Pediatric rheumatologists are in high demand. In fact, a shortage of pediatric rheumatologists requires more than half of all U.S. children with rheumatic diseases seek care with adult rheumatologists, and this shortage is projected to increase.
For the past decade, the ACR’s Special Committee on Pediatric Rheumatology has worked to change this by bringing together the top pediatric rheumatologists in the country to explore creative ways to grow the sub-specialty and meet the unique needs of pediatric rheumatologists and their patients.
Jay Mehta, MD, MS, clinical director of the Division of Rheumatology at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and incoming chair of the ACR’s Special Committee on Pediatric Rheumatology, is eager to collaborate with his committee members to advance the important work of advocating for the pediatric specialty on behalf of the ACR. He spent the past three years serving on the committee before taking on his new role as chair.
“We have an incredible group of pediatric rheumatologists working together on this committee. My role as chair is to facilitate these people in doing great things for our practice and our patients,” Dr. Mehta says.
Priority No. 1: Exposure
After officially stepping into his position as committee chair in October 2018, Dr. Mehta’s first goal has been to brainstorm with the team and the ACR on the most critical needs of pediatric rheumatologists that the committee can support.
Given the shortage of pediatric rheumatologists in the U.S., the committee’s first goal has been to continue the work of exposing residents and fellows to the pediatric subspecialty.
“When you don’t have a lot of pediatric rheumatologists out there, it’s difficult for fellows to get exposed to this subspecialty,” Dr. Mehta notes.
To change this, the ACR holds an annual Pediatric Rheumatology Residency Program that allows residents interested in pediatric rheumatology, but undecided on their fellowship, to come to the ACR/ARP Annual Meeting to pair with a faculty mentor, engage in professional development education planned by the committee and network with pediatric rheumatologists. This residency program has proved successful, with roughly half of the participants pursuing the pediatric rheumatology specialty. Dr. Mehta and his colleagues are now planning for the residency program’s next class, which will come together later this year.
Joining Forces Within Pediatric Rheumatology
Within and beyond the ACR, Dr. Mehta says pediatric rheumatologists are enthusiastic, driven advocates for their patients. This year, he hopes to bring more of these advocates together by joining efforts with other groups, including the American Academy of Pediatrics’ section on rheumatology. “If we can pair up and tackle issues together, each of us can bring ideas [to the table so we can] be that much more effective.”
Within the ACR’s Special Committee on Pediatric Rheumatology, members are working together to advance pediatric rheumatology care in several ways. Committee members are working to refine a pediatric-to-adult care transition toolkit to help young patients with rheumatic diseases transition into adult care.
They are also creating new online patient fact sheets to post on the ACR’s website for pediatric rheumatologists to share with patients and families.
Sharing a Personal Passion for Treating Pediatric Patients
The same enthusiasm Dr. Mehta shares in connecting his colleagues shines through in his dedication to pediatric patients at CHOP.
“Early in my residency I was inspired by several young patients I remember vividly when working to diagnose their rheumatic disease. I was fascinated by the power of bringing together patient history, exam and lab work to diagnose what had been an unknown illness,” Dr. Mehta shares. “Coming into the profession as biologics were evolving was an exciting time, [giving me the ability] to change these children’s lives with treatment that offers them the chance to experience and enjoy their childhood.”
Through his practice and research, Dr. Mehta continues to understand the complexities and nuances of pediatric rheumatology to improve the lives of his young patients.
When Dr. Mehta is not caring for his patients and advocating for pediatric rheumatologists, he’s spending time with his family, including his 6-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son, and exploring all that Philadelphia has to offer.
Additional Resources
Learn about pediatric rheumatologist mentoring support through the ACR/CARRA Mentoring Interest Group for Pediatric Rheumatologists (AMIGO) program.
Carina Stanton is a freelance science journalist based in Denver.
