Heather Fagan, Designated Institutional Official (DIO) for Graduate Medical Education, Nemours Children’s Hospital Florida

April 2026 — In an interview with Invest:, Heather Fagan, pediatrician-in-chief at Nemours Children’s Hospital and chair of pediatrics for the combined Nemours Children’s Health and University of Central Florida College of Medicine, discussed the rapid growth of pediatric care infrastructure in Central Florida, the importance of innovation in academic-health partnerships, and the need to build a sustainable pipeline of pediatric specialists. “We are able to sort of move relatively rapidly because both of our teams are in that sort of growth phase,” she said, highlighting how the evolving partnership between Nemours and UCF enables flexibility and responsiveness to community needs.

What is your background and current role at Nemours?

I came to Nemours Children’s Health in 2014 from the University of Chicago, where I had been both a trainee and a faculty member for many years. I was recruited to help build the medical education infrastructure, which was the primary reason for coming.

My clinical background is in pediatric critical care, and that is the type of medicine I continue to practice. I’ve been at Nemours since August of 2014, so about 12 years now, during which we’ve seen incredible growth and change across the Central Florida region.

Currently, I serve as the pediatrician-in-chief of Nemours Children’s Hospital and the chair of the Department of Pediatrics for the combined Nemours Children’s Health and University of Central Florida College of Medicine.

How does the formalized UCF–Nemours Department of Pediatrics partnership differ from traditional hospital–medical school affiliations?

One of our greatest strengths is that both institutions are relatively new and still in a growth phase. That fosters a strong spirit of innovation. While we are bringing together healthcare and academic medicine, we are not bound by the same legacy structures seen in more traditional systems.

This gives us a unique opportunity to grow together, identify community needs, and build infrastructure collaboratively. It also allows for greater flexibility and faster adaptation compared to more established academic medical centers.

Because we are both evolving, there is an expectation that we will continue to change over one-, three-, five-, and even 10-year horizons. This enables us to respond quickly to clinical opportunities, research development, and population health challenges.

Additionally, this environment attracts high-caliber talent. Many physicians are drawn to the opportunity to build something new and address unmet needs in Florida, particularly given the size of the pediatric population and the historical gap in subspecialty care.

Ultimately, our shared mission is to ensure that every child in Florida has access to the same level of subspecialty care available anywhere else in the country.

How is Nemours aligning its footprint with Central Florida’s population growth?

Nemours has focused on meeting families where they live, work, and play. Rather than requiring patients to travel to a central hospital location, the goal is to extend subspecialty care into communities across the region.

As the population grows, especially in areas outside Greater Orlando, Nemours is expanding access to ensure care is available locally. While complex or inpatient care still takes place in Orlando, the broader strategy is to bring high-quality, specialized services into the community.

This approach reflects a commitment to accessibility and respect for families’ time and needs. It also aligns with Nemours’ broader mission across Florida, including expanding services into underserved areas and ensuring all children have access to care.

How are you training the next generation of innovative pediatric physicians, and how does the UCF partnership support that?

Nemours is deeply committed to developing the next generation of pediatric subspecialists. There is a national decline in medical students entering pediatrics, so early exposure is critical.

We work closely with UCF to integrate pediatric education early in the curriculum, providing mentorship and demonstrating the depth and impact of pediatric care. This helps counter misconceptions about the field and highlights both the professional fulfillment and clinical complexity involved.

We also focus on graduate medical education through residency and fellowship programs, which are essential for recruiting and retaining talent in Florida. Data shows that many physicians stay near where they complete their training, so building strong programs locally is key.

Additionally, trainees rotate through various Central Florida communities, helping them understand patient populations and encouraging long-term engagement in the region.

Nemours also plays a broader role by training residents from other specialties, such as emergency medicine and surgery, ensuring that physicians across the region are equipped to care for pediatric patients.

This comprehensive approach helps strengthen the pediatric workforce and supports Nemours’ mission to provide high-quality care to children across Florida.

Why is pediatric healthcare critical to Florida’s long-term success?

The long-term economic and social success of the state depends on healthy children. Pediatric care plays a crucial role in ensuring children grow into healthy, productive adults.

Factors such as early health, education readiness, and overall well-being directly influence graduation rates, workforce participation, and economic stability.

Pediatric healthcare systems are therefore not only supporting individual families but also contributing to the future strength of the state’s economy and workforce.

Want more? Read the Invest: Greater Orlando report.