Children’s National Hospital appoints Steven L. Shein, MD, FCCM, as chief of Critical Care Medicine

Children’s National Hospital has named Steven L. Shein, MD, FCCM, as chief of the Division of Critical Care Medicine.

Dr. Shein joins Children’s National from Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, where he served as chief of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine and held the Linsalata Family Distinguished Chair in Pediatric Critical Care and Emergency Medicine. A nationally recognized clinician, researcher and educator, he brings deep expertise in advancing high-quality, evidence-based care for critically ill children. In addition, he will serve as the DC Lawyers Care for Children Professor of Critical Care Medicine at Children’s National.

“Dr. Shein is an exceptional leader whose vision, clinical acumen and commitment to innovation will elevate our Critical Care Medicine division to new heights,” said Ethan Leonard, MD, senior vice president for the Hospital Based Specialties (HBS) Center of Excellence at Children’s National. “His proven ability to foster collaboration, advance research and deliver compassionate, family-centered care will strengthen our mission and benefit children and families across the region and beyond.”

Over the course of his career, Dr. Shein has shaped the field of pediatric critical care through both practice and scholarship. At Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, he led the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and Pediatric Sedation Unit service lines. He also co-directed the PICU Fellowship and Research programs and championed initiatives to strengthen training, operational performance and multidisciplinary collaboration. He completed extensive leadership training through the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs.

A prolific researcher, Dr. Shein has authored more than 120 peer-reviewed manuscripts and numerous book chapters. He co-founded BACON (Bronchiolitis: Advancing Care and Outcomes Network), the bronchiolitis research subgroup of PALISI — the world’s largest PICU research consortium. He has served as an invited expert on multiple national and international efforts focused on acute respiratory failure, including the Pediatric Acute Lung Injury Consensus Conference and the American Academy of Pediatrics’ HIFLO initiative. His contributions have earned him recognition as a fellow of the American College of Critical Care Medicine, designation as a University Hospitals Distinguished Physician and multiple Presidential Citations from the Society of Critical Care Medicine.

“I’m honored to join Children’s National and lead such a talented and mission-driven team,” said Dr. Shein. “Together, we have an extraordinary opportunity to expand access to world-class critical care, accelerate discovery through collaborative research and shape the future of pediatric critical care delivery for children everywhere.”