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Duration: 00:21:52

Wellness Issues Facing Pediatric Leaders | Part Two

In part two of our Pediatric Insight series on faculty wellness issues, pediatric leaders take a deeper look at one of the most pressing challenges facing healthcare today: the generational shift in how physicians define work, balance and meaning.

Moderated by Ambika Ashraf, MD, with discussion co-leads Christine Finck, MD and Peggy Troy, MSN, RN, this episode explores how institutions can thoughtfully adapt to evolving expectations around flexibility, purpose, and sustainability without losing sight of clinical excellence or organizational goals.

Drawing on real-world leadership experience and advisory insight from the Child Health Advisory Council’s pediatric specialty experts, this candid discussion offers practical perspective for leaders navigating change across generations.

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Resources and Related Topics.

Part 2

Part 1

• Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High, Joseph Grenny and Kerry Patterson, McGraw Hill-Ascent Audio, 2021.
• Physician Work Environment and Well-being, Lara Goiter, MD, Patrick G. O’Malley, MD, MPH, Rita F. Redberg, MD, Mac, JAMA Internal Medicine, 2017

Meet the Panel.

View the Child Health Advisory Council’s bios. Click here.

Have a question or a topic you’d like us to discuss? Send us an email.

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Duration: 00:23:45

How “Master Connectors” Quietly Transform Careers

As we close out our Pediatric Insight Conversations series on mentorship, the Child Health Advisory Council (CHAC) turns to a topic that may be the most influential and the least discussed driver of career satisfaction in academic pediatrics: the master connector.

Inspired by Malcolm Gladwell’s concept and shaped by decades of leadership experience, the panel explores how master connectors do far more than match mentors and mentees. They actively shape cultures, open doors, accelerate careers, and most importantly – help protect clinicians from burnout.

As Dr. Craig Hillemeier put it, “Mentorship is one of the few things in medicine that creates a truly positive impact for both the mentor and the mentee. A master connector ensures people understand that and helps make those relationships actually work.”

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Resources and Related Topics.

• Measuring Mentorship Success, CareerPhysician.com, Valerie Opipari, MD, moderator
• The Mentor Role and Responsibilities, CareerPhysician.com, Valerie Opipari, MD, moderator
• The Master Connector: The Ultimate Guide to Building Impactful Connections for Life & Business, Nichole Harmon-Pointdujour, 2025
• Advocacy & Mentorship, CareerPhysician.com, Robert Sawin, MD, Craig Hillemeier, MD
• What I wish I knew in medical school about finding a mentor, ama-assn.org, Sara Berg, MS, Feb. 13, 2023.
• Mentoring in medicine, NIH.gov, Savithiri Ratnapalan. Feb. 2010.
• Fellows Survival Guide: Choosing a Mentor, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, pids.org
• What Is a Mentor? Suzanne Koven, M.D. n engl j med 390;8 nejm.org. February 22, 2024.

Meet the Panel.

View the Child Health Advisory Council’s bios. Click here.

Have a question or a topic you’d like us to discuss? Send us an email.

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Duration: 00:26:12

How Do You Measure Mentorship Success?

In part two of our Pediatric Insight mentorship series, we continue the conversation addressing how to measure mentorship success.

In this episode, the Child Health Advisory Council (CHAC) members discuss important questions such as:

• Measuring mentoring success and impact
• Navigating common challenges
• Identifying and resolving mentor-mentee conflicts
• Mentoring and supporting new leaders and recruits

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Resources and Related Topics.

• The Mentor Role and Responsibilities, CareerPhysician.com, Valerie Opipari, MD
• Advocacy & Mentorship, CareerPhysician.com, Robert Sawin, MD, Craig Hillemeier, MD
• What I wish I knew in medical school about finding a mentor, ama-assn.org, Sara Berg, MS, Feb. 13, 2023.
• Mentoring in medicine, NIH.gov, Savithiri Ratnapalan. Feb. 2010.
• Fellows Survival Guide: Choosing a Mentor, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, pids.org
• What Is a Mentor? Suzanne Koven, M.D. n engl j med 390;8 nejm.org. February 22, 2024.

Meet the Panel.

View the Child Health Advisory Council’s bios. Click here.

Have a question or a topic you’d like us to discuss? Send us an email.

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Duration: 00:32:34

The Power of Mentorship

This week, we kick off a three-part series about how mentorship, coaching and sponsorship is shaping the next generation of pediatric leaders.

In this first episode, moderated by Valerie Opipari, MD, our expert panel dives into what makes mentorship effective and enduring. They answer:

• How does a mentor’s role differ from that of a coach or sponsor?
• How can young clinicians identify the right mentors to guide their careers?
• What traits define a successful mentor–mentee relationship?

Packed with practical insights and real experiences, this conversation offers inspiration and guidance for both mentors and mentees in academic medicine.

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Resources and Related Topics.

• Advocacy & Mentorship, CareerPhysician.com, Robert Sawin, MD, Craig Hillemeier, MD
• What I wish I knew in medical school about finding a mentor, ama-assn.org, Sara Berg, MS, Feb. 13, 2023.
• Mentoring in medicine, NIH.gov, Savithiri Ratnapalan. Feb. 2010.
• Fellows Survival Guide: Choosing a Mentor, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, pids.org
• What Is a Mentor? Suzanne Koven, M.D. n engl j med 390;8 nejm.org. February 22, 2024.

Meet the Panel.

Wesley D. Millican, MBA
CEO and Physician Talent Officer

Valerie Opipari, MD
Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologist

Bruce Rubin, MEngr, MD, MBA, FRCPC
Pediatric Pulmonologist

Craig Hillemeier, MD
Pediatric Gastroenterologist

F. Bruder Stapleton, MD
Pediatric Nephrologist

Robert Sawin, MD
Pediatric Surgeon

Peggy Troy, MSN, RN
Emerita President & CEO
Children’s Wisconsin

Arnold (Arnie) Strauss, MD
Pediatric Cardiologist

View the Child Health Advisory Council’s bios. Click here.

Have a question or a topic you’d like us to discuss? Send us an email.

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Duration: 00:28:34

Integrating Full-Time Clinicians into Pediatrics

Pediatric departments are stretched by unprecedented clinical demand. How do you fully integrate full-time clinicians into the academic mission without losing alignment across the university, hospital and community?

In this episode, Dr. Arnie Strauss leads a candid discussion on what actually moves the needle.

• Bridging the “university vs. hospital” gap
• Achieving diplomacy with data
• How to set clear expectations & accountability
• The hospital point of view
• A look ahead on achieving team-based care

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Resources and Related Topics.

• The Evolving PHM Workforce: Shortages and Opportunities, American Academy of Pediatrics, Alexandra Kilinsky, DO; Jennifer Reese, MD, July 14, 2025.
• The Pediatric Health Care Workforce Landscape, The Future of Pediatric Subspecialty Physician Workforce: Meeting the Needs of Infants, Children and Adolescents, NIH National Library of Medicine, National Academies Press (US). Sept. 7, 2023.
• Two Steps Forward, One Step Back: The Complexity of Accurately Defining and Measuring Clinical Activity in Academic Pediatrics, Susan Kline, MS; Anne M. Reed, MD; Liz McCarty, MS; Gil Park, MHA; Lucky Jain, MD; Morris Gessouroun, MD. The Journal of Pediatrics, Volume 259, 113446, August 2023.

Meet the Panel.

Wesley D. Millican, MBA
CEO and Physician Talent Officer

Arnold (Arnie) Strauss, MD
Pediatric Cardiologist

Danielle Laraque-Arena, MD, FAAP
Child Abuse Pediatrics

Robert Sawin, MD
Pediatric Surgeon

Bruder Stapleton, MD
Pediatric Nephrologist

Craig Hillemeier, MD
Pediatric Gastroenterologist

Jon Hayes
Executive Vice President, Child Health, CareerPhysician

View the Child Health Advisory Council’s bios. Click here.

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Duration: 00:39:54

Leadership Strategies to Engage Underrepresented in Academic Child Health

The latest Pediatric Insight episode tackles a critical question: How do we ensure the future of pediatrics reflects the diversity of the children and families we serve?

Moderator Danielle Laraque-Arena, MD, with special guests Lisa Eiland, MD and Colin Orr, MD, MPH, explore:

• The most compelling reasons medical students choose a career in pediatrics
• What institutions can do to attract and support underrepresented in medicine (URiM) students
• The challenges and opportunities in strengthening the pipeline of diverse pediatric leaders.

This conversation offers practical insights for academic leaders to shape a more inclusive future for child health.

Host: Wesley Millican, MBA

Moderator: Danielle Laraque-Arena, MD, FAAP

Special guests:
Lisa Eiland, MD, Division Chief, Neonatology, Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital, Hackensack University Medical Center
Colin Orr, MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, General Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Monroe Carrel, Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt

Our panel: Arnold Strauss, MD; Robert Sawin, MD; Craig Hillemeier, MD; Bruder Stapleton, MD

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Resources and Related Topics.

• Getting to Your Goals
• My Goals, My Programs, Our Future
• Stepping Up and Leading in Pursuit of Racial Equity Resource List
• Inspiring the Next Generation

Meet the Panel.

Wesley D. Millican, MBA
CEO and Physician Talent Officer

Danielle Laraque-Arena, MD, FAAP
Child Abuse Pediatrics

Lisa Eiland, MD
Neonatologist

Colin Orr, MD, MPH
Pediatrician

Arnold (Arnie) Strauss, MD
Pediatric Cardiologist

Robert Sawin, MD
Pediatric Surgeon

Bruder Stapleton, MD
Pediatric Nephrologist

Craig Hillemeier, MD
Pediatric Gastroenterologist

View the Child Health Advisory Council’s bios. Click here.

Have a question or a topic you’d like us to discuss? Send us an email.

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Duration: 00:50:12

The state of pediatrics and its relationship to pediatric specialist burnout is undeniable.

Dr. Frederick P, Rivara, MD, MPH, Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington, explains why problematic referral patterns, funding issues, poor outcomes and pandemic aftermath are just a few of the reasons there’s a strained pediatric workforce.

Joining the Child Health Advisory Council as a special guest, Dr. Rivara shares four strategies that support a new vision for a high-quality pediatric workforce.

This special Pediatric Insight episode is filled with excellent data, workforce solutions and an informative Q&A you don’t want to miss. CareerPhysician and the Child Health Advisory Council would like to thank AMSPDC for leading and bringing the workforce issue to the forefront.

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Resources

• Link to a PDF of Dr. Rivara’s presentation.
• Pediatric Workforce Shortages Persist in 2024, Children’s Hospital Association, 2024, Jan Kaplan and Elizabeth Brown.

Meet the Panel.

Wesley D. Millican, MBA
CEO and Physician Talent Officer

Bruder Stapleton, MD
Pediatric Nephrologist

Frederick P. Rivara, MD, MPH
General Pediatrics and Injury Prevention

View the Child Health Advisory Council’s bios. Click here.

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Duration: 00:25:29

What should a candidate think about when looking for a position when there is an interim chair?

Data shows interim chair appointments are growing. Transitions can be tough and interim leadership presents its own set of challenges when filling open positions.

In this latest Pediatric Insight conversation, the Child Health Advisory Council (CHAC) members talk about setting expectations with candidates, effectively defining the culture and broadening the interview pool to get a sense for the entire department during the recruitment process.

Hear more, including answers to the tough questions candidates may have during a time of transitional leadership, in this latest conversation.

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Watch the Conversation.

Meet the Panel.

Wesley D. Millican, MBA
CEO and Physician Talent Officer

Danielle Laraque-Arena, MD, FAAP
Child Abuse Pediatrics

Craig Hillemeier, MD
Pediatric Gastroenterologist

Robert Sawin, MD
Pediatric Surgeon

Bruder Stapleton, MD
Pediatric Nephrologist

Arnold (Arnie) Strauss, MD
Pediatric Cardiologist

View the Child Health Advisory Council’s bios. Click here.

Have a question or a topic you’d like us to discuss? Send us an email.

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Duration: 00:25:03

Inspiring the Next Generation of Academic Pediatricians: We All Play a Role in the Solution

Workforce shortages are real and solutions addressing the causes are years in the making.

In this critical conversation by the Child Health Advisory Council (CHAC), members discuss:
– the obvious and obscure issues impacting student and resident decisions
– sharper declines in MD vs DO students
– Foreign Medical Graduate subspecialty decisions

At the end of this conversation, you’ll have strategies and best practices to incorporate into student and trainee experiences to help mitigate some of the issues impacting shortages.

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Watch the Conversation.

Topic Resources.

Expert Opinion: How to Fight the Pediatric Specialist Shortage, D-Magazine, April 3, 2025, Wesley Millican

Pediatric Workforce Shortages Persist in 2024, Children’s Hospital Association, 2024.

Why Are Fewer U.S. MD Graduates Choosing Pediatrics, Bridget Balch, AAMC News, Sept. 2024.

The Pediatric Workforce: Recent Data Trends, Questions and Challenges for the Future, Robert J. Vinci, MD, AAP Publications, June 2021.

Meet the Panel.

Wesley D. Millican, MBA
CEO and Physician Talent Officer

Craig Hillemeier, MD
Pediatric Gastroenterologist

Danielle Laraque-Arena, MD, FAAP
Child Abuse Pediatrics

Valerie Opipari, MD
Pediatric
Hematologist/Oncologist

Bruder Stapleton, MD
Pediatric Nephrologist

Arnold (Arnie) Strauss, MD
Pediatric Cardiologist

View the Child Health Advisory Council’s bios. Click here.

Have a question or a topic you’d like us to discuss? Send us an email.

Listen to the Podcast.

Duration: 00:17:53

How should you adapt your communication style to fit your team?

Successful communication is about listening, being open and maintaining confidentiality, according to Dr. Arnie Strauss.

Listen to the Child Health Advisory Council members discuss their experiences and learn how to build trust with your teams using the communication tactics that matter most.

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Watch the Conversation.

Topic Resources.

Communication for Successful Leadership, Craig Hillemeier, MD

Essential Communication Skills for Leaders, Center for Creative Leadership, August 2024.

How to Speak So that People Want to Listen, Julian Treasure, TEDGlobal, June 2013.

Why Communication is Essential to Effective Leadership, Penn LPS Online. August 2023.

Meet the Panel.

Have a question or a topic you’d like us to discuss? Send us an email.