December 2023

NEUROSCIENCES

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: CODY L. NATHAN, MD, 23’ GMEF

Cody L. Nathan, MD, 23’ GMEF, recently joined Northwestern Medicine as an assistant professor of Neurology in the Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology. Read a Q&A with Dr. Nathan below.
 
What are your clinical and/or research interests?
 
I am an epilepsy physician and clinical neurophysiologist with clinical interests in treating patients with epilepsy, particularly medically refractory epilepsy. I have a specific interest in the evaluation of patients who had a paroxysmal event concerning for first time seizure. We treat this at the Northwestern Medicine First Seizure Clinic.
 
The First Seizure Clinic is a rapid referral clinic. A patient that has been seen in the emergency room can be evaluated in the clinic by a neurologist within weeks instead of months. This is important because wait times are long for neurology/epilepsy across the country due to a shortage in neurologists.
 
The clinic is helpful for the patients because they can establish care quickly and don’t have to use the ED as a primary care or general neurologist. It streamlines their care and testing, and takes the guesswork out of seeking care for epilepsy. Many patients are offered a same day routine EEG at their first appointment with a neurologist.
 
How did you become interested in this area?
 
I studied brain behavior and cognitive science in college. I’ve always had an interest in the brain and how it functions. I really connected with epilepsy physicians and patients during my residency. Epilepsy patients are a diverse group of patients with unique pathology. I became interested in epilepsy because I liked using EEG as a diagnostic tool. I found it interesting that we can put stickers on someone’s head and actually measure the electrical impulses in the brain and then use that to help guide treatment. There are multiple options for treatment of epilepsy, including many different medical therapies as well as surgical treatment.
 
What goals do you have for your role?
 
I'm doing some research on the First Seizure Clinic to understand the feasibility of the clinic and determine if it could be launched on a more wide-scale level. Eventually, we would like to roll this out to our satellite clinics and make it a standard offering at Northwestern Medicine hospitals. We want to ensure that first seizure care is streamlined, and that the quality of care is the same across the health system. I’m interested in the potential to expand this beyond Northwestern Medicine to other hospitals on a national level.
 
Can you share some key milestones or achievements in your neurological career at Northwestern Medicine?
 
Some of my work is being recognized on a national level. I’ve presented a few posters and had some presentations at national meetings and conferences including the American Clinical Neurophysiology Society meeting, the American Epilepsy Society annual meeting and the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting.
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See Dr. Nathan’s poster from the American Epilepsy Society Meeting.

Working with patients is also extremely rewarding. I’ve been able to help people. Seizures are scary and being able to provide treatment and diagnosis helps me to provide a sense of relief for my patients.
 
How has your time at Northwestern Medicine as both a trainee and faculty member influenced your approach to neurological research and practice?
 
The support from colleagues has been wonderful. Being a physician is not a solo activity. You need to rely on others to teach and guide you. Going from a trainee to first and second year, there is a graduated sense of autonomy. It is a nice balance of ensuring we have a way to function independently but also have help from colleagues. It’s been a seamless transition. I’ve felt very comfortable with the sheer volume of patients because of all of the training I’ve received.
 
At Northwestern Medicine, I have the opportunity to work with world renowned experts. All providers respect their peers for what they bring to the table. Regardless of what complex form of epilepsy or question you might have, there is always someone to turn to with expertise in that area. Stephan Schuele, MD, wrote the book on stereo EEG and Elizabeth Gerard, MD, is working on women with epilepsy. Jessica Templer, MD, is doing amazing research on brain tumors and epilepsy. I am excited to have these kinds of experts to lean on, you get so much knowledge working with them.
 
Can you share a standout memory from your time as a trainee at Northwestern Medicine that had a lasting impact on your professional journey?
 
As a fellow rotating in the First Seizure Clinic, I had a few patients who came into the clinic after a convulsive seizure. They may have had smaller seizures throughout their lifetimes, but didn’t realize it. This could have been experienced as déjà vu, a panic attack or anxiety. By asking them questions and gaining a deeper understanding of their experience, we came to realize that these patients may have had epilepsy for many years. They were incredibly relieved and grateful to finally have answers. Having a seizure that only they can describe or experience is hard for their family members and doctors to understand. As a physician, being the person who ‘gets it’ is rewarding. Being a part of the diagnosis has been the most enriching part of my practice.
 
What excites you the most about the future of neurology at Northwestern Medicine?
 
The brain is a black box in a lot of ways, and there's still so much that we're learning and understanding. With epilepsy in particular, we are still seeing where can we go with treatment and new medications coming out.
 
The surgical treatment of epilepsy is also evolving. One of my other areas of interest is understanding how thalamic stimulation can help treat seizures. Devices can be implanted to provide stimulation to the thalamus to help treat seizures. There are so many things moving the treatment of epilepsy forward that keep me excited about going to work every day.
 
Who inspires you?
 
There are a few people who have really inspired me. Steven VanHaerents, MD, was the brain behind the First Seizure Clinic which I’m now running. He’s been a significant influence on me. Dr. Templer taught me how to be good and empathetic physician. And Dr. Schuele is an encyclopedia of knowledge. I go to him with questions and always learn more from him.
 
What keeps you at Northwestern Medicine?
 
Beyond just taking care of patients, the group of epileptologists function as a family. If you’re ever in a bind personally or professionally, everyone is incredibly receptive and accessible. We lean on each other to provide patient care and manage our own wellness because being a physician is a challenge. The support among colleagues is great. Knowing that I have people to turn to is one of the most critical reasons I am here.
Cody L. Nathan, MD, 23’ GMEF, assistant professor of Neurology in the Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology at Northwestern Medicine.

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