Alumni

Erica (Kaufman ’00) Palys, M.D.

Majors in chemistry, biology, and humanities propelled Erica (Kaufman ’00) Palys from Valparaiso University to Georgetown University School of Medicine, where she earned her M.D. in 2004. She currently is chief resident at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, and recently was awarded a fellowship to continue her research in infectious diseases at Cedars–Sinai for the next several years.

On her Valpo education: “I received solid biology and chemistry training at VU, which made the basic science of medical school a lot easier. However, in my every day practice, humanities make the biggest difference. Empathy is key to being an effective doctor. Christ College and my major in humanities have provided me a broad base of cultural understanding and an ability to articulate my empathy to my patients.”

On her family: Erica is married to Kevin Palys ’00 who majored in English, political science and humanities at Valparaiso before going on to study social sciences at the University of Chicago and film at the University of Southern California. In 2004-’05, Kevin wrote, produced and directed the feature film “Flourish,” which he discussed at a Christ College Symposium in this past September.