Minnesota Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics

MNAAP News

We&#8217;re excited to announce an opening for a Communications Manager at the Minnesota Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (MNAAP). This part-time, remote role is a unique opportunity for a communications professional with at least five years of experience, who is passionate about advancing child health through advocacy, education, and special projects. 



The role involves managing various communications channels, including email updates, social media engagement, and press releases, to support the MNAAP&#8217;s mission of promoting the health of children and adolescents in Minnesota. The position offers a flexible schedule of 15-20 hours per week, competitive compensation at $45 per hour, and the chance to work with a dedicated team committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion. We&#8217;re looking for someone with strong communication skills, the ability to manage multiple projects, and a commitment to including diverse perspectives in their work. 



If you&#8217;re interested in making a significant impact in the pediatric health community, we encourage you to apply by sending your cover letter and resume to Jeff Bauer at <a>bauer@mnaap.org</a> by February 26. 



Join us in our mission to protect and advance the health of every child and adolescent in Minnesota.



For more details about the role and how to apply, please visit the <a href="https://jobs.minnesotanonprofits.org/job/communications-manager-89705/hash/8616bae0576d37c70b08be224dddbed4">job listing on Minnesota Nonprofits website</a>.

Join Our Team: Seeking a Passionate Communications Manager to Shape the Future of Child Health Advocacy

Board elections are held each year for open positions on the Board of Directors for the Minnesota Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (MNAAP) and the Board of the Minnesota Academy of Pediatrics Foundation (MAPF).
Currently, the chapter is seeking to fill one board member opening for pediatricians or pediatrician specialists who want to help advance the chapter&#8217;s mission of improving the health of all Minnesota children.
Click <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MPD2DGR" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MPD2DGR&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1694823335111000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0fAVgo1CVFbUlgrjcPPfHN">here</a> to vote. Ballots are due by Friday, Oct. 6, 2023.
To view a list of current board members, visit <a href="http://www.mnaap.org/board-members/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.mnaap.org/board-members/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1694823335111000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0RQM1d7MDgI03bOUoW_wm5">http://www.mnaap.org/board-members</a>

Vote Today to Fill An Open MNAAP Board of Directors Seat

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Weekly Influenza and Respiratory Illness Activity Report for the week ending in Nov. 5 showed a serious uptick in the number of outbreaks of influenza-like illness (ILI) reported in schools.



<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mbrALWf_duAmCWQ-naC5omThG2yYXN2cBDiXlh968ZyrNAl0gFmnh5QFROJlA2t1qreWhiZazRDyF1NplerrPN9bdVqvmT4jVFnA-1u8-bIQU2szxjT1rUN4ql9pVO6OIuu35CBk3XiW9Xm04uu4kdTTR5DM__pRuVxzP75sotRRv796PrxzMIwva7FmNRPBexC73ynSW38=&amp;c=tm29GoufUlw3UvT5oyaVnWFa9tRC8Df_lsYk2YxNaEy7dn_YhdGkDw==&amp;ch=zCYbjDKW6Ew-FlgbSUAtLJADVWPfzf-6K9jzkGCURwQgHZgAkQDDLw==" target="_blank">The </a><a href="https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/flu/stats/flustats44.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="report (opens in a new tab)">report</a> indicated 97 new outbreaks in schools across Minnesota, compared with 15 outbreaks the week before. K-12 schools report an outbreak of ILI when the number of students absent with ILI reaches 5 percent of total enrollment or three or more students with ILI are absent from the same elementary classroom.



Flu season seems to have descended on Minnesota earlier than in years past, with this most recent data indicating this is the earliest spike in school outbreaks in at least five years.



Pediatricians know the flu vaccine is a safe and effective way to protect children ages 6 months and older during flu season. You can share that knowledge with your patients via social media using the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/resource-center/toolkit/social-media-toolkit.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Centers (opens in a new tab)">Centers</a><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mbrALWf_duAmCWQ-naC5omThG2yYXN2cBDiXlh968ZyrNAl0gFmnh5QFROJlA2t1x8SEBcj2sjSaiyJvOeRqWkNiHbTDnUrNA-SkIeuu_LNrEEcGv1k6rJecFMqSEtPgzzOrrKwNVlfb5MBw6Zj2Yere8WDHfVIIO6UaUbrXt_2QtI2xlnnD-MqBu41BVaaYgck_uQf9DS2r6IfHRp2O-g==&amp;c=tm29GoufUlw3UvT5oyaVnWFa9tRC8Df_lsYk2YxNaEy7dn_YhdGkDw==&amp;ch=zCYbjDKW6Ew-FlgbSUAtLJADVWPfzf-6K9jzkGCURwQgHZgAkQDDLw==" target="_blank"> for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) toolkit </a>(available in English and Spanish).

Weekly Flu Report Shows Sharp Increase in School Outbreaks

<table class="wp-block-table is-style-regular"><tbody><tr><td>Minnesota is filled with pediatricians and child health advocates who are making a difference in their communities. Consider submitting a nomination for one or both awards below:  Distinguished Service Award Each year MNAAP recognizes a pediatrician for their outstanding efforts that contribute to the improvement of child health care. This is really the &#8220;Lifetime Achievement Award&#8221; for the pediatrician who has dedicated their life to improving care for children throughout the state of Minnesota. <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001tiVhsnxR4OXibydUaFKhtQH6HjbYabEiQ2Xi8-mVKr9C4A6B3LnPAvQ-x-tluuWTqkWfe0dajfSzAFzdtYrRfn2m0aEUnHQrdUtovlCrQegPKEd1Yae1WyLG-bX0xdTN0BAQhQ0do0L89gRVbPcmCtYxpk4XuQ1eGArUpKSbGtcWzDoGxAonj9PEOg_cBlnyu8nSdKyurPPEnzUgERzNsewcP4RC2y2dfgmLceo9ZSHTqOoSR98kWVlYacFwnIvn&amp;c=H1zEzI-gy9uTL3L9s_hgv9lQgq1Iap-KqlD-zKeLWO5vAcw7FQRbig==&amp;ch=Rix_wz0xHeUTw6TW1ndK19G8qndt72gWjjVuuKDY_I3SNuDJtfjLlA==" target="_blank">Nominate </a><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="someone (opens in a new tab)" href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfdQytw3MoDpdhMPZ6ddsZYKc-DNou7aF8V3j5G2wsTiQkboQ/viewform" target="_blank">someone</a><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001tiVhsnxR4OXibydUaFKhtQH6HjbYabEiQ2Xi8-mVKr9C4A6B3LnPAvQ-x-tluuWTqkWfe0dajfSzAFzdtYrRfn2m0aEUnHQrdUtovlCrQegPKEd1Yae1WyLG-bX0xdTN0BAQhQ0do0L89gRVbPcmCtYxpk4XuQ1eGArUpKSbGtcWzDoGxAonj9PEOg_cBlnyu8nSdKyurPPEnzUgERzNsewcP4RC2y2dfgmLceo9ZSHTqOoSR98kWVlYacFwnIvn&amp;c=H1zEzI-gy9uTL3L9s_hgv9lQgq1Iap-KqlD-zKeLWO5vAcw7FQRbig==&amp;ch=Rix_wz0xHeUTw6TW1ndK19G8qndt72gWjjVuuKDY_I3SNuDJtfjLlA==" target="_blank">.</a>  Eric Dick Child Advocacy Award This annual award was recently renamed in honor of the chapter&#8217;s late lobbyist, Eric Dick, who passed away in January 2021. Eric was a tireless advocate for Minnesota&#8217;s infants, children, and teens. With this honor, MNAAP recognizes an individual from the community who goes above and beyond their everyday routine to advocate for the health and welfare of children in Minnesota. <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001tiVhsnxR4OXibydUaFKhtQH6HjbYabEiQ2Xi8-mVKr9C4A6B3LnPAvQ-x-tluuWTGNSMfQ-UQw71l-v3hPVHGeH5RACunf6QXq8XucCyiNekhJNQZ40Nqu64jt8VVOi_nbBG1P7-udnGIZv59XbgJBBqe8gjOMR95-UI2_OK9ObHpEhsYo5Hj_uLuRvPyVbJeKlrFQFKKSf10iHk3ypotlyndSBKHGFi9JAebcpxboNlE9Zf1eujhr8uDtTVsXAN&amp;c=H1zEzI-gy9uTL3L9s_hgv9lQgq1Iap-KqlD-zKeLWO5vAcw7FQRbig==&amp;ch=Rix_wz0xHeUTw6TW1ndK19G8qndt72gWjjVuuKDY_I3SNuDJtfjLlA==" target="_blank">Nominate </a><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="someone (opens in a new tab)" href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdMqXvpYhN7_NLCzjIZIMMc7271HyHQFkow8cAeao5m5070UQ/viewform" target="_blank">someone</a>. Submit your nomination by Thursday, Sept. 1. Nominations will be reviewed by the MNAAP executive committee and the awards will be presented as part of the chapter&#8217;s annual meeting on Thursday, Sept. 15.</td></tr></tbody></table>



<table class="wp-block-table"><tbody><tr><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Nominations Sought for Annual Chapter Awards

We have now passed the second anniversary of the beginning of the pandemic and I wanted to take this opportunity to thank all of you.
You have all done amazing work under the most trying of conditions and the work is not over yet. You have learned (and continue to learn) how to deal with a new disease, not just clinically when a patient is ill, but also with all the public health issues around school, community and sports, that impact our patients and their families.
And you have often done this work with less. Less PPE. Less staff. For those in private practices, less compensation as your patient loads decreased early in the pandemic. In some cases, you have also needed to do this work with more. More young adult patients needing to be seen to offload work for our adult clinician colleagues, more patients presenting with mental health needs and recently, more patients being hospitalized with COVID. And finally, you have done this work with more stress in your lives.
For all you have done for our children, youth and their families &#8211; thank you!

A Message from MNAAP President Sheldon Berkowitz, MD, FAAP

<a href="http://www.mnaap.org/member-spotlight-ria-bardhan-mbbs-faap/bardhan_ria-5x7/" rel="attachment wp-att-3606"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-3606 alignleft" src="http://www.mnaap.org/wp-lib/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Bardhan_Ria-5x7.jpeg" alt="" width="143" height="200" /></a>Dr. Ria Bardhan is a member of the MNAAP Board of Directors and co-chairs a chapter work group. Minnesota Pediatrician asked Dr. Ria Bardhan to answer our questions as this issue’s Member Spotlight. Thank you, Dr. Bardhan!
What drew you to pediatrics?
This was an interesting journey as several experiences growing up in India shaped my journey to practice pediatrics. 
I grew up in the eastern part of India in a large city called Kolkata with parents who were both physicians. Volunteering in the orphanage of the Missionaries of Charity and working with Mother Teresa led me to see how children can be impacted by poverty and how love, compassion, and basic health care can transform their lives. I had a real-world lesson in economic and social disparities, and I made a decision from that point forward that I would advocate and provide care for children through the medical practice of pediatrics. All of this has shaped the person I have become.
What is a typical day like for you?
I work as a pediatrician in community practice at Allina Health in Inver Grove Heights. The day revolves around well-child checks, sick visits, and mental health concerns affecting our pediatric population which are increasing daily. 
What draws me in most is helping patients and families with complex medical conditions and seeing the children through illness and through health with continuity of care. I am blessed to be practicing in a community where I get to partner with so many brilliant specialists and a healthcare organization that can provide the resources necessary for our patient population. I feel joy when I’m with my patients who are also my best teachers.
I am humbled with the opportunity and platform the Minnesota Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics has given me through my roles as co-chair of the Mental Health and Behavioral Health Work Group, as an executive committee member, and through participation on the Executive Board. It is rewarding to work alongside many brilliant colleagues and partners who are all focused on delivering the best pediatric care for the children of Minnesota. 
I am also currently completing an Executive Masters in Healthcare Administration at my alma mater, the University of Minnesota. This education and experience give me a better understanding of improving healthcare delivery. My hope is to use this knowledge to improve access to healthcare and improve healthcare equity.
What is an advocacy issue (or issues) that you feel called to support? 
There are many issues at the forefront of our field that I am currently passionate about. Addressing mental and behavioral health in our pediatric and adolescent population was already a major issue, and the pandemic has only accelerated this need. We knew about the rise in mental health concerns prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, but to witness a “tsunami of this magnitude” affecting our kids was not something our system was not prepared to handle. It is heart-breaking to see the lives of children changed so dramatically, and crisis times make them more vulnerable despite their brave faces. 
Substance abuse, eating disorders, suicidal attempts, and witnessing violence are just some of the many impacts of this pandemic that have been on the rise too. The helplessness and uncertainty families are facing alongside these children are real too. Disparities and inequities tend to worsen the impact of the pandemic. Addressing social determinants of equity, childhood hunger, and poverty are additional areas I feel passionate about. 
Reducing preventable illness and taking care of complex medical conditions are areas I find myself making an impact on in order to improve the health of Minnesota’s pediatric population.
When you aren’t working, what do you enjoy doing? 
I enjoy traveling and seeing new places and meeting new people. I enjoy exposure to new cultures and trying to bring back positive elements to my daily life in Minnesota. I also realized in the pandemic that I can keep plants alive and have grown fond of gardening flowers and vegetables during the last two summers!
What is something people might be surprised to learn about you?
Hmm, this is a difficult question! I don’t think I’d call myself adventurous, but I have tried my hand at fly-fishing in Colorado and whale watching in the Atlantic. I found myself truly at one with nature and calmer during these events than I expected. I plan to see more whales in the Pacific Ocean, too, when traveling permits me to do so!

Member Spotlight: Ria Bardhan, MBBS, FAAP

<a href="http://www.mnaap.org/sample-page/website-header-1/" rel="attachment wp-att-3593"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-3593 size-large" src="http://www.mnaap.org/wp-lib/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Website-Header-1-1024x407.png" alt="" width="1024" height="407" /></a>
Several feedback opportunities took place in the fall months of 2021 that pulled into focus MNAAP priorities and plans for the future. Through the use of virtual tools, such as Survey Monkey, Zoom, Google Jamboard (a shared, virtual sticky note whiteboard pictured above), chapter members offered their ideas and insights, which gave chapter leaders much to consider for the upcoming legislative session and the 2022-2025 strategic plan. 
As one discussion participant so aptly put it, discussing all of these topics and attempting to prioritize them is “like picking your favorite child.” In order to finalize the legislative priorities, MNAAP leaders will look both at what may be possible to realistically achieve during the 2022 session and how much bandwidth is available with the chapter lobbyist to support our initiatives. In regards to the strategic priorities, limits exist by how much chapter staff can do to support the workgroups and caucuses that form. 
A policy roundtable discussion took place on Oct. 21 to help identify the chapter’s 2022 legislative agenda. More than 20 persons participated in the roundtable discussion. Advocacy and Policy co-chairs Drs. Sue Berry and Hannah Lichtsinn guided a meaningful and productive session in which participants came up with the following primary issues (ranked order voting by participants):
• Early Childhood
• Mental Health
• Social Drivers of Health
• Safe and Healthy Schools
• Vaccination
• Gun Violence
• COVID/Public Health Support
• Universal HealthCare/Single Payor
At the strategic planning discussion during the Nov. 11 board meeting, board members discussed all the items from the roundtable, as well as those from the All Member Survey and any additional topics brought up. Board members did not vote on how to prioritize these topics at that meeting but will do so at the January 2022 board meeting. These topics were raised:
• Mental Health Issues
• Early Childhood Issues
• Social Drivers of Health
• Vaccinations
• Anti-racism and Disparities
• Advocacy for Pediatricians in the State
The 2022 legislative agenda and final MNAAP 2022-2025 strategic goals will be finalized in January 2022 and information will be sent out to members regarding these plans and priorities.

MNAAP Plans for the Future in Strategic Sessions

Grand Itasca Clinic & Hospital is seeking a board certified/board eligible outpatient Pediatric Physician to join our busy and growing primary care clinic practice. Grand Itasca is a fully integrated multi-specialty clinic and hospital located in Grand Rapids, Minnesota.

Pediatric Physician

Partners in Pediatrics, Ltd. is seeking a full time BC/BE Pediatrician. The standard work week for a full-time pediatrician is 4 days a week plus a rotation of nights and weekends. Night and weekend shifts are shared equally among all providers. The salary package is competitive. You will have paid time off (PTO) and be given a CME allowance as well as CME days to further your medical education. We offer health, dental, disability and life insurance. You will also be eligible for a lucrative profit sharing 401(k). For inquiries, please contact our recruiting leads, Dr. Lisa Irvin at lirvin@pipstop.com and Dr. Megan Camerino at mcarmerino@pipstop.com

BC/BE Pediatrician

We’re excited to announce an opening for a Communications Manager at the Minnesota Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (MNAAP). This part-time, remote role is a unique opportunity for a communications professional with at least five years of experience, who is passionate about advancing child health through advocacy, education, and special projects.

MNAAP News Updates