Saint Mary’s Emergency Department Pediatric Physician Receives Award

Karl Hellstrand, D.O., FAAP, was recognized with a Clinical Teaching Award from Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine. 

Students participating in the Pediatrics Clerkship at the Quinnipiac University Netter School of Medicine were asked to nominate faculty who went above and beyond to enrich their education. The award celebrates clinical faculty who have excelled in teaching students in required clinical clerkships. According to the Associate Dean for Faculty Development, “these teachers demonstrate their dedication to education and teach in a manner that creates an encouraging, intellectually stimulating environment that promotes critical thinking and learning.”

Dr. Hellstrand has been a clinical instructor for the pediatric outpatient clerkship at the Quinnipiac Netter School of Medicine since starting at Saint Mary’s in 2017 and currently serves as the site coordinator. Saint Mary’s also serves as the community training site for the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship at both Connecticut Children’s and Yale.

“I had several clinical instructors that were instrumental in reinforcing my passion for medicine and specifically pediatrics and pediatric emergency medicine,” said Dr. Hellstrand. “It is our duty to continue teaching and offering guidance to those who share the same goal. It is endlessly satisfying to be part of their education journey.”

A comment from the student nominator states, “I think Dr. Hellstrand creates a non-judgmental learning environment that was fun and allowed me to do more than I have elsewhere.”

Dr. Hellstrand is one of four fellowship trained Pediatric Emergency Medicine physicians in the Saint Mary’s Emergency Department. They are all involved in continuing education and working closely with medical students.