Society for Pediatric Anesthesia
We make anesthesia for children safer

Please join us for the SPA 38th Annual Meeting at the Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown on October 18, 2024 in Philadelphia, PA

We hope to see you in Philadelphia. However, if you are unable to join us in-person, please register to attend virtually.

Click here to learn more about the program and meeting details.

The Society for Pediatric Anesthesia (SPA) is accepting nominations for the 2024 SPA Myron Yaster Lifetime Achievement Award.

The SPA Myron Yaster Lifetime Achievement Award is designed to acknowledge a lifetime contribution to the society’s mission to ‘advance the health and well-being of children through perioperative care, education, research, advocacy, and collaboration among members, patients, families, and professional organizations worldwide.’

Eligibility criteria:

• More than 20 years of practice in Pediatric Anesthesia and/or Pediatric Pain Medicine
• Public contributions to improve perioperative care and/or pain management of children
• Significant contribution to the SPA and the membership (current SPA membership is NOT required)

Past Winners:

2023 – Lynn D. Martin, MD, MBA, FAAP
2022 – Adrian T. Bosenberg, MB, ChB, FFA
2021 – Eugenie S. Heitmiller, MD, FAAP
2019 – George A. Gregory, MD, FAAP
2018 – Charles B. Berde, MD, PhD
2017 – Anne Lynn, MD
2016 – Aubrey Maze, MD
2015 – William Greeley, MD
2014 (Inaugural Award) – Myron Yaster, MD

Do you know someone who is worthy of this honor? If so, please email the name of your nominee AND the reason for your nomination to Jenny Patterson at [email protected].

The deadline for nominations is March 27, 2024.

Deadline: February 26, 2024

In accordance with the SPA bylaws, the SPA Nominating Committee is seeking candidates for the following leadership positions.

SPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Elections for positions on the SPA Board of Directors will occur before the SPA 38^th Annual Meeting in October 2024. The vote will be electronic and take place during the coming summer. Based on our current by-laws, the Nominating Committee is responsible for bringing a slate of candidates for the position of Secretary-Treasurer and all open at-large Director positions for approval by the Board of Directors.

The Nominating Committee is asking members to submit nominations for these open positions. Please note that nominees for the position of Secretary-Treasurer must have a demonstrated track record of success leading society activities reporting directly to the Board. Nominees for at-large Director positions should have an established record of participation and/or leadership of SPA committee activities. Self-nominations will be accepted. By prior Board recommendation and standing practice, the Nominating Committee will recommend that the current officers move up in rank, to provide continuity of governance. Write-in candidates for the offices of Secretary-Treasurer, Vice President/President-Elect, and President of SPA are welcome.

The candidate selection process has evolved over the past quarter century. The process begins with your active participation in SPA activities. The best way for you as a member to signal interest in SPA is by participating in committees and task forces! Most Board of Directors positions are filled by members who have been active on committees, helped write the Newsletter or were program chairs for SPA meetings.

Elected members of the SPA Board of Directors have significant responsibilities and are making a real commitment to the Society and the specialty.

1. At-Large Directors serve one 4-year term. Board members must attend at least 75% of the Board meetings which take place prior to the Annual Meeting in October and the Winter/Spring meeting held jointly with the AAP. Board members also are expected to participate in at least 75% of the monthly conference calls.
2. Members of the Board of Directors should not have or accept simultaneous or overlapping appointments on either the Executive Committee of the AAP Section on Anesthesia and Pain Management or the ASA Board, since these positions also require considerable time and energy.  Your SPA Board reaffirms this longstanding practice so that leadership opportunities in our specialty are available to more participants; for this reason, we ask you not to nominate yourself for the SPA Board (or accept a nomination by someone else) if you anticipate a similar position on another Board.  The Chair of the AAP Section on Anesthesiology and Pain Management and the Chair of the ASA Committee on Pediatric Anesthesiology (COPA) have ex officio positions on the SPA Board to foster communication and information exchange among the groups interested in pediatric anesthesia. The CCAS Board and the SPPM Board have designated voting positions on the Board of Directors.
3. Officers (Executive Committee) are committing to 8 years of service as they progress through the officer positions, requiring the same meeting attendance as for Board members. In addition, officers chair many of the SPA standing committees.
4. Officers and Board members are expected to make a yearly tax-deductible contribution to the SPA Research and Education Fund in an amount established by the President and Executive Committee.

The following are required for your nomination(s):

• Name and Institution of Nominee
• Position for nomination (Secretary-Treasurer or At-Large Director)
• Short paragraph describing why nominee would make good candidate (board/committee)
• Nominee CV

Please send in your nominations to Kim Battle at [email protected] by Monday, February 26, 2024.

 

 

Deadline to submit is February 15, 2024

The Society for Pediatric Anesthesia’s Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is pleased to announce the Mission Driven Program (MDP).

Informed by member responses to the 2020 SPA diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) survey, the MDP aims to advance DE&I work in pediatric anesthesiology by supporting the growth and advancement of individuals who participate in these efforts. MDP provides opportunities for MDP Scholars to network with DE&I leaders.

Grants will fund SPA member-initiated efforts that aim to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion at a variety of levels within pediatric anesthesiology. At this time, only those who have completed training are eligible to apply.

We invite proposals that can be completed during a 1-year funding period. Reflecting current opportunities, we are open to a variety of approaches to advancing DEI, e.g. quality improvement, dissemination and implementation science, advocacy, research, workforce pipeline, representation within SPA membership.

The MDP resources include: (1 year):

• Pairing with one or more MDP members who will provide close guidance through project completion.
• Small pilot funding (up to $10,000) to support the development of the proposed project.
• Work in progress presentation to the DEI Committee at the 2024 Fall Meeting
• Presentation to SPA members at the SPA-AAP Pediatric Anesthesiology 2025 Meeting

Click here for the MDP program description and application.

Unsure if your proposal would fit this program? Please email [email protected]

Application Timeline:

February 15, 2024: Submit application documents to [email protected]

March 30, 2024: Notification of acceptance

April 2024: Funding available