From Classroom to Clinic: Former Teacher Finds His Calling in Pediatrics

Published January 7, 2026

MADERA. Calif. – Dr. Edmund To spent nearly a decade shaping young minds in the classroom. Today, he’s shaping young lives in the exam room and guiding families toward healthier futures.

As a pediatric resident at Valley Children’s, Dr. To traded textbooks for stethoscopes after feeling a persistent pull toward medicine. His journey from educator to physician reflects a deep commitment to guiding young lives – whether in class or the clinic.

His path to a professional medical career was not a straight line. Dr. To grew up in Sacramento and earned a biochemistry degree at San Diego State University before moving to the Bay Area to become an elementary school teacher, where he taught for nine years.

“I really felt a desire, like I felt a tug, to go back into medicine,” Dr. To said. “From the get-go, it was pediatrics or bust.”

After attending medical school in Arizona, Valley Children’s stood out as a top option for residency for Dr. To, and he joined the team as a pediatric resident in 2023.

As a pediatric resident, Dr. To works alongside attending physicians, whose expertise and years of experience offer invaluable learning opportunities for him and his fellow residents.

At the conclusion of his residency in 2026, Dr. To plans to pursue a career in general pediatrics.

“One of the draws of general pediatrics is that you don’t only see kids when they’re sick,” he said. “People will bring their kids to see us for well visits.”

“We get to build relationships with families and we get to see kids grow,” said Dr. To, who noted that the word doctor comes from the Latin word for “teacher.”

For Dr. To, medicine isn’t just a career change – it’s an extension of his lifelong mission to educate and empower children.

“Those are the moments that bring me joy,” he said. “To help a kid in need – that’s what makes it all worthwhile.”

To learn more about the residency program at Valley Children’s, click here.