Our Faculty
We are proud of the diversity and academic backgrounds of our faculty. Many have won local and national recognition for their work, and all are committed to producing outstanding graduates. As a matter of principle, we believe that it's important to have faculty who have trained in disparate settings. Bringing together people of varied experience keeps us open to new ideas and methods and keeps us vigilant in moving the program forward.
Michael Friedman, MD
Program Director
Dr. Friedman was appointed as the Program Director of the new combined Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center Family Medicine Residency after serving for eight years as Program Director of the Saint Elizabeth program. He originally joined the Saint Elizabeth Hospital residency program in September 1998 after spending seven years on the faculty of the University of Illinois at Chicago. There, in addition to a part-time clinical practice, he worked with residents and co-directed the medical school's clerkship in Family Medicine. He graduated from the University of Illinois College of Medicine and completed his residency training at Cook County Hospital.
Dr. Friedman has research interests in clinical reasoning and the use of patients as teachers, and has presented papers on these topics at several national meetings. Board certified in Family Medicine, he is active in the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine and is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians. He holds faculty appointments in both the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Illinois College of Medicine - Chicago, and the Department of Family & Preventive Medicine at Chicago Medical School/Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science.
In 2005, he was named as the Family Medicine Teacher of the Year by the Illinois Academy of Family Physicians. His wife is also a family physician, and they live in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood with their two sons. When not working, Dr. Friedman likes to hike with the family in the wilderness.
Peggy Bandy, MD
Associate Director of Academic Affairs
Dr. Peggy Bandy joined SMEMC Family Practice Residency Faculty in September 2010 as Associate Program Director of Academic Affairs. She obtained her medical degree from the University of South Carolina and completed her Family Medicine Residency training at Lancaster General Hospital in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Her first job after residency was as a full-time clinician at Carle Clinic in Champaign, Illinois.
During her time at the Carle Clinic, Dr. Bandy became very involved in teaching family medicine residents. On the basis of that experience, she decided to pursue academics and post-graduate teaching full-time. She joined the faculty of the family medicine residency at the University of Illinois in Rockford, where she was appointed an Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine. She worked for eight years at the University before becoming a part of the SMEMC faculty.
Dr. Bandy holds to the belief that the key to success is to do the common things uncommonly well; master the basics and the rest will fall into place. Her interests outside of medicine include drawing, cooking, travelling, playing soccer, and dabbling in real estate and finance.
Her personal motto: "Don't wish things were easier. Wish you were better." (Jim Rohn)
Dr. David Berdy
Associate Director of Clinical Affairs
Dr. Berdy joined the Saints Mary and Elizabeth family in the fall of 2009. In addition to his role as the Associate Director of Clinical Affairs, Dr. Berdy serves as the Medical Director of the Nazareth Family Center and coordinator of the Geriatrics Curriculum. Prior to assuming his role at SMEMC, Dr. Berdy was engaged in a thriving private practice in northwest Ohio, where he also established a palliative care consultation service with Hospice of Northwest Ohio.
It has been said that music is like medicine for the soul, and certainly Dr Berdy would agree. Following high school graduation, Dr. Berdy spent four years training at The Glauser School of Music before obtaining his M.D. degree from The Medical College of Ohio. He completed a Family Medicine Residency at The Toledo Hospital and holds advanced training in Contemporary Medical Acupuncture from McMaster University of Health Sciences.
Since 1998, Dr. Berdy has traveled extensively throughout Southeast Asia for medical missionary work and now serves as the Executive Director for Bridge of Grace, a non-profit foundation addressing social, educational, and medical needs in developing countries.
Alicia Milan-Flanigan, M.D.
Dr. Milan-Flanigan received her medical degree from the Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi in Mexico. She completed her Family Medicine residency training at the University of Illinois at Rockford, serving as Chief Resident in her last year. She was named Outstanding Family Practice Resident and received the Resident Teaching Award by the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine.
Dr. Milan has special interests in women's health, obstetrics, adolescent health, and office procedures. She is board certified in Family Medicine and is member of the American Academy of Family Medicine (AAFP) and American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP). Dr. Milan and her husband David live in Lincoln Park and enjoy many of the same activities: golfing, sailing, camping, entertaining, and cooking. They don't however share interest in the same baseball team (Her-Cubs, Him-Sox)!
Gabriela Temneanu, M.D.
Dr. Temneanu was born and raised in Romania where she attended medical school. Soon after graduation she joined an Ophthalmology Residency in Cluj, Romania, but her training was interrupted by emigration to USA. While adjusting to her new life and preparing for the USMLEs, Dr. Temneanu took a job with a family physician. This was her first exposure to the field, and it inspired her to pursue a career in Family Medicine.
She completed her residency at Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital in 2005, serving as chief resident during her final year. Her passion for teaching convinced her to take a position with the residency program, where she continues to see patients as well as supervise residents in both the inpatient and outpatient areas.
Dr. Temneanu is board certified in Family Medicine and is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians. When not working, she enjoys gardening and cooking as well as spending time with her three sons and infant daughter.
T. Eric Schackow, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Eric Schackow began his medical training in the research realm, earning a Ph.D. in Molecular Pharmacology from Northwestern University in 1992. However, after further exposure to clinical medicine, his interests shifted to primary care, and he became particularly intrigued by the challenges and opportunities in Family Medicine. He earned his medical degree from Northwestern University in 1994, and subsequently completed his family medicine residency training at Genesys/Michigan State, serving as chief resident during his final year.
His clinical experiences since then have included working in urban community health centers on the South Side of Chicago, as well as in Rochester, N.Y. He also served as volunteer clinical faculty in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Rochester. His interests include provision of health care to the underserved; integration of faith-related inquiry with comprehensive family medicine; development of novel methods in family medicine teaching; practice-based research; and medical informatics. Indeed, Dr. Schackow has been named one of Resurrection Health Care's principal Physician Champions as the system moves to implement new Epic EHR in all its hospitals and hospital-owned clinics.
Dr. Schackow is board certified in Family Medicine and is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians. He holds faculty appointments in both the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Illinois College of Medicine - Chicago, and the Department of Family & Preventive Medicine at Chicago Medical School/Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. In 2003, he was named as a New Faculty Scholar by the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine. He enjoys downhill skiing, which is difficult to find within a 4-hour drive of Chicago!
Dr. Frank Szelag
Dr. Frank Szelag obtained his medical degree from the Medical Academy in Wroclaw, Poland, and completed his post-graduate training in Family Medicine at Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital, serving as chief resident during his final year. Dr. Szelag has been part of the teaching staff since 1991 and sees patients at the Nazareth Family Center. He is board certified in Family Medicine.
Having been born and raised in Chicopee, Massachusetts, Dr. Szelag believes there are few things as lovely as autumn in New England. Other interests include classical music, politics and golf. He lives with his wife, Janet, in Park Ridge.
Toks Onyekwuluje, M.D.
Dr. Onyekwuluje has been on the medical staff of Saint Elizabeth Hospital, and subsequently Saints Mary & Elizabeth Medical Center, since 2001. Board certified in both Obstetrics & Gynecology and Family Medicine, he teaches and supervises residents during their OB and Gyn rotations.
José Rodrigo Niño, M.D., M.A., L.C.P.C.
Born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia, José earned his M.D. degree from The Colombian School of Medicine in 1992. In 1998, he moved to Chicago to earn his graduate degree in Counseling Psychology from Northwestern University and graduated in 2002. Between 1993 and 1998, Dr. Niño spent time in India at the Bihar School of Yoga studying yoga and ayurveda.
He joined the staff at Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center after eight years working at Barrington Youth and Family Services where he launched, developed, and ran a program that provided psychotherapy and other support services for a diverse Hispanic population. Specific interests include the effects of acculturation on mental health, the role of spirituality in healing, and the therapeutic properties of yoga. In January of 2010, the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine awarded Jose a fellowship in Behavioral Science/Family Systems Education, for which is now engaged in a research project involving the residency.
Lisa Stevak, M.Ed., M.A.
Lisa Stevak joined the program in 2008 and is responsible for the longitudinal community medicine and cultural competency curricula. She brings over 15 years of experience in the areas of health disparities, cultural competency, language acquisition, community partnership building, and curriculum design and evaluation to the residency program. In keeping with SMEMC's mission, Ms. Stevak advocates a primary health care approach that promotes a pattern of healthcare delivery in which community residents and health professionals are partners in achieving the common goal of improved health.
Ms. Stevak received her Masters of Education from the University of Illinois at Chicago and her Masters of Arts in Latin American Studies from the University of Texas at Austin. She has taught cultural studies in Europe, Latin America and the United States and currently consults to medical education programs and non-profit organizations. Ms. Stevak speaks Spanish and German and enjoys exploring the world and learning the language, history, and culture of others.
Boguslaw Bonczak, MD
Dr. Boguslaw Bonczak obtained his medical degree from the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland. He completed his post-graduate training in Poland and began his career as a General Practitioner before entering a fellowship in pediatrics. He practiced as a pediatrician in the beautiful southeastern part of Poland for over 10 years, during which time he also trained in pediatric and newborn ultrasound as well as becoming the Medical Director of a large county hospital in Sanok, Poland.
Complicated family fortune tossed him into the United States where he completed his training in Family Medicine at Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center. The newest physician to join the faculty, Dr. Bonczak was elected Chief Resident during his final year in the program.
Board certified in Family Medicine, Dr. Bonczak is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians. He and his wife Maria, a nurse currently working toward a PhD in nursing, live with their children in a neighborhood close to the hospital. When not at work, Dr. Bonczak enjoys listening to music, traveling, and all manner of water sports, especially relaxing on boats.
Jim Christoforidis, M.D.
Raised in the Midwest but with a passion for international travel, Dr. Christoforidis attended medical school at Northeastern Ohio Universities' College of Medicine before moving to Chicago to continue his training. As a resident at Rush-Presbyterian St. Luke’s Medical Center, he spent a month in Zimbabwe working in a rural hospital. He is board certified in Family Medicine, speaks Spanish and Greek in addition to English, and has a strong interest in cross-cultural medicine. In addition to a busy clinical practice in one of the community health center's satellite clinics, Dr. Christoforidis supervises residents in both in- and outpatient settings.
James Lang, M.D.
Since Dr. Lang finished his residency training in 1990, he has been in clinical practice. During that time, he also served as a faculty preceptor to Saint Elizabeth residents. In 1998, when founder and previous program director Martin Gonzalez, M.D. retired, Dr. Lang served briefly as interim Program Director of the Saint Elizabeth residency. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois College of Medicine, and completed his residency training at Cook County Hospital.
Raised primarily in West Africa, Dr. Lang has special interests in cross-cultural medicine, health care in underserved communities, geriatric medicine, end-of-life care, and spirituality in medicine. In 2005, he was honored with a Special Recognition Award for his dedication and service by the Illinois Academy of Family Physicians. A frequent recipient of the residents' Teacher of the Year Award, Dr. Lang lives with his wife and five children in Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborhood.
Marie McCarthy, M.D.
Originally from New York, Dr. McCarthy moved to Chicago to attend the Stritch School of Medicine at Loyola University. After graduating from medical school, she completed her residency at the Cook County-Loyola-Provident Family Medicine Residency Program. While in medical school and residency she traveled to Guatemala and the Dominican Republic to take care of patients living in rural areas.
In the summer of 2007, she joined the faculty of the Saints Mary and Elizabeth program as an employee of PrimeCare Community Health, the community health center affiliated with the residency. She became the medical director of the health center in 2009. In 2011, the American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation honored her teaching and leadership achievements by awarding Dr. McCarthy its prestigious Pfizer Teacher Development Award. Her interests include improving access to care, patient education, and mentoring future family physicians. When not at work she enjoys cooking, traveling and yoga. She lives in the Bucktown.
Elias Murciano, M.D.
Dr. Murciano has a primarily clinical appointment in the program. He attended medical school in Venezuela, did research at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and then completed his residency at the Saint Elizabeth program in June of 2002.
Board certified in Family Medicine, Dr. Murciano sees patients at one of the community health center's satellite clinics, and supervises residents at both the West Town site as well as on the inpatient Medicine and Maternal-Child teaching services. He enjoys outdoor activities and lives in the Andersonville neighborhood with his wife and 2-year old son.
Asmamaw Beyene, M.D.
Dr. Beyene obtained his medical degree from Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia in 1993. During the first four years following graduation, he served as a general practitioner in rural Ethiopia. He then moved to the United States to attend graduate school. Settling in New Orleans, Dr. Beyene obtained an MPH at the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, where he focused on research and teaching. A few years later he entered residency training at Saint Mary of Nazareth Medical Center in Chicago. While there, Dr. Beyene won recognition from medical students at Chicago Medical School as the best resident teacher of the year. Following graduation, he worked in private practice and did part time precepting for the residency. However, his love of teaching got the better of him and in April of 2010 he joined the program as a full-time faculty member.
Dr. Beyene continues to have a strong interest in research and works closely with the residents on their research projects, in addition to co- directing the residency's overall research curriculum.
Dr. Beyene lives with his wife and children in one of Chicago's western suburbs. He has observed that traffic is lighter if he sets out for work before 6:30 am, although he has yet to test that hypothesis by leaving after 7. The residents fear that he will make them plot driving times as a "fun" project.
Maggie Tursi, LCSW
Maggie Tursi obtained her Master's degree in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago. She brings her experience of community based mental health treatment to assist and support residents directly with patient social concerns. Ms. Tursi joined the residency at Saints Mary and Elizabeth Center after working for 4 years as a Mental Health Clinical Practitioner at Heartland Health Outreach's International FACES program, providing psychotherapy to refugee youth and families. Specific interests include trauma informed practice, patient advocacy, mixed race identity, and how acculturation is experienced across generations.
Before moving to Chicago to pursue her graduate education, Maggie studied Community Studies and Education at the University of California at Santa Cruz. She attributes her passion of social justice and open mindedness to her diverse upbringing in San Francisco, CA. Through her close relationships with her Filipino immigrant mother and grandmother, Irish-Italian father, and twin brothers, she continues to be inspired to work directly with families and learn about the world through extensive travel.
