From Patient to Pediatric Rheumatologist 

By Mary Anne Dunkin | March 20, 2025

At 5 years old, Jake Anderson was an energetic child like any other — until his parents noticed a limp when he ran. Suspecting a simple sprain, his pediatrician fitted him with a boot, he recalls. But when his condition worsened six weeks later, his parents sought answers from pediatric rheumatologists at Intermountain Primary Children’s in Salt Lake City. There, he was diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), primarily affecting his ankles and knees. That unexpected diagnosis would shape his life in ways no one could have predicted.

Today, Dr. Jake Anderson, MD, is completing his pediatric residency at Phoenix Children’s Hospital and will soon begin a fellowship in pediatric rheumatology at the very same center where he was diagnosed two decades ago.

The journey from patient to physician has been both challenging and isolating at times. Throughout childhood and adolescence, Dr. Anderson’s arthritis flared periodically. “I had some steroid injections in my knees several times growing up and was mostly just on naproxen,” he says. “It went into remission several times, and I think when I was 16, it went into remission. I was off medications for about five years.”

But at 21, his arthritis returned with a vengeance. “It flared up worse than it ever was when I was younger.” That was the first time Dr. Anderson started biologics and methotrexate. “I thought I had grown out of it. I thought I was done, right? And in a way, it felt like I was re-diagnosed.”

Finding Support

Unlike some children who find a sense of community at juvenile arthritis camps, Dr. Anderson didn’t know other kids with arthritis growing up. “The first time that I met anyone else that I knew had arthritis as a child was when I got involved with the Arthritis Foundation when I was in college.”

A chance conversation with a classmate with lupus led Dr. Anderson to a Jingle Bell Run event, where he volunteered. The following year, Utah hosted its first JA camp, Camp KODA, and he was asked to serve as a counselor. While working with teens at the camp, he had an idea: a young adult mentoring program to help teens transition into adulthood.

Dr. Anderson and another counselor launched the group, which started small. “At first, it was just the two of us that attended. But after a year or so before I left Utah for med school, I think we had close to 20 that were on the group,” he says. “It was mostly just support groups for young adults with arthritis — to come together, relate and share experiences and advice.”

Anderson’s dedication to the Arthritis Foundation didn’t go unnoticed. He received an Arthritis Foundation scholarship to help fund his medical school education. “It felt nice to be recognized and feeling like the things I had done were meaningful ... they felt like I was deserving of some assistance, especially on my journey to continue giving back to the community through my career,” he says.

Though always drawn to medicine, Anderson’s work with young people, combined with his own experiences, solidified his desire to become a pediatric rheumatologist. “Growing up, I saw Dr. [John] Bonsack at Primary Children's in Salt Lake, and I think he subconsciously made quite a big impression on me and became a role model for what I envision for a career.”

Coming Full Circle

As a pediatric resident, Dr. Anderson has enjoyed working with kids and looks forward to full-time rheumatology. “Ever since I got involved with the Arthritis Foundation and met others with arthritis, there’s this connection. You’re connected through a shared experience,” he explains. “It just feels like there’s a little more to the relationship than just doctor and patient.”

He has already witnessed the impact of kids with arthritis meeting others like them. “I definitely wish I had that opportunity growing up,” he says. “But seeing these kids come together at camp and just be kids — that’s part of what made me decide, yes, this is what I want to do.”

Now, as Dr. Anderson prepares to return to Utah with his wife and 9-month-old daughter, his journey is coming full circle. From a child struggling with a painful limp to a future pediatric rheumatologist guiding young patients through their own arthritis diagnoses, he has transformed a lifelong challenge into a lifelong purpose.