John S. Giuliano, MD

John S. Giuliano, Jr., MD, a pediatric critical care specialist, says he wants to be the physician a patient is transferred to—not from. “I like being that last stop and taking care of the patients in most need of care. That, to me, is the most rewarding,” says Dr. Giuliano, who is also director of the Pediatric Transport Program, which delivers sick children (via ambulance or helicopter) to Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital from other hospitals throughout the region.

Dr. Giuliano says part of the appeal of working in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit is that he enjoys taking care of a variety of illnesses. “I like all of the organ systems, and critical care allows me to be involved in all of the different subspecialties, and not just focus on one type,” he says. “I also enjoy working with patients and families. To be able to care for them and help them get better is really gratifying.”

His research explores the inflammatory response, or how the body reacts to infections. He actively studies severe viral infections, including influenza and COVID-19 in children, as well as multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C), a rare but serious complication associated with COVID-19 in children. He is also interested in improving the way fellows are trained in certain medical procedures especially when it comes to improving training and safety in pediatric endotracheal intubations. Dr. Giuliano is an associate professor of pediatric critical care at Yale School of Medicine.