Mary LaCoursiere, DO - Beacon Children's Hospital Critical Kids

About Dr. LaCoursiere When Mary “Molly” LaCoursiere, D.O., was in elementary school, she and her father witnessed a bad car accident. He is a physician, so they stopped so he could help the injured. “I felt proud watching him,” she says. “This impressed on me the positive impact on the community that he had as a member of the medical community.” From there, a career in medicine was what she wanted for herself. Dr. LaCoursiere earned her B.S. in Mathematics at Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, IN; her Master of Biomedical Sciences at The Commonwealth Medical College, Scranton, PA; and her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA. She completed her Categorical Pediatric Residency and also her Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Fellowship at Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA. In her specialty as a pediatric intensivist, she takes care of children of all ages who have a broad range of illnesses – from diabetic emergencies, infections, and respiratory illnesses to trauma and post-operative care. “While in medical school and residency, I found myself drawn to the sickest patients and the most critical situations,” she says. “I also greatly enjoy the physiology that serves as the backbone of critical care.” Caring for these young patients and working with their families has taught Dr. LaCoursiere so much. “Beyond the books, I learned so much more by witnessing the patient-caregiver dynamic: resilience in the face of devastation, selflessness in financially and emotionally difficult times, pure love in end-of-life care,” she says. Dr. LaCoursiere’s hope is that her patients view her as a transparent, empathetic, diligent provider and that they learn about their illness from her in a way that makes sense to them. “I hope they know that loving a sick child takes on many forms, and that I am here to support them through those difficult decisions.” In her own words… Who is or was the most influential people/role models in your life? My parents – they are the most loving and hardworking people I know. What was your first job growing up? What do you remember about it? Babysitting – this was when I first developed my love for watching children grow and learn. What is your favorite food? Movie? Favorite food – medium rare steak Favorite movie – The Shaw Shank Redemption What was your best/worst subjects in school growing up? Best subjects in school – math and physics Worst subject – history If you could sit down to dinner with anyone (alive or deceased) who would it be and why?My daughter that we lost – to see her face, learn her personality, and hear her voice/laugh. In addition to medicine, what are you passionate about? What are your hobbies, interests? I love staying active and spending time outside as much as possible, especially with my family. I also love traveling and have a long list of places I’d like to visit. What is something most people don’t know about you? I love interior design, and I am a terrible gardener.