Why I Treat Children
I love primary care pediatrics for many reasons. I enjoy the variety and challenge of caring for a wide range of patients, from premature newborns to adolescents leaving home for the first time. I deeply value the relationships I can form with patients and their families. It’s a privilege to be able to watch children and their families grow and change over the years, helping them to manage illness and supporting their wellness along the way. Moreover, kids are filled with joy and resilience, and this makes me smile every day I come to work.
What I'm Passionate About
I’m passionate about teaching and education. I love being able to combine my love of teaching with my love of medicine, educating patients and their families about health and illness. I also advocate for patients with learning differences, including dyslexia and ADHD. Before I went to medical school, I was actively involved in teaching and education, even working as a full-time teacher for children with learning disabilities. I look at every interaction with my patients and their families as a teaching opportunity—and I learn something each time, too. Being a pediatrician helps inform the way I’m raising my own kids, just as I think being a parent makes me a better pediatrician. I am also passionate about providing full-spectrum medical care for children. I previously practiced in a small town far from many pediatric specialists, providing both outpatient care in a clinic and inpatient care for sick children. So, I learned to manage a wide variety of conditions in multiple settings, which I think has made me a stronger primary care provider. It is my goal to support children and families holistically— addressing their medical, developmental, social and emotional needs.Â
How I Try to Make A Difference
I try to make a difference by helping families understand their children’s health and wellness, teaching them what they need to know. In this way, I hope to make it easier for families to make wellness their priority as well. My goal is to help families make their own evidence-based decisions about their health, guided by their own personal values combined with medical research.Â
