Leadership for Urban Primary Care Education and Transformation (LUCENT) 

Internal Medicine Specific Document, 2025-2026

Background:  

The LUCENT Primary Care Program at the University of Chicago is a multi-disciplinary program that aims to develop effective leaders for primary care transformation in urban communities. Residents and faculty who participate in this program will have expanded ambulatory clinical training, participate in seminars, and lead clinical practice innovation projects. Through the clinical and hands-on project experiences, the program prepares physicians to effectively practice primary care and become leaders in today’s ongoing transformation of primary care.

Mission:  

LUCENT aims to provide residents and faculty in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Medicine/Pediatrics, and Family Medicine with the necessary knowledge and skills to become leaders and transform primary care in urban, underserved settings. 

Leaders:  

  • Dr. Deborah Burnet (Vice Chair for Faculty Development, Department of Medicine) 
  • Dr. Mim Ari (Department of Medicine) 
  • Dr. Morgan Ealey (LUCENT Project Manager) 
  • Email address: lucent@bsd.uchicago.edu 

Core Faculty:            

  • Dr. Jen Rusiecki (Department of Medicine) 
  • Dr. Anna Volerman (Department of Medicine , Medicine-Pediatric Faculty) 

 

Advisors:  

  • IM Program Director: Dr. John McConville 
  • IM Associate Program Director- Ambulatory: Dr. Julie Oyler  
  • IM Ambulatory Chief Resident: Dr. Varun Subashchandran

Opportunity:  

The LUCENT program provides the opportunity for a select number of residents to complete a two year program in residency with expanded ambulatory training 

 

Applications:  

Due Feb 1 annually. The application includes the following information:  

  • Completed Application 
  • Curriculum Vitae 
  • Letter of Recommendation from PD 
  • Personal Statement  

*Of note, due to scheduling restraints, there is a cap of at most four IM residents per year, six in total across PGY2 and 3 combined. The cap is in place to maintain inpatient schedules. If there are an extensive number of residents within the same firm, there may need to be firm rearrangements during the subsequent academic year.   

 

Graduates:   

  • 2018: Hannah Wenger, Rebecca Harris 
  • 2019: Mike Cheng  
  • 2020: Bonnie Diep  
  • 2021: Julia Nath 
  • 2023: Molly Leavitt, Michael Lourie, Kevin Pearlman, Samuel Trump
  • 2024: Hannah Mathews
  • 2025: James Fan, Brianna Lambert

 

Previous Practice Innovation Projects:

2018

  • Hannah Wenger – Transgender healthcare policy in religious-affiliated hospitals
  • Rebecca Harris – Creating and implementing a dermatology curriculum for primary care physicians & perceptions of and participation in unprofessional behaviors in in outpatient clinic throughout residency

2019

  • Mike Cheng – High value radiological exam ordering lecture series

2020

  • Bonnie Diep – De-prescribing proton pump inhibitors in primary care

2021

  • Julia Nath – Providing BP cuffs to improve virtual health care/chronic disease care and other hypertension improvement work

2023

  • Molly Leavitt – reducing anti-fat bias in medicine
  • Michael Lourie – integrating Healthcare Power of Attorney (HC-POA) documentation into the flow of ambulatory appointments
  • Kevin Pearlman – improving combination anti-hypertensive medication usage
  • Samuel Trump – increasing Medicare Annual Wellness Visits completed by residents

2024

  • Hannah Mathews- Clinic Hand-Offs

2025

  • Brianna Lambert- Inbox Management and Resident Burnout
  • James Fan- After Visit Summaries in PCG

Find out more at: http://lucent.uchicago.edu/