It is the perfect time to reflect on what it means to me to have been a pediatrician in this area for the last 40 years, providing medical care to the newborns, infants, children, adolescents and young adults. There are unique challenges and rewards that come with a career in pediatrics.

Change in medicine and life is constant and every generation must face its own challenges. Over the span of 40 years of my pediatric practice, most challenges have been for the improvement of pediatric care such as ever-changing, dynamic field of childhood immunizations that have nearly eliminated many serious childhood infections and related hospitalizations. There have been significant technological and pharmaceutical advances to provide better care to children with chronic medical conditions including the care for the low-birth-weight babies, asthma, diabetes, lower respiratory viral infections and many more. Pediatricians work hard to master ever changing technology without losing human touch.

I am grateful to the families for entrusting me with their children’s health, well-being and comfort for all the years. They have allowed me to celebrate their growth, achievement of milestones, return of health from illnesses and share in their joys. I am impressed by the kindness of families I have come across.

I had a personally satisfying and professionally rewarding solo practice of pediatrics and adolescent medicine for about 37 years before I joined Geisinger Pediatrics in Lock Haven about three years ago. I have been fortunate to have made many wonderful relationships with my colleagues and my patients’ families. I have had the privilege to work with an outstanding team of clinicians and support staff at the local hospital and in the clinics.

To retire at this stage was not an easy decision for me but I know that it is the right decision and at the right time. I need to give back to my wife and our grown-up children and grandchildren for the unforeseen sacrifices they have made.

I have always provided evidence-based, patient-focused, family-centered, culturally-sensitive, high-quality care. The field of pediatrics will always remain wide open to vast possibilities and great potential in our area. Our primary focus is the care of our patients. After all, that is why we went in medicine to begin with. I am certain the legacy will continue.

If I had to do it all over again, I would end up right here in this pediatric office. There is nothing else I would rather be doing. There is no better job in the world.

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