Dear Colleagues and Friends,

I am excited and proud to share with you the new Department of Pediatrics Annual Report, which highlights some of the wonderful contributions that our talented and dedicated faculty have made to clinical care, research and education.

As you follow the links in the report, you will read about some of our treasured leaders and their historic careers while also reading about our newest, emerging leaders in the Department of Pediatrics who have taken the reins over various subspecialties, faculty groups or systemwide initiatives. You will read more about our innovative approaches to training future generations of pediatricians while also having a glimpse into the world-renowned clinical care being performed outside the hospital walls, in our local communities and globally.

According to the Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center at the National Institutes of Health, rare diseases impact over 30 million people in the United States. In this year’s report, you will read about a groundbreaking research initiative at Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine that aims to uncover the genetic causes of these rare diseases.

Texas Children’s is home to a specialized 14-bed Pediatric Neuro-Intensive Care Unit (Neuro-ICU) located in the Lester and Sue Smith Legacy Tower. Here, a team of skilled physicians, nurses and ancillary specialists are devoted to providing expert care in this complex intensive care subspecialty. While neurocritical care units are common for adults, comprehensive units dedicated to children remain rare. Our report will introduce you to some of our leaders who have made this all possible.

The department was recently awarded a five-year, $1.3 million Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics (DBP) Training Grant as part of a national initiative to expand access to evaluations and services for children and adolescents with developmental disabilities. Funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration/Maternal Child Health Bureau, Baylor is one of only 13 recipients nationwide and the sole recipient in Texas. You can find about more about how this grant will support our efforts to recruit and train a diverse workforce to address the full spectrum of child development needs.

These highlights represent just a fraction of the exceptional talent and achievements that make our department extraordinary. I encourage you to explore the report, celebrate our progress and join me in feeling incredibly proud of the work our colleagues and friends have accomplished.

Wishing you all the best,

Lara Shekerdemian, MD, MHA
Ralph D Feigin Chair, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine
Pediatrician-in-Chief, Texas Children’s Hospital