About the Section on Transport Medicine

The mission of the Academy's Section on Transport Medicine is to ensure safe transport of pediatric patients. To accomplish this mission, the Section supports transport team members by developing clinical guidance, providing education, facilitating interdisciplinary networking, promoting research, and advocating for transport providers at the local, state, and national level.

Vision

Pediatric patients are transported safely and family needs are considered in interfacility transport. Transport team members are knowledgeable and skilled in providing care to pediatric patients. Medical control and medical directors have ready access to the best-known evidence and policy to establish a safe transport environment for the patient and team members.

The Section on Transport Medicine is recognized as an expert body of pediatric and neonatal transport practice by all members of the healthcare and transport community, and has a diverse, engaged, and growing interdisciplinary membership Membership in the Section is open to fellows of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and approved Section affiliates who are actively involved in the study or practice of pediatric or neonatal transport. The Executive Committee oversees and directs the mission of the Section. The fields of emergency medicine, neonatology, and intensive care medicine are represented within the leadership. There is also a working group dedicated to the efforts of advance practice providers who work in the neonatal and pediatric transport arena.

The Section on Transport Medicine provides educational programming at the AAP National Conference & Exhibition. The programs consist of an educational and scientific program as well as a business meeting. The Section also hosts the biennial Course on Neonatal and Pediatric Critical Care Transport Medicine for professionals involved in neonatal and pediatric transport. The Section is actively involved in the research and development of recommendations, standards, and guidelines for the interfacility transport of neonates and children. The Guidelines for Air and Ground Transport of Neonatal and Pediatric Patients is available on ShopAAP as well as the Field Guide for Air and Ground Transport of Neonatal and Pediatric patients. A pediatric transport e-newsletter, Transport Dispatch, is published for Section members.

The Section on Transport Medicine contributes to the Academy's mission by providing quality resources and programming targeted to general practitioners, subspecialists, and affiliate members. The Section's involvement is national in scope with respect to published material, legislative issues, and continuing medical education courses. For information on how to get involved with the SOTM, or for further information about specific section activities, contact Niccole Al​exander, MPP, Senior Manager.