Pediatric hospitalists: report of a leadership conference.
OBJECTIVE
To summarize a meeting of academic pediatric hospitalists and to describe the current state of the field.


METHODS
The Ambulatory Pediatric Association sponsored a meeting for academic pediatric hospitalists in November 2003. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss and to define roles of academic pediatric hospitalists, including their roles as clinicians, educators, and researchers, and to discuss organizational issues and unique hospitalist issues within general academic pediatrics. Workshops were held in the areas of organization and administration, academic life, research, and education. A literature review was also conducted in the areas discussed.


RESULTS
More than 130 physicians attended. Thirteen workshops were held, and all information was summarized in large-group sessions for all attendees.


CONCLUSIONS
Pediatric hospital medicine is a rapidly growing field, with an estimated 800 to 1000 pediatric hospitalists currently practicing. Initial work has defined the clinical environment and has begun to stake out a unique knowledge and skill set. The Pediatric Hospitalists in Academic Settings conference demonstrated the audience for additional development and the resources to move forward.
Department of Pediatrics, Children's Research Institute, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226, USA. plye@mail.mcw.edu
Patricia S
PS
Lye
Daniel A
DA
Rauch
Mary C
MC
Ottolini
Christopher P
CP
Landrigan
Vincent W
VW
Chiang
Rajendu
R
Srivastava
Sharon
S
Muret-Wagstaff
Stephen
S
Ludwig
D020445:Hospitalists / Q000191:economics / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000191:economics / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration; D012106:Research