Lillian Finton ’26: Pediatric Associates of Brockton

Upon my arrival as an intern at Pediatric Associates of Brockton, I naively assumed that I would have time to ease into my shadowing opportunity with Dr. David Chung. However, I quickly realized my mistake. It took all but five minutes before I was standing face to face with a patient, looking in her ears and trying my best to consume all that Dr. Chung was telling her. I learned very quickly that in pediatrics, things are fast-paced, and there simply aren’t enough hours in the day to go about things at a leisurely pace. However, with the care, attention, and precision that Dr. Chung gives to each patient, you would think he had all the time in the world. Through watching Dr. Chung review patient history, conduct patient visits, and take notes, I learned the significance of simply paying attention.

While shadowing Dr. Chung during patient appointments, I used the otoscope to look in the ears, and I used the ophthalmoscope to look at the eyes. In addition, I listened to heart rhythms and chest sounds using my stethoscope, which I made sure to sanitize before each use. I learned to listen for abnormalities in the heart and lungs, and how to spot differences/issues in the ears, eyes, and mouth. In the ears, I looked for excessive wax and any abnormal redness. Through this practice, I was able to see and identify swimmer’s ear in a young patient! In the mouth, I checked patients’ teeth, and in the eyes, I looked for the red reflection from the retina.

Examining swimmer’s ear using the otoscope

During my time at the Brockton and West Bridgewater locations, I was witness to a major change in the office. Dr. Chung and his team introduced an AI notetaking system. Using a program on the iPad, Dr. Chung would hit record as an appointment began, and the AI would, as Dr. Chung described it to his patients, “magically” produce a nearly perfect note summarizing what Dr. Chung and the patient discussed during the visit. Dr. Chung described the new system as “life-changing”. Because of the AI-generated notes, Dr. Chung feels even more connected with his patients and can have more meaningful conversations with them, instead of having to look down at his computer. As an additional benefit, Dr. Chung was shocked to discover one morning that he was less than 15 minutes behind schedule!

Pressing record to have AI generate patient notes

What struck me the most during my time with Dr. Chung was how meticulous, yet efficient, he was with each patient. Before each visit, Dr. Chung and I would review the patient’s growth chart, which includes height, weight, and body mass index. In order to prepare for each visit, Dr. Chung would rely on his own memory to recall any past concerns or areas that require further attention. One of the moments I was most impressed with Dr. Chung was when he was able to correctly attribute an unexplained weight loss from a few visits back in a patient's chart. Before seeing the patient, he told me that he predicted the patient had a dental appliance put in at the time, making it harder to eat. During the visit, he brought up the weight loss from the patient’s past, and asked if he had had an appliance put in. And I was shocked to hear that the kid had a dental appliance put in right at the time of the weight loss.

I once asked Dr. Chung how his diagnosis process works when he doesn't have enough information from the jump. While he does partly rely on patient history and 5% on labs, Dr. Chung’s main answer was “You talk to them”!  And that is how he is in almost every aspect of his job. Dr. Chung forms relationships with his patients that allow him to “know the kid like the back of his hand”. These tight relationships make appointments more intimate, quicker, and more beneficial for the patients’ health and wellness. Because not only does Dr. Chung examine the physical aspects of a patient, but he also deeply examines their mental state through conversation. This holistic approach allows his patients to feel seen and cared for. 

During the visits themselves, Dr. Chung had many points of emphasis for all his patients. During many visits, he recommended a balanced diet and emphasized large portions of green vegetables. In addition, Dr. Chung recommended turning off devices an hour to an hour and a half before bed for all his patients.

Dr. Chung’s balanced meal diagram

During lunch and other (rare) downtime, Dr. Chung and I discussed the business side of medicine, how antibiotics specifically work to target bacteria, suturing, and much more. In addition, Dr. Chung taught me how to administer a simple wrist splint. Injuries in and around the wrist are very common in the patients he sees.

Wrist splint

During the whole experience, I learned of the versatility of a medical degree and how you can become a doctor, do research, and even do business. While hearing about Dr. Chung’s accomplishments and many different interests and passions, one of the main pieces of advice that I took from him was “Don’t think you can’t make change, because you can.” Dr. Chung shared many stories of how he wanted to see change, and how he made it happen himself. His dedication to making a difference in people’s lives helped prove to me that change really is possible, just as he says it is.

Dr. Chung has been seeing and caring for patients for a long time. Dr. Chung has established such a successful career for himself that he was able to watch a patient go from being a baby at his practice to that patient bringing in a baby of their own. This was just one of Dr. Chung's many accomplishments that taught me what it means to find and establish a fulfilling career for yourself. Dr. Chung has taught so many others not just what it means to be a good doctor, but what it means to be an attentive and caring person, collaborator, and colleague. Everybody at Pediatric Associates of Brockton taught me lessons that are not just applicable to medicine, but that are applicable to any career and life path. Thank you to PAB and Mr. Schlenker for giving me the opportunity to consume, learn, and apply more knowledge than I ever thought I would before my senior year of high school!