I can still visualize the Playskool Doctor Kit my parents purchased for me when I was six years old. I remember leaning in and listening to their heart beats with the stethoscope and taking their temperature with my tiny thermometer. They were never too busy to sit down and submit to an "examination." As a preteen, I devoured television series like Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. During my teenage years, I volunteered as a candy striper at a hospital. I also graduated a year early from high school and received a scholarship to attend Texas A&M University, where I received an undergraduate degree in biomedical science. I then went on to earn a medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch.
After earning my medical degree, I spent an additional nine years training to become a pediatric surgeon (5 years surgery residency, 2 years research fellowship, 2 years clinical pediatric surgical fellowship).
Today, I perform many high-degree-of-difficulty laparoscopic cases in pediatric surgery, including—but not limited to—laparoscopic duodenal atresia repair, video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy, bariatric surgery, and thoracoscopic congenital diaphragmatic hernia repairs.
My clinical practice includes, but is not limited to, the following surgical fields: non-cardiac thoracic, gastrointestinal (GI) surgery, hepatobiliary, ano-rectal, head and neck, oncology, minimally invasive surgery, congenital anomalies, urology, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support of critically ill children, and traumatic injuries.
I'm an associate professor of pediatric surgery and have been in clinical practice for six years. My goal is to provide state-of-the-art pediatric surgical care for the children of Prosper, Texas and the surrounding counties. I'm driven by the desire to constantly deliver excellent care that is as good or better than anywhere in the world. I consider it my duty to educate my patients' families on their child's disease processes and to provide long-term continuity of care, serving as a resource to assist the parents in taking care of their children.
I'm a certified member of the American Pediatric Surgical Association, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and Board Certified by the American Board of Surgery in Surgery and Pediatric Surgery. Currently, I'm also involved in several national committees that address the need for excellent, comprehensive pediatric surgical care.
Because of the lifelong impacts of childhood obesity, I'm also actively involved research in this area. My vast clinical and obesity-related research focuses on adolescent behavioral therapy, technology and weight loss surgery. I've applied to and received many grant awards including NIH fellowships. My overall research output includes 35 manuscripts, four book chapters, 37 published abstracts and more than 26 presentations at national and international meetings. I serve as a journal reviewer and I've received recognition three times from Houstonia magazine as a Top Doctor in Pediatric Surgery.
When I'm not at work I enjoy running, biking, and outdoor activities with my family. I'm the proud mother of 2 toddlers who, when I'm not at work, keep me more than busy. My husband and I have been married for 14 wonderful years and have enjoyed making Prosper, TX our home. Having small children of my own, I understand the trust and faith that my patients' families place in me every day. Knowing this, I adhere to the golden rule by treating every family the way I would want my own family treated.
