Dr. Bierma M.D. sees his role as pediatrician as a teaching/ mentoring role to help his patients and their families really understand what is going on at every phase of children’s growth and development. His specialized understanding of children’s development and behavior lets him help his families see the wonder of childhood and how the goal of childhood is to raise an adult from a child. He also gains a great deal of satisfaction working with children with special needs or developmental/behavioral problems. He firmly believes in medical and developmental prevention as the backbone of his practice, believing that it’s easier to prevent a problem that treat one.

Douglas Bierma was born and raised in the southwest suburbs of Chicago, in the Crestwood/Oak Forest area. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree majoring in Chemistry and Biology, minoring in Music, graduating with highest honors from Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Illinois. He then received his Doctor of Medicine from Loyola University’s School of Medicine. He did his pediatric specialty training at DeVos Children’s Hospital with Michigan State University in Grand Rapids Michigan. After graduation he joined Dr. Thomas Moore’s practice in Shorewood where he has now worked since 1999. He is Board Certified in Pediatrics and has been named a Chicago Parents Magazine Favorite KidsDoc.

Dr. Bierma has also enjoyed working with Easter Seals Joliet Region, serving on their Utilization and Review Board since 1999; the Autism Diagnostics and Complex Medical Needs Clinic since 2007; and in 2010 was named their Medical Director. He has served as Chairman of the Pediatrics Department at Provena St. Joseph Medical Center and also as Vice-Chairman of the Pediatrics Department at Silver Cross Hospital. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and a Fellow of the American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine. He is an instructor on the faculty of Midwestern University College of Medicine’s Department of Pediatrics.

Doug married his high school sweetheart, Christine, in 1994 and they have four very active children; Christian (’97), Emily (’99), Jed (’02) and Wes (’04). He and his wife share the hobby of driving his children to whatever sport, music, drama, school practice/game/performance is happening. In his spare time he enjoys music; playing multiple instruments (he thinks) very badly and singing in his church.