Justin Dey, MD,
I am a 1st year fellow (brand new!) in Peds Endo at Medical College of Wisconsin/Children’s Wisconsin. I grew up in Arizona, did my undergrad and medical school at Saint Louis University in Missouri, and just finished my Pediatric Residency here at MCW in Wisconsin.
I have always been interested in teaching and community work. I love being surrounded by learners and educators of all levels and found that the best way for me to learn about the pathophysiology of a condition is to teach it! I also am interested in community work and advocacy. I have limited experience in labwork, so I am excited for the exposure to new areas during fellowship.
Pediatric endocrinology combines a lot of what I have enjoyed throughout residency into one specialty. The field allows longitudinal relationships with families which was important for me. There are issues of accessibility and social justice that can be addressed. Currently, I believe that endocrinology practices medicine that is most relevant to ongoing national discussions: combating childhood metabolic syndrome, treating gender health in youth, and advancement in technology with diabetes. To be a good pediatric endocrinologist means being excellent in what is at the core of pediatric medicine: preventative medicine, early intervention, and aiding in the overall growth of a child. It is the overall experience of rotating through and witnessing the richness in the field that drew me in. There is such a variety of clinical exposure with different pathology whether inpatient, outpatient, or even electronic visits. Then there is a bit of the “art” when interpreting equivocal lab results in a field where feedback loops are so important.
Within Medical College of Wisconsin, I have been fortunate to have multiple faculty members that have been very willing to help guide me to where I am today. I am especially thankful for Dr. Beth Auble who was extremely patient with me and answered any questions I had when I was struggling to decide on a future career path. Dr. Pete Wolfgram also was very helpful and accessible throughout my residency. I was able to work with him during a medical education elective to form a virtual shelf review for the medical students when they were still restricted to home due to COVID precautions, which was a rewarding experience.