Organization: CHILD NEUROLOGY SOCIETY
Mission: CNS IS A PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY OF PEDIATRIC NEUROLOGISTS DEVOTED TO FOSTERING THE DISCIPLINE OF CHILD NEUROLOGY & PROMOTING THE OPTIMAL CARE AND WELFARE OF CHILDREN WITH NEUROLOGICAL & NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS BY ENSURING EXCELLENCE IN PATIENT CARE, EDUCATION & TRAINING, RESEARCH & ADVOCACY.
Activities: A NATIONAL MEETING OF THE CHILD NEUROLOGY SOCIETY IS HELD EACH YEAR TO A) PROVIDE CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION FOR CNS MEMBERS AND OTHER MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS ACTIVELY WORKING IN THE FIELD OF CHILD NEUROLOGY; B) FACILITATE THE ONGOING WORK OF MORE THAN A DOZEN STANDING COMMITTEES; C) ENCOURAGE CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH AND TRAINING PROJECTS BY PROVIDING NON-CME ACCREDITED WORKSHOPS AND SEMINARS AS WELL AS NUMEROUS SMALL AND LARGE-GROUP SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP PLANNING AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES. THE 48TH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE CHILD NEUROLOGY SOCIETY, HELD OCTOBER 26-29 IN CHARLOTTE SURPASSED THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S RECORD-SHATTERING ATTENDANCE, DRAWING 1450 ATTENDEES. OF NOTE, 35 PER CENT OF THOSE ATTENDING WERE ROUGHLY 35 YEARS-OF-AGE OR YOUNGER, AMPLY TESTIFYING TO THE CONTINUED VITALITY AND FUTURE PROSPECTS OF THE SOCIETY. AMONG THAT YOUNGER COHORT, ONE FINDS A 2:1 RATIO OF WOMEN TO MEN, BRINGING THE OVERALL RATIO ACROSS ALL GENERATIONS TO NEARLY 1:1 FOR THE FIRST TIME. PARTICIPATION IN THE ANNUAL MEETING BY SPONSORS AND EXHIBITORS CONTINUED ITS UPWARD ARC, WITH A RECORD NUMBER OF BOOTHS SOLD (100+) AND A RECORD INFLUX OF OVER $900,000 IN UNRESTRICTED CORPORATE SUPPORT. THE SUPPORT PROVIDED BY OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS SIGNICANTLY SUPPLEMENTS REGISTRATION FEES IN COVERING THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH STAGING A GROWING AND IMPROVING MENU OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES AT THE PREMIER EVENT IN CHILD NEUROLOGISTS' YEARLY CALENDAR. THE 48TH CNS ANNUAL MEETING FEATURED SIX SCIENTIFIC SYMPOSIA, SIX MORNING SEMINARS, FOUR POSTER REVIEW SESSIONS (200 SCIENTIFIC POSTERS) AND ELEVEN SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP MEETINGS. SPECIAL RECOGNITION WAS GIVEN TO SCOTT POMEROY, MD, PHD (BERNARD SACHS AWARD); LOUIS DANG, MD, PHD (PHILLIP R. DODGE YOUNG INVESTIGATOR AWARD); JAMES F. BALE, JR., MD (HOWER AWARD); H. TERRY HUTCHISON, MD, PHD (ARNOLD P. GOLD FOUNDATION HUMANISM IN MEDICINE AWARD); KAREN BALLABAN-GIL, MD (BLUE BIRD CIRCLE TRAINING PROGRAM DIRECTOR AWARD); AND TWO RECIPIENTS OF THE ROGER AND MARY BRUMBACK MEMORIAL LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: CAROL CAMFIELD, MD AND W. EDWIN DODSON, MD. THE NON-LECTURE AWARDS WERE PRESENTED BEFORE A PACKED BALLROOM AT THE 3RD ANNUAL LEGACY RECEPTION.THIS YEAR MARKED THE GROWTH IN SIZE AND EXCELLENCE OF SEVERAL PROGRAMS LAUNCHED IN 2016 AND 2017, INCLUDING:. 1. THE 4TH NIH-FUNDED CHILD NEUROLOGY CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM-K12 (CNCDP-K12). THE PROGRAM IS FUNDED BY A K12 GRANT FOR FIVE YEARS AND IS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT PROMISING PEDIATRIC NEUROLOGY CLINICIAN-SCIENTISTS FOR THREE YEARS OF MENTORED RESEARCH FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF THEIR CLINICAL TRAINING. OVER 40 RESIDENTS ATTENDED THE 2.5 DAY RETREAT. 2.THE 4TH CNS JOHN "JACK" PELLOCK RESIDENT SEMINAR ON EPILEPSY. SIXTY-FIVE PGY5 RESIDENTS AND TEN FACULTY MEMBERS GATHERED ON TUESDAY EVENING AND ALL-DAY WEDNESDAY FOR A COMPREHENSIVE EPILEPSY SEMINAR. CONSISTENT WITH ITS MISSION TO TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF CHILD NEUROLOGISTS, THE CNS FORMALLY ASSUMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PROGRAM IN 2016, GUARANTEEING AT LEAST ONE RESIDENT FROM EACH TRAINING PROGRAM BE ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE WITH FULL SUPPORT FROM THE CNS (HOTEL, REGISTRATION FEE WAIVER FOR EACH ANNUAL MEETING), WITH SPOTS AVAILABLE FOR ADDITIONAL NOMINEES FROM EACH PROGRAM. TWO "PELLOCK FELLOWS" WERE SELECTED IN THIS, THE THIRD YEAR OF A THREE-YEAR PILOT PROGRAM THAT WILL IDENTIFY AND SUPPORT JOINT PARTICIPATION AND LEADERSHIP IN THE CNS, THE AMERICAN EPILEPSY SOCIETY (AES), AND THE CHILD NEUROLOGY FOUNDATION (CNF). THE PROGRAM IS FUNDED BY AN UNRESTRICTED GRANT (MADE TO THE AES) BY UPSHER SMITH.3. 4TH ANNUAL BIOMEDICAL WRITING WORKSHOP. DRS. E. STEVE ROACH, EDITOR OF PEDIATRIC NEUROLOGY ORGANIZED A HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL FOLLOW-UP TO PREVIOUS WRITING WORKSHOPS, ATTENDED THIS YEAR BY 25 EARLY CAREER ACADEMIC NEUROLOGISTS, INCLUDING SEVERAL 2019 RESIDENT AND JUNIOR FACULTY AWARD AND GRANT RECIPIENTS AS WELL AS THE TWO BERNARD D'SOUZA INTERNATIONAL FELLOWSHIP AWARDEES.TWO NEW PROGRAMS WERE ADDED TO THE MIX AT THE 2018 CNS ANNUAL MEETING:1. SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP CME SESSIONS. A FIRST TIME LINE-UP OF THREE SIG-ORGANIZED "MEET THE EXPERT" SESSIONS PLAYED BEFORE STANDING-ROOM-ONLY CROWDS. THE SIGS ORGANIZING AND PRESENTING INCLUDED DEVELOPMENTAL/NEUROGENETICS SIG, HEADACHE SIG, AND SLEEP SIG. 2. THIS YEAR MARKED THE FIRST YEAR OF A HIGHLY POPULAR AND SUCCESSFUL "GUIDED POSTER TOUR" PROGRAM FEATURING THREE MODERATED POSTER DISCUSSION SESSIONS SPOTLIGHTING TOP-RANKED POSTERS PRESENTED BY JUNIOR MEMBER RESIDENTS, AND A "BEST OF SHOW" SESSION SHOWCASING WORK BY FOUR OF THE TOP-RANKED POSTER PRESENTATIONS FROM AMONG THE 200 ON DISPLAY IN CHICAGO.
THE CNS MAINTAINED ITS WEBSITE WITH REGULARLY UPDATED FEATURES AND SERVICES TO MEET THE REGULAR AND EVOLVING ACADEMIC, RESEARCH, AND PRACTICE-BASED NEEDS OF ITS MEMBERS. IN ADDITION TO THE CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION COURSES OFFERED AT THE ANNUAL MEETING, THE CNS CONTINUES TO OFFER MAINTENANCE OF CERTIFICATION RESOURCES ON ITS WEBSITE IN SUPPORT OF MEMBERS' PREPARATION FOR CERTIFICATION AND RECERTIFICATION THROUGH THE AMERICAN BOARD OF PSYCHIATRY AND NEUROLOGY. MORE THAN 60 CASES OF VARYING DIFFICULTY LEVELS ARE NOW AVAILABLE IN THE LIBRARY OF CASE STUDIES POSTED ON THE CNS WEBSITE FOR TRAINING PROGRAMS TO USE AS A TEACHING TOOL. BOTH THE CASE STUDIES AND THE MOC SELF-ASSESSMENT-EXAMS MIGRATED TO A NEWLY CREATED LIFELONG LEARNING WEBSITE IN 2017. THE NEW LEARNING WEBSITE CONTINUED TO ADD NEW CME COURSES IN 2019, GREATLY EXPANDING THE SCOPE AND ACCESSIBILITY OF CME PROGRAMMING FOR MEMBERS AT DISCOUNTED RATES, AND NON-CNS MEMBERS AT HIGHER PURCHASE RATES. THE NEW COMMUNITY WEBSITE, CNS CONNECT, CONTINUES TO SEE GROWING INTEREST AND PARTICIPATION IN COMMITTEE AND SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP WORKSPACES, ENHANCING COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN MEMBERS AND COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS WITHIN THE CHILD NEUROLOGY COMMUNITY. THE CHILD NEUROLOGY LISTSERVE, SUPPORTED BY THE CNS BUT INDEPENDENTLY ADMINISTERED AND MADE AVAILABLE TO CHILD NEUROLOGISTS WORLDWIDE, MEMBER AND NON-MEMBER, CONTINUED TO BE HEAVILY USED AS A HANDY COMMUNICATION TOOL FOR DISCUSSING DIFFICULT CASES, MAKING REFERRALS, AND PROVIDING AN OPEN FORUM FOR UNEDITED EXCHANGE OF VIEWPOINTS.THE CNS PUBLISHED THREE ISSUES OF ITS MEMBER NEWS MAGAZINE, CNS CONNECTIONS, DURING THE YEAR. AS ITS NAME SUGGESTS, THE 60+ PAGE PUBLICATION FOCUSES ON IDENTIFYING AND STRENGTHENING A VARIETY OF CONNECTIONS BETWEEN COLLEAGUES WITH FEATURE ARTICLES ON RESEARCH PROJECTS (EMPHASIS ON YOUNG RESEARCHERS) AND A Q&A FEATURE INTERVIEW WITH THOUGHT LEADERS IN THE FIELD. THE CNS CONTINUED TO PARTNER WITH THE AMERICAN NEUROLOGICAL ASSOCIATION IN PUBLISHING THE PRESTIGIOUS MONTHLY JOURNAL, ANNALS OF NEUROLOGY. WEEKLY COMMUNICATIONS WERE EMAILED TO THE FULL MEMBERSHIP AND/OR SIGNIFICANT SUB-SECTIONS OF MEMBERS VIA ECONNECTIONS.THE CNS IS CURRENTLY DIGITIZING ITS ARCHIVES AND HAS LAUNCHED A WIDE-RANGING HISTORY/TRAINING PROGRAM VIDEOTAPING PROJECT CAPTURING ORAL HISTORIES FOR POSTING ON ITS WEBSITE AND INCLUSION IN A 50TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION DISPLAY AS PART OF THE CHILD NEUROLOGY: PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE PROJECT, AND STEPHEN ASHWAL, MD HAS BEGUN EDITING OLD PROFILES AND SOLICITING NEW PROFILES FOR A REVISED/UPDATED FOUNDERS OF CHILD NEUROLOGY BOOK TO BE PUBLISHED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE 50TH ANNUAL MEETING IN BOSTON IN 2021. REFLEX HAMMERS ENGRAVED WITH THE CNS LOGO WERE SENT ONCE AGAIN TO CHILD NEUROLOGY RESIDENTS ENTERING THEIR FIRST YEAR OF NEUROLOGY TRAINING (PGY3). THE "BRAINCHILD" OF PAST CNS PRESIDENT, DR. KENNETH MACK, THIS PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE CHILD NEUROLOGISTS WITH A DAILY REMINDER OF THE PRESENCE AND IMPORTANCE IN THEIR PROFESSIONAL LIVES OF THE PREMIER ASSOCIATION OF CHILD NEUROLOGISTS FOUNDED IN 1972 BY CHILD NEUROLOGISTS ON THEIR BEHALF AND ON BEHALF OF THEIR PATIENTS.THE CNS IS ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN NUMEROUS LONG-TERM AND SHORT-TERM PROGRAMS WITH AFFILIATED PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NEUROLOGY (AAN), AMERICAN NEUROLOGICAL ASSOCIATION (ANA), AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PEDIATRICS (AAP), ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS OF NEUROLOGY (AUPN), AMERICAN EPILEPSY SOCIETY (AES), PEDIATRIC ACADEMIC SOCIETY (PAS), AMERICAN BRAIN COALITION (ABC), COUNCIL OF PEDIATRIC SUBSPECIALTIES (COPS) AND UNITED COUNCIL OF NEUROLOGICAL SPECIALTIES (UCNS). HIGHLIGHTING INTER-ORGANIZATIONAL ACTIVITY IN 2019 WAS THE EXPANSION IN THE CHILD NEUROLOGY WORK GROUP IN TANDEM WITH THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NEUROLOGY, ENCOURAGING COLLABORATION BETWEEN STAFF, OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS. THE CNS CONTINUES TO BE ACTIVE WITH OTHER PEDIATRIC SUBSPECIALTY ORGANIZATIONS IN CRAFTING AND PROMOTING LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY INITIATIVES ADDRESSING A LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM THAT WILL HELP RECRUIT A SUFFICIENTLY LARGE AND ADEQUATELY TRAINED GENERATIONAL COHORT OF CHILD NEUROLOGISTS TO SERVE THE GROWING AND CHANGING NEEDS OF CHILDREN THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. JUNIOR MEMBERSHIP IN THE CNS HAS NOW SURPASSED 400, WITH A FULL-ENTERING COHORT OF 130+ GRADUATING MEDICAL STUDENTS MATCHING IN CHILD NEUROLOGY EACH YEAR. RESIDENTS AND MEDICAL STUDENTS NOW BENEFIT FROM FREE MEMBERSHIP IN THE CNS, WITH FREE OR SUBSTANTIALLY DISCOUNTED REGISTRATION FEES MAKING ROBUST ATTENDANCE AMONG THE NEXT GENERATION OF CHILD NEUROLOGISTS A NOTABLE FEATURE OF RECENT CNS ANNUAL MEETINGS. AS EVERY "SENIOR" MEMBER OF THE CNS CAN AND WILL TELL YOU, WE ARE LIVING THROUGH A GENETICS-BASED REVOLUTION IN CHILD NEUROLOGY; THIS TRULY IS A GREAT TIME TO BE ENTERING THE FIELD.
NTEE category: Medical Research
Secondary category: Voluntary Health Associations & Medical Disciplines