University of Oklahoma Health Sciences College of Medicine, Chair, Department of Pediatrics

We are pleased to announce the appointment Michael Steiner, MD, MPH as chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine and clinical service chief of pediatrics at OU Health. Dr Steiner began his new role in December 2025.

In his dual roles, Steiner will lead the department’s clinical, research, and educational missions, advancing the University of Oklahoma’s academic health system and its commitment to excellence in pediatric care, innovation, and training.

Dr. Steiner joined OU Health from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, where he served as professor of pediatrics, executive vice chair of the Department of Pediatrics, and pediatrician-in-chief at UNC Children’s Hospital. Over nearly two decades, he led clinical, research, and educational programs that expanded access to care, strengthened statewide pediatric networks, and advanced health equity.

At the UNC School of Medicine, Dr. Steiner recruited more than 45 pediatric specialists, directed three clinical divisions, and developed a regional campus with more than 80 pediatric subspecialists. He also built more than 30 affiliated partnerships to extend pediatric outreach across North Carolina. His research, focused on improving care for children with medical complexity, has secured more than $20 million in external funding.

Dr. Steiner earned his medical degree from Temple University in Philadelphia. He completed a combined medicine and pediatrics residency at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Following residency, he served as a primary care physician with the National Health Service Corps in Lake Isabella, California. He then joined the faculty at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and the University of Southern California/Keck School of Medicine, where he completed a fellowship in Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND). In 2006, Steiner returned to UNC.

The full press release announcing Dr. Steiner’s appointment can be found here.

Ariannah Mirick and Jay Torio led this search with Nick Strand and Maddie Ruth.