Breaking Barriers in Pediatric Care

By Stacey Walters

Lauren Kostelnik, D.O., KYCOM ’10 is serving her true mission as a pediatrician and breaking barriers in Central Kentucky by improving access to quality pediatric care in her community.

Kostelnik’s interest in a medical career developed at an early age, and her dream to attend the Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine was fueled primarily by her love for her hometown with the belief that there was no better place to be educated than the mountains of Eastern Kentucky. It became evident quickly that she loved studying all aspects of medicine but was truly happy caring for children.

“I have always been a kid at heart. As the oldest of three girls in my family, I always felt a sense of responsibility for helping them grow,” said Kostelnik. “My interest in pediatrics began early on, but it was through my medical education that helped me realize that peds was where my heart was.”

Upon graduating from KYCOM and completing her pediatric residency at the University of Kentucky Medical Center, she joined the Clark Regional Medical Center in Winchester, Ky., where she still practices full-time today alongside her husband Bruce Kostelnik, D.O., KYCOM ’11. Bruce is a board-certified ER physician and currently serves as the medical director at the Clark Regional Center’s ER. In addition to her busy schedule and genuine dedication to serving others, Kostelnik, with the support of her husband, and their partner Mary Beth Doyle, M.D., recently founded Child First Urgent Care, the first-of-its-kind pediatric urgent care center in the Commonwealth.

“During the pandemic, we quickly realized there weren’t adequate appointment slots available for our sick patients and standard urgent care centers were not meeting the needs of children, not to mention the wait times were astronomical,” said Kostelnik. “Treating children with evidence-based treatments in a fun, kid-friendly environment was our goal and there wasn’t a pediatric urgent care in Kentucky, so we bit the bullet and opened Child First Urgent Care.”

Child First Urgent Care is designed to help with a vital need and offers services such as sick visits, injuries, x-rays, flu or COVID testing and more. Five exam rooms and two treatment bays at the new center were designed to be cheerful yet colorful to relieve stress and provide a calming environment for families.

“Children are not little adults. They have different bodies, different emotions and different needs. Illnesses and injuries affect kids uniquely and children deserve healthcare providers who understand that,” said Kostelnik. “Everyone at Child First has the additional training required to care for infants, kids and teens up to 18 years. We even have the appropriate-sized pediatric equipment to diagnose and treat your child. All in a bright and friendly kidcentered space.”

Dean of KYCOM Joe Kingery, D.O., KYCOM ’06, MBA ’18, FACOFP, FAAFP, expressed that Kostelnik is the epitome of how KYCOM alums continue to fulfill the mission.

“Dr. Kostelnik’s work in opening the first-of-its-kind urgent care center for children in Central Kentucky is a great example of how alumni continue to fulfill the mission of KYCOM. Since opening its doors in 1997, KYCOM has been committed to training future primary care physicians to meet the needs of Kentucky and other underserved communities throughout the United States,” said Kingery. “Parents have urgent healthcare needs for their children all the time but are often left without pediatric care at a time when they need it most. A dedicated children’s urgent care center helps fill that void of care.”

With more than twelve years of experience, Kostelnik believes there is a particular joy when working with children and loves being a pediatrician. It shines through the way she takes time to get to know her patients and listens to what is important to them.

I love my job. I feel it’s my God-given calling. I love making my patients smile, even when they do not feel well,” said Kostelnik. “If I can positively influence a child’s health and growth, then I feel my training at KYCOM was all worth it.