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This Month In Pediatrics
April 2026
Part 2
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Emma's Journey Through Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery
Emma loves building LEGO worlds, baking, and filling every room with warmth. But a year ago, frequent seizures began to take that away. What started at school quickly became a daily struggle, and Emma withdrew from the things she loved. After trying multiple medications without success, her parents feared they were losing her. Read more here!
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Celebrating Emily's Milestone
A year after undergoing brain tumor surgery with Dr. Mark Souweidane, Emily returned for a very different kind of visit—a joyful taco party filled with celebration. Her one-year milestone was marked with a thoughtful surprise and plenty of smiles all around.
Read more here!
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It was announced that Dr. Nitsana Spigland, Professor of Clinical Surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College, will step down as Chief of the Division of Pediatric Surgery effective July 1, 2026. She will remain on faculty, continuing her work in teaching, mentorship, and complex surgical care.
Dr. Spigland has served in leadership roles at Weill Cornell for three decades, including as Chief since 2006, following earlier appointments in academic medicine and surgical training in New York and Montreal. Her career has been marked by a strong commitment to education and clinical excellence.
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We are pleased to announce that Peter Chiu, MD, will be joining the team on September 1, 2026, as a congenital heart surgeon and site director for pediatric and congenital cardiac surgery.
Dr. Chiu comes from Boston Children’s Hospital, where he served as an attending cardiac surgeon and Surgical Director of the Pulmonary Artery Reconstruction Program. He completed his medical degree at Columbia University, cardiothoracic surgery training at Stanford University, and fellowship training in congenital heart surgery at Boston Children’s Hospital, where he also holds a faculty appointment at Harvard Medical School.
His clinical focus includes complex congenital heart disease, particularly pulmonary artery reconstruction, vascular rings, airway compression, single ventricle surgery, and aortic valve repair in infants, children, and young adults. His research centers on improving outcomes and developing predictive tools for congenital heart surgery.
Dr. Chiu brings extensive experience in both clinical care and research and will be a strong addition to the program.
| | | | Drs. Ria Goswami and Ashley Nelson were awarded the 2026 PacBio + Weill Cornell Genomic Resource Core Facility Microbial Sequencing SMRT Grant for their project on the role of the nasopharyngeal microbiome in virus-specific immunity among children with respiratory viral co-infections. Their work will examine bacterial and viral communities in children with RSV to better understand how these factors influence mucosal immune responses. | |
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5th Annual Pediatric Health Policy Research Symposium - Submit Your Abstract!
Don’t miss your chance to present at the Fenwick Institute’s national Pediatric Health Equity and Policy Research Symposium October 22–23 at Boston Children’s Hospital. This premier forum brings together child health researchers and advocates from across the U.S. and beyond to tackle health disparities, equity, and policy...and build the community driving real change.
This year’s symposium features a keynote by Dr. Thea L. James, VP of Mission & Co-Executive Director of the Health Equity Accelerator at Boston Medical Center, plus original research presentations, interactive workshops, and a special session on best practices in health equity research and dissemination.
Abstract submissions due May 1 at 11:59pm
Fill out the form here to submit your original research abstract.
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NewYork-Presbyterian Innovation Grant Program – Applications Now Open
The NewYork-Presbyterian Innovation Grant Program has been launched as a new opportunity to support Weill Cornell Medicine physician faculty in pursuing high-impact learning experiences beyond traditional CME.
This program is designed to promote forward‑looking thinking, invest in faculty growth, and accelerate the adoption of innovative clinical and operational ideas that strengthen NewYork-Presbyterian as a leading academic health system.
Awards are available for up to $25,000, supporting tuition, registration, travel, lodging, and related expenses. Grant‑supported activities must not exceed five days total across the 12‑month grant period. By funding learning beyond our organization, this award will bring new ideas and skills back, to strengthen how we work and drive shared growth and impact.
Eligibility and Timing
- Eligible applicants: Weill Cornell Medicine physician faculty
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Applications due: Friday, May 22, 2026
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Awards announced: Friday, June 19, 2026
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Grant period through: June 21, 2027
Program Overview
The Innovation Grant supports short‑term, high‑impact experiences, including:
- Observerships at peer or high‑performing health systems
- Exposure to innovative clinical approaches, minimally invasive techniques, and emerging technologies
- Simulation‑based skill development or assessment tools
- Innovation, design thinking, or entrepreneurship training
- Leadership and management development programs
Interested faculty should submit an application here: https://forms.microsoft.com/r/EEzNS6qttt
Please direct questions to Innovgrantapp@nyp.org.
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Pediatric Fellows' Research in Progress takes place on the first Thursday of each month. Third and second-year fellows present their ongoing academic scholarship work. Stay tuned for next month's presenters!
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It’s World Immunization Week
This week marks World Immunization Week, a global initiative led by the World Health Organization to highlight the critical role vaccines play in protecting people of all ages from preventable diseases.
We all know that vaccines are one of the most powerful tools in public health, saving millions of lives each year, so it’s heartening that for at least one week, the world is rallying around the power of vaccines. This year’s theme of “Vaccines for Every Generation” encourages everyone to take a moment to check in on their vaccination status and to help spread the word, not the disease.
Look for daily posts on our department’s Instagram and share your experiences from PAS, using these hashtags #VaccinesWork #WorldImmunizationWeek.
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| | Dr. Dana O’Toole has received a Departmental Pilot Award totaling $25,000 for a one-year project titled “Outcomes of a Digital Mindfulness Meditation Intervention in Adolescents with Moderate to Severe Atopic Dermatitis (MIND-AD).” | | | |
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Dr. Camilia Martin is a recipient of the Nutrition Research Advocate Award. This inaugural award, sponsored by Abbott Sponsored and selected by SPR’s Nutrition Research Committee, honors an SPR member for their outstanding contributions to nutrition services research.
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| | Dr. Marisa Censani was recently honored with her installation as President of the Obesity Medicine Association during the organization’s annual conference, Obesity Medicine 2026, held April 9–12 in San Diego, California. Her appointment marks a significant leadership milestone within the field. | | | |
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Dr. Denis Donovan was nominated by colleagues and selected as a recipient of the Annual Nursing Awards in recognition of his outstanding dedication to patients and colleagues.
The award will be presented at a reception on Thursday, May 7, at the Belfer Research Building (413 E 69th St, 2nd floor, rooms 204 A–C). The reception will begin at 5:30 PM, immediately following Nursing Grand Rounds.
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Lauren DuPlessis, NP, was nominated by her colleagues and selected as a recipient of this year’s Annual Nursing Awards—an honor that highlights her outstanding dedication to both patients and fellow staff.
The award will be presented at a reception on Thursday, May 7, at the Belfer Research Building (413 E 69th St, 2nd floor, rooms 204 A–C). The reception will begin at 5:30 PM, immediately following Nursing Grand Rounds.
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The Quality and Patient Safety Division is pleased to recognize Ellie Cush, BSN, and Lauren Sam, LSW, with the Above and Beyond employee recognition award. This award is for their dedication to clinical excellence and commitment to resilience in complex situations in fostering a culture of safety at Weill Cornell Medicine.
When a 3-year-old pediatric patient experienced an unexpected lapse in Medicaid coverage, Ellie and Lauren went well beyond their standard roles to ensure the vulnerable child continued to receive critical medication without interruption.
| | | | Click here to view publications by faculty members published in the last 30 days! | | |
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Dr. Alex Huttle was recently featured in Medscape discussing the importance of universal suicide risk screening for youth over age 12. A new national survey highlights a gap in implementation, driven by limited awareness and a shortage of mental health resources—resulting in missed opportunities to identify at-risk youth, many of whom see a healthcare provider in the year before an attempt. Read more here!
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Dr. Ria Goswami gave an oral presentation entitled "Germline-Targeting HIV SOSIP Trimer Immunizations Dampened Post-Rebound SHIV Loads in Infant Macaques" at the Keystone HIV Vaccines: Intersections of Basic and Clinical Science meeting held at Breckenridge, Colorado.
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| | Dr. Marisa Censani delivered the Presidential Address, during which she shared her vision for the organization. She also led the Masters Course, moderating sessions, presenting on “The Year in Pediatric Obesity and Genetics,” and engaging in live Q&A with leading experts in the field. In addition, she mentored obesity medicine fellows during the Year in Review presentation. | | | |
| | Dr. Nicole Kucine was invited to Montreal, Canada, to deliver the Cedars Cancer Center – Dr. Blair Whittemore Lecture in Pediatric Oncology at McGill/Montreal Children’s Hospital Grand Rounds on April 22, titled “Myeloproliferative Neoplasms in Childhood – Too Much of a Good Thing.” Read more here! | | | |
| | Dr. Sallie Permar represented the Weill Cornell Pediatric Physician-Scientist Training Program (PSTP) at the “From Training to Residency” Luncheon during the AAP/ASCI/APSA 2026 Joint Meeting which she attended with a group of Weill Cornell medical students. Weill Cornell PSTP prepares future leaders in pediatric research through an integrated research pathway combining rigorous clinical training at NewYork‑Presbyterian with world‑class basic and translational science mentorship across the Tri‑Institutional community of Weill Cornell Medicine, Memorial Sloan Cancer Center, the Rockefeller University, and other partnering institutions. Read more here! | | | |
| | Drs. Calista Dominy and Eric Takoushian, both PGY-2 physicians, published a study entitled “Social media perspectives on congenital heart disease: Integrating thematic and sentiment analysis to characterize the digital health footprint” in Pediatric Cardiology, under the mentorship of Drs. Denis Donovan and Sheila Carroll. They also presented the work as a poster at the CHOP Cardiology Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona, and submitted it for consideration to the upcoming Leonard Steinfeld Research Symposium hosted by the Pediatric Cardiology Society of Greater New York. | | | |
| | Irem Yasa, medical student at Acibadem University School of Medicine, is pleased to share that her oral presentation at the Cerrahpaşa Medical Students’ Research Congress received second place. She extends her sincere thanks to Dr. Sallie Permar for her guidance, support, and valuable feedback throughout the process. She is grateful for the mentorship and looks forward to continuing to work together. | | | |
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The Division of Endocrinology recently highlighted key takeaways from the Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) Educational Conference, Navigating Care in Adolescence and Adulthood. The conference focused on improving care and support for patients with CAH as they transition from pediatric to adult care, emphasizing the importance of coordinated, lifelong management.
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Join the Faculty Wellness Committee!
We’re inviting faculty members to get involved with the Faculty Wellness Committee. This group plans events throughout the year that promote connection, collaboration, and fun, gathers faculty feedback and ideas, and works closely with department leadership to support wellness initiatives and opportunities.
If you’re interested in joining, they meet every other month on Thursdays at noon. Please reach out to Dr. Susan Bostwick for more information.
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| | The department offers confidential peer to peer support for pediatric faculty who are involved in a lawsuit or RCA. Modeled on the program the WCM ED uses, our department has 5 trained faculty members who are available to faculty for peer support. One of these faculty members will reach out to anyone who is involved in a lawsuit or RCA to offer short term peer support, to share resources and a trained ear to listen. In addition, any faculty who wants to reach out for peer support related to keepsafes, morbidities, QA reviews, etc, may do so by contacting Dr. Sandra Rolston. | | | |
Are you interested in sharing your expertise or telling your story? We invite you to contribute to our department blog. You can submit post ideas to Ilina Das Ewen. Whether you have an idea, bullet points, an outline, or a fully written blog post, reach out to Ilina. She can help your draft or edit a blog post. Your personal stories and insights are valuable.
Our latest blog, Your Questions About Children’s Health, reminds parents that unexpected worries can arise anytime—and you don’t have to face those uncertainties alone.
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Medical advice through MyChart messages:
- 99421: 5–10 minutes of cumulative time in a 7-day period.
- 99422: 11–20 minutes of cumulative time in a 7-day period.
- 99423: 21 or more minutes of cumulative time in a 7-day period.
Documentation Requirements:
Documentation must include the patient's inquiry, the provider’s evaluation/management, clinical decision-making, and total time spent. These items can be included in the body of the final message of the interaction.
Billing Considerations:
- Bill for cumulative time over 7-day period for medical advice requests that require multiple messages over multiple days.
- Please see below for billable and non-billable messages.
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Only billing providers can bill for medical advice messaging. (Attendings/ APPs).
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Messaging requires medical decision-making and at least 5 minutes of time.
- Patients must be established (seen in the department in the prior 3 years)
- Communication must be initiated by the patient
- Medical advice messaging option in MyChart provides a warning to patients about billing and consent to send message.
- Cannot be preceded by visit for same problem in same department in prior 7 days
- Cannot result in appointment in same department for same problem in subsequent 7 days; business office will hold charge for 7 days before releasing, and will release if no matching E&M encounter
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Cannot bill for messages from adolescent patients due to privacy guidelines.
Examples of messages that may be billed to insurance:
- A new issue or symptom requiring medical assessment or referral
- Adjusting Medications
- Chronic disease check-in
- Flare-up or change in chronic condition
- Request to complete a form
Examples of messages that should not be billed to insurance:
- Request for prescription refill
- Request to schedule an appointment
- Message that leads to provider recommending a visit/ visit scheduled
- Update from patient when no response is needed
- Message that takes less than 5 minutes of time to complete
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Schedule your Professional Headshot
External Affairs has established "headshot days" to fill the business need for standardized institutional headshots, particularly for clinical faculty profiles.
Employees in need of headshots may sign up for a 10-minute time slot through Microsoft Bookings (login required).
Stay tuned for upcoming headshot days here!
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Webinar: Advancing Biomedical Careers:
Strategies for successful F and K Awards
Virtual Webinar
This virtual webinar is designed for early-career investigators interested in pursuing NIH Fellowship (F) and Career Development (K) awards. Learn strategies for developing competitive applications, understanding the NIH peer review process, and identifying resources to support successful submissions.
Date: May 6-7, 2026
Time: 10am-2pm
Register here!
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Professional Visibility in Academic Medicine: Why LinkedIn Matters
A brief overview of how maintaining a strong LinkedIn presence can enhance networking, collaboration, and career growth in academic medicine by increasing visibility, sharing achievements, and connecting with peers and institutions.
Date: May 11, 2026
Time: 5pm
Location: Zoom
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Save the Date for the 5th Annual Pediatrics Research Day
Join us for a day filled with research presentations and scholarly exchange, showcasing cutting-edge basic, translational, and clinical projects.
Date: May 12, 2026
Time: 8am-6pm
Location: Griffis Faculty Club & Belfer Research Budiling 2nd Floor
Register Here!
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Global Infectious Diseases Across a Woman's Lifespan Course
Date: May 13-15, 2026
Email wgh@med.cornell.edu for more information.
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Department of Pediatrics Fellows’ Acknowledgement & Departmental Awards Celebration
Join us for this year’s Department of Pediatrics Awards Celebration as we come together to announce and honor this year’s recipients, recognize outstanding nominees, and celebrate the achievements and dedication of our fellows and faculty.
Lunch will be served!
Date: June 9, 2026
Time: 12pm-2pm
Location: Weill Greenberg Center- 1305 York Avenue, 2nd Floor, Rooms WGC-A, B, C
RSVP Here!
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Shout out to Dr. Catherine McGuinn for her service as a Peer Messenger in the PRIME Program (Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, and Medical Excellence), helping to strengthen professionalism, respect, integrity, and a culture of safety across Weill Cornell, Columbia, and NYP.
Shout out to Dr. Megan Toal for her service as a Peer Messenger in the PRIME Program supporting efforts across Weill Cornell, Columbia, and NYP. Her contributions help advance a stronger culture of safety, a key priority supported by leadership across the tripartite.
Lauren DuPlessis is widely regarded as an exceptional nurse whose dedication and initiative have had a profound impact across the department. She consistently advocates for patients, improves care processes, and fosters collaboration across multiple specialties, often going beyond her formal responsibilities. Her efforts have significantly elevated team morale and the overall quality of care.
Drs. Catherine McGuinn, Oleh Akchurin and Jennifer Cross were among the top pediatric physicians with stellar Google review ratings this month!
Share your appreciation for colleagues by submitting a shout-out for inclusion in the department newsletter here!
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