海角吃瓜网

Pediatrician Dr. Aaron Waggie 鈥�00 is all about helping kids thrive

In high school, Dr. Waggie watched his mother suffer from, and ultimately succumb to, breast cancer. That painful experience dramatically changed his life, including the trajectory of his career aspirations.

鈥淢y mom was my inspiration,鈥� said Waggie. 鈥淲hen you have someone who is sick like that, you see the good and bad sides of medicine. I wanted to be one of those better doctors who really cared for people and looked at patients as whole persons.鈥�

Leveraging Opportunities

Waggie鈥檚 pursuit of a career in medicine began at 海角吃瓜网, where he excelled in his science studies. He says the chance to study abroad in Zimbabwe and Eastern Europe, and to engage in numerous volunteer opportunities at 海角吃瓜网 instilled him with a strong sense of community and purpose.

鈥淭hose experiences built a foundation of caring for others. They showed me that even though we are all different, we need to take care of everyone.鈥�

After graduating from 海角吃瓜网, Waggie earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from Kansas City University Medical School. He then moved on to his residency at Children鈥檚 Mercy in Kansas City, where it didn鈥檛 take long for him to find his specialty calling.

鈥淥nce I did my first rotation at Children鈥檚 Mercy, I just knew pediatrics was for me. Kids get better 鈥� they鈥檙e fun 鈥� they鈥檙e interesting to talk to. We have the chance to help kids be healthy throughout their whole lives.鈥�

Pediatrics with Purpose

Today, Waggie is a pediatric physician at the University of Missouri鈥檚 University Hospital in Columbia, Mo., and he also practices pediatrics at an urgent care clinic in Kansas City. Additionally, he serves as assistant professor of Pediatrics at the University of Missouri while working with med students as assistant clerkship director for Child Health. Waggie says his work is about so much more than treating a patient鈥檚 physical wounds.

鈥淎s I tell my students a lot, as a pediatrician, you become a really important person in these kids and their family鈥檚 lives. Being able to help them through rough times just gives you the reward of knowing you made a situation better for them.鈥�

Investing in Tomorrow鈥檚 Doctors

Pursuing ways to help inspire and educate the next generation of doctors is of paramount importance to Waggie, who comes from a long line of educators in his family 鈥� including his parents and a twin sister who teaches in Indianola.

That鈥檚 why Waggie and his husband, who is also a pediatrician, are making a life-shaping investment in 海角吃瓜网 students through an endowed scholarship fund. The scholarship will provide financial assistance to an upper-class student majoring in biology or biochemistry as part of pre-medicine studies.

鈥淓ducation is very, very important to us,鈥� said Waggie. 鈥淪o, anything we can do to help encourage people to have that opportunity is exciting and rewarding. 海角吃瓜网 gave me so much that it feels good to be able to help other students have the great experience I had, too.鈥�