The University of Wisconsin Department of Pediatrics is excited to welcome three new chief residents for the 2025-26 academic year. Mark Kiley, DO, will join the department after completing residency at Advocate Children’s Hospital – Park Ridge. He will work collaboratively with two third-year chief residents, Rachell Caniza, MD, and Ryan Lindstrom, MD. Before the chief residents welcome the incoming class of interns, read the Q&A below to get to know them a bit better.
Q: What are you most looking forward to in being a chief resident?
Mark Kiley: Mentoring and uplifting those who have worked so hard and sacrificed so much for the care of others.
Rachell Caniza: Being a voice for my co-residents who need support and getting more opportunities to teach students and interns.
Ryan Lindstrom: Without a doubt, having some additional time for teaching. I used to coach rowing, and I miss spending time with others and sharing knowledge. I hope that I can do something similar for our incoming intern class.
Q: What’s one thing you hope the residents will learn from you?
MK: Learning to meet families where they are and to build therapeutic relationships from there.
RC: It’s okay to ask for help and to need support. We all have challenges and it’s okay not to know everything.
RL: I hope for two learning points for us. The first is that a resident is only as good as the team that supports them, from nursing aides to pharmacists. The second is that no one stops learning and I hope to learn as much from them as they do from me.
Q: What career would you have pursued if you hadn’t gone into medicine?
MK: Small restaurant owner.
RC: A vet for wild animals or learning foreign languages.
RL: I think the realistic answer would be working in a research lab, but that’s less fun. When I was close to graduating college, I had a notion to pack it all up and head out to the Pacific Northwest to be a kayak guide, so let’s say that instead.
Q: Who inspires you?
MK: To me, I look up to the everyday leaders in my life. My brother, sister-in-law, and my girlfriend.
RC: My family, my husband, my co-residents, and friends. So many people inspire me in different ways.
RL: My partner, Anne! She is a nurse midwife here at UW and has been a passionate advocate for women’s health care since long before she was ever part of the profession. She always has this sparkle in her eye when she talks about work at dinner; I hope the same can be said for me.
Q: Why pediatrics?
MK: The resilience and strength of children inspire me every day and make this profession worthwhile.
RC: Advocating for children and learning how to keep them safe and healthy motivates me to continue through this challenging, but incredibly rewarding field.
RL: When I walk into a patient’s room, I get to help them solve a Rubik’s cube, play hide-and-seek, or talk about Bluey, all while practicing medicine and being a support person for that family. What else could a person want?
Q: Why Wisconsin?
MK: UW continually impresses me with its emphasis on patient-centered care and medical education. It felt like the perfect place for me to grow. The cheese curds are hard to pass up too.
RC: We have a great hospital for learning with high acuity and a variety of cases. Madison also has a great, supportive community and interest in preventive medicine.
RL: I’m from Michigan, and I was just not ready to give up the Great Lakes, or lakes in general. Add in a semi-local family, amazing hiking, and a children’s hospital filled with smiling friends. Talk about a no-brainer.