Midwest
Regional
Elections

Sonali Khurana, MD

Bio-Sketch
Sonali Khurana, MD, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Assistant Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Rush University Medical Center. She earned her medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine and completed her Internal Medicine residency and chief residency at Case Western Reserve University Hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio.

Dr. Khurana’s academic work centers on medical education, faculty and trainee development, quality improvement, and patient safety. Before joining Rush, she served as an Associate Program Director at Case Western Reserve University and held a faculty appointment at Moffitt Cancer Center, where she developed expertise in onco-hospitalist care. Across these institutions, she has led curricular initiatives, engaged in patient safety efforts, and mentored trainees and early-career educators.

At Rush, Dr. Khurana directs the Internal Medicine Residency’s Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Track and serves as a Patient Safety Officer for Internal Medicine. She is committed to creating educational environments where learners and faculty can grow and contribute to improving the systems in which they practice.

As an active member of the Society of General Internal Medicine, Dr. Khurana served on the Midwest SGIM meeting planning committee this year and hosted the teaching competition. She values SGIM as a space for collaboration, mentorship, and the exchange of ideas that advance general internal medicine and medical education.

Personal Statement
I am excited to be considered for Midwest SGIM President-Elect because I see this community as my professional home: one that fosters mentorship, meaningful connections, and growth as educators. After serving on this year’s planning committee and hosting the teaching competition, I came away energized by the people and collaborative spirit of SGIM. Having built my professional identity across three institutions over the past six years, I value communities that help us grow and support others. As President-Elect, I hope to broaden participation among educators across the Midwest and foster continuity between meetings through sustained collaboration and programming throughout the year.

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Charles Nordstrom, MD

Bio-Sketch
Charles W. Nordstrom, MD, FACP, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and hospital medicine physician with Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. He serves as Chair of Clinical Practice for Mayo Clinic Health System and on Clinical Practice Committees for Mayo Clinic Midwest and the Mayo Clinic enterprise. During more than 17 years of leadership, he has served as Chair of Hospital Medicine for Mayo Clinic Health System and Wisconsin Chair of Hospital Practice, with work spanning physician leadership, clinical operations, utilization management, quality, patient safety, and clinical documentation integrity.

A Wisconsin native, Dr. Nordstrom earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and his medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin. He completed internal medicine residency at Mayo Clinic in Rochester and subsequently joined Mayo Clinic Health System in Wisconsin. His academic interests include medical education, mentorship, leadership development, and improving care delivery in community and rural settings. His professional society engagement has previously centered on the Society of Hospital Medicine, and he is now seeking to become more actively involved in the Society of General Internal Medicine and to contribute his community-practice and health-system leadership perspective to the region.

Personal Statement
At this point in my career, I am increasingly interested in contributing beyond my own institution and investing in the broader community of general internal medicine. Although I am new to SGIM, its emphasis on education, mentorship, scholarship, and professional community closely aligns with the work I have found most meaningful throughout my career. I would bring leadership experience from both health-system and hospital medicine settings, while listening and learning from longstanding SGIM colleagues. As President-Elect, I would welcome the opportunity to strengthen regional connections, support an engaging regional meeting, develop future leaders, and contribute meaningfully to SGIM’s regional mission.

Mike Houghan, MD

Bio-Sketch
Mike Houghan is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine & Public Health, where he practices both primary care and inpatient medicine. He received his undergraduate degree in Neuroscience from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and completed his MD at the University of Toledo College of Medicine & Life Sciences. He moved to Madison, WI during the height of the COVID pandemic in 2020 and completed his Internal Medicine Residency at UW, followed by a year as the Primary Care Track Chief Resident. He is a dedicated medical educator to both medical students and internal medicine residents, whose work focuses on the use of point-of-care ultrasound to improve diagnostic accuracy in the clinic setting, the development of clinical decision-making skills, and sexual health education. He is particularly interested in building multi-institutional collaborations that advance evidence-based primary care education. He looks forward to presenting on his POCUS curriculum development and sexual health education work at the upcoming SGIM Midwest Regional Meeting. Outside of work, Mike spends most of his time chasing his toddler and dog and cheering on Wisconsin and Michigan sports teams with his wife.

Personal Statement
SGIM has been an important professional home for me as a general internist and educator, and I would welcome the opportunity to serve as Secretary/Treasurer-Elect of SGIM Midwest. Through my clinical and scholarly roles, I have built skills that suit this role: careful organization, reliable follow-through, and coordination across busy teams. Through this position, I hope to foster transparent and responsible stewardship of the region's finances and help to plan a strong regional meeting. I am especially eager to engage early-career faculty and trainees in our regional community in hopes of continuing to build a strong community of general internists in our region.

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Nitu Kataria, MD

Bio-Sketch:
I am a board-certified general internist, clinician educator, and physician leader serving as Associate Program Director for Ambulatory Education in the Cleveland Clinic Internal Medicine Residency Program and Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University. Throughout my career, I have been deeply committed to the intertwined missions of patient care, medical education, scholarship, and professional service.

My journey in medicine began in Mumbai, India, and continued in the United States as an international medical graduate navigating a new healthcare system and academic environment. These experiences have shaped my commitment to inclusion, mentorship, and creating opportunities for learners and early-career faculty.

For more than 15 years, I have practiced general internal medicine while teaching and mentoring medical students and residents. Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic, I spent over a decade on faculty at the University at Buffalo, helping educate the next generation of physicians.

My engagement with SGIM has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my professional life. I currently serve on the SGIM Academic Hospitalist Commission, the GIMLearn Editorial Advisory Board, and the GIMLearn CME/MOC Team. I have also contributed as a reviewer, workshop facilitator, presenter, and poster judge at both national and regional SGIM meetings.

I am passionate about fostering community, mentorship, leadership development, and collaboration across the SGIM Midwest region, and I remain inspired by the privilege of caring for patients, teaching learners, and serving the profession of general internal medicine

Personal Statement
I am honored to be considered for the leadership role at SGIM Midwest. As a general internist, clinician educator, and Associate Program Director for Ambulatory Education at Cleveland Clinic, I have built my career around patient care, learner development, mentorship, and service.

My involvement with SGIM through national committees, regional workshops, peer review, poster judging, and educational programming has reinforced my commitment to the Society’s mission and community.

If elected, I hope to foster engagement across all career stages, support women and underrepresented leaders in academic medicine, strengthen mentorship opportunities, and promote collaboration among educators, researchers, and clinicians throughout the Midwest region.

Sreerag Surendran, MD

Bio-Sketch
Dr. Surendran is Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency at Cleveland Clinic South Pointe Hospital and Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor at Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. Since taking the role in 2024, he has steered the program out of a SOAP recruitment cycle, raised ABIM pass rates above the five-year average, cut a 60-year-old 24-hour call system by 90%, and added ambulatory clinic week blocks. He serves on the Medical Executive Committee and chairs the Program Evaluation Committee.

From 2020 to 2024, he was Associate Program Director and Lead Faculty for Research and Scholarly Activity at Marshfield Clinic Health System. His board review program brought the residency its first 100% ABIM pass rate in nearly a decade and sustained it for three consecutive years. As Associate Chief Medical Informatics Officer, he led the systemwide Open Notes implementation, presenting to and addressing concerns from approximately 50 physician groups.

A Fellow of the American College of Physicians, Dr. Surendran has led workshops at the ACGME, APDIM, and AAIM national meetings and delivered an ACP Ohio Chapter webinar. He also serves as a peer reviewer for journals including the Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine.

Personal Statement
As Program Director of an internal medicine residency, I have seen how a professional home shapes a physician's career, and how many residents and community faculty are never invited into one. Having worked in health systems in Wisconsin and Ohio, I would focus, as Membership Chair-Elect, on institutional outreach through residency and faculty leadership networks, structured in-person recruitment at the regional meeting, and turning new members into planning committee volunteers. Leading a systemwide Open Notes rollout across roughly 50 physician groups taught me that engagement grows through personal conversations, and I am eager to bring that approach to SGIM.

Antonia Nwankwo, MD

Bio-Sketch
Dr. Antonia Nwankwo, known affectionately as Dr. Nia, is a dedicated primary care physician specializing in LGBTQ+ healthcare and sexual health at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation (CCF) joining in 2022.

Dr. Nwankwo has a Bachelor of Science in Cellular and Molecular Biology from Hampton University (2011) and a Doctor of Medicine from Ross University School of Medicine (2019).  Following graduation, she completed her residency in Internal Medicine at Case Western Reserve University Hospitals of Cleveland.

Her commitment to education extends beyond her own training.  She currently serves as a faculty member, serving as Ambulatory Program Director at Case Western Reserve University's Lerner College of Medicine with the Fairview Internal Medicine Residency Program, focusing on operations, and is a Clinical Assistant Professor at Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine.  Through her teaching, Dr. Nia plays a vital role in shaping new healthcare providers to be inclusive and culturally competent by leading the LGBTQ+ Clinical Elective at CWRU.

In her efforts to ensure her clinic is active in the communities that need the most support but also supports the caregivers that make this possible, she currently serves as the Associate Section Head at the Lakewood Family Health Center. Today, she proudly serves as Co-Director for the Pride in Practice CME Event and looks forward to the years ahead.

Personal Statement
I am interested in serving as DEI Chair-Elect to contribute my perspective, energy, and commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within Midwest SMIG. My experiences as a Hampton University graduate, Ross University medical graduate, and the only female physician in my LGBTQ+ Health section have shaped my understanding of diversity across multiple, intersecting identities.

I value connecting with thought leaders, learning from different perspectives, and developing innovative programs that address needs through multiple lenses. As a young-career physician, I bring curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to challenge traditional approaches while building meaningful, sustainable opportunities for our members and the communities we serve.

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Erin Rocchio, DO, MEd

Bio-Sketch
Dr. Erin Rocchio is a board-certified internal medicine physician at Cleveland Clinic, where she has practiced outpatient general internal medicine since completing residency in 2017. She practices at the Solon Family Health Center and cares for a broad primary care population, with clinical interests in obesity medicine, women’s health, LGBTQ health, sleep medicine, and chronic disease management.

She is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and is actively involved in undergraduate and graduate medical education. Her teaching roles have included Longitudinal Clinic preceptor for first- and second-year medical students, Problem-Based Learning facilitator, facilitator for the Science and Art of Medicine course, and outpatient teaching faculty for internal medicine residents.

Her faculty development has included participation in programs focused on medical education, leadership, women’s health, and LGBTQ+ health, including Case Western Reserve University’s FRAME faculty development program and the American Medical Women’s Association Korn Ferry Leadership Program for Women.

Dr. Rocchio has also pursued formal training in health professions education through a Master of Education degree, with an emphasis on curriculum development, program evaluation, educational theory, and learner-centered teaching.

Personal Statement
My interest in diversity, equity, and inclusion has developed through my work as a primary care physician and medical educator. In both settings, I have seen how patients’ experiences of healthcare and learners’ experiences within medicine are shaped not only by individual interactions, but also by the systems, histories, and environments in which those interactions occur. This perspective has led me to focus much of my educational work on health equity, social determinants of health, LGBTQ+ health, inclusive communication, and the historical experiences that continue to influence trust in medicine.

At Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, I serve as faculty co-chair of the Historical Perspectives of Medicine (formerly Anti-Racist) faculty/student work group. I have also developed and facilitated virtual education in communication skills for LGBTQ+ patients, including case-based teaching focused on communication, sexual and reproductive health, gender identity, fertility, aging, and equitable care. My additional educational work has addressed social determinants of health, medical mistrust, vaccine hesitancy, and the relationship between structural factors and patient outcomes. These experiences have shaped my belief that effective DEI work should not exist at the margins of medical education or clinical practice; it should influence how we teach, communicate, mentor, design systems, and care for patients.

As DEI Chair-Elect, I will continue to build on the strong foundation that SGIM has laid for DEI scholarship. One goal would be to broaden participation in DEI initiatives beyond those who already identify this as their primary area of scholarship. Some of the most important opportunities for advancing equity arise in everyday primary care, medical education, mentoring, quality improvement, and institutional decision-making. I would like to create accessible ways for members to participate, whether they are experienced DEI scholars or clinicians and educators beginning to explore how equity intersects with their work.

A second priority would be strengthening mentorship and professional development for members who have academic interests in DEI scholarship. Many of us are addressing similar challenges, including health disparities, inclusive curricula, bias in clinical communication and documentation, inequities in academic advancement, and barriers faced by patients and learners, but we often work within individual institutions. The region could serve as a mechanism for identifying shared interests, connecting collaborators, sharing successful interventions, and developing projects that grow into regional or national scholarship.

I would like our DEI work to remain closely connected to the everyday practice of general internal medicine. For me, equity is not an abstract concept. It appears in whether a patient feels comfortable discussing a sexual history, whether a clinician recognizes the impact of food insecurity on a treatment plan, whether the language in a medical record changes how another physician perceives a patient, and whether a learner feels that there is a place for them within medicine. SGIM brings together clinicians, educators, researchers, and leaders who are uniquely positioned to address these issues.

I welcome the opportunity as DEI Chair-Elect to help build a regional community that is inclusive not only in whom it welcomes, but also in whose ideas are heard, whose careers are supported, and who has meaningful opportunities to lead. My goal would be to help move DEI from an initiative that members participate in periodically to a perspective that is integrated into how our region teaches, mentors, collaborates, and develops its future leaders.