This month underscores the need for strong advocacy. The pediatric endocrinology match filled only 34% of programs and 49% of positions, reflecting a continued decline in applicants. A contributing factor includes lower reimbursement rates for pediatrics and pediatric endocrinology. Approximately half of U.S. children rely on Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for health coverage compared to only 15% of U.S. adults on Medicaid, while Medicaid pays less than Medicare. This year, there was also a significant decrease in foreign applicants. Pediatric endocrinology remains one of the lowest-paying subspecialties, yet its impact on children is vital. As John F. Kennedy said, “Children are the world’s most valuable resource and its best hope for the future.” We need to keep them healthy.
Recent policy proposals add to the challenge: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services seeks to restrict Medicaid and CHIP coverage for gender-affirming care, and a House bill would criminalize such care. These measures threaten access and undermine physicians’ commitment to patient dignity and informed decision-making. Meanwhile, HHS plans to revise the childhood vaccine schedule without strong evidence, even as vaccine-preventable disease rates rise.
Despite these hurdles, let’s take time for family and self-care this season. Working together, we can make 2026 a year of progress. 
Laurie E. Cohen, MD
President, PES Board of Directors
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.
- Open fellowships: 2026 Open Fellowship Positions - Pediatric Endocrine Society Visit the website for a list of programs with vacancies, and please refer any potential candidates to the site.
- Do you have a vacancy? If you have a vacancy to post, you can visit this page to complete the form, and we will add your program: Open Fellowship Positions - Pediatric Endocrine Society
Congratulations to the PES 2026 Laureate Award Winners!
- Van Wyk Award: Sharon Oberfield, MD
- Senior Investigator Award: Desmond Schatz, MD
- New Investigator Award: Jia Zhu, MD
- Educator Award: Lisa Topor, MD, MMSC
- Outstanding PES Mentor: Steve Mittelman, MD, PhD
- Clinician Award: Wassim Chemaitilly, MD
Online Education
Plan your professional development in the new year now! Click here to access the events Calendar and register for the many education webinars we host: Events for January 2026 – Pediatric Endocrine Society
State of the Art: Lipid SIG Pediatric Hypertriglyceridemia: Case-Based Algorithms
Thursday, January 8 I 7:00-8:00 PM ET
Learning objectives:
- Evaluate hypertriglyceridemia by severity and align first-line interventions with each tier.
- Illustrate a risk-stratified algorithm that matches interventions to underlying pathophysiology
- Distinguish monogenic severe hypertriglyceridemia from multifactorial/polygenic causes and tailor therapy accordingly.
Speaker: Ambika P. Ashraf MD, FAAP, FNLA
PES Endo365 Webinar: Career Pathways for Pediatric Endocrine Fellows
Tuesday, January 20 I 3:00-5:00 PM ET
Learning Objectives:
- Describe the career pathways available after endocrine fellowship
- Identify what career pathway/s match your skills, values, and interests.
- Evaluate two possible career paths and the next steps needed via networking with professionals at various stages of a career in that track (clinician-scientist (basic/clinical), clinician-educator, industry, private practice)
Speakers & Moderators:
- Nidhi Bansal, Baylor College of Medicine,
- Kanthi Bangalore Krishna, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
Quarterly Education Committee Webinar: Updates in the Treatment of Hypoparathyroidism
Monday, January 26 I 4:00–5:00 PM EST
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the role of parathyroid hormone and the calcium-sensing receptor in mineral metabolism and how derangements can lead to hypocalcemia
- Understand the use of conventional therapy for the treatment of hypoparathyroidism and its limitations
- Understand mechanism of novel therapeutics for the treatment of hypoparathyroidism
Speaker: Rachel I. Gafni, MD, FASBMR
State of the Art: Hypoglycemia SIG: Demystifying the Fasting Test
Tuesday, January 27 I 5:00-6:00 PM ET
Learning Objectives:
- To review the indications for diagnostic, safety, and cure fasting tests
- To outline the differences between diagnostic, safety and cure fasting tests
- To review the interpretation of data obtained during diagnostic, safety and cure fasting tests
Speakers: Katherine Lord, MD, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Paul Thornton, MD, Cook Children’s Medical Center
Clinical Evaluation, Care, and Communication for Infants with a Suspected DSD and their Families: An Education Module Created by the PES DSD SIG Education Subcommittee
We are excited to announce the publication of our educational webinar geared to clinicians caring for infants with a suspected difference of sex development. This would also be helpful for pediatric and family medicine trainees, including residents and fellows. The publication of this webinar represents the hard work of the Education Subcommittee of the DSD SIG led by Drs. Gupta and Bansal. Thanks to the whole team!
You can access the course on the link below by creating a free account on the OpenPediatrics Scholars platform. Please disseminate it widely! We are hoping to support our patients in the early days of their experience parenting an infant with DSD.
CITATION: Gupta M, Bansal S, Barker J, Brady C, Davies A, Diaz-Thomas A, Finlayson C, Gibson C, Marks A, Rutter M, Speiser PW, Stred SE, Timme K, Whitehead J. Differences in Sex Development. 12/2025. OPENPediatrics Scholar.
Online Course: https://learn.openpediatrics.org/learn/courses/5902/differences-in-sex-development.
Announcing the Agreement for Acquisition of Karger Publishers by Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press (OUP) has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Karger Publishers. OUP is one of the oldest and largest university press publishers in the world and is a department of the University of Oxford. Karger Publishers will become part of the wider OUP organization, bringing together a shared commitment to quality and scholarly integrity, and extending the reach and impact of Karger’s leading academic and research publishing in medicine and health sciences. We want to reassure you that this development will not affect our day-to-day operations or the services and benefits that PES and its members receive through the affiliation with “Hormone Research in Paediatrics”.
In Memoriam: David T Wyatt, MD 1949-2025
In Memoriam – Dr. David T. Wyatt 1949 – December 6, 2025 - Pediatric Endocrine Society
Historical Tidbit - Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (March 8, 1841 to March 6, 1935)
American Jurist and Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Stated
Submitted by Alan D. Rogol, MD, PhD