Diversity, Equity and Inclusion


The Loyola Department of Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation is committed to supporting the creation and maintenance of an equitable and inclusive department and work environment. We recognize that education and patient care benefit from diversity amongst medical providers and trainees that mirrors the diversity of the patient population whom we serve. We value and welcome all individuals regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and religion/faith.

DEI Committee Members 

Felicity Fishman, MD 
Felicity Fishman, MD 
Diversity Director
Adam Schiff, MD 
Adam Schiff, MD 
Residency Program Director
Mary Mulcahey, MD 
Mary Mulcahey, MD 
Director, Division of Sports Medicine
Alex Soneru, MD 
Alex Soneru, MD 
Affiliate Clinical Faculty Hand Surgery
Hector Castillo, MD 
Hector Castillo, MD 
Orthopaedic Resident 
PGY4
Nithya Lingampalli, MD 
Nithya Lingampalli, MD 
Orthopaedic Resident 
PGY3
Nnadozie Ekweariri, MD 
Nnadozie Ekweariri, MD 
Orthopaedic Resident 
PGY2
Sara Winfrey, MD 
Sara Winfrey, MD 
Orthopaedic Resident 
PGY1

Testimonials

In both orthopedics and the broader American medical system, there is a well-known high financial barrier to entry. Beyond tuition, there are significant costs for necessary items such as away rotations, applications, and board exams. This, combined with the lack of diversity in the orthopedic community, makes the specialty seem almost inaccessible to a first-generation college student. I am incredibly grateful to have encountered Loyola, a program that deeply understands these barriers and provides opportunities for students to explore orthopedics.

I applied for the Diversity Scholarship for all these reasons, and this scholarship significantly helped me during my away rotation season. I was able to travel to Chicago without worrying about affordability problems and could fully focus on putting my best foot forward. I will never forget the PD personally thanking us on the first day for taking the time to rotate with them and the residents treating our time as valuable even though we were visiting students. I not only learned from the specific medical student lectures carefully curated for us but the value of a residency program that truly cares about the individuals within. These seemingly small things have left a lasting impact on me and will continue to influence my training as an orthopedic surgeon.


The DEI scholarship allowed me the opportunity to be a part of a new family. As I made my list of programs to rotate through, I thought about places I had never visited before and programs with visible diversity. With Loyola already being on that list for me, the scholarship pushed it to the very top. Coming from a medical school in the south, the scholarship helped make my stay in Chicago more than comfortable including my rooming and transportation. It allowed me the freedom to focus on what’s important, like the right splints for different fracture patterns, and the luxury of not having to worry about where I would sleep at night.