Academic title: Associate professor of pediatric endocrinology
Joined the USA College of Medicine faculty: October 2009
What does your position in the USA COM/USA Health entail?
I see patients in the clinic and hospital, but I also teach the residents, am a faculty mentor to the pediatric residents, advise pediatric residents on their research projects, teach the third-year medical students/clerkship co-director for the pediatrics rotation, clerkship director for two fourth-year med student elective rotations, and teach lectures and team-based learning (TBL) to the second-year medical students during their endocrine block.
What is your favorite or most rewarding part of your position?
Being the medical director for diabetes camp each summer. Seeing the struggles of having diabetes first-hand really opens my eyes and helps me be a better doctor, and a better advocate for my patients. I also really like teaching medical students to give insulin injections and showing them all the latest diabetes technology such as pumps and sensors.
The way diabetes care is managed is changing every single year, becoming more automated and accurate. Getting to be a part of the path to an automated delivery closed-loop insulin system is very rewarding. I also love getting to introduce my patients to the latest diabetes gadgets that will improve their quality of life.
What research initiatives are you involved in?
I just published my first senior author manuscript in the journal Clinical Diabetes and Endocrinology. I looked at how the COVID-19 quarantine changed how diabetes care is managed in children. I found that the average blood sugar control worsened while kids were at home and out of school, with Medicaid patients more affected than those on private insurance.
What is your advice for medical students?
Choose a medical field that you really love, where you think you can make the biggest difference in your patients' lives. Then the rest will fall into place.
What are your hobbies/interests outside of work?
I love to read. I’m a proud member of the Book of the Month club. I have a 13-year-old son, who just got his first COVID vaccine. I also love to cook, and I hardly ever make the same thing twice. I’m always trying out new recipes. I love new kitchen gadgets. My most recent addition is the Ninja Foodi indoor grill with air fryer.
