Dear PES Members,
As 2024 draws to a close, we have things to celebrate, things to look forward to, and things to ponder.
In the celebration realm, many of us remember the wonderfully successful Annual Meeting we had in Chicago in May of 2024; I look forward to even better meeting in 2025 at the Gaylord National Harbor Hotel. The Gaylord and the surrounding harbor is a spectacular place to have a meeting! The site offers ample spaces for networking and collaboration and for socializing with old and new friends.
I also want to celebrate the members (Todd Nebesio, Radhika Muzumdar, Tandy Aye, and Steve Mittelman) who put themselves forward and agreed to run for office this year. Congratulations to Tandy, who is our new President-Elect, and to Radhika, who is our new Director! I know they will represent members well on the Board of Directors, and I am looking forward to working with them in 2025. And thanks to Todd and Steve for volunteering; I know they would have served us well too.
And we should celebrate the efforts of our members as a whole. Did you know that PES has 17 committees, 13 SIGS, and 1 Action Team? Wow! Lots of PES activities and work done in 2024 to celebrate and volunteers to thank. I look forward to seeing even more output from these groups in 2025; if you would like to join one of these groups, please sign up here (SIGs, Committees). I also look forward to the improvements coming through a planned committee refresh that will be led by our highly capable President-Elect, Laurie Cohen. The updated Bylaws (which passed in 2024) allow us to refresh charters; Laurie also plans to review/update membership lists and leadership status of each group. Her efforts will help PES to function more efficiently and be more responsive to our members in 2025.
In the realm of things to ponder, the US subspecialty match results were released in early December. Our numbers are stable. Forty-eight percent of programs filled (vs 52% in 2023, 52% in 2022, 52% in 2021 and 48% in 2020) and 60% of our positions filled (vs 61% in 2023, 59% in 2022, 60% in 2021 and 62% in 2020). However, these numbers are down from those of ten years ago when we filled 70% of our programs and 75% of our positions. As I outlined in the October Newsletter, work force issues are one of our priority advocacy areas, and we have several wonderful leaders who continue to work to increase the attractiveness of our field. Pediatric endocrinology is a wonderful career!! We need to be sure learners hear that message early in training. Thus, I look forward to another successful PedsENDO Discovery Program at the 2025 Annual Meeting; funding has been secured for 60 participants (medical students, first- and second-year residents) interested in Pediatric Endocrinology; please nominate a deserving applicant here.
I close by wishing all of you Happy Holidays and the best for 2025. Please see below for news and many PES-related activities/opportunities. As always, read all the way to the end; there are many things happening! Remember too—now is the time to renew your PES membership for 2025!
Sincerely,
Mark Palmert, MD
Time to renew? Tis the Season… for holiday fun… AND PES dues renewal!
PES membership follows the calendar year, so don’t wait—renew your dues for 2025 by December 31, 2024, to enjoy uninterrupted access to your PES benefits.
Renewing is quick and easy: Visit https://pedsendo.app.neoncrm.com/login.jsp and log in with your PES membership credentials.
Click the “Renew” button in the top right corner to access the renewal page. While you’re there, take a moment to update your demographic information so we can continue tailoring programs and services to your needs.
Renew today to stay connected and take full advantage of exclusive PES membership benefits, including: Discounted registration for the Annual Meeting, Eligibility for grants and awards,
Opportunities to participate in Committees and Special Interest Groups, and more!
Don’t let your benefits lapse—renew now!
The Match
As mentioned above, the subspecialty match took place earlier this month. We are excited about the incredible people who matched with our programs and who will be training to become pediatric endocrinologists and entering our field. However, we also recognize the ongoing challenges related to filling needed positions around the country.
We have posted a list of unfilled positions on the PES website. Visit the website for a list of programs with vacancies, and please refer any potential candidates to the site. If you have a vacancy to post you can visit this page and complete the form and we will add your program: https://pedsendo.org/open-fellowship-positions-2/
In Memoriam: Felix A. Conte, MD 19335-2024
Dr. Felix Anthony Conte, a beloved, highly respected, and influential clinical pediatric endocrinologist, passed away on December 4, 2024, at age 89.
Read more about his career and life: In Memoriam – Felix A. Conte, MD 1935-2024 – Pediatric Endocrine Society
New QI Toolkit Now Online
The PES MOC/QI committee is excited to announce the development of a comprehensive Quality Improvement (QI) toolkit designed specifically for physicians. This toolkit offers a consolidated collection of available resources that will guide you on your QI journey.
The toolkit is divided into 4 sections that provide: 1) a list of helpful learning resources and tutorials to expand your knowledge of the QI process, 2) a guide on how to claim MOC Part 4 credit for QI projects that you have developed, 3) tips on how to access pre-existing MOC Part 4 modules for your participation and 4) a guide on how to publish your QI work.
We encourage you to explore the toolkit, leverage its resources, and engage in meaningful QI initiatives that will benefit both your practice and your patients.
Find the toolkit here: https://pedsendo.org/committee/moc-and-qi-committee/
Online Education
Session Title: A Day in the Life of a Pediatric Endocrinologist
Thursday, January 16, 2025, from 12:00-1:00 pm EST
Session Type: Student Endocrinology Exposure Development (SEED) Program
Description: A series of cases that a pediatric endocrinologist would see in a typical clinic day.
Learning objectives:
- Identify Common Pediatric Endocrine Disorders: Students will be able to recognize and describe the presentation, clinical features, and prevalence of the 4-5 most common pediatric endocrine disorders encountered in practice, such as diabetes mellitus, growth hormone deficiency, and thyroid disorders.
- Understand Diagnostic Approaches: Students will learn the key diagnostic criteria and laboratory investigations used in the evaluation of these conditions, enabling them to differentiate between similar presentations and formulate a preliminary diagnosis.
- Discuss Treatment Strategies: Students will be able to outline the evidence-based treatment options and management plans for each case, including pharmacological interventions, lifestyle modifications, and the importance of interdisciplinary care in optimizing patient outcomes.
Speaker: Abby Meyers, MD, Assistant professor of pediatrics and Attending in Endocrinology, Children’s National Hospital, George Washington University
Session Title: Fair Game? Sex and Gender Categorization in Elite Sports
hosted by the DSD SIG, Ethics SIG & Society of Pediatric Psychology DSD SIG
Thursday, January 23, 2025, at 1:00 PM EST
Description: The debate over the participation of athletes with sex and gender variations has become heated, often politicized, but rarely relying on science. This session will offer a reflection on the balance of fairness and inclusion in elite sports, information on the factors determining sex development and its variations (Differences of Sex Development-DSD) and how they may be relevant to sports performance, and a discussion on whether policy-making by sports authorities is or should be influenced by science.
Learning objectives:
- Understand the principles of biological sex determination in humans
- Understand the biological underpinnings of human Differences of Sex Development.
- Think critically about policies on sex and gender categorization in elite sports.
Speaker: Eric Vilain, MD, PhD, Associate Vice Chancellor, Scientific Affairs, Health Affairs, Director, Institute for Clinical and Translational Science, Professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine
Session Title: Who? What? When? Current approaches to nuclear imaging and radiotherapeutics for Pediatric Neuroendocrine Tumors
hosted by the TREND SIG
Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at 12:00 PM EST
Description: This session will focus on use of radioisotopes for imaging and treatment of neuroendocrine neoplasms.
Learning objectives:
- To describe common diagnostic uses for radioisotopes in evaluation of suspected/confirmed pediatric neuroendocrine neoplasms and to guide selection of isotopes
- To articulate therapeutic applications for radiopharmaceuticals in treatment of neuroendocrine tumors.
- To identify novel/emerging radioisotopes in the evaluation and treatment of pediatric NENs
Speaker: Lisa States, MD, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Industry Sponsored Symposium: From Referral to Resolution: Untangling the Diagnosis and Treatment of Lipodystrophy
Sponsored by Chiesi
January 29 at 6:00 PM EST
The educational webinar will be a brief case presentation by Dr. Nivedita Patni of a pediatric patient with Acquired Generalized Lipodystrophy. Dr. Patni will discuss the patient presentation, diagnosis, and management strategies she utilized as well as best practices in lipodystrophy. The 20-minute webinar will have the following objectives:
Learning objectives:
- To identify the hallmark clinical signs and symptoms associated with lipodystrophy syndromes
- To discuss the utilization of various tools to help establish a diagnosis for lipodystrophy
- To gain a practical understanding of the management of patients with lipodystrophy and key considerations for treatment
Speaker: Nivedita Patni, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics Division of Pediatric Endocrinology UT Southwestern Medical Center
Survey: Management of Adrenal Suppression in Youth Survey
EDI Spotlight: January is Poverty in America Awareness Month
Submitted by Luz “Lucy” Castellanos, MD
Learn more: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative – Pediatric Endocrine Society