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Growing up in California, Lily J. Lou, M.D., FAAP, was attracted to science and research but was challenged to settle on one career path that was best for her vast interests.
Her father, Si Chiu, and mother, Harriet, grew up in China and met as students at the University of California, Berkeley. She looked to her parents, as well as her aunt and godmother, Mary Anna, for guidance.
“My aunt trained as a physician in China and then practiced in San Francisco,” Dr. Lou said. “I always liked science and didn’t really know if I wanted to get into biomedical research or medicine. I went to medical school to find that I could actually do research as a physician.”
Dr. Lou, a professor of clinical pediatrics and director of government relations at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), hopes to use her experience treating children across the country if elected AAP president-elect. She is running against Andrew D. Racine, M.D., Ph.D., FAAP, and the winner will serve as AAP president in 2026.
Traveling the country
After earning her undergraduate degree at the University of California, Davis, Dr. Lou completed her medical degree at the University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine, Chapel Hill.
Her travels continued as she completed an internship and residency in pediatrics at the University of Minnesota Hospitals and Clinics in Minneapolis in 1989. She then completed a fellowship in neonatal and perinatal medicine at Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn., in 1992 and a fellowship in medical education at the University of New Mexico (UNM) in 2001.
Academically, Dr. Lou has held positions as instructor-pediatrics and assistant professor of pediatrics at Yale University School of Medicine, clinical assistant professor of pediatrics at UNC, assistant professor of pediatrics and associate professor of pediatrics at UNM and clinical assistant professor of pediatrics and clinical professor of pediatrics at WWAMI, a multistate medical education program serving Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho. She has worked in private practice settings in North Carolina and Alaska.
While living in Alaska, Dr. Lou became involved with the AAP Alaska Chapter, serving as secretary-treasurer (2005-’09), vice president (2009-’14), president (2014-’20) and past president (2020-present). Working with the chapter taught her much about the concerns and challenges of private practice, community and rural pediatrics. She has enjoyed learning about Native American and Alaska Native populations, and about uniformed services families and pediatricians.
“I went up to Alaska and I realized I was spending three to seven years in places, and it took me by surprise when I realized I had been in Alaska for 18 years,” said Dr. Lou, who served as a NICU medical director, chair of the department of pediatrics, executive medical director of the children’s hospital and chief medical officer/state health official for the state of Alaska. “One of the things I tell my health trainees is you should say yes more than you say no, because a lot of things I’ve done were not things I would have predicted. I have absolutely loved the huge variety of professional experiences I’ve had.”
Pediatric priorities
Throughout her career, advocating for her peers and patients has become a passion for Dr. Lou.
“I’ve really fallen in love with advocacy and public health and health policy,” Dr. Lou said. “The AAP prepares people very well to develop skills in advocacy. One of the things I would love to do is try to strengthen the AAP’s ability to develop the health policy and public health skills of pediatricians so we can have a seat at the table so we can influence legislation and funding to make the changes that need to happen.”
Dr. Lou also hopes to draw more subspecialists to the AAP.
“I think the AAP is often considered by subspecialists to be an organization for general pediatricians,” said Dr. Lou, a neonatologist and immediate past chair of the Section on Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine. “I would love to change that. I think being the professional home for all pediatricians, including the subspecialists, would allow us to work synergistically together to have the strongest possible voice for the health of children.”
Dr. Lou points to recent results of the Main Residency Match, in which pediatrics filled 92% of categorical and primary positions, as another area of focus. She says more needs to be done to recruit the next generation of pediatricians and specialists and to diversify the field. She also hopes to address environmental issues, climate change and access to care.
“We have to pay attention to payment for pediatricians, but I also think we need to work on the pipeline,” Dr. Lou said. “I’m really proud I belong to the AAP where the mission is the health and welfare of all children. But maybe because our mission has that sort of nobility, maybe we haven’t advocated enough for payment parity and we struggle with making this an attractive career to choose for rising trainees.”
In addition to advocating for current and future pediatricians, Dr. Lou said her role as president would include leading the organization to advocate for patients and families.
“I think advocacy remains a huge issue, and pediatricians are pretty good at talking to people and trying to make a case for something, so I think we need to keep doing that,” Dr. Lou said.
Creativity and humility
Away from her pediatric world, Dr. Lou spends time with her husband, Kraig Haver, a commercial photographer, and their two Mini Australian Shepherds, Kuiper and Hubble.
Frequent travelers, she and her husband have visited Africa, the Galápagos Islands, Italy and Churchill, Manitoba, Canada to see polar bears.
“We went to Churchill when we lived in Alaska, so we may be the only people who flew south to see polar bears,” Dr. Lou said.
She also belongs to a telescope-making club in Vermont and took up knitting to gain new skills.
“I always think that you should be a beginner at something to engender a healthy sense of humility,” Dr. Lou said. “My husband says he likes the fact that I can make things out of sticks and string. But I think it’s important for people to do something creative, whether it’s poetry or whatever. It’s nice to be able to do something creative with your hands.”
