in 2019 the Resident Mentor Award from the Department of Radiology UT Southwestern and in 2017 the Editor’s Recognition Award from the Radiological Society of North America. She also authored more than 100 publications and has written 13 book chapters emphasizing her areas of clinical expertise, as well as serving as a reviewer for multiple academic journals. Looking back at her time at McAuley, Diane is reflective about the significance of the all-female environment and how collaboration and leadership were nurtured. “The notion of women helping other women is extremely strong at McAuley, encouraging a sense of oneness and sisterhood. There is a feeling of security among the teachers and peers that enables you to do things -- it’s just so powerful. Sr. Mary Christian was the epitome of a caring, involved, and delightful teacher. I remember my first day of freshman year, introduction to physical science class, and new friend and lab partner, Gwen Carroll ‘72, whose friendship along with many others continued for decades.” As a graduate of St. Cajetan, Diane rode the bus to McAuley, catching it at 113th and Western, then transferred at 103rd, all along building friendships with many other neighborhood student commuters from St. John Fisher, St. Barnabas and elsewhere. Academically, Diane enjoyed her math and science classes at McAuley and earned good grades, which earned her recognition as a National Merit Scholar. Her time at McAuley outside the classroom was spent playing intramurals like flag football, tutorwomen to discover their strengths, learn Healy ‘70, her mother, Shirley McLaughlin Twickler is a graduate So, while Texas is her home now, a few characteristics remain inherent to her Chicago and McAuley roots, including her Chicago accent. When a colleague pointed out to Diane that she never lost her Chicago dialect, Diane’s response was, “thank goodness!”
Aimee Brasher ‘97, M.D.
Setting a Course for Success As a member of the McAuley varsity volleyball team, playing the position of setter, Dr. Aimee Brasher ’97 learned early how to juggle her academics with athletics -- a recipe that truly set her up for success.
“You learn how to manage your time efficiently and that carries you through life, in everything you do -- that, you learn at McAuley and it
never leaves you.” That belief earned Aimee the top academic spot in her class – she was named the class of 1997 valedictorian – and serves her well in her role as a pediatric orthopedic surgeon. Since 2013 she has worked at the Central DuPage location of the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.
Aimee’s love for volleyball carried into her college career, where she played for the Illinois Institute of Technology. There, she earned a degree in chemical engineering with a minor in biomedical engineering. It was during her sophomore year that she learned of a new program with Rush Medical College that would allow Aimee to transition directly into medical school upon her college graduation. Maintaining a strong grade point average and completion of a research project was required.
“McAuley offered challenging courses and I took enough Advanced Placement classes to wipe out a semester of college, but I opted for the full four years in order to remain on track to graduate to the Rush program,” said Aimee.
After finishing her general surgery and orthopedic surgery residency at Rush in 2010, Aimee spent a year in California completing her fellowship at the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles. She returned home and began working at the Illinois Bone and Joint Institute as a pediatric orthopedic surgeon. Two years later she joined the team at Lurie.
As a pediatric orthopedist, “I really enjoyed math Aimee treats patients with and science during my a range of musculoskeletal McAuley days; those subjects came easily for issues. She sees infants with congenital deformities like club feet or hip me. I had the idea that a dysplasia but also treats career in medicine was the usual bone breaks what I wanted to pursue, and other injuries and but I also knew that with issues relating to joints, ligaments, tendons, and a degree in chemical muscles. engineering I could find a job easily.” Not surprisingly, Aimee’s favorite part of the job is working with kids. “They are motivated to get better, especially the younger ones. There are no mind games (until maybe they are teenagers!) It’s much harder to deal with the parents. Some are very realistic, others are not. Some are very involved, others are not.”
Although she says there is no “typical day,” every other Friday Aimee has reserved time in the operating room (OR) although she usually finds herself in the OR at least once a week addressing an emergency. The week we spoke, Aimee had no scheduled OR time, yet she had already been in surgery several times. Three times a week she sees patients in the clinic, performing castings and tending to other ortho concerns. Central DuPage Hospital is
Aimee, number 15, is pictured far left next to Coach Nancy Pederson.
a Level II trauma center so it’s not unusual for Aimee to be on call up to 15 times per month.
Looking back, Aimee knows that the characteristic confidence ingrained at McAuley continued to serve her well as she navigated a career field where women are still the minority.
“I absolutely believe that attending an all-girls’ school was a huge benefit,” said Aimee. “I was the only female in my residency program at Rush for three or four years. It was a very male-dominated field. It was difficult. I needed to speak up for myself and make sure I was treated fairly. (And kept the guys in line when they got out of line!) Even today I still see some prejudice and sometimes get called ‘nurse’ -- that doesn’t happen to my male colleagues.”
Some of Aimee’s fondest memories of her McAuley years are of her volleyball career. Under the guidance of Head Coach, Nancy Pedersen, the Macs won two state championships, one during Aimee’s junior year. The team competed at Illinois State University. “A lot of good memories came from playing downstate.
“I felt like a celebrity. We had a cart ride and celebrated in all the typical McAuley ways. It was a really special moment for a high school kid.” Her senior year the Macs were state-runner up, and Aimee got to savor the experience with her sister, Katie Brasher Zwierzynski ‘99, who was a sophomore on the Mighty Mac varsity team. Aimee also played club volleyball and played in the national championship in her junior year.
Being a former athlete helps Aimee relate to her patients who sometimes struggle with sports injuries. “I had my share of injuries along the way, and the experience gives my patients a little bit of perspective. I can relate to being sidelined and can say ‘this is two weeks of your life and you will survive and your team will survive.’”
Outside of her job, her family is the focus for Aimee. She and her
husband, Mario Di lorio, are parents to a three-year-old daughter, Gianna. Not missing the chance for cousin fun, Aimee makes frequent trips from her home in Wheaton (she lives surprisingly near her former volleyball rival school, Wheaton St. Francis) to the southside to spend time with her parents, her brother, sister and nieces and nephews.
As Aimee continues to thrive in her career, she offers this simple and practical advice for the next generation of Macs: “Be grateful. Work Hard. Believe in yourself. Don’t be afraid to follow your dreams.”
Alicia Thompson Lenzen ‘02, M.D.
Running Down a Dream
Dr. Alicia Lenzen ’02 said she saw a lot of herself in her young patient. The 16-year old ran track and cross country, just as Alicia did at McAuley. The patient also had high ambitions for her future, just like Alicia. Unlike Alicia, however, the patient had lost the ability to walk due to an aggressive spinal cord tumor. “She reminded me of a McAuley girl,” shared Alicia.
In her role as a pediatric neuro-oncologist at the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Alicia developed the radiation and chemotherapy treatment for this patient, as a member of a multidisciplinary team.
“I made a great connection with her, talking about high school and what colleges interested her. I could relate and it made things seem as normal as possible, under less than desirable circumstances.” It’s no wonder that as a McAuley senior Alicia was voted “Most Trusting” by her classmates during the senior award ceremony.
Today the patient is back to running and doing well, with no evidence of tumor, and even loves talking with Alicia about her new post-tumor running PRs.
Encounters like that reaffirm Alicia’s passion for medicine, a love that began during her pre-teen years. She read the book, “Death Be Not Proud”, which chronicles the life of a boy who dies from a brain tumor, as told by his father. “That book laid the foundation for me. I knew I loved science and a career in medicine would be a way to help people.”
Alicia’s motivation drove her to seek out opportunities that would advance her goal to attend medical school. At McAuley, she found great support through her teachers and counselors. “My medical career started at McAuley. I took all the Advanced Placement (AP) science courses, which really prepared me for the premed track, and my relationships with my AP chemistry and AP calculus teacher helped expand my thought process and navigate my pursuit of a medical degree.”
She admits that schoolwork and tests did not come easy for her. “I was often up late into the night studying. I really had to put in the effort to reach my goals. Even the ACT and SAT were a challenge for me.”
Between her junior and senior year, Alicia attended a Pre-Med Summer Scholar Program at University of California at Los Angeles. This week-long educational program features medical guest speakers, hospital tours and activities to give students a sense of working within the field of medicine as a physician. It solidified her interest in pre-med.
Alicia had her eyes set on Brown University, an Ivy League school, for college and medical school, a dream furthered by the confidence she gained at McAuley. Her senior year she learned she was accepted into Brown’s prestigious Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME). It is the only combined medical program in the Ivy League, and one of only approximately 120 in the nation. PLME is extremely selective, admitting fewer than 100 applicants nationwide and internationally each year. At the time Alicia applied, they accepted only 60 students.
“They were seeking students who were truly invested in their future,” said Alicia. As long as she maintained a strong Grade Point Average, conducted a research experiment and met the other requirements, Alicia would transition straight into Brown’s medical school program at the completion of her senior year.
Outside of class, Alicia served as president of McAuley’s National Honors Society and was a member of the Science Club, among others.
Heading off to eight years of schooling on the east coast was not
without its worries for Alicia. She admits that “Side effects like developmental delays and it was difficult to leave the Chicago region as processing speeds present in some patients, many of her classmates enrolled at schools so we are still working toward treatments closer to home, but she was even more reso- that provide the best curative options but lute in her pursuit. without the unpleasant side effects. I really “I felt comfortable at Brown even though maceutical companies to put forward treatpeople came from all over -- some of which ments that will change the future of pediatwere prestigious boarding schools -- but I nev- ric neuro-oncology.” er thought about those things. I just raised my hand in class, asked questions, and continued Alicia with faculty member, Laura Snow Gawlik Her confidence was critical in helping her doing what I was taught at McAuley. And it attain her goal in a field which is still very continues until this day when I feel confident to lead in new ways male-dominated. Alicia said that although there are more women and work toward my end goal.” in pediatric oncology, gender bias still is a big issue.
Alicia returned home to Chicago to complete her pediatric residency and chief residency at Advocate Children’s Hospital (formerly Hope Children’s Hospital) in Oak Lawn. She then completed her pediatric hematology and oncology fellowship, and her pediatric neuro-oncology fellowship, at Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital. She is now in her sixth year with the hospital.
Alicia cares for children who have brain and spinal cord tumors. Lurie sees the most patients in the state of Illinois with these types of tumors. Being hands-on with patients she says is the best part of her job. “It is a privilege to work with kids and families during a critical time. Children are resilient and have a sense of hope that adults lose. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic they show up with a smile behind their mask and a joke to share.”
“I truly don’t think I would be where I am today without my McAuley education. The singlegender environment provided me the confidence I needed to apply to my dream school, and instilled in me that I could go after what I really wanted. Even though I heard other people say ‘you may change your mind’ or ‘it could be difficult’ or ‘let’s see how things go,’ those things were never said to me at McAuley.”
Alicia also values the important work she does in the lab to help find a cure for cancer. In the last several years pediatric neurooncology has come a long way in treating and curing patients, but with those developments has come some long lasting devastations. take pride in assisting scientists and phar“During med school rotations there are male physicians who don’t treat you the same. I also still have parents who assume that I am the nurse or don’t see me as equal to male colleagues. I am sometimes called by my first name instead of as ‘doctor’ yet I don’t witness that happening to my male counterparts.”
Despite that, she says she feels comfortable as a young female putting her hat in the ring for leadership positions or while asking questions. “Even if I’m at a table of all men who have been in the field a long time, I know that I have a voice, I can be vocal and I should go after things, even if they are brand new or scary.”
The enduring sisterhood and friendships are one of the cornerstones of a McAuley education, and one of Alicia’s best supporters is her McAuley classmate, Katherine Van Etten Kain ‘02. The two had lockers next to one another and were cross country and track teammates. They became the best of friends and remain confidantes. “Katherine always encourages me. She’s a school psychologist and has always been a great sounding board for me.”
“I think between the encouragement from McAuley classmates like Katherine, and teachers who pushed me, I really learned to be fearless and push through and do the job I’m meant to do.”
Alicia’s career has come full circle. She and her husband, Joe, live in Beverly (next door to her parents, her earliest supporters!) and are expecting their first child in January. She has even returned to McAuley on occasion to share her story and advice with students. What’s her best piece of advice? “Do your best, do things that you love and be willing to try something new.”
“It’s truly a privilege to do the work that I do. I feel lucky that each step of the way I have continued to love it. It started as a small idea after reading a book in grade school and has taken me great places.”
From Mac Nation to Med Nation
The future is looking bright for these McAuley alumnae who are well on their way to careers in medicine. Recent advancements in McAuley’s curriculum and programs are exposing our young women to new opportunities and experiences that help direct their interests and studies as they move into college, and beyond. The following three alumnae, each at a different stage of their career studies, talk of how the lifetime advantage of their McAuley education helped shape their aspirations and set them on a course toward success in the medical field.
Mariel Galvan ‘16
Where did you attend undergrad and what was your area of study?
I attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), where I received my Bachelor of Science degree in integrative biology on a pre-medical track.
What has inspired you to pursue a career as a doctor?
When I was 16, I attended the Muscular Dystrophy Association Summer Camp with my friend Analiz Magana (MMC ‘16, UIUC 21’) as a volunteer and I was enamored by the physicians and medical staff that supported the program. Prior to this experience, my archetype for a physician was this stoic, sterile figure who reluctantly wrote prescriptions and kept the chit-chat to a minimum. This experience helped me to realize that I could become a physician and still be silly and pursue work that aligned with my values.
What were you involved in during your time as an undergrad?
I was heavily engaged in the UIUC community, and I truly loved everything I participated in. My first year, I worked at our campus clinic as a health education intern, curating public health awareness events on campus and distributing medical supplies to students. This was also the year that I became a personal care assistant (PCA) within a student, adaptive living community named Beckwith. As a PCA, you are able to aid students with daily activities such as showering or folding clothes. It remains my most valued experience. Entering my second year, I became a residential advisor at Timothy J. Nugent Hall and remained in this position for three years.
My third year I served as the volunteer chair for the Illinois Mannie L Jackson Academic Enrichment and Leadership Program (I-LEAP). I also was awarded a grant from the Medical Organization of Latino Advancement to create an individual research project which eventually developed into my honors thesis; analyzing the impact of imposter phenomenon (colloquially known as imposter syndrome) and social support on women of color scientists. During the spring break of 2019, I had the opportunity to co-facilitate a Civil Rights Pilgrimage spanning South Carolina to Tennessee. Having participated in this trip a year prior, I was honored to re-immerse myself within unfiltered, unapologetic Black history. The following summer, I volunteered as an intake volunteer at a clinic for uninsured and underinsured in Champaign. This provided me with my first real clinical experience.
Earning the privilege to serve as the president of the Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students my fourth year gave me the challenge I craved as a facilitator. As a Black-Latina woman, I was all too familiar with the barriers and fatigue that came with occupying space in STEM. I wanted to do whatever in my capacity to disseminate the information that I wish I had earlier to my peers.
My executive board and I hosted a free medical conference for students in which they could talk to medical school admissions deans, learn to take vitals, gain access to MCAT prep materials, and even receive stress resources from our university counseling center. In curating this event, I recalled one of my favorite books in college, South African native Trevor Noah’s autobiography “Born a Crime,” In it he says:
“People love to say, ‘Give a man a fish, and he’ll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he’ll eat for a lifetime.’ What they don’t say is, ‘And it would be nice if you gave him a fishing rod.’ That’s the part of the analogy that’s missing.”
I learned from this piece the importance of advocacy AND accessibility. True educational equity for a minority pre-medical student, for me, meant humility guided mentorship coupled with tangible resources (skills, prep materials, physician mentors, etc.).
The Trevor Noah allusion is a perfectly fitting segway into my study abroad experience in South Africa during the winter break of my final year. I spent three weeks in Cape Town and Johannesburg, two of which were spent volunteering in the continent’s largest children’s hospital, The Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital.
What are your plans for after undergrad?
All throughout college, I knew that I wanted to become a Peace Corps volunteer before medical school. I’ve been accepted to my first choice position: youth development volunteer in Costa Rica, departing July 2020. The pandemic did not permit this abroad opportunity but my faith has kept me grounded and optimistic. Post-graduation, I received a summer research assistantship opportunity and simultaneously I began studying for the MCAT which I take this fall. I then plan to locate a research assistant position in the Chicago area apply for the 2021 medical admissions cycle.
Can you share a little more about your experiences and how it has inspired you to pursue physical medicine and rehabilitation?
I became interested in physical medicine and rehabilitation through discussions with my friends/residents with various physical disabilities as well as work with physicians at the Muscular Dystrophy Association Summer Camp. I would love to focus on both children and adults with different physical disabilities such as muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy. There needs to be more advocacy for research specific to adults living with these conditions because often, my friends have encountered physicians that only work with children with disabilities or health professionals that state that they, “don’t know what to do with them.”
Do you feel like McAuley prepared you for college and beyond?
The rigor of McAuley’s STEM curriculum prepared me for the hurdles I had in store at UIUC. I still remember mnemonics from Mrs. Turnbull’s AP chemistry class and studying hours upon hours for Mrs. Swanson’s honors pre-calculus final. I can confidently say I wouldn’t have had the audacity to write a senior thesis if it were not for Ms. McCormick’s AP literature course. As mentors, they helped me develop the ability to be both resilient and tenacious - essential ingredients for a pre-medical student.
Elvira Alexander ‘18
Where do you attend school and what are you currently studying?
I attend the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign (U of I). I am currently majoring in interdisciplinary health sciences, on a pre-med track.
What has inspired you to become interested in pursuing a career in gynecology or orthopedics?
My inspiration in pursuing a career as a doctor stems from my close relationship with my gynecologist. My gynecologist is the same doctor that delivered me 20 years ago when I was born, and my visits with her are filled with advice along my the medical journey, as well as her sharing her personal experiences as an obstetrician-gynecologist (OB/GYN).
I was initially attracted to this specialization because of its emphasis on women’s health. There was a point in my life when my gymnastics training posed dangers to my body, nutrition, and overall health, and my gynecologist served as a very important figure in helping me overcome some challenges. She worked with me and educated me on the importance of maintaining good health as a young woman, and I gained a lot of trust, respect, and admiration in her from this. I started to do more research on women’s health specifically, and I was shocked to find how common it is for women to not receive proper care in gynecology, specifically throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and post-pregnancy.
My education at McAuley also furthered my interest in working in a female-based community. In the same way Catherine McAuley paved a way for young women to receive high-quality education, I became inspired to pursue a similar goal through the medical field. There is a beauty in the birth of a child and the journey that a mother goes through, and this is a cycle I hope to become a part of and guide mothers/parents through. For all girls and women, I hope to be a trusting and supportive figure in women’s health.
Where do you hope to attend medical school?
My hope is to get into/attend Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.
Did your time at McAuley have an impact on your career decision?
My time at McAuley definitely magnified my career decision. I have been a gymnast since I was three-years-old, so for a large portion of my life, I saw myself working in the health/medical side of athletics. I took the athletic training course at McAuley my senior year, which many schools do not offer at the high school level, and this introduced me to more anatomy-based concepts that furthered my interest in the medical field and allowed me to explore the various opportunities within medicine.
Do you feel like McAuley prepared you for college and beyond?
I definitely believe McAuley prepared me for college and beyond. Many of the courses I took at McAuley made the transition to college-level classes smoother than I had anticipated. One of the classes I took my senior year in particular, developed my interest in chemistry. The pre-med track requires us to take a specific list of chemistry courses by the time of the Medical College Admissions Test. My AP chemistry teacher, Mrs. Turnbull, definitely prepared me for the rigor of these college chemistry classes.
McAuley also helped me develop into a more confident, empowered, and driven individual. During my time at McAuley, I was always encouraged to reach my goals, and I was always given the support I needed to enhance my confidence in myself. McAuley also gave me the opportunity to pursue several of my passions and interests, whether that was academic, athletic, or theatre-based -- I learned to balance my commitments to these activities and develop a stronger time management system. This has been extremely beneficial to me in college because I am able to manage my time effectively between my classes, gymnastics practice, my personal care assistant job for U of I students with disabilities, gymnastics coaching, pre-med clubs, mentoring, etc.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
I strongly encourage every current McAuley girl to take advantage of all that McAuley has to offer. I still have many moments where I reflect back on my time at McAuley and wish that I could be back in those hallways rushing from D wing to A-wing, wearing my kilt and Doc Martens, and attending school with my McAuley family. I am extremely grateful to attribute my growth as an individual to the education and values that were presented to me at McAuley. I know all past, current, and future Mighty Macs are equipped with the assets for making a metaphoric influence in all areas of society.
Maggie O’Grady ‘15
Tell us about your college career and medical studies.
I attended Saint Louis University and double majored in Spanish and biology. I am currently attending the University of Illinois College of Medicine.
Are there any clubs/organizations, volunteer work, etc. in which you’re involved through medical school?
I am on the executive board for the Family Medicine Interest Group. I have also been involved in volunteering at local food pantries.
What were you involved in during your time as an undergrad (volunteer work, clubs/organizations, etc.)?
I was a part of the pre-health club (Alpha Epsilon Delta) for four years. I was also a volunteer at the Latino Family Outreach Branch of the Crisis Nursery for 2 years. Additionally, I worked as an emergency room medical scribe and a supplemental instructor for physics each for a year.
Are you interested in specializing in a certain discipline? If so, which discipline and why?
I am interested in specializing in family medicine. I like the variety involved in seeing patients of all ages. Additionally, I am drawn to the community aspect of family medicine. As a physician within this specialty, I will form long term relationships with my patients which will allow us to work together on their health concerns and preventative care.
What has inspired you to pursue a career as a doctor?
There are a lot of factors that influenced my decision, including my love of biology and physiology, but one of the biggest ones was the communities within which I grew up. I have a very close extended family. I have always had access to countless resources and unwavering support. McAuley strengthened my sense of community by providing additional resources and support as well as more opportunities. I chose to become a physician in order to take advantage of these experiences and use them in a way in which I could become a resource for others. I hope as a family medicine physician I’ll be able to create a community in which my patients always feel comfortable asking questions, voicing concerns and receiving care.
Did your time at McAuley have an impact on your career decision? If yes, how?
I felt supported as a woman to pursue a career in a STEM field during my time at McAuley. At career fairs and alumnae panels, I met McAuley graduates who were successful in these fields. This was encouraging for a young woman because it showed me I could pursue the subjects I loved and any number of career paths.
Do you feel like McAuley prepared you for college and beyond? If yes, how?
Yes. During my time at McAuley I received a quality education and learned tools to utilize this education throughout my life and career. I became confident that I could be successful in whatever path I chose. During undergrad I was very well prepared for my courses, specifically my science courses. I credit my McAuley science teachers for helping me develop this strong foundation, specifically Mrs. Wilson who was my AP biology teacher. Additionally, I began to develop strong communication and teamwork skills at McAuley which have been valuable in many aspects of my life and are essential within the medical field.
Catherine Burns ‘15
Tell us where you are with your medical career.
I am a second-year medical student at Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM) where I was granted a four-year academic scholarship. I have a concentration in the care of Hispanic/ Latino patients. At school, I am a member of our Student Outreach Clinic Executive Board, and I love finding ways for other medical students to get involved with service. I am also finishing up my summer research project through the University of Chicago.
Where do/did you attend school and what are you currently studying?
I earned my undergraduate degree from Saint Louis University (SLU) in Spanish with a biology minor. At SLU, I also participated in the Medical Scholars Program.
What has inspired you to become interested in pursuing a career as a doctor? What has made you interested in your specific field?
While I was in high school, I followed in my three older sisters’ footsteps and volunteered at Advocate Christ Hospital each week. During my time as a volunteer, I began to imagine a career in medicine, a field where science and healing intersect. I knew that I wanted to work in underserved communities and being the leader of a healthcare team would be a great way to do this. While the idea of medical school was daunting, the encouragement of my family and teachers helped bolster my confidence.
Did your time at McAuley have an impact on your career decision? If yes, how?
My time at McAuley had a huge impact on my decision to pursue medicine. McAuley empowers young women to aim high and break through any stereotypes that may follow them. I used to think of medicine as a rigid career that required completing a long list of requirements. My time at McAuley showed me that if you are passionate about something, you can always create your own path, like choosing to major in Spanish instead of science. There’s no perfect algorithm to becoming a physician, but my desire to serve others, cultivated by my Mercy education, was a good place to start.
Do you feel like McAuley prepared you for college and beyond? If yes, how?
I had the opportunity to take both AP Biology with Mrs. Wilson and AP Chemistry with Mrs. Turnbull in high school. I came into college with the fear of “weed out” premed courses, but I never had to face those fears. My freshman year of college was only building on the strong science foundation of these AP courses. The other AP courses I took, while not directly related to my major, freed up my schedule to pursue interesting courses beyond introductory prerequisites.
One of the biggest lessons that I took into college was how to ask for help. At McAuley, Mrs. Swanson took the time to spend many lunches with me in the math center. It wasn’t until I got to college that I came to fully appreciate what her kindness taught me. I was confident enough to immediately approach professors if I was confused and did not wait for a low grade to use office hours.
Anything else you’d like to share?
One of the hardest decisions that I had to make in college was choosing to apply out to other medical schools after receiving my early acceptance from Saint Louis University. If it were not for the confidence instilled in me at McAuley, I may never have taken this leap of faith. IUSM was my only acceptance during my application cycle, so I encourage all McAuley students to believe in themselves despite the possibility of rejection. You are more than prepared!
