Previous Task Forces

 

Training/Professional Development
Charge: this group will develop educational materials and address issues that involve training and faculty development.

 

Current Activities: development of a fellowship program director's guide, promote a common application process and formulate curricula for teaching, career development and leadership.

 

Chair: Chris Kennedy (Emergency Medicine)
Fellowship Core Curriculum Task Force
Charge: Examine examples of core curricula and share these with the Council for possible dissemination to the membership

 

Co-Chairs: B Li (Gastroenterology)
Josef Neu (Neonatology)
Fellowship Core Curriculum Task Force
We have reviewed curricula that are used at several (5) institutions. A survey has gone out to all program directors to identify a fellowship curriculum coordinator if such exists at the institution. The plan is then to request from identified Subspecialty fellowship program director examples of their curriculum. We will ultimately select best case practices as examples for both clinical programs and programs that have emphasis on basic science research.

June 20, 2007 Conference Call

Legislative Affairs Task Force
Charge: will determine ways in which CoPS can be proactive in promoting child health and subspecialty activities.
(The term "advocacy" is used broadly here, meaning not just representing ourselves to Congress and state legislatures, or speaking out publicly when necessary, but also to insure our participation with other organizations that make decisions pertinent to our patients and our subspecialties. Developing a standing approach to advocacy would thus permit CoPS to anticipate issues of importance to us and to influence their resolution. Possibilities include: funding of pediatric research and GME, federal and state children's health care plans, pharmaceutical/device industry interactions with academic medicine, billing/coding/reimbursement/P4P, medical homes, etc.)
Interim Chair: Bill Schnaper (APS/SPR)

Advocacy Task Force Update (Oct 2009),

Conference Call Minutes (Sept 2008)

Combined Advocacy and Workforce Task Force

Communications Task Force
Charge: this group will address the core needs of our organization to communicate effectively with ourselves and them memberships of our constituent subspecialties. (Opportunities will include website development, needs assessments, strategies to increase effectiveness of communication. This group could benefit from members whose subspecialties have effective communications methods AND those that do not.)

 

Chair: Richard Mink (Critical Care)

Communications Task Force Update (Oct 2009)

Communications Task Force Minutes (Sept 2008)

January 2009 - First Edition of CoPS E-Newsletter (CoPS Communications)

Relationships with Regulatory Agencies Task Force
Charge: this group will field and address requests for action from the ABP, APPD, AMSPDC, AAP, and others. (Current requests include provision/enhancement of educational materials, subspecialty involvement in the development of medical homes and transition to adult care, and leadership development.)

 

Chair: Chris Kennedy (Emergency Medicine)
Regulatory Agencies Task Force

Regulatory Agencies Task Force Update (Oct 2009)

Pipeline/Reimbursement Task Force
Charge: this working group will address issues of fellow and faculty recruitment, retention, and promotion that dramatically affect both the delivery of patient care and the development of future pediatric clinician-scientist-teachers.

 

Chair: Christopher Harris (Pulmonology)
Fellowship Application Process Task Force
Fellowship Start Date
Charge: Graduating residents are under contract until June 30 and may be assigned patient care responsibilities up until this date. Yet, those pursuing subspecialty training are often expected to begin their fellowship on July 1 and for graduating residents that must relocate to another geographical region, this poses a significant hardship. Many are also required to attend fellowship orientation while they are still residents. These issues force programs and trainees to make difficult decisions, potentially jeopardizing patient care and disregarding contractual obligations.

The charge of the Fellowship Start Date Action Team is to examine the current start date for fellowship training and to make specific recommendations as to how this transition could be improved to eliminate these issues. Additionally, the Group should propose a strategy to accomplish this.

Current Activities: The Action Team should present their recommendations by October, 2014.

Chair: Richard Mink (Critical Care)

Final Recommendations of the Fellowship Start Date Action Team 10-3-14

Fellowship Start Date Survey Data of Residents and Fellowship Program Directors 10-3-14

Fellowship Readiness
Charge: Fellowship Program Directors have some concerns about the readiness of resident trainees entering pediatric subspecialty training programs. In addition, changes to the ACGME requirements allow the resident curriculum to be tailored to the career plans of the trainee. This Action Team will determine the specific qualifications or characteristics that make a resident better prepared to enter a pediatric subspecialty training program.

The Action Team will also suggest a career-focused curriculum that could be utilized by categorical program directors to better prepare residents planning a subspecialty career. At a minimum, input from fellows-in-training, recent graduates and fellowship PDs, as well as other relevant stake holders, should be obtained in the accomplishment of these goals.

 

Chairs: Mel Heyman (Gastroenterology)
Debra Boyer (Pulmonary Medicine)

Final recommendations for the Fellowship Readiness Action Team

We have focused on the possibility of a common offer/match date. In that light, we have utilized the resources of CoPS and the ABP to survey the current fellow pool of all subspecialities to assess their wishes regarding a match. Included in our survey are questions regarding: 1) the use of ERAS and what release date should be chosen and 2) should there be a match date and if so, which of two dates should be utilized.

Survey of Fellows Regarding Match and ERAS (Released May, 2007)

Match Timeline (Created May, 2007)

May 2007 Presentation/Update

Report and Final Recommendations (11/2007)

Chart for Match/ERAS (Sept 2008)

 

Transition Committee
Description coming soon!