Angela Tridgell, MD, Joins Gillette Children’s Endocrinology Team

Pediatric endocrinologist Angela Tridgell, MD’s enthusiasm for cross-specialty collaboration made her a natural fit for Gillette Children’s. “Previously, when I was at [a different hospital], I started the thyroid nodule clinic. That was probably one of the best professional experiences that I had, because we were able to work across specialties on a single patient.” This prior experience aligned with her personal philosophy of care. About coming to Gillette, she shares, “I really liked the idea of working within a multi-specialty format for patient care. I really like that aspect of Gillette, that of the complexity of the patients and working in a team to take care of them.” 

Dr. Tridgell brings a wealth of experience and expertise to her new role at Gillette. “I’ve reached the point in my career where I really want to start adding my personal values to what I do—that means taking care of the whole person, the patient and their family, making sure I’m talking about whole wellness and health.”  

A graduate of the University of Minnesota Medical School, Dr. Tridgell completed a fellowship in Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes at the University of Washington Medical School and Seattle Children’s Hospital. Her various board certifications include those from the Pediatric Endocrine Society, the American Diabetes Association, and the American Thyroid Association, among others. 

“I did research in endocrinology and metabolism in medical school, and I was really interested in the complex congenital and genetic diseases that I saw [in patients] ... I think it’s always a little bit of a puzzle—but solvable, and everything is interrelated,” Dr. Tridgell says. She appreciates that while Gillette patients are medically complex, endocrinology can help improve health status with therapies such as hormone supplementation.  

When Dr. Tridgell meets a new patient and their family for the first time, “I give them a lot of space to talk about themselves. I ask a lot of ‘get to know you’ questions, much like I would in a conversation in a non-medical environment.” Dr. Tridgell also shares information in kind about herself, something she acknowledges is important to establish rapport in what can be a stressful situation for families new to the world of medically complex care. She emphasizes the importance of patients and their families becoming comfortable with their providers and appreciates the longer appointment times available at Gillette that allow her to facilitate that sense of comfort for each patient she sees.  

Growing up in North Oaks, Minnesota, Dr. Tridgell also spent much of her childhood in Singapore, where her father’s family hails from. When she’s not at Gillette, “I play a lot of racket sports—tennis, pickleball, I rock climb and do all sorts of other sports.” She is also an avid reader. “I love my weaknesses: buying coffee and books,” she laughs. “I need more bookshelves at home—I don’t need to get rid of books. It’s a storage issue.” 

The Tridgell family also recently welcomed a Cavapoo puppy into their home. (A Cavapoo is a mix between a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a miniature Poodle.) “My kids are 7, 9, and 12, so I think it’s been a good lesson for them in working together to take care of something so small and vulnerable.”