(1100) Global Health Education in U.S. Pediatric Critical Care Fellowship Programs

Introduction: The burden of childhood mortality lies disproportionately on low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). US trained pediatric intensivists with global health interest can play an important role in partnering with institutions globally to address the disparity in childhood mortality. However, a recent survey found that only half of pediatric critical care medicine (PCCM) fellowship programs provided GH training, with only one program offering a formal GH track. This study aims to examine the state of global health education in PCCM fellowships, comparing programs that offer GH education to those that do not, and identifying barriers hindering the establishment formation of global health tracks.

Methods: This study is a cross sectional survey of program directors and fellows from ACGME accredited PCCM fellowship programs. An electronic survey was distributed via email to contacts obtained from respective program websites. Survey responses from program directors were collected between February 2023 and July 2023, and collection of fellow responses will be completed on September 30th, 2023.

Results: A total of 48 out of 76 (63%) PCCM fellowship program directors responded to the survey. Out of the respondents, 8 (16.7%) programs offered a formal GH track, 28 (58.3%) programs provided some GH opportunities but lacked a formal track, and 12 (25%) programs did not offer any GH education. Programs with GH education were more likely to be larger sized programs with (mean of 9.6 fellows vs 5.7 fellows, p=0.02) and located in the Northeast and Southern regions of the US. The most significant perceived barrier to expanding GH training was lack of interest from faculty. Lack of funding and difficulty scheduling were also identified as important barriers.

Conclusions: While GH training is expanding among PCCM fellowship programs, there remain several programs where trainees lack access to GH educational opportunities. There is evident interest among PCCM fellows in participating in GH training, but faculty mentorship, availability of funding, and schedule constraints pose critical barriers to its establishment and growth. Addressing these barriers will be essential in promoting and enhancing global health education in pediatric critical care medicine fellowships.