U.S. News & World Report Best Children’s Hospitals
For the second year in a row, Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego has been named by U.S. News & World Report to its Best Children’s Hospitals Honor Roll, a distinction awarded to only 10 children’s hospitals nationwide. Rady Children’s has also been named by U.S. News as tied for the No. 1 pediatric hospital in California and the Pacific Region. Rady Children’s had five specialties rank among the top 10 in the nation (Cardiology & Heart Surgery #3; Orthopedics #5; Neurology & Neurosurgery #8; Diabetes & Endocrinology #9 and Urology #10) and maintained its eight-year streak of achieving rankings in all specialties surveyed.
Magnet Designation
Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego is proud to be a two-time American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet®-designated organization, first earning the honor in 2017 and achieving re-designation in 2021.
PICU Beacon Award 
Rady Children’s pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) has once again been honored with the Gold-level Beacon Award for Excellence by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses in both 2019 and 2022. Only four PICUs in California and 12 nationwide currently hold this prestigious designation. The Beacon Award is a testament to our team’s ongoing commitment to providing safe, patient-centered, and evidence-based care. By fostering a supportive and empowering work environment, our nurses and team members are able to deliver the highest quality care to patients and families.
Emergency Nurses Association Lantern Award
Rady Children’s has been awarded the 2024–2027 ED Lantern Award by the Emergency Nurses Association, recognizing excellence in leadership, practice, education, advocacy, and research. This prestigious honor highlights our team’s commitment to innovative, high-quality emergency care. In addition, Rady Children’s is proud to hold the designation as a Level I Pediatric Trauma Center, the highest possible distinction for pediatric trauma care. This reflects our 24/7 access to pediatric trauma specialists, comprehensive patient support services, and leadership in trauma research, prevention, and education.
Great Places to Work
Rady Children’s has been recognized as a Great Place to Work® for three consecutive years (2021–2024), a reflection of our employees’ trust and pride in the work we do together every day.
Cardiovascular Recognition
Rady Children’s Hospital Cardiovascular Heart Institute is an accredited Center of Pediatric Heart Care by the Children’s Cardiomyopathy Foundation. This designation recognizes excellence in diagnosing and treating pediatric cardiomyopathy, a rare and potentially life-threatening heart disease.
ELSO Center of Excellence Award – Gold Level
Rady Children’s Hospital ECMO program has been awarded the Center of Excellence Award – Gold Level by the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO). This honor recognizes the highest standard of care in extracorporeal life support, reflecting exceptional patient outcomes, quality systems, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
Cancer Center Designation
The Rady Children’s Hospital Peckham Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders is recognized as a National Cancer Institute (NCI) Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. This prestigious designation reflects excellence in cancer research, clinical care, prevention, and education — ensuring that patients receive the most advanced and comprehensive treatments available.