By Remekca Owens

Dr. Carla Upperman-Xu

Dr. Carla Upperman-Xu’s love for helping children and families fuels her passion for pediatrics.

It is one of the qualities that led to her selection as the recipient of the 2016 Kurt Wey, M.D., Senior Pediatric Award. The recognition is named in honor of a 1998 UT Southwestern Medical Center graduate who died in an automobile accident. Established by the Wey family and friends, the award recognizes a fourth-year medical student who shows empathy and compassion for sick children, has significant knowledge, and maintains a good sense of humor.

Dr. Upperman-Xu grew up in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and graduated from Carroll High School in Southlake. The youngest of three children, she says that while she loves caring for children, she also finds fulfillment in educating their parents.

“I am particularly drawn to the impact that a physician can make in helping patients and families understand their child’s medical issues,” Dr. Upperman-Xu said. “In the future, I want to work with children with chronic medical problems such as obesity, rheumatologic disease, or asthma. I am passionate about helping educate and empower patients and their families to be advocates for their [own] health.”

During her time at UT Southwestern Medical School, Dr. Upperman-Xu says she was consistently surrounded by wonderful faculty mentors, including those who served as research mentors, residency advisors, and Fashena College mentors. Under the guidance of Dr. Christy Boling Turer, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Dr. Upperman-Xu wrote a research study that was inspired by her desire to empower parents.

Her research paper, “What do parents want for their children who are overweight when visiting the pediatrician?” was published in the journal Obesity Science & Practice in September 2015. Her findings pointed to the need for weight-management strategies tailored to a child’s age, gender, overweight severity, and race or ethnicity. The research also stressed the need for a parental agreement that acknowledged their child is overweight in order to improve the child’s weight status.

Dr. Upperman-Xu majored in neurobiology and earned a Spanish language citation from Harvard University prior to enrolling at UT Southwestern. Last October, she married fellow UT Southwestern classmate Dr. David Xu, himself recognized with the 2016 Texas College of Emergency Physicians Award. They both matched at Vanderbilt University for their residencies – hers in pediatrics, his in emergency medicine.      

Dr. Upperman-Xu’s consistent leadership and efforts during her medical education have been praised by both faculty and peers.

“Carla is one of the strongest students in the class. So many people have spoken highly of her to me – of her bedside manner, her work ethic, and her ability to balance acuity and yet maintain compassion when she is working on the wards,” said Dr. Soumya Adhikari, Associate Professor of Pediatrics. “The folks in Nashville will be lucky to have her for the next few years of her training. I know she will excel and wish her nothing but the best.”