Steven Pochop Jr., DNP

Bio

Steven grew up in Wayne, Nebraska, a small town with a population of just over 5,000 people. When he was 12, he moved to the vibrant city the French call the "red stick," or Baton Rouge, where he discovered a love for cooking phenomenal Cajun cuisine.

His journey into healthcare was inspired by his family of nurses. After high school, he joined the U.S. Navy, working with Tomahawk and Harpoon weapon systems. When he would return home on leave, he could never get a word in edgewise amongst his medically minded family, so he decided to become medical-minded as well! Steven started as a pediatric nurse in general pediatrics and then in the pediatric intensive care unit. Intrigued by how to assess and diagnose patients, he pursued his doctorate in nursing practice in pediatrics and family care through the Navy.

Becoming a pediatric nurse practitioner was no accident; Steven's love for children blossomed from being part of a large family with five sisters and brothers. The opportunity to impact a child's life deeply affects their entire family, which is incredibly rewarding.

He chose to work at CHKD because it is the flagship of pediatric medicine in Virginia, and he wanted to be part of something truly special. Thankfully, they were able to look past his corny sense of humor and dad jokes and welcomed him onto their team!

At home, Steven is a proud single father to my amazing son, who is named after him. As the third "Steve" in the line, Steven nicknamed his son Tripp for "triple". Tripp teaches him something new every day, reminding him to see the world with a purity and grace that Steven hopes to reflect in his work. His family also includes three beautiful English chocolate labs: Knox, Liberty Belle ("Berty"), and Henrietta Freedom ("Henri"). They definitely keep him on his toes, and you'll have to ask him about the two girls sometime—it's a good story!