Medical Specialty Care in Dallas-Fort Worth

Dallas-Fort Worth's hospital systems carry federal and specialty-board designations most regions can't claim: the region's only NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center, Texas's original Level I trauma center, one of the nation's few American Burn Association-verified pediatric and adult burn centers, an internationally pioneering transplant program, and a pediatric surgery center in an elite national tier.

Every item on this page clears one bar: not commonplace, not everywhere. These are real, named resources with their actual verified designation or certification — not a generic "has a hospital" or "has a gym" list. We left out anything we couldn't independently verify or that didn't clearly clear that bar, the same honesty rule used throughout this site — a shorter, accurate list beats a padded one.

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NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center (since 2015) — only one in North Texas

Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center (UT Southwestern)

Simmons Cancer Center became an NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in 2015 and remains the only comprehensive cancer center in North Texas, one of just 57 such centers nationwide recognized by the National Cancer Institute for scientific leadership, research breadth, and community outreach.

Source: National Cancer Institute - Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center

Texas's first Level I Trauma Center (1983); ABA-verified adult and pediatric Burn Center

Parkland Health (Rees-Jones Trauma Center & Burn Center)

Parkland was certified in March 1983 as the first Level I Trauma Center in Texas by the American College of Surgeons. Its Burn Center was the first in North Texas verified by the American Burn Association for both adult and pediatric care, and is one of only a handful of centers nationwide verified for combined adult/pediatric burn fellowship training.

Source: Parkland Health - About the Trauma Center

First ongoing (non-clinical-trial) uterus transplant program in the world

Baylor University Medical Center Uterus Transplant Program

In December 2017, a Baylor University Medical Center patient gave birth to the first baby born in the United States following a uterus transplant. Baylor's program went on to become the first in the world to offer uterus transplants outside a research clinical trial, and by 2024 had performed more transplants than any program of its kind.

Source: TIME - "First Baby in U.S. Born Via Uterus Transplant at Baylor"

One of only 22 ACS-verified Level I Children's Surgery Centers in the U.S.

Cook Children's Medical Center

In 2020, Cook Children's in downtown Fort Worth became the only hospital in North Texas verified as a Level I Children's Surgery Center by the American College of Surgeons' Children's Surgery Verification program — a distinction held by just 22 of the more than 200 children's hospitals nationwide. Cook Children's also operates an ACS-verified Level II pediatric trauma center.

Source: Checkup Newsroom (Cook Children's) - "Cook Children's Becomes First Level I Children's Surgery Center in North Texas"