Section on Pediatric Trainees Monthly Feature Articles - a Glimpse intothe Futureby Lydia Furman MD, Associate Editor, Pediatrics

In a recently released article in Pediatrics you will find a superb Monthly Feature article, "Closing the DisclosureGap: Medical Errors in Pediatrics", by trainee authors Drs. Matthew Lin and Hannah Famiglietti(10.1542/peds.2019-0221). This succinct, thoughtful, and well-referenced article opens the door to an importantissue and to a potential pediatric residency training gap. Drs. Lin and Famiglietti note that it is widelyrecommended by professional organizations that physicians disclose medical errors to families, and in factparents are clear that they want to be informed, yet barely half of surveyed physicians would do so. The authorspropose that training, with a formal curriculum that includes simulation and partnership with parents, may serveas a path forward to achieving the recommended appropriate and timely disclosures. Including parents hasother benefits also, as the authors point out. Drs. Lin and Famiglietti's essay is a beautiful example of how muchtrainee authors bring to urgent and important discussions in medicine.

The Section on Pediatric Trainees (SOPT) has been contributing to the Monthly Features section of Pediatricssince January 2015. For those unfamiliar, Monthly Features rotates between 4 interest areas, each supervisedand guided by its own hands-on editor or editorial group. These are:  history of pediatrics (Dr. Jeff Baker), globalhealth issues (Dr. Jay Berkelhamer), medical student education (currently Dr. Robert Dudas and colleagues ofthe Council on Medical Student Education in Pediatrics-COMSEP), and most relevant here, trainee issues andviews (current Editor Dr. Hannah Rosenblum, Deputy Editor Dr. Natalie Lanocha, and Past Editor Dr. RachelElkin, all of the AAP SOPT). SOPT Editors serve a 3-year term, and their own Editorial Board solicits andreviews articles from fellow trainees. The Editors are selected via a trainee-led competitive process, and eachserves one year as Deputy Editor, then Editor and finally Past Editor. The time commitment is meaningful, andthe personal energy demands are high. Editors provide "developmental editing" for submissions, aiming to notonly provide specific guidance to trainees in pursuit of publication, but also personal encouragement andsupport for writing as a way to "find one's voice" during the challenges of medical training. Manuscripts may gothrough multiple revisions, and each author receives constructive feedback and encouragement regardless ofultimate disposition.  If a submission is rejected, the Editors suggest alternate suitable venues for the writtenwork.

 If you work with trainees in any capacity, I encourage you to prompt consideration of a submission, either bymentoring or even by co-authoring an article. The first author must be a trainee, and the trainee voice must beclear, but other authors may be included. The Author Guidelines are on the AAP News & Journals Gateway.Once you read the SOPT Monthly Feature articles, I believe you will feel as inspired and hopeful about thefuture of Pediatrics as these amazing trainees do who author these timely and topical thought pieces.

Copyright © 2019 American Academy of Pediatrics

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