We live in a country where medical experts are breaking barriers and changing outcomes on a daily basis, so it’s always exciting when we get to celebrate one of our own. Recorded at the 2023 American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in Washington, D.C., this episode honors David Keller, MD, who was recently named the recipient of the 2023 AAP Job Lewis Smith Award. “I want to be a part of the solution to problems,” Dr. Keller says.  

The award recognizes lifelong outstanding career achievement in community pediatrics and is the highest award bestowed by the council. Dr. Keller has dedicated more than 40 years to advancing child health and he currently serves as the Department of Pediatrics Vice Chair of Clinical Strategy and Transformation at Children’s Hospital Colorado. “We as pediatricians need to remember that children always live in context. There is no such thing as an isolated child. They live in the context of their families, but they also live in the context of their communities. If we don’t understand the communities that our kids live in, then it’s really challenging to understand how illness interacts with that community and how you can intervene,” Dr. Keller says. 

Some highlights from this episode include:  

• Dr. Keller’s early career influences
• How he earned this prestigious award 
• How we learn more about the context of our patients 
• Advice for young doctors and medical professionals trying to make their own imprint 

For more information on Children’s Colorado, visit: childrenscolorado.org