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This Month In Pediatrics
July 2026
Part 1
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Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia Researchers Awarded $17.25M to Study Profound Autism
A $17.25 million research grant was awarded to Columbia University Irving Medical Center and Weill Cornell Medicine to study profound autism. Dr. Zachary Grinspan is serving as the clinical lead for WCM. The five-year initiative will advance research aimed at improving understanding of profound autism and accelerating the development of future therapies. Read more here!
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Cross-Departmental Collaboration Highlighted in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Congratulations to the multidisciplinary team whose article,“Reducing Unnecessary Medical Screening for Pediatric Psychiatric Admissions in the Emergency Department,” was spotlighted in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Articles in Press alert. This recognition highlights a successful collaboration between Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Emergency Medicine and showcases impactful quality improvement research. Read the article here!
| | | Drs. Omar Abdul-Rahman, Lisa Goto, Nicole Kelly, Jennifer Salant, and Asim Shahid have each been awarded a NewYork-Presbyterian Innovation Grant in recognition of their innovative proposals to advance clinical and operational practices. The grant supports opportunities to bring new ideas and best practices back to the institution. Drs. Ardavan Akhavan and Maria Lame, Children's Health leaders from other departments, are among the awardees as well. Congratulations to all! | |
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Dr. Ranjini Srinivasan has been awarded a $90,000 grant from the Graeme McDaniel Foundation for her project, “What Are the Implications of Fetal MRI Graded Pulmonary Lymphangiectasia in the Management of Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome.”
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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! | | | | |
Congratulations to our pediatric faculty honored at the Excellence in Medical Education Awards ceremony, which was held on campus on June 25. We are deeply grateful for their exceptional dedication to education and their commitment to training the next generation of physicians.
Essential Principles of Medicine – Part A
Jennifer Bassetti, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics
Clinical Preceptor
Eric Ogden-Wolgemuth, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics
Pediatrics Clerkship
Shuchi Jani, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics
Advanced Clinical Ethics
Julen Harris, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics
Pediatrics Sub-Internship
Deanna Hano, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics
Innovations in Technology Award
MacKenzi Preston, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics
LEAP Course
Rachel Kowalsky, M.D.
Associate Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine and Clinical Pediatrics
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IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED to STAND UP FOR SCIENCE
One last plea to use your outside voices to protect scientific integrity. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has proposed a new rule (“Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance”) that would strip federal agencies of their grant funding decisions.
Take Action: Visit the Stand Up for Science Action Center to access resources, contact your members of Congress, and click here to submit your public comment directly to the Federal Register.
The open public comment period runs until July 13, 2026.
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Finish the Fight
Once again, we took the mic to advocate for children’s health in partnership with the Tony award winning Broadway show Suffs. Children’s National in Washington, D.C. hosted the show to benefit the Pediatrician Scientist Development Program and talkback following the show that featured our very own Dr. Sallie Permar and Dr. Ramon Gist, and Sarah Hoffman from Children’s National. Panelists spoke about vaccine, gun safety, and mental health advocacy respectively, and as they highlighted, inequities in child health outcomes abound, and our healthcare and research systems are under threat. By all accounts, participants left feeling energized to "finish the fight."
While children do not have a vote, they have a voice that we must amplify. Just like the Suffragists who used their unique skills for a greater cause, now is the time to act with courage and resilience. Your collective actions make a tangible difference.
Ways You Can Take Action Today:
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Contact your Members of Congress to champion vaccines, gun safety, and mental health
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Donate to the Pediatrician Scientist Development Program
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Dr. Megan Toal has been awarded the Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Service Award in recognition of her outstanding service and contributions during fellowship training.
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Dr. Yasmin Khakoo has been honored by her alma mater with the Barnard Alumnae Award of Distinction on behalf of the Alumnae Association of Barnard College.
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Dr. Dennis Donovan received the 2026 "Attending Award for Teaching Excellence" Award as voted by the Pediatric Housestaff.
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Dr. Nicole Gerber received the 2026 "Research Mentor of the Year" Award as voted by the Pediatric Housestaff.
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The poster "Kowalsky R, Barnett M, Marathe P, Douglas S, Fraymovich S, Stewart CB, Platt S, Ball S, Thomas C, Finkelstein H, Basu E. Can a Narrative Medicine Curriculum Impact Burnout Scores and Quality of Life for Residents on the Pediatric Oncology Service?" won Top Poster at the WCM EDge Impact Event on May 18th. The event is "a celebration to highlight exciting projects focused on shaping the future of medical education, both within WCM and across the broader academic landscape." Read more about it here.
| | | | Click here to view publications by faculty members published in the last 30 days! | | |
| | Dr. Corinne Catarozoli presented an invited talk on "Integrating CBT into Pediatric Sleep Centers" at the World Confederation of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies in San Francisco, CA on June 25th. | | | |
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Dr. Rachel Kowalsky led a workshop titled "The Art of Healing: Applying the Health Humanities in Emergency Medicine Education" at the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Annual Meeting in Atlanta, GA on May 18th.
Dr. Kowalsky also gave the invited talk "Narrative Medicine and the Art of Doctoring" To the Lifestyle and Integrative Medicine Interest Group at Columbia University's Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons, on May 21st.
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| | Dr. Taylor Jackvony's abstract titled "Variation and Disparities in the Management of Brief Resolved Unexplained Events (BRUEs)" was accepted for a platform presentation for the Sandra L. Fenwick Institute’s Pediatric Health Policy and Research Symposium on October 23rd. | | | |
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Call for Applications for Clinical Mentor for the Longitudinal Clinical Skills Program
Interested in shaping the next generation of physicians? The Office of Medical Education is recruiting Clinical Mentors for the PCP-EPOM program, where faculty work closely with first-year medical students on clinical skills, communication, ethics, and professional development. Faculty who commit to the full August–December 2026 program are eligible for a $1,250 stipend. Click here for more information and how to apply.
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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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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 you draft or edit a blog post. Your personal stories and insights are valuable.
Check out our latest blog posts!
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Teaching Physician Attestation & Documentation Requirements
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Teaching Physician Presence: Attending physicians must document that they personally saw the patient, examined them, and participated in medical decision-making.
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Review of Resident's Work: Attending must indicate that you have reviewed the resident’s or fellow's history, exam, and care plan, and state your agreement with the findings.
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Time Limits: The billing physician’s note linking to the resident's note must be written by the end of the calendar day (or within 24 hours of the service) to be considered compliant for Evaluation and Management (E/M) billing.
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Late-Night Admissions: If a resident admits a patient late at night and the attending physician cannot personally see the patient until the next day, the attending must document their face-to-face evaluation on the day they see the patient, referencing the resident's history/exam findings.
- Acceptable Attestation Elements
- Attestations must confirm the provider's active presence, review of history/data, and agreement with the care plan .
- Example: "I have seen and evaluated the patient. I have reviewed the resident’s note, examined the patient, discussed the case, and agree with the plan of care on [Date]."
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Unacceptable attestations include generic, shorthand, or vague statements .
- Examples: “Seen and agree”, “patient seen and evaluated”, “Discussed with resident. Agree”.
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Follow Time-based Coding Rules: Time-based codes are billed for the time the attending physician personally spent providing that service. Resident and attending time should not be combined and time spent teaching must be excluded from total time billed.
Reminder about PA notes:
- WCM Attending physicians cannot bill for services provided by NYP PAs. PA notes may be attested and co-signed but not billed unless the attending creates a complete note or writes an attestation that includes all elements of a complete note.
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2026 Pediatric Asthma Skills Fair
An interactive event designed to strengthen our knowledge and skills in pediatric asthma care! This event is open to all inpatient and outpatient staff involved in the care of pediatric patients with asthma.
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
In-Person Sessions: 9:00 AM–12:00 PM
Location: Rooms M607 & M614
Virtual Keynote Address: 12:00 PM–1:00 PM via Zoom
See flyer for more details.
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Department of Pediatrics Strategic Plan
Our Goal is to develop a department-wide strategic plan that aligns with the WCM CARE Strategic Plan while identifying transformational opportunities in Clinical Care, Research, Education, AI & Data Science, Workforce Development, and Operational Excellence, with AI serving as a cross-cutting enabler across all missions.
We have scheduled a series of meetings:
July 20 - Leadership Strategic Planning Session (Clinical Mission)
August 12 - Leadership Strategic Planning Session (Academic Mission)
September 9 - Faculty and Staff Workshop (Academic Mission)
September 14 - Faculty and Staff Workshop (Clinical Mission)
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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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Drs. Katherine Bergstrom, Stefan Worgall and Zachary Grinspan 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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