Department of Pediatrics

Isabelle De Plaen, MD, is an attending physician in the Division of Neonatology (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) at Lurie Children’s, Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and the co-director of the Center for Intestinal and Liver Inflammation Research at Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute.

I am a pediatric emergency medicine practitioner and educator who began my work at Northwestern and Lurie Children's in 2001, having completed residency and fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital. I am the Director of the founder of the kidSTAR Medical Education Program. I am actively involved in the Society for SImulation In Healthcare and the INSPIRE pediatric simulation research consortium.

I am an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Dermatology at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine and an Attending Pediatric Dermatologist, Dermatologic Surgeon and Laser specialist at Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. I received my medical degree from McGill University in 1988, and completed internship (1989) and residencies in Pediatrics (1991) and Dermatology (1994) at the University of Arizona. I received Board Certification in Pediatrics (1995-2006), Dermatology (1995-2025) and Pediatric Dermatology (2004-2025). I am a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatolog...

I am a hospital-based physician, in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at Northwestern Memorial and Lurie Children's Hospitals. In addition, I serve as key clinical faculty in the Internal Medicine Residency, which affords me the opportunity to further the practice of Evidence-Based Medicine among our trainees.

Growth and thyroid disorders, diabetes, pubertal disorders, adrenal disorders, PCOS

My clinical work focuses on inpatient pediatrics, including pediatric intensive care, intermediate care, and general pediatrics. My career interests are in global health, medical education, and simulation.

Elizabeth Alpern is a Professor of Pediatrics, Division Head of Emergency Medicine, and Associate Chair for Faculty Development in the Department of Pediatrics of the Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. She is both a pediatric emergency physician and clinical epidemiologist with research expertise in the use of large databases within research networks to improve the quality of emergent care delivered to children through application of evidence-based work. Dr. Alpern was funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) as the...

I completed complete training in pediatrics and pediatric cardiology as well as adult internal medicine and adult cardiology. This affords me both a unique perspective on the long-term management of patients born with congenital heart disease, but allows me to fully integrate into the care of patients across the full age spectrum. This is reflected in my clinical responsibilities, which range from attending on the consultation service at Lurie Childrens, assessing pediatric patients from neonates to adolescents, to my primary responsibilities attending to adults with congenital heart disease a...

My primary effort is in quality improvement and its ability to transform care within our division, the hospital, the medical school and our among our community partnerships. Education and exposure to quality improvement initiatives at the medical student leve will enable future physicians to provide care which is safe, equitable, efficient, effective, timely and patient-centered. Through implimentation of initiatives across both academic and community sites, care can be optimized and coordinated, ensuring evidence-based practice regardless of where their care is obtained. As Co-Director of Qua...

Kelly Michelson, MD, MPH is Professor of Pediatrics, Julia and David Uihlein Professor of Bioethics and Medical Humanities, and Director of the Center for Bioethics and Medical Humanities at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. She is an attending physician at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago in the division of pediatric critical care medicine.