Spring has arrived and much is stirring at PES. Finishing touches of our Strategic Plan for the next 5 years is near completion, thanks to President-Elect Mark Palmert. Preparations for the meeting continue and current registration is comparable to where we were last year at this time. An active DISCOVERY program is planned, and other finishing touches are underway. In short, we are looking forward to an exciting gathering in Chicago.
One major focus of the Society has been on enhancing the pipeline for future endocrinologists, and the Training Committee has been our society’s umbrella for coordination of Fellowship Training Activities. The committee is under the skilled and determined leadership of Reema Habiby.
Reema Habiby
This year Reema has spearheaded several important activities, and in particular, addressing concerns about workforce shortages both in pediatric endocrinology and pediatrics in general. To this end the committee has:
- Met with CoPS (Council of Pediatric Specialties) and AMSPDC addressing the low numbers of medical students entering pediatrics, resulting in a smaller pool for all pediatric subspecialties to draw from. Increasing pediatric exposure at the medical school (or earlier) levels has been explored, and impacted some of our programs, like DISCOVERY.
- Constructed and distributed a survey on the member’s opinions regarding the structure of fellowship, with results currently being analyzed
- Held a virtual session with Dr. Suzanne Woods from ABP to discuss potential changes to length of training. Uniform training length across all US programs, and overwhelming support from PES members would be required; scholarly project criteria for certification would remain in effect
- Scheduled a webinar (April 5) with Drs. David Turner and Laura Page: “Competency-Based Medical Education and Entrustable Professional Activities in Pediatric Endocrinology”
Many thanks to Reema her dedicated leadership, and the entire committee for these endeavors.
In view of the workforce pipeline issues, the Endocrine Society has engaged us to in a novel program directed to medical students. The Medical School Engagement Program (MSEP) is a new way to pique medical student interest in endocrinology and to recognize the best and brightest with opportunities to engage with leaders in our field. More information is available at the link above.
The Soft Bones Foundation (softbones.org) which supports patients with hypophosphatasia(HPP) seeks our help to identify any pediatric endocrinologists who currently treat, or are interested in treating HPP patients. Soft Bones is experiencing an unprecedented number of inquiries from new patients looking for doctors in various geographical locations. If you are interested in being listed on the Soft Bones physician and are accepting new patients, please contact Charlene Waldman at waldmancharlene234@gmail.com. Soft Bones greatly appreciates your participation in its efforts to assist patients in finding treatment.
NIH: the NIH has recently released its annual update on NIH application, award, and success rate data for FY 2023. For the latest, see: https://nexus.od.nih.gov/all/2024/02/21/fy-2023-by-the-numbers-extramural-grant-investments-in-research/
In debt and looking for a job?: consider that some employers may offer incentives in the way of payback programs. See: https://www.ama-assn.org/medical-residents/medical-residency-personal-finance/say-goodbye-physician-residency-and-medical
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GH Shortages:
Novo Nordisk has reported that the supply of daily GH has increased, specifically of the 10 mg and 15 mg pen strengths. There will be a temporary discontinuation of the 30 mg pens.
In terms of the long-acting growth hormone, both the Sogroya® 5mg and 10mg pen strengths are available. The 15mg pen strength of Sogroya® is expected to return in May.
For more detailed information and a copy of the full Novo Nordisk update, click here.
Best,
Tom Carpenter, MD
Annual Meeting highlights: visit our website for up-to-the minute information with relevant details and deadlines! Not too late to register!
Pediatric Endocrine Society (neoncrm.com)
Thank you to our 2024 Annual Meeting Sponsors for your Generous Support!
We extend our heartfelt appreciation to our sponsors for their generous support of the 2024 Annual Meeting.
We encourage all attendees to explore the Exhibit Hall, where you can uncover cutting-edge advancements in product development and innovative solutions. Moreover, it’s an excellent opportunity to forge meaningful connections with our industry partners.
Once again, thank you for your invaluable support. Together, we are shaping the future of pediatric endocrinology! Take a look at who will be joining us in Chicago: 2024 Annual Meeting Exhibitors and Sponsors – Pediatric Endocrine Society (pedsendo.org)
New Meds and Tech: EVKEEZA©
In March 2023, the FDA extended the approval of Evinacumab (EVKEEZA©) to children 5-11 years with familial homozygous hypercholesteremia. Evinacumab had been previously approved for 12 and older (2021), as an add-on treatment in children and adolescents with familial homozygous hypercholesteremia. Evinacumab is a monoclonal antibody which blocks angioprotein-3 activity which targets hepatic and endothelial lipase and causes LDL-C reduction by enhancing VLDL-C clearance. Evinacumab is given as an infusion at 15 mg/kg over one hour every 4 weeks. The common adverse effects include dizziness, flu-like symptoms, nausea and pain in extremities. Evkeeza can potentially affect the fetus therefore appropriate counseling and monitoring are recommended.
Read more: https://pedsendo.org/new-meds-and-tech/evkeeza/
2024 Travel Grants Deadline: March 29, 2024
PES is pleased to offer Fellows presenting at the PES Annual Meeting the opportunity to win Travel Grants.
Eligible applicants fall under the following categories:
- Applicants are eligible if they are a fellow in April 2024 and if they are PES member at the time they apply.
- They have had an abstract accepted for oral or poster presentation at PES.
- They have no other external source of travel funding.
- Applicants meeting these criteria will be entered into a random drawing (number of grants and the amount TBD)
Successful applicants will be notified of award after the abstract selections have been communicated after the deadline: Deadline: Friday, March 29, 2024
Apply here: https://pedsendo.org/2024-travel-grant-application/
Online Education
SIG: State of the Art: Turner syndrome SIG: Session Title Genetics of Turner syndrome: Beyond the classic 45, X
Wednesday, April 3, 2024, 5:00 PM EST
The webinar will provide a brief overview of the current genetic landscape of Turner syndrome with a focus on the clinical utility of different genetic tests and interpretations for the endocrine clinician.
Learning Objectives
- Discuss the new genetic guidelines for what meets the criteria for Turner syndrome (TS) and address the incidental diagnosis of TS
- Discuss the possibility of neonatal screening, the current utility of NIPT, and the role of different genetic testing modalities (karyotype, FISH, microarray, WGS, etc) in TS.
- Review mosaic TS and counseling re: low-level mosaicism, known genotype/phenotype correlations in TS, and co-occurrence of other genetic conditions with TS.
Speaker:
Melissa L. Crenshaw, M.D., FAAP, FACMG
Assistant Professor
Pediatrics Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Director
Medical Genetics Services Chief
Division of Genetics Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital
ABP Talk: Competency-Based Medical Education and Entrustable Professional Activities in Pediatric Endocrinology
Friday, April 5, 2024, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm EST
Competency-Based Medical Education and Entrustable Professional Activities in Pediatric Endocrinology
Learning Objectives:
- Define competency-based medical education (CBME) and Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs)
- Discuss the role of CBME and EPAs in improving education and assessment to advance child health in pediatric endocrinology
- Describe concrete examples of how to integrate the principles of CBME, including EPAs, into a pediatric endocrinology fellowship program
Speakers:
David A. Turner, MD
Vice President, Competency-Based Medical Education
American Board of Pediatrics
Laura C. Page, MD
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Duke University School of Medicine
EDI Cooking Club: PASSOVER ROLLS
submitted by Sharon Oberfield
Celebrate the rich cultural diversity of PES by exploring recipes from our global community.
In recognition of Passover celebrated April 22 through April 30 this year, we share this recipe for Passover Rolls. Find the Recipe here: PES Cooking Recipe Archive – Pediatric Endocrine Society (pedsendo.org)
EDI Spotlight: April is National Minority Health Month; Championing Diversity and Representation in Politics
Authored by Kara Connelly
Learn more: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative – Pediatric Endocrine Society (pedsendo.org)
Fellow Spotlight: Lexi Dias, MD
Meet Lexi: March Fellow Spotlight – Lexi Dias, MD – Pediatric Endocrine Society (pedsendo.org)
Historical Tidbit – Edward Schäfer (aka Sharpey-Schäfer) June 2, 1850 to March 29, 1935 and Endocrine Physiology
Submitted by Alan D. Rogol, MD, PhD