& ANSWERS QUESTIONS

Q. Explain how a die-hard OU fan ends up graduating from OSU?

A. Growing up in Oklahoma, my family would gather around the TV watching the Sooners and Barry Switzer’s dynasty dominate the football landscape. I still to this day love watching OU football! When it came time to choose a medical school, I only applied to OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine. I had worked at Tulsa Regional Medical Center, the major training hospital for OSU, and really fell in love with the people, program and philosophy of OSU-COM and knew it was the right fit for me. I love sports and will pretty much cheer for any team (well maybe not so much Nebraska or Texas!) in a good game but I love the tradition of OU football and KU basketball.

Q. How did you end up living and practicing in the Wichita community?

A. I met and married my husband in medical school and he was in the class one year ahead of me. He came to Wichita for residency training, so by default I followed him to Wichita the following year and was fortunate enough to match with KU Wichita Pediatrics for my residency training. Our initial plans were to return home to Tulsa following the completion of our residency training. However, we loved and embraced the Wichita community and here we are, 20 years later calling Wichita home.

Q. Your husband (Dr. Zachary Kuhlmann) is a wonderful OB-GYN physician here in town. How do you both juggle professional and personal life with such busy schedules?

A. Ha, when I figure out the answer to this question, l will let you know! In the meantime, we try to remain as flexible and adaptable as we can due to the unpredictable nature of an obstetrical practice. We have learned to drive two separate cars to any outing when Zak is on call for the day. We have been fortunate over the years to have had tremendous help and support with raising our two daughters and getting them to their schools and activities. As our daughters are getting older, we continue to really prioritize our family time together.

Q. You sit on the board at the Kansas Children’s Foundation. Could you tell us a little bit about that organization and how readers can support this cause?

A. The Kansas Children’s Foundation is a nonprofit organization that exists to provide support and resources to ill children and their families throughout Kansas. KCF is near and dear to my heart as I see its direct impact on so many of the pediatric patients and families I provide care for in the hospital setting. KCF has an individual financial assistance program that helps offset the cost burden families may encounter due to certain medications or supplies not being covered by insurance, transportation costs due to frequent appointments or therapies, or medical equipment needs in the home setting. KCF supports and funds several programs within Wesley Children’s Hospital that help provide emotional support and comfort for hospitalized children and families. Examples of these programs include music therapy, art therapy, bereavement services, and perhaps the most popular among our patients and staff, our therapy dog Carl.

By Nataliya Biskup, MD, Amy Sprole, MD, and Joseph Spaniol, MD