Patricia Valassis

Dr. Valassis is a mission-driven pediatrician with a strong commitment to medical education, patient advocacy, and caring for underserved populations. These values have guided her career and continue to shape her approach to teaching and clinical care. She is excited to bring this perspective to Illinois COM and support the development of future physicians.

She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Illinois, where she double majored in Honors Biology and Chemistry and minored in Spanish. She went on to complete her medical education and pediatric residency at Rush University, where she was recognized with a Resident Award for Medical Student Education. During her training she was actively involved in leadership for volunteer health initiatives, including the Volunteer Illinois Projects and the Pilsen Homeless Clinic.

Her early clinical career focused on caring for underserved communities, and she also had the opportunity to teach family medicine residents while on the faculty of Northwestern. Her passion for education later led her to Included Health, where she supported patients in navigating complex medical decisions, including working on second opinions with experts at leading institutions such as Boston Children's Hospital and Stanford. Dr. Valassis also contributed to initiatives aimed at improving health outcomes for underserved patient populations, including programs focused on continuity of care for mothers and infants, as well as efforts to enhance health literacy.

More recently, Dr. Valassis has developed educational courses to help patients better understand and navigate the healthcare system. She is particularly interested in bringing these experiences into medical education, helping students become thoughtful clinicians and strong advocates for their patients.