Children get sick, are exposed to environmental dangers, or may have chronic conditions that put them at risk. Expert pediatricians take care of all these problems as well as meet the challenge of keeping caregivers as calm and informed as possible. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) is the oldest pediatric hospital in the United States and strives to be the world leader in healthcare for children and adolescents. Through the Department of Pediatrics, the most advanced pediatric primary and subspecialty care is delivered to children throughout the USA and around the world. CHOP not only treats patients first-hand, but also enables world-renowned faculty to share their knowledge and expertise with doctors around the world.
The OMI MEX Pediatric Emergency Medicine seminar was held from April 24 to 26, 2023 in Mexico City, Mexico. OMI faculty members who taught in Salzburg last fall shared the same curriculum this year in Mexico. Dr. Nicholas Tsarouhas, Attending Physician in Pediatric Emergency Medicine at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, who served as the course director for the 2022 Salzburg seminar, led the course. Additional CHOP faculty included Dr. James M. Callahan, Dr. Richard J. Scarfone, and Dr. Archana Verma.
Dr. Wolfgang Aulitzky, the OMI CEO, and Stephanie Faschang, Executive Director of the Salzburg Stiftung der American Austrian Foundation, were also present in Mexico the week of the course. They observed the seminar as well as attended an important meeting with the newly developed Mexican Medical Advisory Board to discuss the further development of the OMI MEX program. Dr. Callahan, a professor of clinical pediatrics as well as the Medical Director of CHOP’s Global Pediatric Education program, as well as Nancy Etzel, Director of Global Pediatric Education with the Department of Global Medicine at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, were present in Mexico for the week and instrumental in conversations about CHOP’s future involvement in the OMI MEX program.
An exciting schedule for the three-day seminar was prepared for the fellows, including 12 lectures that covered topics such as surgical emergencies, Kawasaki disease and mis-c, pediatric intubation technique, non-traumatic headaches, febrile young infant, transport medicine, and more. On Monday and Tuesday afternoons, 26 fellows presented cases from their personal work experience, in which faculty and fellows provided valuable input and feedback. Of those presented, four cases were selected by the faculty as excellent case presentations. Wednesday afternoon featured a special hands-on simulation training in a state-of-the-art simulation center at Tec de Monterrey that featured scenarios such as sudden infant death syndrome, septic shock, and trauma. Fellows were able to watch and learn from faculty, as well as discuss and practice their own skills.
The intense course concluded Wednesday afternoon with a closing ceremony in which fellows received their certificates of participation as well as were recognized for academic excellence or their excellent case presentations. It is clear that pediatric emergency medicine is a hot topic in Mexico, and we are thrilled that the OMI and AMSA could work together alongside OMI CHOP faculty to provide local Mexican physicians top of the line education and training!
