Health Pro Q&A: Pediatrician entered field because of doctor visits when she was a child
Dr. Shannen McGinley-Vallee is a doctor of Osteopathic Medicine for Pediatrics in Brevard's Viera and Cocoa Beach offices.
Q: Why did you go into this career?
A: I went into medicine because I love the idea of lifetime learning. My education does not stop after medical school, or even after residency training.
Medicine is an ever-evolving field with new advancements coming every day. I value the privilege of being a lifetime learner alongside my patients and their families.
Q: What services do you provide?
A: I provide comprehensive pediatric primary care to patients from birth to age 21.
Previous Pediatrics in Brevard columns:
Get their shots: Immunizations are safe; make sure your child's shots are up-to-date
Now you see me: A child's eye sight develops quickly; here's that you should know
Safe summer: Heed this advice if you want your children to have safe, healthy summer
Q: What makes this area of medicine fulfilling for you?
A: Pediatrics is a field unlike any other.
It requires trust, patience and intuition. My patients and their families make every day I come into the office a new adventure.
The variety in my day is wonderful — healthy newborn babies, sick toddlers, teenagers who are coming into their own identities.
I couldn't imagine having the privilege of practing medicine in any other specialty.
Q: When did you realize this was the right medical career path for you?
A: I had always had an interest in medicine since I was child seeing my pediatrician but the experience I had working in healthcare prior to beginning medical school truly solidified that I was making the right choice.
I took a year between my undergraduate and medical schooling where I worked as a mental health technician in an inpatient adolescent psychiatric hospital.
Having this direct patient care experience made me realize my passion for child and adolescent health.
Additionally, this work experience made me certain I particularly wanted to be a physician, the quarterback of the healthcare team, helping to coordinate and plan care.
Q: What’s the latest advancement in your field that will benefit patients?
A: The single best advancement in modern medicine is by far the creation and development of vaccines.
With the COVID-19 pandemic, we had the unique perspective of seeing research and the scientific process in real time.
I am privileged to practice medicine in a time where there is the ability to prevent serious and debilitating illnesses.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Q: Best advice for current and potential patients?
A: Always feel comfortable asking questions and advocating for your child.
You have the ability to see things evolve over time while I am seeing a snapshot in time. Your input is always valued and appreciated.
Q: Anything else you’d like to add?
A: Some patients may wonder what the letters after my name, "D.O.", mean.
D.O. stands for Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. Much like my M.D. colleagues, I completed four years of medical school and went on to complete a three-year residency in pediatrics.
What is special about D.O.s comes from their training — my osteopathic medical school curriculum had an emphasis on preventive medicine and comprehensive care.
This means taking into account lifestyle, environmental and pscyhosocial factors into your overall healthcare.
"Treat the patient, not the illness," so to speak.
D.O.'s also complete an extra 200 hours of muskuloskeletal training in addition to the standard medical school curriculum in a technique known as Ostepathic Manipulative Medicine ("OMT").
OMT is a hands on technique to alleviate pain and maintain the body's natural functions.
Today, D.O.s make up about 11% of total practicing physicians in the United States but this number will continue to grow as today 1 in 4 medical students is an osteopathic medical student.
I am proud to be a D.O.!
Get to Know Your Health Pro
Name: Shannen McGinley-Vallee, D.O.
Where are you based: I work for Pediatrics in Brevard. My office locations are at 8057 Spyglass Hill Road in Viera and 699 W. Cocoa Beach Causeway in Cocoa Beach, the office building adjacent to Cape Canaveral Hospital.
Education:
Undergraduate: B.S. in biology from the Pennsylvania State University
Medical School: D.O. from the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Blacksburg, Virginia
Professional Background: Completed pediatric residency at University of Florida — Orlando at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children prior to joining Pediatrics in Brevard.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Pediatrics in Brevard welcomes new doctor, Shannen McGinley-Vallee, D.O.
