Provider Directory

Biography

When pediatrician Kimberly Allen, DO, first came to interview for a job in Columbus, Nebraska, she and her husband considered it a good excuse for a trip home (she grew up in Lincoln). Even after she signed a contract to start practicing at Columbus Children’s Healthcare, she still thought she would only stay here for
about five years.

Thirty years later, Allen is firmly entrenched in the community and now sometimes sees her former patients’ children. "That is the ultimate compliment," she said.

Allen and her colleagues treat infants, children and adolescents from birth to 22 years of age. While she used to say that she loved treating babies and toddlers the most, she now notices that she gets a great sense of fulfillment out of helping teenagers become healthy and happy. "I find that I really enjoy all aspects of
this job," she said.

Allen first became interested in the medical field when she accompanied her father on hunting trips. As he dressed the kill at the end of the day, he would show her the animal’s organs and muscles, and Allen was fascinated with how bodies work. By first grade, she had decided she would be a doctor.

When she’s not treating the children and adolescents of Columbus and the surrounding communities, Allen loves to read and talk about books with anyone who will listen.

Because she’s been a pediatrician in Columbus for so long, she’s proud to say she’s seen the hospital through many, many changes.

"I started in the old hospital and then moved to the current hospital," she said. "I have seen many updates and changes, but I really believe that it is the people that make this place great. This is why we are still here. For example, my son had to have surgery and my husband stayed home with the other kids. I was in the surgical waiting room, and two of the housekeepers stayed with me and held my hand. I don’t think they will ever know what that meant to me."