Former Trainees

Karlyn Kelly

Joining the PPC was the best decision I made! Being part of the traineeship amplified my experience throughout my academics and internship rotations. At the beginning of the traineeship, we were able to attend a leadership workshop that taught me skills and provided tools that I utilized in all aspects of my life and significantly enhanced my professional, peer, and personal relationships, and built the confidence needed to take on all of the other undertakings I committed...

Haley Martin

I joined the Pediatric Pulmonary Center’s traineeship program to gain more experience working with children and families in an interdisciplinary setting. There has been a shift in healthcare to provide more whole-person care to patients that addresses not only their physical health, but also their mental and social health. The interdisciplinary team at the PPC truly strives to do this, with social work being key piece in making it happen. Throughout my time at the...

Lori Merrill

Jude Sammani

Looking back at my experience with the Pediatric Pulmonary Center (PPC), I feel incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to be involved in this program.

The pharmacy traineeship with the PPC is an experience like no other— the involvement of pharmacy within this type of program is incredibly unique, more specifically, a one-of-a-kind opportunity for pharmacy students in the country. My experiences in this traineeship...

Lauren Benton

Ailsa González

I became interested in the trainee program with the Pediatric Pulmonary Center (PPC) because of my goal of working with children, youth, and families in direct practice; my experience with chronic and long-term illness (with family, friends, and my own) and their impact on one’s life; and from learning about social work in integrative health setting in one of my classes. ...

Achie Inyang

Throughout my traineeship, I experienced several opportunities that involved community engagement.  My opportunity with the MCH program allowed me to work with additional trainees from other similar programs across the country.  I also had the opportunity to engage and collaborate with trainees from other disciplines.  I had the privilege of attending the LEND leadership training workshop, Making Lifelong...

Amanda Marie Romaine

The time I have spent with the Pediatric Pulmonary Center (PPC) as a long-term nursing trainee has been an incredibly valuable part of my doctoral nursing journey. As a pediatric intensive care unit nurse, I had some exposure to the pulmonology specialty; however, I was not at all familiar with the outpatient care of pulmonary disease or the multidisciplinary collaboration that is required for these patients to receive the best care. The...

Cynthia Flores

     The Pediatric Pulmonary Center (PPC) has been an integral part of my learning journey.  I have developed a better understanding of multidisciplinary collaborations and holistic pediatric specialty care through my participation in the program. The additional learning opportunities and conferences contributed immensely to my learning. The focus on MCH competencies throughout the program helped guide  our professional development and were the highlight of our discussions.  As a PPC...

Kate McCulley

     When I reflect upon my time with the Pediatric Pulmonary Center I am filled with feelings of gratitude and pride. This traineeship was a one-of-a-kind opportunity unlike any other available to current pharmacy students in the United States. Every conversation I have about my experience in pharmacy school brings me to talk about this program and the experiences that will continue to guide me in my future endeavors. 

     The PPC has one of the most integrative...

Kelsey Pinckney

     When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, I was determined to find my way into a meaningful internship placement that would provide me with the experiences I needed in order to become the best social worker I can be. To me, the pandemic indicated the huge and growing need for competent social workers in almost every sector of work and the world, and I did not want this strange and isolating time to cause my education to suffer. The PPC traineeship is a highly structured learning experience,...

Amanda Rader

     I learned about the Pediatric Pulmonary Center from my Field Advisor at the Tucson branch of the ASU School of Social Work. The previous year I immersed myself in school social work, and in my second year I was excited to continue to deepen and expand my social work knowledge and experiences. Having chosen the Advanced Direct Practice concentration, but also with a natural inclination for macro-level analysis and advocacy, the PPC was a natural choice for me. Also, having been raised...

David Seto

     As a Postgraduate Year 2 (PGY2) Pediatric Pharmacy Resident trainee, my primary goal was to develop clinical knowledge to prepare for a career in pediatric pulmonary medicine.  The PPC traineeship helped me achieve my goals and provided me with additional opportunities that I would otherwise not have if I did not complete this traineeship.  

     I gained valuable experiences in all aspects of pediatric pulmonary medicine while working under the guidance of a...

Rachel Stock

     I initially had no idea that there was a traineeship opportunity related to the pediatric field, which is where I was wanting to gain experience as I am most interested in pediatric dietetics. I learned of the PPC nutrition traineeship program through Kayle while discussing opportunities for me to enhance my clinical experience for the dietetic internship applications. I thought this would be a great opportunity for me to get involved in an area of nutrition that I did not have much...

Liz Vuong

     In a blink of an eye, two years has passed and I have completed the two year, long-term pharmacy traineeship with the Pediatric Pulmonary Center. I still remember being presented with the opportunity during my first year of pharmacy school. I jumped on the opportunity upon hearing about it because it is one-of-a-kind in the country, and I just knew my experience would be invaluable. I wanted to advocate for the health outcomes of the CF and severe asthma pediatric population within...

Ashlee Kennedy

I did my traineeship with the Pediatric Pulmonary Center (PPC) as a Masters Social Work student with a Policy, Administration, and Community Planning (PAC) concentration. The PPC traineeship was such a great opportunity because I was able to tailor my experience to my goals. As macro social work students many, if not all, of my peers were unable to practice their clinical skills in their internships. Due to the requirements set forth by the PPC grant, clinical hours working directly with...

Stephanie Bradshaw

I first heard of the Pediatric Pulmonary Center traineeship program while I was in my dietetic internship program when Sheri Chen, the 2017-2018 Nutrition Trainee, presented on her project and talked about the PPC to our internship cohort. After hearing about the program, I became incredibly interested in developing a better understanding of cystic fibrosis, the complexity of care, as well as pediatric nutrition support in the clinical setting. Prior to beginning the PPC, I attained my...

Tyler Eastep

I’d be hard pressed to think of a professional experience that has impacted my story more than my time as a Pediatric Pulmonary Center trainee. I can’t highly recommend the traineeship enough for future practitioners who are interested in team-based, family-centered pediatric healthcare. The PPC is an uncommon model, but the pharmacist’s role at the University of Arizona PPC is particularly unique. The pharmacist being integrated throughout all of the PPC clinics has allowed me to gain...

Melanie Lam

As a pharmacy-resident trainee for this year, I have been provided opportunities to develop my skills in managing pediatric patients with various chronic respiratory diseases (e.g., asthma, cystic fibrosis, etc.). I learned about the importance of partnering with patients’ families to optimize each child’s well-being. Another important aspect of this experience was the opportunity to work in an interdisciplinary team that included pulmonologists, nurses, social workers, psychologists,...

Citlaly Ojeda

This has been a vital experience of all the elements of working in a clinical setting and in an interactive team as diverse at this CF care team has been. I have never been surrounded by more passionate people from different disciplines, that come together for one common vision. Going into this traineeship, I knew that this placement was going to be different from any other placement I have had. I dove head first into the whirl wind that is the complexity of cystic fibrosis and the...

Sheri Chen

The main reason I wanted to participate in the PPC traineeship program was to gain a better understanding of pediatric nutrition in the clinical setting. Additionally, I had no prior experience working in the area of maternal and child health. The clinical and social experience far exceeded my expectations as I had the opportunity to gain experience working with both pediatric and adult patients in the CF clinic on an interdisciplinary team. Along with CF clinic, there were other...

Catherine Hobart

Being a Pediatric Pulmonary Center Pharmacy Pharmacy Resident Trainee has significantly enhanced my skills to be a successful pediatric clinician in the future. Through this traineeship, I was awarded various unique learning opportunities to gain further understanding of patient-centered, multidisciplinary care. Through my time in the clinical setting, I was granted the opportunity to collaborate with a variety of healthcare professionals to optimize patient health outcomes, while...

Ana Lopez

My traineeship experience at The University of Arizona Pediatric Pulmonary Center has been truly amazing. I participated and observed in various interprofessional and family centered care clinics, including Cystic Fibrosis, Asthma, Severe Asthma, Sleep, Allergy and Children’s Rehab Services clinic. I had the opportunity to lead social work assessments addressing any needs or concerns that patients and families had during clinic visit and completed medical notes. I participated in various...

Erika Miller

An internship at the Pediatric Pulmonary Center is an educational experience beyond a traditional internship. The weekly lecture topics required during the internship created an opportunity to understand chronic illnesses at a deeper level. The lecture allowed for developing an awareness of the role of interdisciplinary teams in treating chronic illness in youth. The projects completed during the year gave me the opportunity to have hands on experience applying what was taught in the...

Lillian Ruiz Romero

The social work traineeship at the University of Arizona Pediatric Pulmonary Center (PPC) far exceeded my expectations. I gained so much from my experience in this program both personally and professionally. The curriculum for the PPC traineeship was extensive with emphasis in clinical and didactic learning. As trainees, we were also able to take advantage of many opportunities beyond the core coursework. During my traineeship, I completed a weekly lecture series on topics in pediatric...

Skylar Sularz

My 2016-2017 social work internship/traineeship at the University of Arizona Pediatric Pulmonary Center (PPC) was the best choice that I could have possibly made for my second year field placement. This unique program provided me with valuable, hands-on experience in clinical practice, public policy and advocacy, and research. I had many opportunities to observe and lead social work assessments in various pediatric pulmonary outpatient clinics including cystic fibrosis, severe asthma,...

Kelly Jackson, EdD, MS, RD

The main reason I wanted to participate in the PPC traineeship program was to gain a better understand of pediatric nutrition in the clinical setting. In addition I previously had very little experience working in the area of maternal and child health. With regard to clinical pediatric nutrition, the bar certainly was met, as I had the opportunity to gain experience working with both pediatric and adult patients in CF clinic. Beyond CF clinic there were a multitude of other experiences...

Charisse Radnothy

My traineeship at Tucson Arizona’s Pediatric Pulmonary Center (PPC) has been an invaluable experience from which I can draw upon in my future social work practice. I began this internship with little knowledge about chronic pulmonary diseases and their effects on an individual’s overall well being. In my internship at the PPC, I have encountered many opportunities for increased learning, leadership, and personal growth. This internship has raised my awareness on the various populations...

Mailin Rivera

When I was accepted into the Arizona State University, Masters of Social Work Program, I had one goal in mind. I was determined to find an internship that focused on medical social work. As I researched all the opportunities each internship provided, I knew that interning with the University of Arizona Pediatric Pulmonary Center would help me grow in all possible areas as a social worker. I was given the opportunity to work with an interdisciplinary team that would help me gain experience...

Sofhia Yduarte