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Miami Proud: 'With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility,' 'Doctor Spidey' Makes Rounds At Nicklaus Children's Hospital

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - At Nicklaus Children's Hospital, 'Doctor Spidey,' AKA pediatric resident Jennifer Thompson enjoys saving the day by helping kids.

"I do my job here as a pediatric resident and then after I'm done for the day, I switch into my costume and basically volunteer on my own free time to see these kids, whoever asked me to go to see them," said Thompson.

She may not hang upside down or capture thieves like flies, but she does have a 'Spidey' sense when it comes to connecting with sick kids.

"It is a lot of fun because the kids have no idea who it is, and sometimes I might not even be their physician. The toddlers, they believe that it's real and so I think it's really cool."

Thompson got the idea while in medical school to suit up to do a video for one of her class assignments, then it became something she employed at Nicklaus Children's Hospital.

Fellow doctors started asking her to make visits to their patients, especially ones that were already Spiderman fans.

She brings toys, stickers, coloring books, items donated by friends and supporters, and shares a fun moment with the patients to take their minds off their situation.

"When I see them, it's the first time that since they've been admitted that they smiled, and that to me makes a huge difference. We had a kid the other day that he was recently re-admitted for something that had relapsed, and he was very down about having to be back in the hospital and getting treatment all over again."

That was until he saw Doctor Spiderman.

Suiting up does seem to give Thompson some special powers.

"We as residents and doctors, we don't actually spend a lot of time face-to-face with a patient. There's a lot of behind-the-scenes work, writing notes, putting in orders, reading about the patient, looking up all their lab values. So, we don't actually spend a lot of time in person with a patient and to have that time with them is a really cool thing."

And just like Spidey, she can joke around, but she understands the reality of being a hero.

"'With great power comes great responsibility,' just like the quote in the movie, is a quote that I live by too."

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