Bridgette Merriman, who was once a patient at Golisano Children’s Hospital after being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma as a child, has now become a pediatric physician. Her journey from cancer patient to doctor began in 2008 when she developed symptoms that initially seemed like a common illness. After persistent cough and swollen lymph nodes led to further testing, Merriman received her diagnosis from Dr. David Korones.
“My care was so holistic,” Merriman said of her experience at Golisano Children’s Hospital. “The doctors, nurses, child life and social work teams did so many great things for me, my siblings, and my parents. Through everything, I was never nervous.”
After completing chemotherapy and radiation treatments in 2009, Merriman went into remission. Three years later, she decided she wanted to become a pediatric oncologist. While still young, she became interested in medicine by asking questions about her own care and sharing her experiences online.
“It’s been incredible going from saying I want to do it to actually doing it,” she said.
Merriman attended Boston University School of Medicine between 2020 and 2024. During her final year of medical school, she returned to Rochester for a rotation at the Golisano Children’s Hospital Hematology/Oncology outpatient clinic where she worked alongside Dr. Korones. When Merriman graduated last spring, Dr. Korones traveled to Boston to serve as her hooder at the ceremony—a role given to someone important in the student’s path toward becoming a doctor.
“Dr. Korones is really the one who inspired me to pursue pediatric oncology,” Merriman said.
Currently, Merriman is a pediatric resident at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and plans to specialize further in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and Palliative Care. She has expressed an interest in researching survivorship among young adult cancer survivors.
“Being a young adult with an adverse healthcare experience creates a constant feeling of ‘waiting for the other shoe to drop,” she said.
Merriman credits her time at Golisano Children’s Hospital with shaping both her career goals and the approach she wants to take with future patients.
