SOPT at the National Conference and Exhibition

National Conference

The AAP National Conference & Exhibition is a great opportunity for trainees to network, learn about advocacy and the latest in pediatrics. The Section on Pediatric Trainees (SOPT) has their own program and reception each year. Below you'll find a general overview of the SOPT program and events. Check out our detailed agenda on our Section's collaboration site (AAP member login required).

SOPT Educational Program:

The SOPT Program at the AAP National Conference & Exhibition is the annual business meeting for general SOPT members. The educational program serves as the forum to conduct critical business matters such as election of national officers, development, and approval of Section resolutions to be submitted to the AAP Annual Leadership Conference, and basic training of new Executive Committee and Leadership Council members. Moreover, the educational program serves as the primary forum to debut the Section's Annual Advocacy Campaign and present significant awards.

Two specific proposed sessions merit further mention. First, the medical student program has been a relatively new and highly appraised event specifically geared toward medical student issues such as becoming an excellent residency applicant and how to determine the best fit when looking at residency programs.

Finally, the SOPT Reception provides an opportunity to network with AAP leadership from across the country and within your district.

Clinical Case Presentations

The Section has held an annual "Clinical Case Competition" since 2003. In this clinical case poster program, residents, medical students, and fellowship trainees submit abstracts of interesting cases they have encountered in their training. These abstracts are judged by a committee of pediatric trainee leaders. The top 50 authors are invited to present their case in poster format at the AAP National Conference & Exhibition. The first-place medical student, resident, and fellowship trainee winners are determined prior to the conference by the Editor-in-Chief of Pediatrics in Review (PIR) based on the abstracts alone. The Editor-in-Chief announces the winners at the SOPT program and following the peer-review process, will publish the cases in PIR as an Index of Suspicion article the following September.

If you are interested in submitting an abstract, keep your eyes open for unusual diseases or common diseases presenting in an unusual fashion while you are on your pediatrics clerkship or during residency/fellowship training.