Texas Children’s pediatrics chief abruptly departs after 7 months in role

After just seven months, Dr. Catherine Gordon is no longer in her leadership posts at Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine. Mark A. Wallace, president and CEO at Texas Children’s, who initially hailed Gordon as “a gifted physician/scientist and renowned leader” upon her hiring, did not address Gordon by name in a news release. In a later statement, the hospital said she resigned. “We thank Dr. Gordon for her many contributions to Texas Children’s Hospital and our patients, and we wish her all the best in her next endeavors.” The role of chief pediatrician at Texas Children’s, the largest pediatric hospital in the nation, is traditionally linked with the chair of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine. Lori Williams, a spokesperson for the college, said Gordon remains a full-time faculty member, and referred all other questions to the hospital.

Dr. Lara S. Shekerdemian, who has served as the hospital’s chief of critical care, will take over the chief pediatrician role, according to the release. Dr. Gordon’s resignation follows the hospital’s decision to halt gender-affirming hormone therapy for transgender children in response to a controversial directive from Gov. Greg Abbott to investigate such treatments as child abuse. At the time, the hospital said the decision was made “to safeguard our healthcare professionals and impacted families from potential criminal legal ramifications.” The statewide directive, which was based on a nonbinding legal opinion, sent a chilling effect throughout the transgender community and put fear into the minds of healthcare providers who walk families through highly complex hormone treatment process. Dr. Gordon has aligned with American Academy of Pediatrics in being a vocal opponent of the state’s involvement in healthcare for transgender youth. In a March 31 article in Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Gordon wrote that she and her colleagues “were troubled by the potential negative impact of any threat to care on a population of patients known to be at the high risk for depression and self-harm.”