Grace Under Pressure
Every Minute Counts in an Emergency

In a place where seconds count, Joan Shook, M.D., is in her element. In fact, the high-energy medical director of Texas Children's Gordon Emergency Center admits there is no place she would rather work.

"It really suits my personality," Shook said. "I like the excitement and multiple lines of stimulation. Every day is different. Actually, no two hours are ever the same. With someone who has an attention span as short as mine, it's a good match."

Without a doubt, the emergency center offers both variety and challenge to the accomplished physician, who also is the hospital's patient safety officer.

"We see about 70,000 patients a year who have every problem you can imagine - from the least acute illness to the most complex," said Shook, who also is associate professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine.

Even with the center's large clientele, Shook has worked to provide personalized care since taking over as director in 1989.

"One thing I'm proud of is that our emergency center is tailored to meet the needs of children and families," she said. "We truly provide a service that is unparalleled, and it has been a great source of joy to watch that grow over the years."

A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Shook received her Bachelor of Science degree in human biology in 1976 from Brown University.

In 1981, she was awarded a medical degree from the University of Cincinnati before arriving at Texas Children's Hospital for Baylor College of Medicine's pediatric residency training program.

Even as a fellow with a hectic schedule, Shook found time to earn a master's degree in business administration in 1986 from the University of Houston.

"I was the first physician to go through an executive MBA program at UH, and they weren't really sure what to do with me," she said. "My classmates worked in mid-level management positions, and it was a very bright, accomplished group. I got to see what their world was like and they, of course, got plenty of free medical advice."

Today, patients reap the benefits of Shook's diverse expertise.

"Competing for resources in this era of health care revolution can be frustrating and irritating," she said. "We help families negotiate a lot of different issues. Often we need to stand back and ask, 'What's good for this child?'"

One of the highlights of Shook's job is interacting with other emergency care professionals.

"We have the largest emergency medicine fellowship training program in the state," she said. "We work with Baylor pediatric residents and outside emergency room residents who want to spend time at Texas Children's."

Shook, a mother of three who is married to infectious disease specialist Jeffrey Starke, M.D., had one of her own greatest learning experiences when one of her children was injured. Her husband calmed her, repeating the words and processes Shook goes through many times a day.

"As a mom and one who has been through the experience, I have an understanding of what every parent feels when a child is sick, no matter how minor the injury or illness," she said. "To each parent, their child is the most important in the world, and that's how we want them to feel at Texas Children's."

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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