Bridging Theory and Practice in Pediatric Emergency Medicine

According to Parents magazine, CHOP is the number 1 pediatric hospital in the United States for emergency medicine, and it is consistently ranked among the top 3 pediatric hospitals in the world. Beyond the hospital, the division of emergency medicine at CHOP leads innovative research in the field in partnership with the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN), the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Collaborative Research Committee (PEM CRC), and the Pediatric Emergency Research Networks (PERN), developing rigorous collaborative work and promoting dialogue among specialists throughout the globe.

Such expertise was brought to Mexico City under the leadership of Dr. Joseph Zorc, professor of pediatric emergency medicine, director of emergency information systems, and medical director of analytics for CHOP. According to Dr. Zorc, the seminar achieved one of the highest levels of fellow engagement he has ever experienced in the OMI. Combining lectures, workshops and discussion sessions, the seminar created a space for collaboration reflecting on separate contexts of pediatric medical care in Latin America, where 40 fellows from Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico actively participated.

Summarizing the course schedule, Dr. Zorch shared: “We covered key topics of acute care for ill and injured children, including airway management and respiratory illness, acute cardiac disease, and neurologic disorders including altered mental status and status epilepticus. We explored the evidence around management for common acute childhood illnesses including anaphylaxis, head injury and poisoning.”

The program was designed to cover comprehensive lectures followed by hands-on training sessions on the last day, when fellows were divided into different groups to practice the techniques they have learned. Dr. Zorc completes: “We had a truly high degree of engagement from the fellows in our interactive sessions on visual diagnosis and the case presentations, which covered a range of interesting conditions. We all participated in an excellent simulation session on resuscitation and trauma topics in a state-of-the-art center in Mexico City”.

From CHOP, Dr. Pamela Fazzio, Dr. Kevin Osterhoudt, and Dr. Mamata Senthil joined Dr. Zorc as faculty members. As local lecturers were Dr. Diana Guerrero, and Dr. Karla Solís from Mexico City.

Concluding the seminar, we reflect on the impact of collaborative work. As conveyed by Dr. Fernanda Argote, OMI MEX fellow from Colombia, “opportunities like this are not easily accessible, and it was truly inspiring to exchange knowledge with international experts. The seminar inspired me to continue growing as a pediatrician and reminded me of the importance of teamwork and continuous education.”

The OMI echoes Dr. Argote’s words as we proudly conclude this seminar and walk towards the end of OMI MEX 2025. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the faculty from CHOP, Mexico, and to all fellows for their active participation leading to the program’s success. Here’s to new fruitful stories!