Frank Baldwin, a Physician Assistant at Mountainland Pediatrics, opens up about his background in pediatric mental health, his passion for working with children and his love for the outdoors. Read more about Frank in our recent interview with him on the Mountainland Pediatrics blog.
Where are you from?
I grew up in a military family and moved a lot as a child, however I went to high school in Boston, MA so I consider myself to be from there.
What brought you to Colorado?
I moved to Colorado because of my love for the mountains and hiking. Colorado is also a great place for my chocolate lab, Thor. I’ve been living in Colorado for 6 years now and really enjoy the outdoor lifestyle.
What is your educational background?
I went to undergrad at Johns Hopkins University and Grad school at Salus University in Elkins Park, PA.
How did you know you wanted to be a Physician Assistant?
I’ve worked with kids my entire life. I was a mental health worker at an inpatient children’s unit in Boston for four years. It was an incredibly rewarding experience and after a few years I realized that I wanted to be more involved with the kid’s health and lives. For me, being a Physician Assistant seemed like the best way to do that.
What attracted you to working in pediatrics?
Working with kids is fun and it’s the most rewarding career for me. I can nip problems in the bud before they grow up and become adults. I can make a profound impact on their lives. I also enjoy the interactions with them. They’re open and tell you exactly what’s going on and I appreciate that honesty. Working with the parents is rewarding too, especially when they show gratitude and appreciate what I’m doing to help.
What is your favorite part of working at Mountainland?
I love the patients and I love working with the other providers. The team is caring, and they always try to do the best for the kids. They’re always up to date on medical developments to help the patients. Additionally, I do like integration of mental health and physical well being at Mountainland. With my background in mental health, I believe mental health is equally important. For instance, bullying at school can be as detrimental as a cough. The integrated care approach with Community Reach Center really attracted me to Mountainland.
What do you like to do for fun?
For fun I like to hike and play with my dog, play basketball, listen to music and go to concerts. I love going to Crested Butte; it’s my favorite place in Colorado.
What is a fun fact about yourself you’d like to share?
I can play the piano.
