Dr. Gigi Youngblood is navigating funding cuts, potential measles outbreaks, and other rapid changes in her community. She reflects on how pediatricians can stay grounded and focused on their local impact during challenging times.
Dr. Laura Hardy is a relatively new pediatrician at Pediatric Associates of Mt. Carmel in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is part of an increasingly rare category of early-career doctors — those who choose pediatrics and enter independent practice. Passionate about encouraging new doctors to care for children, Dr. Hardy told us about her journey and why she chose primary care.
Dr. Jen O’Bryan has been practicing independent pediatrics since 2005. She sheds light on the challenges and rewards of independent practice, the power of community-based pediatrics, and how to navigate a shifting healthcare landscape.
Dr. Morgan founded Pirate Pediatrics in Cary, NC to chart her own course, and with hard work built a tight community. Then an unexpected illness forced her to reconsider her views on teamwork, self-reliance, and boundaries.
Despite misinformation spread by anti-vaccine activists, social media bullies, and internet trolls, Dr. Eve Switzer understood that vaccines in childhood (and beyond) are too important to overlook. So instead of backing down, she stood up for vaccines – and won.
Taking the leap into independent practice can be both exciting and daunting. These successful independent pediatricians reflect on their early days in practice, shed light on what’s at the heart of their practice of medicine, and share advice they’d give to their younger selves in those early days of independent practice.
When Dr. Hiral Lavania opened her independent practice, she put creating a positive work environment first. This approach has helped her maintain a thriving independent practice through the ups and downs of COVID-19 and healthcare worker shortages. She reflects on the importance of clear communication, work-life balance, and continuing growth and education as a pediatrician.
In 2021, Dr. Arpita Gupta DePalma realized she had everything she had always dreamed of, and yet she was still unhappy. This realization catalyzed her to shift her mindset, regulate her emotions, and ultimately create greater balance and fulfillment in her life. Now, she coaches women physicians to do the same for themselves.
How can pediatricians effectively care for their patients’ rising mental health needs without burning out themselves? This pressing question weighs heavily on the minds of pediatricians across the country. In the state of Texas, two dedicated pediatricians have reflected on the strategies they’ve implemented to ensure their independent practices function as safe and secure medical homes, providing care for children’s physical and mental well-being. By sharing their insights, these pediatricians shed light on the importance of prioritizing mental health within the field of pediatrics.
Increasingly, families are looking to pediatricians for education on how to create healthy boundaries around digital media use. What do families and pediatricians need to know in order to support kids in practicing online safety? What is online safety, and what does it look like in practice? Marissa Maldonado, CEO of Proda Technology, speaks to these questions and shares her thoughts on starting generative conversations at home with children of any age, as both an IT professional and a parent.
The Independent Pediatrician is brought to you by PCC, which provides tools and services to help pediatricians remain independent and in control of their practices.
PCC itself is a fiercely independent business. As a Benefit Corporation, it puts the interests of its clients, community, and employees on an equal footing with those of its shareholders.
To learn more about successful independent pediatric practices, read PCC’s Client Success Stories.
