Episode 045 - Special Guest Gary Kirkilas DO on Advocacy and Mobile Medicine
The ACOPedscast Podcast SeriesShow Notes
April’s episode is a very special one for both Jason and Scott, and hopefully for all of you was the hosts sit down with a listener who contacted them to share his story. Dr. Gary Kirkilas is a unique pediatrician in Phoenix, AZ who works primarily with Phoenix’s unhoused population through the robust mobile medicine program at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. In this free-flowing conversation, Dr. Kirkilas shares his story and what drove him to this career including meeting his future employer, and a role model for many on Pediatric Advocacy, Dr. Randy Christensen, author of the book Ask Me Why I Hurt: The kids nobody wants – and the doctor who heals them. Gary talks about the unique joys and challenges that comes with running a mobile medicine unit and caring for the unhoused pediatric population, as well as advocacy efforts he has undertaken to take healthcare to the children in the schools in the area. He also discusses his additional advocacy efforts in protecting Pheonix’s children from the dangerous advertising and labelling practicing utilized by many manufacturers of THC-infused drinks and snacks, an effort that has led him to the Arizona Capitol to provide expert testimony on the impact these foods and drinks have on the pediatric population. We also dive into Gary’s life outside of medicine and his own quest for health as an Ironman Triathlete!! This is an extremely inspiring and educational podcast that you are sure to enjoy as much as we enjoyed recording it. If you’d like to learn more about Dr. Kirkilas, you can find his story at Dr. Gary Kirkilas – Pediatrician ∙ Speaker ∙ Writer ∙ Advocate. And you can find the book Ask Me Why I Hurt at major retail booksellers, or you can always support small businesses by asking your local bookstore to order it for you! On a side note, if you think we are sounding better lately that is do to the amazing editing and sound mixing of Allison Cyrus, who just happens to also be Scott’s daughter-in-law. Welcome to the ACOPedscast family Allison!! Happy Listening!
More from The ACOPedscast Podcast Series
It is hard to believe but somehow it is already August! Long summer days are starting to give way to Fall mornings and the familiar site of children with backpacks and yellow school buses fill the sidewalks and streets. It is also the time for the student athletes in our families and practices to get back to the grind. Whether it be hitting the fields for Fall sports or conditioning for Winter and Spring teams, it is always important that we guide the students… and coaches… about how to excel safely. Scott and Jason were excited to sit down with this month’s guest, Dr. Mary Dubon, MD! Dr. Dubon is a physician scientist who is Board certified in both Pediatric Rehab Medicine and Pediatric Sports Medicine and sees patients at the world-renowned Shirley Ryan Ability Lab at Northwestern University in Chicago. She is a true expert and leader in the field as the second person in the US to achieve this double-board certification. Our hosts take complete advantage of Dr. Dubon’s expertise in this wide-reaching discussion, covering topics from proper hydration, to return-to-play guidance following concussions, and even the advantages and disadvantages to early sport specialization in the developing pediatric athlete. This is definitely going to be an issue to bookmark and return to frequently for some excellent talking points when you are counseling your student athletes and coaches! Happy Listening!!
It’s July and that means all over newly christened Osteopathic Physicians are starting the next step of their journey towards becoming Osteopathic Pediatricians. While there has been a continuous positive trend of DO medical students matching into pediatrics, there has been an equally alarming trend of the number of overall pediatric residency positions that go unfilled. In this very honest but thoughtful episode, Scott and Jason sit down with current ACOP President, Tyree Winters, DO, FACOP, to discuss the current state of Pediatric training, challenges we face as a profession, but most importantly wats that the ACOP is working wholeheartedly to overcome these obstacles. If you are invested in the future of the profession this is not episode to miss. Whether you are a pre-clinical osteopathic medical student or a retired practicing physician we all have a role to play in lifting the profession of Osteopathic Pediatrics up to its full potential! We also want to make sure to welcome and congratulate all of you who have started that next step of your journey in Pediatric Residency Training. The ACOP family remains dedicated to supporting you each step of the way and remaining your Osteopathic Medical Home throughout your education and career! Happy listening!!
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and what better time to highlight the importance of pediatric mental health, and the creative ways we can address a child’s needs. This month Scott and Jason are proud to welcome the inaugural recipient of the Nancy Beery Memorial Wellness Scholarship, Student Doctor Bridget Rogers, OMS-2. Student Doctor Rogers takes on a journey from her own mental health trials as a survivor of pediatric cancer to her college years at The Ohio State University (Go Buckeyes! … Sorry Scott) where she discovered A Moment of Magic. This leads her to eventually becoming part of the national executive board of the organization and the Program Director, creating the healing through art program of Express, Create, Heal. This inspiring episode speaks to the resilience of children and the importance of art in the healing process of children, and adults! And there may be a little secret identity discussion snuck into the middle, see if you can catch it.
Fresh off inspiring the audience at last month’s ACOP Spring CME as the 2026 James M. Watson Memorial Lecture, Dr. Barbara Ross-Lee joins Scott and Jason in the ACOPedscast studio. This pioneer of osteopathic medicine shares her own story and her vision for the future of the profession with our listening audience. This entertaining, educational, and inspiring conversation is a must listen for anyone passionate about the profession and the people we serve. If you are interested in learning more about the American Osteopathic Foundation Project Future, you can find more information here: American Osteopathic Foundation | Project Future
It’s March and that can mean only one thing… graduating medical students across the country are waiting for that envelope that is going to tell you where you are about to spend the next 3-5 years as a Resident Physician. After the joy and relief settles you are left wondering just what to do with these last few months of medical school before graduation. Jason and Scott are joined by some experts on just that topic as they sit down with Trainee Board of Trustees members MacKenzie LeMay, Jess Kroner, and Madison Craft. The group talks about the excitement of Match, the nerves of relocating, and how they made the most of the time between. The team also chats about some of the best advice, and maybe some that was best kept to itself in preparing for the start of intern year. This group discussion is a must listen for our 3rd and 4th year students as you start to prepare for the exciting next chapter of your Osteopathic Medical journey. If you are interested in reading a recent piece about this very topic here is a wonderful piece in the most recent DO Magazine: Preparing for residency: 5 things you can do before the first day Also, DO’s everywhere were celebrating an extremely successful Match on March 20th, to see how everyone did click here: Record number of DOs secure residency positions through 2026 Match - The DO