Macey Hale, D.O., specializes in pediatrics. “It’s no surprise that kids can be scared of going to the doctor, so I try to get them to participate in the exam as much as possible to make them feel more comfortable,” she said.

One of the reasons Dr. Hale decided to work in pediatrics is the opportunity to be able to give families anticipatory guidance. “This is something I love because I get to talk to parents about what to expect for each new stage of their child’s life. I especially love giving guidance to parents with kids under the age of 2, because this is the time when language and other developmental milestones are rapidly evolving.”

“My favorite thing about pediatrics is getting to watch kids grow up. I get to watch their personalities develop as they grow, and this allows me to tailor each visit to the patient as well as their parent or caregiver in order to build relationships with them,” said Dr. Hale. “With my older teenage patients, it’s important that I let them know that even though I’m their doctor I’m also someone they can consider an ally for whatever is going on in their life, which allows me to build rapport with them, too.”

Dr. Hale fell in love with pediatrics and the field of medicine when she was young in high school. Visits to the doctor were core memories that left her with a positive experience. The same one she wants to leave with children and teenagers in today’s generation. “I loved my pediatrician growing up and I loved his nurse, too. When I was in high school, I knew I wanted to go into medicine because I wanted to be able to provide care to people in the same way my pediatrician did for me,” she said.

When Dr. Hale is not working, she can be found spending time with her husband and two dogs, baking, reading, kayaking, practicing yoga and doing embroidery.