Pediatric Emergency Medicine
The Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine provides service at the Emergency Department of Children's Health℠ Children’s Medical Center Dallas. The Dallas campus is the only level 1 pediatric trauma center in North Texas and is a major pediatric referral center for Dallas County and the surrounding region. We are one of the busiest pediatric emergency medicine clinical services in the country. Our annual pre-COVID volume is approximately 130,000 patients. The ED hospital admission rate is 20 percent with 40 percent of all hospital admissions coming through the ED.
Under the direction of Interim Division Chief Pamela Okada, M.D., M.S., M.B.A., the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Division plays a vital role in providing attending physician support, while serving as the primary pediatric emergency medicine educational site for numerous learners in the various stages of clinical training. The Division also sponsors the PEM Talks, providing CME for North Texas physicians and advanced practice providers and the largest board review course for Pediatric Emergency Medicine. The Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine is also engaged in editorial and authorship roles in the Fleisher and Ludwig 5 Minute Pediatric Emergency Medicine Consult and the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Question Review Book 2017.
In 2015 the Division launched a telemedicine program that connects community ED physicians with a pediatric emergency medicine specialist for consultation. The program has since expanded, and currently provides telemedicine service to 12 hospital emergency departments throughout Texas, 24 hours a day.
In 2019, the UTSW Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine became a member of the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN), the largest federally funded research consortium for Pediatric Emergency Medicine in the country. The Division also continues to present at meetings and publish innovative research studies to improve the emergency care of children.
The Emergency Department underwent extensive renovations which were completed in 2022.
Patient Care
We are an ACS-certified Level I pediatric trauma center providing trauma stabilization and resuscitation for serious and critical injuries. We also provide medical oversight and physician coordination for the Children's Medical Center Transport team and Dallas County EMS system (BioTel). We accept numerous referrals from many emergency departments within the Dallas County region, North Texas, and Oklahoma.
Research
The Pediatric Emergency Medicine Division (PEM) serves a diverse population with broad pediatric pathology and high acuity, providing an ideal environment for clinical research. Thanks to our excellent clinical service and focused research interests, the Division participates in many multicenter, national-, and international-level studies. Our team’s track record makes it one of the top enrolling sites for multiple studies. In 2019, the Division of PEM became a member of the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN), the largest federally funded research consortium for Pediatric Emergency Medicine in the country.
Faculty
Some of the country's brightest pediatric graduates enroll in the Division’s internationally recognized Emergency Medicine Fellowship Program, one of the oldest and largest of its kind in the United States. Teaching of fellows, residents, and medical students takes place at the bedside, and during lectures and interactive sessions.
Fellowships
Our ACGME-approved, three-year training program with graduated autonomy aims to produce physicians who are expert clinicians in the care of acutely sick and injured children, outstanding educators, competent researchers, and quality improvement specialists. Most of all, we seek out passionate advocates for children in the region.
Leadership
