COUNCIL OF PEDIATRIC SUBSPECIALTIES (CoPS)

Council of Pediatric Subspecialties (CoPS) Mission CoPS integrates approaches to subspecialty education, research and patient care by providing a forum for members and other organizations and by serving as the common voice for the pediatric subspecialties Vision All pediatric subspecialties working together to ensure excellence in pediatric subspecialty medicine

Brief History Charged by AMSPDC, ABP, APPD, FOPO to address fellowship application process and interests of subspecialties Modeled after Internal Medicine’s Association of Specialty Professors (ASP) First meeting September 2006 Initial financial support provided by APPD and AMSPDC AMSPDC=Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs ABP=American Board of Pediatrics APPD=Association of Pediatric Program Directors FOPO=Federation of Pediatric Organizations ASP is the organization of specialty internal medicine divisions at medical schools and community teaching hospitals. It has 1,075 members representing 714 divisions and 97 medical schools and teaching hospitals and also has 14 societal members Now in 4th year of existence

Structure Bylaws approved April 2007 Six member Executive Committee Two representatives from each subspecialty field Liaisons from seven organizations Biannual meetings Chair=Vicky Norwood, MD Vice-Chair=James Bale, Jr, MD Biannual meetings: One “dedicated” work meeting in the fall; additional meeting at PAS

Representatives Academic General Pediatrics Adolescent Medicine Allergy & Immunology Cardiology Child Abuse Child Psychiatry Critical Care Dermatology Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics Endocrinology Emergency Medicine Gastroenterology Hematology-Oncology Infectious Disease Neonatology Nephrology Neurology Pulmonary Medicine Rheumatology Liaisons AMSPDC APPD AAP APA ABP APS/SPR FOPO See CoPS website for listing of subspecialty representatives. www.pedsubs.org

Accomplishments Fellowship application process IOM Duty Hours Report Surveyed fellows regarding ERAS/match Promoted use of ERAS Advocated for two pediatric subspecialty match dates IOM Duty Hours Report Commentary published in J Pediatr Formal position paper submitted to ACGME Invited presentation at ACGME Duty Hours Congress Position paper submitted to Pediatrics Survey conducted in 2007-data available on CoPS website under issues/fellowship application Efforts lead to: 5 additional subspecialties using ERAS 2 additional subspecialties using the match Two match dates, one in the fall, the other in the spring Commentary –joint response with other groups Reference: Brion, Neu, Adamkin, et al. Resident Duty Hour Restrictions: Is Less Really More? J Pediatr 2009;154:631-632 Position paper developed by CoPS. Currently in revision.

Accomplishments National Collaborative Efforts Joined Pediatric Workforce group Member of Organization of Program Director Associations (OPDA) Participant in Pediatric Educational Excellence Across the Continuum Conference Developed website (www.pedsubs.org) Created newsletters Pediatric Workforce Group includes Child Neurology Society, American Society of Pediatric Nephrology, AAP, the National Association of Children's Hospitals and CoPS Focus is pediatric workforce concerns OPDA=Organization of Program Director Associations Created in 2000 by the Council of Medical Specialty Societies comprised of 28 members representing each of the medical & surgical specialties recognized by the ACGME facilitates peer interaction and collaborative problem solving among program director associations PEEAC held in September 2009 CoPS Website=www.pedsubs.org Website contains information about CoPS history and structure, listing of representatives, issues, copies of newsletter, links Newsletter = “CoPS Communications”

Current Activities Communication Advocacy Ongoing enhancements to website Subspecialty descriptions to be added to website Biannual newsletters Advocacy Pediatric subspecialty loan repayment Improved Medicaid reimbursement Developing a formalized process for involvement in public policy affairs Subspecialty descriptions: each subspecialty will have a page describing what they do, career possibilities, lifestyle, how to apply, links to subspecialty website. Target mid-2010 Next newsletter: winter 2010 Loan repayment: joined with other groups to promote legislation to give reduced rates for loans to MDs who pursue a pediatric subspecialty Medicaid reimbursement: trying to equalize Medicaid payment for children’s care to that of Medicare

Current Activities Training/Professional Development Develop fellowship program director guide Promote common application process Develop curricula for career development, leadership and teaching Plan response to future revision of ACGME Duty Hours PD guide=Similar to that for Categorical PDs that is currently posted on ABP website. Common application process=encouraging other subspecialties to utilize ERAS/match Separate curricula for career development, leadership, teaching: share among subspecialties

How to Contact CoPS E-mail: info@pedsubs.org Website: www.pedsubs.org Subspecialty representative name/e-mail of subspecialty representative is on the CoPS website. 10