Our Mission
Through excellence, innovation, and collaboration, we will improve the health of all children and adolescents and reduce inequities by educating the pediatric and physician leaders of the future, advancing research, advocating for children, and providing the nation's best primary and specialty pediatric clinical care. In partnership with our health care and academic institutions, we are committed to a diverse and inclusive department in which faculty, staff, and trainees can reach their personal and professional goals in a collegial environment.
Welcome to Our Department
Our department is defined by a supportive, collaborative, and caring culture, rooted in the belief that diversity is our greatest strength. We have a rich history of advocacy and community engagement, championing child health with legislators, expanding care in rural and underserved areas, and partnering with schools, hospitals, public health agencies, and advocacy organizations.
We prepare the pediatric and physician leaders of tomorrow to succeed in a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape. With more than 670 faculty and over 230 pediatric residents and fellows each year, we foster a supportive environment where learners explore diverse pathways — including training in rural hospitals and community clinics — broadening their perspectives and shaping their careers.
Buoyed by Seattle’s world-class research community, our department facilitates an integrated clinical and research environment to rapidly translate discoveries into therapies for the children who need them most. We are a national leader in research spanning immunotherapy, infectious disease, genetics, oncology, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, behavioral health, and more.
Learn more in this letter from Department Chair, Dr. Leslie R. Walker.
Partners in Care
As the second largest department in the UW School of Medicine, we offer care in more than 20 pediatric specialties and serve the Northwest region at major affiliated hospitals – Seattle Children’s, UW Medical Center, and Harborview Medical Center – as well as in neighborhood clinics and regional hospitals. In addition, we are actively involved in clinical and training programs that span Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho, and internationally in Kenya.
Seattle Children’s is the primary teaching, clinical, and research site for Department of Pediatrics faculty, and the majority of physicians who practice at Seattle Children’s hold faculty appointments within the UW School of Medicine. We deeply value our partnerships with Seattle Children's and the Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Fred Hutch Cancer Center, and many other individuals and organizations locally, regionally, and internationally who share our vision of improving child health.