Meet our Residents

Hello! I grew up in the Chicagoland area and I knew I wanted to stick around for residency training! I quickly developed a strong passion for working in underserved populations while as a medical student in Chicago. I have a strong passion for volunteerism, underserved communities, and academics. While in medical school, I founded Chicago COVIDsitters, a student volunteer organization that paired medical student volunteers with healthcare professionals to provide free childcare, pet care, and household errands during the COVID-19 lockdown. My research in medical school focused on women’s health, including obstetrics surgical techniques and cultural differences and interventions in Puerto Rican and Mexican women in Chicagoland.

I love spending my free time outdoors, especially running and walking on the Chicago lakefront. One of my favorite things to do at home includes trying out new recipes and cooking traditional Croatian food. I love to travel, especially to see my family in Croatia. I have a strong passion in global health and plan to pursue more international medical mission trips as my career progresses. One of my bucket list goals is to visit all the continents in the next ten years!

As a child I always dreamed of becoming a doctor. There were no doctors in my family but I was determined to become one. Many medical professionals played a role in bringing me back from the brink of death and for that I will eternally be grateful. Many things have happened between then and now, I finally became a physician and now it is my time to give back. As a physician I strive to make a difference in people’s lives. It is my goal to become a significant part of my patient’s journey and help them live rich and fulfilling lives. Health care should be an inalienable right and I take pride in making my patients live their life to the fullest and obtaining the healthcare they are entitled to.

Growing up in Puerto Rico and subsequently moving to the contiguous United States, I’ve witnessed firsthand healthcare disparities and the lack of access to healthcare in certain communities. It is my personal goal to blur these lines that are inherent to our healthcare system and provide all my patients with fair and unbiased healthcare. I have a personal interest in women’s health and obstetrics, paying special attention to healthcare disparities in this field. As a Latin woman living in the Unites States, I am personally invested in the subject of healthcare outcomes in African American and LatinX patients in obstetrics, such as pregnancy complications, maternal morbidity and mortality, as well as newborn morbidity and mortality.

Most of my personal interest and hobbies stem from my culture, and in this sense I truly enjoy dancing to Latin rhythms and ballroom dances, I also enjoy some classic ballet dance but Latin is and will always be my all-time favorite. Losing yourself in a dance is one of the most beautiful expressions of art, and it is through this kind of performing arts that we can communicate and reach others through emotion, energy, and portraying our genuine selves. I take pride in the flavors of my country and as such I enjoy spending time in the kitchen cooking and experimenting with new flavors and recipes. Latin cuisine is so rich and varied that you can literally learn something new from another culture almost daily. Another hobby I am passionate about is photography. There is something sublime about the ability to catch the magic of one moment in a snapshot. I love to take walks in nature and just have my camera with me to capture the awesome wonders that life has to offer. Growing up in the Caribbean, I never experienced having seasons. It is amazing to see how nature adapts, endures, and flourish throughout the different challenges that seasons bring. I really love winter and I enjoy the snow, regardless of how difficult snowboarding can be. I am determined to do it right one day. I just hope my failed attempts are not captured in my camera. That being said, I really enjoy the little things I did not see growing up. I enjoy all the seasons; the fun in the snow, the warm campfires in nature accompanied by all-so-delicious s’mores. I enjoy the colors of spring and the promise of fall, the hot summer days with warming rays of the sun.

Hi! I’m Clarissa O’Conor, and my pronouns are she/her. I grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania on a small horse farm, although I haven’t been on a horse in years! I moved to Philadelphia for college and stayed for another six years. One of the highlights of my time in Philly was working at a local weekly farmers market, for two Lancaster farms. I learned how to cook with a lot of different fruits, veggies and meats and have loved getting to know my neighbors over the years I’ve sold them produce. I recently joined a Muay Thai gym, and it’s been fun to learn new skills and new ways to move my body. I’m also a member of a group called Put People First! PA, where we’ve been organizing for healthcare as a human right across the state and connecting people in cities, towns, and rural areas. I’m excited to get involved with the Illinois Poor People’s Campaign! I’m really interested in the intuitive eating and the Health at Every Size movement, both personally and as something I can use to support my patients. I was able to do a breastfeeding rotation in medical school and am working towards becoming a Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC). I love helping families with breastfeeding! I’m excited to get to know everyone in the West Suburban community!

I was born and raised in California, and then made my way to the East Coast for college and medical school. I immediately fell in love with Chicago when I visited and am ecstatic to be here for residency! I enjoy being outdoors (hiking, swimming, running, paddleboarding… you name it), reading, traveling, going out to eat with friends, and hanging out with my cat. I also bake — I love to whip up desserts, especially my banana bread, chocolate cake, and lemon cupcakes. I am drawn to taking care of patients at all ages and stages of life, and have particular interest in adolescent medicine, urban health, and family planning/obstetrics.