The experience of growing up on a farm in a small town in Pennsylvania to then living in cities for the past 15 years have given Dr. Kirsten Ross the passion to take care of children from any walk of life. Working with families to educate them and personalize their child's treatment plan to make sure it fits their individual needs is her main goal with all of her patients.
Taking care of children is a privilege for Dr. Ross, one that she never takes for granted. So taking the time to get to know each patient and their family, their likes and dislikes, even their pets names help build that communication and trust amongst them. Once children start being silly and show off their personalities during their appointments Dr. Ross knows she's done her job!
Another way Dr. Ross personalizes experiences for her patients is adding their favorite song or artist to her carefully curated O.R. music playlist, so let her know if your child would like a song included on their big day (especially if it's Taylor Swift!) Making sure her patients feel taken care of and heard is a top priority, whether that's during a normal appointment or during surgery.
One of her favorite heartwarming moments was working with a very shy child with an arm fracture to take off his cast recently. He didn’t say much during the visit, and it was clear he was nervous. As he and his mom were leaving, he turned around, ran back to Dr. Ross and gave her the biggest hug. Moments like that are what pediatric physicians live for, taking care of kids with fractures and helping them to get back to just being kids is one of the biggest highlights of her job.
A favorite tip of hers is for scoliosis patients. Getting a diagnosis of scoliosis can initially be very scary because you and your child have no idea what to expect. Dr. Ross takes the time to explain everything and help to ease any fears, but sometimes the best advice comes from others who have gone through the same thing. If your child is going through a bracing program or needs surgery, she highly recommends scoliosis peer-to-peer support groups! These communities are invaluable for helping to educate, giving tips, and making friends with people that know what you are going through.
When she's not at work or helping patients, you can find Dr. Ross doing a variety of activities, including yoga, soccer, attending concerts, and hiking with her rescue dog Gunnar! Her other passion in life besides being a doctor is food, she loves trying new restaurants all over town and is looking forward to diving head first into the Austin food scene!
We're so lucky to have Dr. Ross join our CTPO family this year and cannot wait to see all the fantastic work she will do for the greater Austin community. We can't wait for you to meet her!
Click here to learn more about Dr. Ross & to schedule an appointment!