Malinda J. Scherpa, MD

I work together with patients and their families to try to help them be as healthy as they can be. I like to see where my patients are coming from, get their story, and then work collaboratively with their families to come up with a strategy for going forward. I look at their lifestyle as far as diet, sleeping, and school, and explore what things might be affecting their health. I've wanted to be a doctor for as long as I can remember. I've always had a love of science and working with people—kids especially. I like the continuity of general pediatrics. I enjoy watching kids grow, and getting to know families over time and kids as they're changing. Sometimes there are patients who are struggling, and when I can make a positive difference, that’s rewarding. A successful outcome is when the family feels supported and encouraged, and we’ve come up with a plan to help keep their kids healthy, or move them in the direction of being healthier. For sick visits, when I’m able to reassure the …family and take away that worry that they may have come in with, that’s also a success. My patients and their families tell me that they like that there’s someone here that they can go to for help, someone that offers consistency.