Some doctors choose pediatrics. Dr. Chelsea Cockburn seemed destined for it — drawn by both the science of what makes children thrive and the deeply human work of earning a family's trust.

Dr. Cockburn brings an unusual depth to her practice. She holds both an MD and a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from Virginia Commonwealth University, and completed her residency at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh — one of the nation's leading children's hospitals — through the prestigious Pediatric Scientist Development Program. That training sharpened her clinical instincts while keeping her grounded in why the body does what it does.

Before joining Zest, she spent time at Children's Community Pediatrics in the Pittsburgh area, where she cared for busy panels of families day in and day out. She knows what it feels like to be rushed — and she knows that's not the kind of doctor she wants to be.

At Zest, she finally has the time to practice the way she always believed medicine should work: unhurried appointments, a phone number you can actually use, and a doctor who knows your child by name — not just by chart.

Outside the clinic, Dr. Cockburn is an active musician and singer who has performed with the Richmond Symphony Chorus. She brings that same sense of attunement — listening carefully, responding to what she hears — to every family she cares for.

She is accepting new patients and would love to meet your family.