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.