President's Message, July 2024
Kate Tigue, MD, FAAP
Dear Colleagues,
I hope the long, warm summer days have allowed you to relax and enjoy quality time with family and friends. I have always viewed summer as a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the year that has passed and prepare for the transitions that the next 5-6 months will bring, both personally and professionally. Many of us may be celebrating the educational milestones of our children as they prepare for middle school, college, or that first career-focused job. We may be helping parents downsize and relocate from a well-loved family home as part of retirement or transition to a new home with more long-term care options as they age. We may be welcoming new members to our families with the birth of children, or grandchildren or celebrating marriages.
Professionally this is a great time to plan creative ways to set up Influenza clinics for our patients and yet again find the right balance of sick and well visits as school begins in a few months (spoiler – there is no perfect schedule in Pediatrics!) Many of us may be welcoming new Pediatric residents into our offices and clinics and remembering that late June, or early July many years ago when we walked onto the unit for the first time in our brand-new white coat, nervous yet excited and determined to change the world for the children who needed our care.
As I assume the role of President of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics this summer, I have been reflecting as well on my past experiences working in Pennsylvania and the colleagues who helped introduce me to the PA AAP. I am a Pennsylvania native, completed medical school at Temple University, and then ventured away for my Residency and Chief Residency at the University of Rochester, NY. I loved my time in Rochester but ultimately the pull of family and having my children grow up near their grandparents brought me back to Northeastern PA.
When I started at Pediatrics of Northeastern Pennsylvania, one of my senior partners, was Dr. Denny Dawgert. Denny is the consummate mentor - smart, compassionate, patient, and an amazing listener. He was on the board of the PA AAP years ago and invited me to attend a PA AAP Leadership meeting one spring weekend. It was amazing to meet so many fellow pediatricians and PA AAP staff, learn about chapter initiatives, and brainstorm about issues affecting pediatric health in our communities and the Commonwealth. I left the meeting energized and knowledgeable about the chapter opportunities. After that meeting I began collaborating with other chapter members working on practice management issues that interested me, allowing me to have challenges beyond my practice.
So many pediatricians I know who work with the PA AAP or AAP on a national committee, section or council will share a similar story. A dear friend, colleague, or mentor INVITED them to a meeting, a social gathering or to join a group of like-minded physicians to discuss a problem affecting children’s health.
As I begin this tenure as President of the PA AAP, please accept my sincere INVITATION to join the chapter in any way that interests you. Maybe log onto a specific committee meeting, visit the Chapter office in King of Prussia, connect with our advocacy staff and team to promote legislation in PA to benefit our patients and families, host an in-office EPIC (Educating Physicians in the Community) training for your team, or attend our annual spring CME meeting in 2025 and bring a friend! Our chapter has so many ways for you, a member of the PA AAP, to be actively engaged. I ask each of you to consider spending some time on our website (www.paaap.org), read our monthly newsletters, and find a topic that excites or interests you and get involved. The Board of Directors and staff work diligently to represent you, our 2400 pediatrician members, across the Commonwealth. The PA AAP is your organization.
One of the best parts of my day-to-day job is meeting new parents as they visit my office, before or after their child is born. I tell every family I meet that I view my role as a pediatrician as an active collaboration with them, working together for the health and well-being of their child. I humbly ask each of you to join the work of the PA AAP so children across Pennsylvania can benefit from our expertise, dedication, and collaboration for their physical, emotional, and educational success!
Stay well,
I hope the long, warm summer days have allowed you to relax and enjoy quality time with family and friends. I have always viewed summer as a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the year that has passed and prepare for the transitions that the next 5-6 months will bring, both personally and professionally. Many of us may be celebrating the educational milestones of our children as they prepare for middle school, college, or that first career-focused job. We may be helping parents downsize and relocate from a well-loved family home as part of retirement or transition to a new home with more long-term care options as they age. We may be welcoming new members to our families with the birth of children, or grandchildren or celebrating marriages.
Professionally this is a great time to plan creative ways to set up Influenza clinics for our patients and yet again find the right balance of sick and well visits as school begins in a few months (spoiler – there is no perfect schedule in Pediatrics!) Many of us may be welcoming new Pediatric residents into our offices and clinics and remembering that late June, or early July many years ago when we walked onto the unit for the first time in our brand-new white coat, nervous yet excited and determined to change the world for the children who needed our care.
As I assume the role of President of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics this summer, I have been reflecting as well on my past experiences working in Pennsylvania and the colleagues who helped introduce me to the PA AAP. I am a Pennsylvania native, completed medical school at Temple University, and then ventured away for my Residency and Chief Residency at the University of Rochester, NY. I loved my time in Rochester but ultimately the pull of family and having my children grow up near their grandparents brought me back to Northeastern PA.
When I started at Pediatrics of Northeastern Pennsylvania, one of my senior partners, was Dr. Denny Dawgert. Denny is the consummate mentor - smart, compassionate, patient, and an amazing listener. He was on the board of the PA AAP years ago and invited me to attend a PA AAP Leadership meeting one spring weekend. It was amazing to meet so many fellow pediatricians and PA AAP staff, learn about chapter initiatives, and brainstorm about issues affecting pediatric health in our communities and the Commonwealth. I left the meeting energized and knowledgeable about the chapter opportunities. After that meeting I began collaborating with other chapter members working on practice management issues that interested me, allowing me to have challenges beyond my practice.
So many pediatricians I know who work with the PA AAP or AAP on a national committee, section or council will share a similar story. A dear friend, colleague, or mentor INVITED them to a meeting, a social gathering or to join a group of like-minded physicians to discuss a problem affecting children’s health.
As I begin this tenure as President of the PA AAP, please accept my sincere INVITATION to join the chapter in any way that interests you. Maybe log onto a specific committee meeting, visit the Chapter office in King of Prussia, connect with our advocacy staff and team to promote legislation in PA to benefit our patients and families, host an in-office EPIC (Educating Physicians in the Community) training for your team, or attend our annual spring CME meeting in 2025 and bring a friend! Our chapter has so many ways for you, a member of the PA AAP, to be actively engaged. I ask each of you to consider spending some time on our website (www.paaap.org), read our monthly newsletters, and find a topic that excites or interests you and get involved. The Board of Directors and staff work diligently to represent you, our 2400 pediatrician members, across the Commonwealth. The PA AAP is your organization.
One of the best parts of my day-to-day job is meeting new parents as they visit my office, before or after their child is born. I tell every family I meet that I view my role as a pediatrician as an active collaboration with them, working together for the health and well-being of their child. I humbly ask each of you to join the work of the PA AAP so children across Pennsylvania can benefit from our expertise, dedication, and collaboration for their physical, emotional, and educational success!
Stay well,
Kate Tigue, MD, FAAP
President, PA AAP
2024-2026
President, PA AAP
2024-2026