The Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at AUBMC, in joint sponsorship with Cleveland Clinic, held its 10th Annual Pediatrics Update Symposium, exceptionally, on the 28th and 29th of June, 2019. The symposium, chaired by Dr Sami Sanjad, provided, for the 10th year in a row, important updates in Pediatric general and subspecialty practice. Topics of this year’s symposium addressed different themes including infectious diseases, nephrology, cardiology, epilepsy, hematology, and mental health. The symposium was granted 12.75 AMA PRA category I CME credits.
The 10th symposium, a major milestone, featured 5 international guest speakers who are world renowned in their fields. Dr Coleen Cunningham, division chief of pediatrics global health at Duke University, delivered the Samir Najjar lecture on the prevention of HIV in children. Other guests included Dr John Wagner, Executive Medical Director of BMT Program at the University of Minnesota, Dr Cigdem Akman, Head of Pediatric Neurology at Columbia University, Dr Saleh Al Shurafa, Head Pediatric Nephrology Unit at Qatif Hospital, KSA and Dr James Bussel, emeritus professor of pediatric hematology at Weill Cornell Medical College. Ways to protect children in the online environment was discussed by Ms Darine El Masri, president of Kidsproof organization, in a special session.
More than 300 Pediatricians and healthcare workers attended the conference. The symposium started with a foreword by the chair, Dr. Sami Sanjad, followed by Drs Miguel Abboud, and Kamal Badr. In his note, Dr. Sanjad reviewed the achievements of a decade of excellence in continuing medical education in the department with specific reference to annual updates which have always been held in February/March.
The first symposium, held in February 2010, in partnership and collaboration with Duke University as an activity providing AMA PRA category I CME credits. In this 10th year the symposium featured international guest speakers and collaboration with other institutions in Lebanon like St Joseph University as organizing committee members as well as speakers. Dr Sanjad thanked the pharmaceutical companies for their usual support, the CME office, organizing committee, and staff, particularly Ms Amal Rahi, who worked hard for the success of this event. Dr Miguel Abboud welcomed the audience, thanked Dr Sanjad for 10 years of service providing every year a two-day excellent update on children’s diseases in breadth. He mentioned departmental achievements moving forward in collaborations, accreditation of academic programs, growth of the ECMO program, and the bone marrow transplant program.
Dr. Kamal Badr, associate Dean for Medical Education, congratulated the department for tremendous achievements in medical curriculum evolvement and its faculty being role models for other departments in medical education and research programs at AUB.