COPE Preceptor Profile: Katherine L. Kreusser, MD

A stay at an Indianapolis children’s hospital when she was 10 sparked Dr. Kreusser’s fascination with medicine and her decision to become a pediatrician. She received her medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis and completed her pediatric internship and residency and a child neurology fellowship at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Two factors then led Dr. Kreusser to a career in private practice.

“After completing my fellowship, I had my second child and wanted to work part time. That plan did not fit the academic medicine mold of the time,” she explains. “Instead, I took advantage of an opportunity to work part time as a pediatrician at the Children’s Clinic. I enjoyed general pediatrics so much that I eventually became a full-time physician with the practice. I’ve now been with the clinic for 27 years.”

Dr. Kreusser became a COPE preceptor just a few years after the program began. She sees it as a way for her to give back to Children’s Hospital, Washington University School of Medicine and residents, no matter what future they plan for themselves upon completing their training.

“For residents planning to enter private practice, the COPE program gives them practical information on how to run an office and how to care for families over the lifespan of their children,” she says. “For those who want to become subspecialists, I feel it’s good for them to see how general pediatrics is practiced and to realize that pediatricians know a lot about what subspecialists do. It helps residents understand how patients are triaged and referred to Children’s Hospital.”

Among the goals Dr. Kreusser sets for her residents is teaching them about children’s normal development from birth through college as well as giving them the opportunity to have continuity with patients during their three years in the COPE program.

“Over time, pediatricians develop the ability to walk into an examination room and know whether or not a child is seriously ill and when to worry,” says Dr. Kreusser. “The COPE program gives us time to help residents develop that instinct.”

She adds, “The residents also learn what a close-knit group of people make up a pediatric practice, with physicians, nurse practitioners, medical assistants and secretaries all working together for the benefit of our patients and their families.”

Dr. Kreusser enjoys learning from the residents as well. “They often have interesting patient case studies to relate, and they keep us on our toes by asking why we do things a certain way,” she says. “They also tend to be more tech savvy, which can help us get answers for patients more quickly.”

In addition to her responsibilities as a COPE preceptor, Dr. Kreusser is a member of Children’s Hospital’s Credentials Committee and is on the board of the hospital’s after-hours program. She volunteers with Discovering Options, a mentoring program for at-risk children and their families, where she teaches children about cooking and good nutrition. She also serves as an OASIS reading tutor and volunteers at Planned Parenthood several times a month.

Dr. Kreusser’s husband, Robert Young, MD, is a plastic surgeon at St. Luke’s Hospital. Their married daughter, Carol, holds an MBA from Washington University and works for Wal-Mart in Arkansas. Their son, Adam, graduated from Washington University’s law school and is an attorney in Illinois. During her free time, Dr. Kreusser enjoys cooking and travel.