Professing Peds tells the story of the Department of Pediatrics. It brings life to the “who”—telling stories of the faculty, staff and students that make the Department of Pediatrics so strong. But, diving deeper, these stories tell you the “why”—why they’re here and, more importantly, why they choose to stay.
“I was hired into the Pediatrics Education program almost 19 years ago and have been here ever since. I stay here because I love being able to assist the residents in all aspects of their life during their stay with us.”
Peggy Trittipo works in the Pediatrics Education office as the Residency Coordinator Support Specialist. In the words of many, she is also the key to all pediatrics education knowledge. If you have a problem, question, or are just genuinely curious, you go to Peggy for answers. Her position gives her intimate knowledge of the processes throughout a student’s medical education in Pediatrics and her time here helps her know just who to go to in times of uncertainty.
Peggy was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa, where she lived until she was 18 years old. At 18, she married her husband Larry, a military man. The military gave the Trittipos the opportunity to see many places in the world. Before moving back to Indiana (for the third time), Peggy had also lived in Oklahoma, Hawaii, Germany and Alaska. Peggy and Larry had two wonderful daughters during this time.
Before her big move back to Indiana, Peggy completed a telephone interview with June Dailey and Dr. Sue Bowyer in Pediatrics Education and they hired her. In her time here at IU School of Medicine, her love for education spilled into her personal life as well. In 2015, she finished her Bachelor’s Degree from Indiana University East (IUE). She truly enjoyed going to school and learning everything that she could.
Peggy’s daughters are both living and working in Ohio currently. Her daughter Samantha will be moving to Brussels for three years for work. Her daughter Ryan just recently moved to Ohio, but will still be close by. Her husband Larry is retired from the military after 33 years of service. He volunteers weekly at the state archives and cares for everything outside of their home, no matter what the weather. They live in restored 1937 brick home in Spiceland, IN. Here, Peggy enjoys going antiquing, finding all of the historical markers of Indiana, and learning about the history of Indiana.
Peggy dutifully supports the residency team for the Department of Pediatrics, including Jerry Rushton, MD and Tim Brady, MD. One of the things she enjoys the most about her job is her variety of activities. She helps coordinate resident recruitment interviews, plans and helps with retreats, and assists with education conferences. Each year, she finds it fun to find out which residents they were able to recruit for the upcoming year.