Even as early as the fourth grade, Pamela J. Okada, M.D., M.S., M.B.A., had a list of ambitious goals. One was to become a doctor determined to end cancer.

“I wanted to cure leukemia, marry Mark Okada, and perform in the USC Trojan Marching Band,” said Dr. Okada, who was inspired to become a pediatric oncologist after a family member died from cancer.

Although she ultimately decided against hematology/oncology as a specialty, she found a new purpose in pediatric emergency medicine. A nationally recognized expert in the field, Dr. Okada, Professor of Pediatrics, was recently named UT Southwestern’s Chief of the Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine.

Her decision to focus on pediatric emergency medicine followed an incident that occurred when she was a pediatrician in a Torrance, California, clinic.

“It was the end of the day when a new mom came to the clinic door with a blue baby not breathing in her arms,” Dr. Okada said. “I did mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, and soon the baby was crying.”

The experience led Dr. Okada to pediatric emergency medicine. “I just love it,” she said. “You never know what will come through the door.”

At UT Southwestern, Dr. Okada received advanced training through a pediatric emergency medicine fellowship. A Master of Science in Clinical Science degree at UTSW and healthcare management executive M.B.A. at UT Dallas’ Naveen Jindal School of Management followed. In 1996, she joined UT Southwestern as Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, combining clinical care with her passions for teaching and research.

Dr. Okada is the site Principal Investigator for a National Institutes of Health-funded study on headache assessment in children for emergent intracranial abnormalities and site co-Principal Investigator for the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network. She is also a co-Director for the nationally recognized PEMQBook Board Review Course. In addition, she has served as Associate Program Director for the UTSW Pediatric Residency Program and President of the Medical Staff at Children’s Medical Center Dallas.

In 2018, she earned UT Southwestern’s Patient and Family Recognition Award for delivering exceptional patient care.

In her new position, Dr. Okada hopes to build a culture of safety, reliability, and support for faculty at every stage in their careers, from junior faculty finding their voice to senior faculty continuing to lead, mentor, and grow. She believes that when teams feel empowered to speak up, listen, and work together, patients receive better care.

“My goal is to create an environment where people feel supported, where questions are welcomed, and where every family feels heard,” Dr. Okada said. “When we build that kind of culture, we give our patients the best chance for the best outcome.”

As for Dr. Okada’s early childhood goals, she did end up marrying her elementary school crush, Mark Okada, but never made the University of Southern California band. And although she has yet to cure cancer, she still has hope.

“I still believe in big dreams,” Dr. Okada said. “Life may take you in unexpected directions, but if you keep the patient and family at the center, you can make a difference. And who knows, maybe one of them will help cure cancer someday.”