Meet Dr. Aml Kelada, pictured with her daughter on her big day. She is Akron Children’s newest pediatrician at our primary care office in Amherst.
Aml Kelada, MD, has been caring for sick babies ever since she can remember. For her, playtime was work time, nursing babies back to health alongside her older sister. After years of playing doctor together, her older sister’s contagious enthusiasm and determination to become a real doctor inspired Dr. Kelada to follow in her footsteps.
Today, Dr. Kelada is living out her passion to care for kids — real ones, and not just dolls — as Akron Children’s newest pediatrician at Akron Children’s Pediatrics, Amherst. She spends her days diagnosing and treating children and teens with minor to acute medical conditions, while providing emotional support to families.
Dr. Kelada is passionate about growing her knowledge base and vows to never stop studying and performing research — no matter how long she’s been practicing — to offer the very best care and make a difference in her patients’ lives. To her, that’s the most exciting part about medicine: There is always hope to clear disastrous diseases, alleviate pain and overcome disabilities.
Why did you choose to come to Akron Children’s?
While working as a pediatrician at Fisher-Titus, I was in close contact with Akron Children’s providers, consulting with them and referring patients to them. I felt that working at Akron Children’s, child-focused hospital care, would be exciting, add to my career and expand my knowledge base.
Describe your role at Akron Children’s and what you hope to accomplish.
I am a pediatrician at Akron Children’s Pediatrics, Amherst. I hope to provide my patients the best care through Akron Children’s by taking advantage of its easy system of communication with a variety of specialists. I hope to perform research and study to gain more knowledge to benefit my patients.
Success to Dr. Kelada means to never stop learning and gaining skills to make a difference in patients’ lives.
What is your area of expertise and why did you choose it?
I have a special interest in pediatric hematology-oncology. I have always strived to learn about blood diseases and cancers in children to better help kids with cancer, and provide them with the emotional and medical support they need. My uncle passed away of cancer when I was in medical school, and I witnessed his suffering and wondered how his young body could stand such disastrous disease. I was inspired to know more about it.
When did you decide to become a provider and why?
Since I was a child, I used to play doctor with my older sister. Our parents had encouraged us to succeed in our academic life and become physicians.
What do you like most about being a provider?
I enjoy most the mission of helping people, understanding pediatric populations’ needs and providing support to their families.
What unique or different skills do you have that help you practice medicine?
Growing up in Egypt, I learned throughout medical school how to rely on the clinical skills more than equipment to reach a diagnosis. In my practice today, I try to use my clinical senses more than using advanced imaging tools unless it is necessary.
What excites you most about medicine?
Medicine does not only support families medically, but emotionally, as well. Medicine offers a new hope every day to clear disastrous diseases, alleviate pain and overcome disabilities.
When she’s not working, Dr. Kelada enjoys most spending time with family, pictured on the left with her younger sister and mother, and her cat named Gabe.
What does success mean to you?
Success means learning and gaining more skills, no matter how long you have been in practice, to make a difference in your patients’ lives.
How do you deal with the emotional impact of being a provider?
Sometimes, my day gets busy and complicated, which makes me frustrated and nervous. But once I see a little child smiling at my face, it takes all that anxiety away. Taking a long walk after a long day also helps me.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in a small city in the middle of Egypt, along the Nile River.
Who makes up your family, including pets and their names?
My family consists of my mom, my handicapped sister, my older sister and her family, a younger brother and his family, and my own daughter and her husband. I also have a crazy 7-year-old cat named Gabe, who is very talkative and emotional!
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I did not have a clear idea of what I wanted to be, maybe because I was the middle child. But, I was impressed by my older sister’s dreams to be a physician and that pushed me to follow in her footsteps.
What is your greatest personal accomplishment?
My parents were teachers who worked very hard, and I saw how their students loved them. I remember one time a man stopped my father to give him a big hug and said to him: “My teacher, I will never forget you and always admire you!” That moment inspired me to put all my energy into succeeding.
What’s your superpower?
I’m eager to learn and never want to stop! I always have hope in medicine, and I try to transfer that notion to frustrated parents and families.
What’s your favorite quote?
“Kindness is one thing you cannot give away, it always comes back.”
