A critical conversation by the Child Health Advisory Council, work force shortages are real and solutions that impact the causes and enable programmatic solutions are years in the making. The obvious and obscure issues impacting student and resident decisions, sharper declines in MD student vs DO and FMG graduate subspecialty decisions, and strategies and best practices for leaders to incorporate into their student and trainee experiences are all address in this Insight.
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.
Host: Wesley D. Millican, MBA
Moderator: Craig Hillemeier, MD
Council members in attendance: F. Bruder Stapleton, MD; Valerie Opipari, MD; Bruce Rubin, MD; Arnold Strauss, MD; Robert Sawin, MD
Managing Up – The Art of Building a Competitive Recruitment Package
How do you approach negotiations with candidates? Hear from this esteemed group of emeritus pediatric leaders, who comprise the Child Health Advisory Council (CHAC), on what they prioritized, how they balanced internal needs, and non-traditional ways they put together packages that set the foundation for long-term success.
In the latest Pediatric Insight episode, you’ll hear the CHAC discuss successful strategies in building recruitment packages including:
• Start with alignment and transparency
• Rely on your relationships – they set the foundation
• Establish and cultivate trust
• Timing is everything
Watch the Conversation.
Meet the Panel.
Wesley D. Millican, MBA
CEO and Physician Talent Officer, CareerPhysician
Craig Hillemeier, MD
CEO Emeritus, Penn State Health Dean Emeritus, Professor of Pediatrics, Penn State University
Peggy Troy, MSN, RN
Emerita President and Chief Executive Officer, Children's Wisconsin
F. Bruder Stapleton, MD
Professor and Chair Emeritus, University of Washington School of Medicine; Chair, Child Health Advisory Council
Danielle Laraque-Arena, MD, FAAP
President and Professor Emerita, SUNY Upstate Medical University
Bruce Rubin, MEngr, MD, MBA, FRCPC
Professor and Chair Emeritus of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University
Valerie Opipari, MD
Professor and Chair Emerita, University of Michigan School of Medicine
Arnold (Arnie) Strauss, MD
Emeritus Professor and Chair of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
Robert S. Sawin, MD
Pediatric Surgeon, Emeritus Professor and Surgeon in Chief, Seattle Children's Hospital and University of Washington
Learn more about the Child Health Advisory Council. Click here.
Have a question or a topic you’d like us to discuss? Send us an email.
Leaders are increasingly stressed by the amount of work and responsibilities. Time management and the need to develop work-life balance are a common challenge. Today’s conversation, by a group of experienced leaders, reflects on how they utilized time to maximize efficiency. The discussion highlights that one can’t managetime; we can only manage how we usethe 24 hours in a day that is available to us. The importance of developing a strong leadership team and learning to delegate decisions were highlighted. The leaders emphasized the importance of owning your day and prioritizing the most important tasks required for successfully leading and for meeting one’s personal goals. Areas that usurp time include: the volume of emails, interruptions, meetings, emergencies and social media. Practical approaches that were developed during their careers were discussed.
Host: Wesley Millican, MBA
Moderator: F. Bruder Stapleton, MD
Council in attendance: Arnold Strauss, MD; Robert Sawin, MD; Danielle Laraque-Arena, MD; Craig Hillemeier, MD
Transitioning out of a leadership role is a personal decision. In this week’s Pediatric Insight episode, the Child Health Advisory Council members talk about when and how they decided it’s time to transition out of a role. A candid discussion about how age, organization readiness, leadership pipeline and joy for the role come into play when deciding to leave. Also, they answer:
What surprises did they experience during leadership transitions?
What mistakes have they seen in leadership transitions?
Host: Wesley D. Millican, MBA
Moderator: Craig Hillemeier, MD
Council members in attendance:
Christine Gleason, MD
Valerie Opipari, MD
Robert Sawin, MD
F. Bruder Stapleton, MD
Arnold Strauss, MD
Virtual interviews are here to stay. They’re cost-effective and easier to schedule; however, can you gauge if a candidate is a fit virtually? Dive into this week’s Pediatric Insight podcast where the Child Health Advisory Council discusses their experiences and the do’s and don’ts they’ve gleaned from those for both candidates and interviewers. Moderated by Dr. Bruder Stapleton, they discuss:
Best practices for virtual hiring for candidates and interviewers
Common pitfalls to avoid
How to build a strong team from anywhere
Host: Wesley D. Millican, MBA
Moderator: F. Bruder Stapleton, MD
Child Health Advisory members: Valerie Opipari, MD; Craig Hillemeier, MD; Arnold Strauss, MD; Danielle Laraque-Arena, MD; Bruce Rubin, MD; Robert Sawin, MD
During the recruitment process, social events during campus visits are critical in assessing candidate engagement, executive presence and general connectivity with your faculty and leaders. Planned social engagement opportunities allow candidates to better appreciate your culture and to develop the chemistry and sense of belonging that will be key in your efforts to successfully recruit them. In this podcast moderated by Christine Gleason, MD, the Child Health Advisory Council (CHAC) discusses social recruitment strategies that ensure outstanding candidate experiences. They delve into the delicate balance of social issues such as who to invite, having wine at dinner and other appropriate questions that maximize social engagement.
Moderator: Christine Gleason, MD
Child Health Advisory Council members on the panel: Valerie Opipari, MD; Arnold (Arnie) Strauss, MD; F. Bruder Stapleton, MD; Danielle Laraque-Arena, MD; Robert Sawin, MD; Craig Hillemeier, MD
Considering the Global Health Requests of Pediatric Faculty Candidates
Our latest Pediatric Insight is an insightful discussion on global health initiatives with special guest, Amelie von Saint Andre-von Arnim, MD, UW/Seattle Children’s Director, Pediatric Emergency Medicine and Critical Care – Kenya. Dr. von Saint Andre-von Arnim and the Child Health Advisory Council discuss the realities and benefits of supporting candidates’ desires to share knowledge, research and patient care experiences across the globe. Moderated by Dr. Bruce Rubin, who has supported pediatric care delivery in Ukraine during the conflict, the council brings a unique perspective on the ROI of international health exchanges and programs.
Moderator: Bruce Rubin, MEngr, MD, MBA, FRCPC
Guest contributor: Amelie von Saint Andre-von Arnim, MD
Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Critical Care, University of Washington/ Seattle Children’s and University of Washington, Director, Pediatric Emergency and Critical Care, Kenya and Seattle, WA, USA
Child Health Advisory Council members on the panel: Valerie Opipari, MD; Arnold (Arnie) Strauss, MD; F. Bruder Stapleton, MD; Danielle Laraque-Arena, MD; Robert Sawin, MD and Craig Hillemeier, MD
Transitioning out of a leadership role is a personal decision. In this week’s Pediatric Insight episode, the Child Health Advisory Council members talk about when and how they decided it’s time to transition out of a role. A candid discussion about how age, organization readiness, leadership pipeline and joy for the role come into play when deciding to leave. Also, they answer:
•What surprises did they experience during leadership transitions?
•What mistakes have they seen in leadership transitions?
Career Physician and the Child Health Advisory Council are firmly committed to capturing the leadership wisdom of current and emeritus pediatric chiefs and chairs and to passing it on to current and future generations. With the current shortages in leadership, many young pediatric leaders are being pressed into service early. We have seen firsthand how the Pediatric Insight positively impacts the legacies of leaders and the faculty and patients they serve.
Episode 55 - Managing Up - The Art of Building a Competitive Recruitment Package
Apr 16, 2026 • 00:19:41
How do you approach negotiations with candidates? Hear from the Child Health Advisory Council (CHAC) on what they prioritized, how they balanced internal needs, and non-traditional ways they put together packages that set the foundation for long-term success.
Episode 54 - Navigating the Finalist Visit
Mar 20, 2026 • 00:24:37
The recruitment process can be long in academic child health but it’s critical to pay even more attention to the final visit as you did for the first one. This is a time of a deep bidirectional conversation, evaluation and understanding of future needs and goals for both candidates and…
Episode 53: Family and Partner Considerations During Recruitment of Academic Faculty - Part 2
Mar 5, 2026 • 00:23:45
The conversation highlights the importance of early communication, collaboration across departments, and recognizing the many factors that influence a candidate's decision to join and stay with an institution.
Episode 52: Family and Partner Considerations During Recruitment of Academic Faculty
Feb 19, 2026 • 00:17:03
When recruiting academic faculty, the conversation extends far beyond contracts and credentials. Family and partner considerations often play a pivotal role in whether a candidate ultimately says yes.
Episode 51: Strategies for Developing Effective Recruitment Packages - Considering All the Stakeholder
Feb 3, 2026 • 00:17:32
In this episode, we discuss funds that flow for supporting academic physician recruitment are often varied across health systems.
Episode 50: Recruitment and Career Development of Physician Scientists, part 2
Jan 22, 2026 • 00:15:12
In part two of "Recruitment and Career Development of Physician Scientists," topics covered include protected time, lab space, Scientific Oversight Committee and maintaining long-term perspective.
Episode 49: Recruitment and Career Development of Physician Scientists
Jan 7, 2026 • 00:21:54
Moderated by Drs. Arnold Strauss and Kathryn Edwards, this episode discusses how leaders can initiate and foster the careers of clinical and laboratory investigators.
Episode 48: Faculty Wellness Issues Facing Current Leaders - Part 2
Dec 17, 2025 • 00:22:05
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.
Episode 47: Faculty Wellness Issues Facing Current Leaders
Dec 11, 2025 • 00:22:25
In the latest Pediatric Insight episode, pediatric leaders from around the country get real about what wellness looks like today and how to spot the line between busy, stressed and burnout.
Episode 46: The Role of the Master Connector
Nov 20, 2025 • 00:23:45
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.
Have a question or a topic you’d like us to discuss? Send us an email.
