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Kristen Deschene, MD

Board-certified pediatrician

Dr. Kristen Deschene.

Kristen Deschene, MD.

I am very fortunate to have had two careers in my life, teaching and pediatrics. I began teaching in high school as an academic tutor and piano instructor, continued tutoring while attending college, and spent three years after college teaching high school English, Biology, and special education. I then went to medical school where, not surprisingly, I was drawn to specialize in pediatrics. Beyond loving working with children every day, I was struck by how much teaching is involved in being a pediatrician: teaching first time parents about their amazing newborn, teaching toddlers and school-aged children about their bodies and how to keep them healthy, teaching emerging adolescents about making good choices so that they continue to lead healthy and productive lives.

After medical school I moved to Boston where I completed my residency in the Boston Combined Residency Program (Boston Children’s Hospital and Boston Medical Center). There I had the opportunity to care for some of the most medically complex and socially diverse patients in the country. I learned which kids needs a little reassurance and supportive care and which needed emergency medical treatment. I learned to listen closely to the concerns of parents who know their children best and always have their best interest at heart. I learned to advocate for my patients and not stop asking questions until we got the answers we needed for a new medical concern. I learned from my families caring for children with complex medical needs about their unique challenges, incredible love for their children, their resilience, and how I could best support them as the “quarterback” of their medical team. And when I had my first child in my last year of residency, I learned so much more about the practical side of caring for an infant and all aspects of child development through the years.

I loved my time in Boston but always knew that I wanted to raise my family somewhere away from the “big city” where there is a strong emphasis on community. I feel so lucky to have settled in the Pioneer Valley as the perfect place to grow my family, reconnect with nature, and get to know Valley families both in and out of the office. I feel even luckier to have had the opportunity to start and continue my career as a pediatrician at NAP where I am struck, every day, by the caring and dedication all of our providers and staff show our patients, and the constant focus on providing the best possible care to our families.

Education

Memberships and Certifications

Interests

  • Medical: care coordination and integration, nutrition, children and youth with special healthcare needs
  • Non-medical: piano, ukulele, hiking, canoeing, playing with my sons, gardening