AAP Committees - COMMITTEE ON PEDIATRIC WORKFORCE

The Committee manages issues pertaining to the supply, requirements, demographics, and geographic distribution of general pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists. Topics and trends that shape the pediatrician workforce include the funding of graduate medical education (GME), international medical graduates, culturally effective care, workforce diversity, and the growing number of women pediatricians in the workforce. The COPW uses its analyses of these issues as a basis for formulating the Academy's workforce policy, as well as AAP responses to government agencies, regulatory bodies, and health care organizations on physician workforce issues.

Most recently, the COPW has published its revised statement on enhancing the diversity of the pediatrician workforce. This policy statement expands the treatment of workforce diversity beyond the traditional realms of race and ethnicity to include cultural attributes such as language, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, and physical disability. The statement was designed to serve as a companion piece to the Committee’s statement on the provision of culturally effective pediatric care. In October 2006, the Committee also published its revised policy statement on the prevention of sexual harassment. The Committee is currently revising policy statements on the financing of graduate medical education and on the nondiscrimination of physicians and patients in the health care environment. A list of the AAP policy statements authored by the COPW is provided below.

In addition to policy statement development, the Committee is working with external organizations, such as the American Medical Association, on advancing a wide range of issues, including workforce diversity, reentry into the physician workforce, and the distribution of general pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists, particularly in rural communities. The Committee has consequently developed a set of data, policies, and other resources to inform the discussion of policymakers, medical organizations, and other stakeholders in physician workforce issues. Of particular note are the series of fact sheets on pediatric subspecialties and PowerPoint presentations from the Committee’s recent meetings, which are posted below. I encourage you to check the Committee's web page frequently for new resources and updates on the Committee’s work.

COPW Members, 2007 - 2008

Beth A. Pletcher, MD, Newark, NJ, Chairperson
William T. Basco, MD, Charleston, SC
Luisa I. Alvarado-Domenech, MD, Coto Laurel, PR
Andrew J. Hotaling, MD, Section Representative, Maywood, IL
Gail A. McGuinness, MD, Liaison, American Board of Pediatrics
Mary E. Rimsza, MD, Scottsdale, AZ
Scott A. Shipman, MD, MPH, Hanover, NH
Richard P. Shugerman, MD, Seattle, WA
Rachel Wallace Tellez, MD, MS, Washington, DC

COPW Issue Discussions
At each meeting, the Committee sets aside time to hold one or more issue discussions on topics that are integral to the pediatrician workforce. Provided below are the links to the Powerpoint presentations from September 2007 meeting.

The Committee on Pediatric Workforce is managed through the AAP Division of Workforce and Medical Education Policy. For additional resources related to GME and physician workforce issues, please visit the Division's Web page.

Holly J. Mulvey, MA, COPW Principal Staff
Director
Division of Workforce and Medical Education Policy
800/433-9016, x7915
hmulvey@aap.org

Ethan Alexander Jewett, MA
Senior Health Policy Analyst
Division of Workforce and Medical Education Policy
800/433-9016, x7914
ejewett@aap.org