President’s Corner: The ACR & Pediatric Rheumatology

My first exposure to pediatric rheumatology came during my adult rheumatology fellowship, when pediatric rotations were part of our curriculum. This experience brought home for me the many differences between childhood and adult rheumatic diseases and the important role pediatric rheumatologists play in patient outcomes. This role has long been appreciated by the ACR/ARP, where a range of initiatives support pediatric rheumatologists and rheumatology professionals.

Increasing the Workforce

The main challenge faced by pediatric rheumatologists lies in the numbers. It is estimated that juvenile rheumatic disease affects more than 300,000 children. Although the demand for pediatric rheumatologists has already surpassed the supply, this is projected to worsen by 2030. Families who have a child with a rheumatic illness may have to travel long distances to receive care. The ACR seeks not only to improve numbers, but also to bring training programs into areas of unmet need by collaborating with institutions and communities to develop new fellowships. Since 2023–24, three pediatric training programs have received accreditation, and one new pediatric program will launch in 2025–26.

Committees

Committee on Pediatric Rheumatology

Pediatric interests are the dedicated focus of the Committee on Pediatric Rheumatology. The committee implements initiatives to advance pediatric rheumatology by supporting clinical care, research, education and advocacy. The committee has two long-standing programs for pediatric rheumatology:

1. The Pediatric Rheumatology Residents Program motivates residents to pursue subspecialty training in pediatric rheumatology by providing an opportunity to attend ACR Convergence. This program is designed to introduce pediatric residents to the subspecialty early in their residency, with the aim of addressing workforce challenges in pediatric rheumatology.
2. The ACR/CARRA Mentoring Program (AMIGO) supports career development in pediatric rheumatology through a nine-month program consisting of educational services, facilitated networking and a one-on-one mentoring program through which mentees are matched with mentors at other institutions. AMIGO promotes a valuable culture of mentoring across pediatric rheumatology and fosters cross-institutional connections.

In collaboration with the Workforce Solutions Committee, the Committee on Pediatric Rheumatology is leading efforts to address the pediatric rheumatology workforce crisis. Projects exploring flexibility in the length of pediatric rheumatology training and addressing burnout have been launched. The committee also seeks to collaborate with other pediatric and pediatric subspecialty organizations, such as the Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs and the Council of Pediatric Subspecialties and their extensive workforce initiatives.

Other Committees

Pediatric engagement is actively sought throughout all ACR, ARP and Rheumatology Research Foundation volunteer opportunities. The College invites pediatric rheumatologists and professionals to consider participating in a volunteer position because your voices are needed.