“I always wanted to be in medicine, though I didn’t know exactly what that meant when I was younger,” Kaitlyn Pizzini admits. “Early on, I thought I would be a veterinarian, but over time my interest shifted to people.”
At Texas A&M University, Pizzini earned a bachelor’s degree in nutritional sciences. It wasn’t until her senior year that she homed in on becoming a physician assistant (PA). She spent a year working as a medical scribe before beginning the PA program at UNT Health Science Center in Fort Worth. “I actually scribed for Dr. Collini when he was part of Urology Associates of North Texas (UANT),” she says.
Watching the interactions between Dr. Collini and his patients, Pizzini not only affirmed her decision to become a physician assistant, it also introduced her to urology. “I didn’t really know much about urology before, but I found it intriguing,” she says.
After completing her PA degree in 2015, Pizzini was welcomed back to Dr. Collini’s office. Today, she is proud to be part of Urology Partners of North Texas, working alongside Dr. Collini’s colleagues—Dr. Leng, Dr. Nuss and Dr. Chowdhury—to help individuals struggling with incontinence.
“Seeing patients, diagnosing them, treating them, taking care of them, doing everything but going into the OR, is so rewarding,” Pizzini reveals. “As a physician assistant, I want to make sure my patients feel they are heard. Many are elderly and may have felt pushed aside before. I try to change that by listening. I give them the time they need to talk and let me know what’s bothering them. Sometimes those initial visits can seem overwhelming. There’s a lot of information to talk through, but those conversations are so important because they help build trust.
“Often, a topic can be embarrassing—especially if patients don’t know they have options. I talk with my patients just as I would talk with a friend or family member. I want them to feel comfortable and know I’m here to help. There are so many things we can do to help improve a person’s quality of life—whether they suffer from incontinence, pelvic prolapse or recurrent bladder infections. There are good treatment options that aren’t invasive. I hear all the time, ‘I wish I would have known that I could have been treated for this,’ and ‘I didn’t even know this was an option,’ or ‘I wish I would have done this sooner.’”
Pizzini’s care philosophy fits right in with Urology Partners’ patient-centric approach. “We’re really focused on getting back to the roots of what is often lost in corporate medicine—ensuring the patient’s well-being always comes first. I think that’s why so many patients have followed us over to UPNT. It’s just a testament to what we’re trying to do with this practice,” she adds.
When Pizzini isn’t caring for her patients, she is soaking up all the joy that comes with being a new mom to her 11-month-old son. “It’s been a lot of fun,” she says. “With a little guy, every month looks different.” She and her family live in Aledo. Pizzini also enjoys reading fiction, traveling and working out.
