Background
The Section on Critical Care, which was founded in 1984, enables members who are primarily interested in pediatric critical care to meet for the purpose of discussing and developing ideas and generating programs and projects, which will improve the care of infants, children and adolescents. Membership in the Section is open to Fellows, Post-Residency Training Fellows, Candidate Fellows, Honorary Fellows, Emeritus Fellows, Life Fellows, Dual Fellows, and Resident Fellows of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Members should be actively involved in some aspect of the study of life-threatening single or multiple organ system failure caused by disease or injury. Affiliate members are also welcome including non-physicians such as registered nurses, nurse practitioners, respiratory therapists, and physician assistants. The Section currently has over 700 hundred members.
The SOCC proposes educational programming at the AAP National Conference & Exhibition, including a professional program open to all members of the Academy and a business meeting limited to Section members and invited guests only. In addition, the Section implements an annual call for abstracts, presented at this meeting and published in the journal, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine. The Section serves as an expert resource to the Academy by providing review and input to official Academy policy.
Each year the Section sponsors the Distinguished Career Award to honor a pediatric intensivist who has made significant contributions to the field of pediatric critical care. In addition, when funding is available, the Section sponsors a Critical Care New Investigator Research Grant. The Section has also provided grant support to the PedsCCM website website.
Finally, the Section has sponsored Pediatric Critical Care Coding Courses, a webinar on pediatric critical care coding, and a course on "Preparing for Life in Academics."
Click here to view more SOCC history.
Mission
The mission of the AAP SOCC is to optimize the care of critically ill infants, children, and adolescents through the educational and professional support of its members.
Membership
You must be a Fellow, Post-Residency Training Fellow, Candidate Fellow, Honorary Fellow, Emeritus Fellow, Life Fellow, Dual Fellow, or Resident Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and you should be actively involved in some aspect of the practice or study of life-threatening disease or injury. The Section also accepts affiliate members including non-physicians such as registered nurses, nurse practitioners, respiratory therapists, and physician assistants.
Advocacy & Networking
The AAP serves as the nation’s primary advocate for the health needs of children, and the SOCC is the primary voice within the AAP for critically ill infants and children. The Section provides input to the Academy on issues related to the practice of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine. The SOCC collaborates with many other committees and sections of the AAP as well as outside organizations including the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM). The SOCC also advocates for pediatric intensivists within the AAP and works closely on related issues with others. For example, the SOCC was instrumental in working with the AAP to gain AMA approval for establish-ment of two new global CPT codes for pediatric critical care.
Membership in the SOCC provides opportunities to share your ideas and form long-lasting relationship with others who share your passion for our specialty. Members can benefit from collaborating with others in the Section as well as members of other sections via electronic venues (e-mail, SOCC web site, and LISTSERV®), written communications, or face-to-face meetings at various AAP conferences. Members can influence policy and clinical practice by becoming active participants on SOCC subcommittees and, if elected, by serving on the Executive Committee of the Section.
Policy
The SOCC serves as an expert resource to the AAP by providing review of official AAP policy and by develop-ing policy guidelines on pediatric critical care. The SOCC has collaborated with the Pediatric Section of SCCM where possible. Current SOCC policy statements (*joint with SCCM) include: “Guidelines & Levels of Care for PICUs” (10/04)*; “Admission & Discharge Guidelines for Pediatric Patients Requiring Intermediate Care” (5/04); and “Guidelines for Developing Admission & Discharge Policies for the PICU” (5/99; reaffirmed )*. The Section also has a joint statement with the AAP Committee on Hospital Care and Section on Surgery on "Pediatric Organ Donation and Transplantation" (4/10)..
Education & Leadership
The SOCC sponsors scientific abstract presentations, a business meeting, and educational programming each year at the AAP National Conference & Exhibition. The Section also sponsors an annual call for abstracts, presented at this meeting and published in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine. In addition, SOCC has sponsored Pediatric Critical Care Coding CME courses, a course on Preparing for Life in Academics, a course on PICU Practice Managemen, and a coding webinar. Leadership training and lobbying workshops are available to SOCC members through the AAP. This year the SOCC began work with the AAP to develop an online subspecialty self-assessment program to help intensivists meet ABP requirements for lifelong learning and recertification.
Awards
The SOCC sponsors an annual $1000 Distinguished Career Award, a $7500-10,000 New Investigator Research Award (if funding is available), and several annual abstract awards.
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