In a new study presented by Vater et al at the ACR’s 2023 Pediatric Rheumatology Symposium, investigators revealed that about 36% of pediatric residency programs lack pediatric rheumatologists as well as the necessary resources to educate pediatricians on how to properly identify potential rheumatic diseases in their patients and refer them to specialists for early diagnosis and treatment, according to a report from Medscape summarizing the findings. The investigators emphasized that administering therapeutics early is often an integral factor in reducing disease burden and improving patient outcomes. They further stressed that the percentage of pediatric residency programs that do not have a pediatric rheumatologist hasn’t changed since 2004—illuminating a widespread shortage in the pediatric rheumatology workforce that has persisted for nearly 20 years. In the new study, the investigators examined 212 pediatric residency programs and discovered that the proportion of programs that had at least one pediatric rheumatologist on staff was 63%, and the proportion of programs that didn’t have one on staff was 36%. They concluded that these programs could develop learning objectives with essential information and strengthen the understanding of why residents may pursue rheumatology fellowships to bolster educational efforts and recruitment in pediatric rheumatology.
May 01, 2023