Each year on July 1, the University of Wisconsin Pediatrics Residency Program welcomes a new class of interns to join the PGY-2 and PGY-3 residents. The new academic year also welcomes new resident leaders who will provide administrative, clinical, and educational leadership for the residency program. This year, Allison Emmet, MD, and Jalal-Ud-Din Khan, MBBS, will serve as chief residents of the Pediatrics Residency Program for the 2026-2027 academic year. Both graduated from our Pediatrics Residency Program in 2026. They began their new roles with great enthusiasm, welcoming the new class of interns with a week of orientation. Read on for a Q&A with Emmet and Khan.
Allison Emmet, MD
Q: What are you most looking forward to in being a chief resident?
I am most looking forward to investing in our pediatric residents and supporting the ongoing flourishing of our program. Residency is a challenging but very rewarding time, and I feel honored to be in a position to support our residents in their personal and professional development as they grow toward their goal of being amazing pediatricians. I have deeply appreciated the supportive culture of the UW during my time as a resident, and I hope to continue to cultivate that environment for all our trainees and students.
Q: What’s one thing you hope your residents will learn from you?
I am excited about our teaching role as chief residents and sharing practical tips about pediatric medicine, but most of all I hope to teach the residents about finding joy and purpose in their work and ways to overcome the natural challenges that arise during training, especially in this time of high burnout and mistrust of the medical system.
Q: What career would you be doing if you hadn’t gone into medicine?
If I weren’t a pediatrician, I would also consider life as a grade school teacher. Luckily, I get to do lots of teaching in my job now to learners and our patient families, which is such a joy. If there were more hours in the day, I also dream about working in a bakery, given my love of all sweet treats and sharing love through food.
Q: What are you most likely to be famous for?
I love playing music in the work room and have become known as most likely to play ABBA for a morale boost in the hospital.
Q: Who inspires you?
My clinic preceptor for the last three years, Ande Jones, inspired me as a resident and inspires me now, too, as I look forward to becoming a general pediatrician. She has infectious passion for her work and makes even tough clinic days feel positive and rewarding. I hope to bring that same level of amazing clinical care, love of learning, compassion, and capacity for seeing the good to my work in the future, too!
Q: Why Wisconsin?
I had heard so many wonderful things about Madison during residency applications, and this city and program have exceeded all my expectations. The size of this program is perfect for seeing a huge breadth of patients, but it’s also small enough to know and be known by faculty and co-residents by name. The spirit at the UW is intensely collaborative with a genuine emphasis on supporting the learning in all trainees. For my own specific goals, I was very excited about the primary care and global health pathways to enhance my training too.
Jalal-Ud-Din Khan, MBBS
Q: What are you most looking forward to in being a chief resident?
I am very excited for this upcoming year! I look forward to the opportunity to help residents grow both professionally and personally. Throughout my training, I have benefited from mentors and senior residents who created a supportive learning environment, and I am eager to pay that forward, while also developing my leadership, teaching, and mentorship skills. Additionally, one aspect of the chief resident role that attracts me the most is advocating for resident needs and helping them navigate the challenges of training while maintaining their well-being.
Q: What’s one thing you hope your residents will learn from you?
I hope residents learn that it’s okay not to have all the answers. What matters is approaching every challenge with curiosity, humility, and a commitment to continuous learning.
Q: What career would you be doing if you hadn’t gone into medicine?
I would have definitely been an athlete in some capacity (soccer or maybe cricket) or a coach.
Q: What are you most likely to be famous for?
Eating the most ice cream in one sitting.
Q: Who inspires you?
My parents, for sure. Their lives have been a constant example of resilience, commitment, and hard work. They faced challenges and setbacks with determination, never allowing difficult circumstances to distract them from their goals or responsibilities. Through their sacrifices, they taught me the value of perseverance and the importance of continuing to move forward even when the path is uncertain.
Q: Why Wisconsin?
I have found my second home here. From the moment I arrived (from a completely different country), I found the people to be welcoming, approachable, and genuinely invested in helping others succeed. Throughout my training, I have been fortunate to work alongside colleagues, mentors, nurses, and staff who have always been willing to teach, guide, and support me. That collaborative and supportive culture has made a lasting impression on me and has played a significant role in my development as a physician.