LH: Adult diseases garner the majority of attention, financial support and clinical investments within the American medical community. From your perspective as a pediatric emergency medicine doctor, how do we ensure that children’s health remains a priority?
KB: I’ve been practicing for over twenty years and it’s always been that way. Money is great and it makes things easier, but you don’t need it. If you are passionate about something, and you’re good at collaborating with other people, you can get things done. A lot of the seminal work that I’ve done to understand accidental versus abusive injuries in children was done with little tiny grants. It’s probably the work I’m most proud of. I think you also have to think outside of the box and embrace the idea that it takes a village. We have to collaborate with our public health and education colleagues, and our community partners, to get things done and advocate for children’s health.
LH: People invest time and energy into developing their careers and relationships, but sometimes neglect spiritual development.
How do you actively pursue spiritual growth?
KB: I always joke that I trained in the time of the Philistines. Today there are a lot of safety nets in place to make sure students' and trainees’ mental health is supported. I didn’t really have that when I was training, and I think my faith really helped me during that time. I can’t
imagine not being a physician and I can’t imagine not being Catholic. It puts everything into perspective; it keeps you honest; and it helps you recover from those things that can be devastating. I feel like I’m a much better physician because I’m Catholic. My faith allows me to minister to my patients and be empathetic toward them.
LH: What is something new that you want to do, see or experience next year?
KB: When I was in college I ran competitively, but over the past couple of years I’ve started biking. On the weekends I ride about twenty-five miles. I think next year I want to do Smilow Cancer Hospital’s Closer to Free Ride. A lot of my colleagues are oncologists and a lot of my friends ride it. It’s a big event in New Haven. My son also discovered biking recently, so I’m going to see if he will do it with me.
