DuPage County physicians named inaugural recipients of the St. George Foundation Distinguished Physician Award
Two DuPage County physicians have been named inaugural recipients of the St. George Foundation Distinguished Physician Award. This is a prestigious and rare honor as only 12 other Northwestern Medicine physicians hold the title of Distinguished Physician.
Drew Spencer, M.D., of Glen Ellyn, is the inaugural recipient in Neurosurgery. Dr. Spencer is medical director of neurosurgery at Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital.
Franjo Siric, M.D., of Oak Brook, received the Cardiac Surgery award. Dr. Siric is the newly appointed surgical director of the Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute (BCVI) at Palos Hospital,
These awards recognize physicians who achieve the highest personal and professional achievements in their respective fields, as well as individuals who serve as role models for medical students, residents and attending physicians. The St. George Foundation is a private foundation dedicated to promoting the general health of the community in the southwest suburbs of Chicago.
“We believe that world-class care should be available close to where people live and that the continuum of disease prevention, early detection and expert treatment are all critical elements for the community,” said Terrence Moisan, MD, president of The St. George Foundation. “Our St. George directors proudly support these extremely talented recipients of the St. George Foundation Distinguished Physician honors.”
A graduate of the Northwestern Medicine residency program, Dr. Spencer joined the Department of Neurosurgery in 2017 and was recruited in 2021 to lead the development of cranial and spinal neurosurgical services at Palos Hospital. His dedication to patient care and ability to partner across multiple teams has advanced neurosurgery and neurosciences services.
“Dr. Spencer upholds the inherent values of Northwestern Medicine’s Department of Neurosurgery. In this short time the program has risen to new heights, and he continues to lead institutional investments to pave the way for the future of neurosurgery in the south suburbs,” said Maciej Lesniak, MD, chair, Department of Neurological Surgery at Northwestern Medicine.
Dr. Siric joined Northwestern Medicine in November 2023 from the Christiana Care Health System in Delaware. Following his initial training and practice in his native Croatia, Dr. Siric completed advanced fellowships at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School and the Cleveland Clinic.
“We were fortunate to recruit Dr. Siric. His skillset will be of particular value given the complex cardiac pathology we see in Chicago’s south and southwest suburbs,” said Douglas R. Johnston, M.D., chief, cardiac surgery at Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute. “The appointment of Dr. Siric solidifies Northwestern Medicine’s position as the leader in cardiac surgery throughout the Chicagoland area.”
Two additional physicians who were presented awards. R. Kannan Mutharasan, M.D., medical director, BCVI at Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital, received the Cardiology award. Timothy Kuzel, M.D., medical director of the Northwestern Medicine St. George Cancer Institute, was honored with the Oncology award.
For more information, visit nm.org.