Katherine Swartz DO, PhD

Education

DO: Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine
PhD: Virginia Tech

Biography

Commander Katie Lively Swartz was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. A life-long learner, she graduated with honors from the University of San Diego in May 1992 with a BA in Diversified Liberal Arts with a Multi-Cultural emphasis. She returned to Phoenix to fulfill her first childhood ambition of teaching elementary school. Only after 7 years of teaching and completing her Master of Education at Northern Arizona University, did CDR Swartz return to her second ambition of becoming a Pediatrician. “Dr Lively” earned her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine in May of 2007. After 7 months of boots-on-the-ground research and humanitarian medicine in Central America, and the completion of her dissertation “Achievement of Developmental Milestones among Salvadorian Orphans”, she earned her Doctor of Philosophy from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in February 2009. She completed her Pediatric Internship at Naval Medical Center San Diego. Following a General Medical Officer tour at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, she completed Pediatric Residency at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth. CDR Swartz then served as Staff Pediatrician at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital. She achieved board certification in Pediatrics before returning to her medical roots at Naval Medical Center San Diego.
She has served in various positions throughout Pediatric Medicine to include Interim Pediatric Clerkship Coordinator for rotating medical students and Family Medicine Interns and Residents while serving at Fort Belvoir. Back at Balboa, she assumed the role of Pediatric Clinic Division Officer, and later the Senior Medical Officer in Pediatrics, responsible for coordinating Peer Experts in the transition to Genesis.
Commander Swartz was selected as Pediatric Department Head at Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command summer of 2021.
She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Commander Swartz serves as the Co-Chair of the NMCSD Immunizations Committee. She received the Pediatric Clerkship, Teacher of the Year Award in 2015, the Double-Stuffed Award for her work on Genesis Implementation in 2021, and Associate Master Clinician Award in June 2021. Commander Swartz’ personal decorations include the Joint Service Achievement Medal and the Navy Achievement Medal. Her greatest accomplishment remains her three children, Hunter, Paige and Tucker, a feat tackled daily with her husband Shaun and her “favorite child”, their BernieDoodle, Maggie. While balancing demands coming from all directions, she continues to seek out opportunities to fulfill her final childhood ambition of barrel racing in the rodeo!

Career Highlights: Positions, Projects, Deployements, Awards and Additional Publications

Pediatric Internship - NMCSD

GMO - NAS China Lake

Pediatric Residency - NMCP

Staff Pediatrician - Fort Belvoir

Staff Pediatrician - NMCSD