Dr. Kimberly Shookman is a pediatrician at Akron Children’s Hospital Pediatrics in Barberton.
Dr. Kimberly Shookman dreamed of becoming a doctor ever since she can remember. An “All About Me” preschool project her mother kept is proof, stating “doctor” as her desired profession. Not to mention, she routinely nursed her baby dolls back to health as a child, even performing “surgery” with a needle and thread on one of the doll’s arms after it was nearly torn off.
Today, Dr. Shookman is ecstatic to finally live out her passion for children and caring for others — on real kids, not just dolls — as Akron Children’s Hospital Pediatrics‘ newest pediatrician at our Barberton location.
As a preschooler, Dr. Shookman wrote “All About Me” including wanting to be a doctor.
If you were a fruit or vegetable what would you be and why?
I would be a grape. They tend to live and grow in beautiful, sunny settings.
If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be and why?
I would live on one of the ranches on the coastal mountains along Route 1 in California. I took a trip there just last year. The landscape is breathtaking with the views of the ranges and the ocean. Did I mention sunshine?
Dr. Kimberly Shookman with her parents, Scott and Becky, and sister, Sara.
When you curl up on the couch to watch a movie, are you most likely to have a bowl of popcorn, chocolate or box of tissues?
A bowl of stove-popped popcorn. It’s a favorite snack of mine.
What piece of advice did someone give you when you were young that still resonates with you today?
Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance
Do you dunk your Oreos in milk, lick off the icing, eat them as they are or avoid them altogether?
I eat them whole with peanut butter.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in the Portage Lakes here in Summit County, graduating from Manchester Local Schools.
Dr. Shookman’s chocolate lab, Sophia
Who makes up your family, including pets and their names?
I live with my significant other, Eric, and our chocolate lab, Sophia. My mom, Becky, and my grandparents, Rita and Dave, still live in the Portage Lakes, and my sister, Sara, and her husband, Angelo, live in Lakewood.
What did you want to be (profession) when you were little?
As long as I can remember, I wanted to be a pediatrician. I have an art project from my preschool years showing even then I wanted to be a doctor.
An interest in science combined with my strong desire to care for others, especially young children, just naturally pointed me in the direction of pediatric medicine. After 5th grade, I never really had any other career goals for my life.
Dr. Shookman with her significant other, Eric.
What’s your favorite food? Who makes it best?
My favorite food is lobster macaroni and cheese. If I have to pick the place, it’s Hancock Gourmet Lobster Co. in Maine.
Why did you choose to come to Akron Children’s?
I chose to come to Akron Children’s because it has a wonderfully infectious culture. I was a patient here as a child and a volunteer in high school. They were both wonderful experiences. As I completed my education and training, I could not escape the positive reports of being a physician, employee and patient of this institution. I wanted to start my career as a part of that.
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