2025/11/20 by Peggy P. McNaull · 1 voice
Arts and Humanities · Business, Management and Accounting · Decision Sciences · #Architecture, Design, and Social History #Evaluation and Performance Assessment #Organizational Learning and Leadership
paper · doi:10.1097/01.asm.0001173548.14348.0f
openalex created_date 2025/11/20 · openalex publication_date 2025/11/20 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/23
Founded in 1986, the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia (SPA) continues to fulfill its 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.” Today, that mission continues to inspire every initiative the society undertakes.As SPA approaches its 40th anniversary, the Board of Directors, drawing on the voices of our membership, is undertaking an ambitious strategic planning process to chart a course that will ensure the society remains a leader in pediatric perioperative care for decades to come. With the planning process well underway, several key themes have emerged, including: Enhancing our collective contributions to the specialty through best practices development and an expanded emphasis on research and advocacy Tackling pediatric anesthesia workforce challenges Ensuring organizational stability. Each of these goals reflects the enduring strength of the society and its readiness for the future. It has been a year of significant achievements for our society. The initiation of the SPA-FAER Mentored Research Training Grant (MRTG) marked a landmark collaboration between SPA and the Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research (FAER). This grant is intended to provide support and mentorship to early-career investigators, thereby expanding research opportunities and fostering the development of future leaders in pediatric anesthesiology. Laura Tetri, MD, PhD, of Stanford University, was awarded the inaugural grant of 250,000 in funding over a two-year period. This year, the society conducted its first joint meeting with the Association of Paediatric Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland in Edinburgh, Scotland, where our members contributed to both the planning and execution of a highly successful program. Looking ahead, SPA is currently collaborating with international pediatric anesthesia society leaders to host the first international assembly since 2012, scheduled for 2029. By facilitating dialogue among experts worldwide, SPA continues to enhance its role in shaping global standards for pediatric perioperative care. SPA boasts 4,421 members, including many medical students and residents. Its vitality is evident in four active sections – the Congenital Cardiac Anesthesia Society, Society for Pediatric Pain Medicine, Pediatric Anesthesia Leadership Council, and the Pediatric Anesthesia Program Directors Association – as well as dedicated committees and special interest groups (SIGs). This overview highlights select committee and SIG contributions. The SPA Education Committee remains a cornerstone of our society. In response to declining interest in pediatric anesthesia, the Subcommittee in Pediatric Anesthesia Education for Residents and Students (SPAERS) was founded approximately three years ago as a subcommittee of the Education Committee. It is dedicated to inspiring and supporting medical students and residents as they explore careers in pediatric anesthesiology. SPAERS works to inform, engage, and excite future pediatric anesthesiologists. Over the past year, SPAERS has transformed the meeting experience for trainees, creating high-quality, trainee-focused content that makes national conferences especially engaging and rewarding for students and residents. Welcoming spaces like a Trainee Insider Lounge and creative social gatherings – ranging from relaxed receptions to lively activity-based events – have fostered meaningful connections between trainees and faculty. SPAERS members also organized a hands-on medical workshop for high school students in the city hosting our national meeting and developed practical resources to help colleagues bring similar outreach programs to their own communities. These efforts have made national meetings more impactful and memorable for trainees while helping to inspire the next generation of pediatric anesthesiologists. SPA's mission is exemplified by the Quality and Safety Committee (SPA-QS), an open committee of over 100 members who have led pediatric anesthesia safety for nearly two decades. Recent efforts include the Noise in the Operating Room Task Force, “NPO clears” Task Force, and continued support for SPA case guides. The Pedi Crisis 2.0 App has achieved global reach with more than 80,000 downloads in 140 countries. In addition, a subset of the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia Improvement Network (SPAIN) institutions recently secured a 10 million grant to investigate the drivers of nonmedical opioid use in adolescents following major surgery. The Quality and Safety Committee collaborates closely with WakeUp Safe® on projects, education on OpenAnesthesia, and both APSF newsletters and peer-reviewed publications. WakeUp Safe® is SPA's patient safety organization that comprises 40+ institutions who share adverse event data to reduce perioperative harm in children. WakeUp Safe organizes quality improvement projects, semi-annual workshops at SPA meetings, and regular education conferences featuring patient safety topics and member presentations. Monthly conference calls provide a platform for safety discussions and challenging case reviews. SPA's Committee on Professionalism and Public Advocacy (COPPA) is committed to ensuring SPA meets its mission beyond the OR. The committee's Adopt a Local Charity initiative reflects SPA's commitment to supporting children beyond the walls of our meetings. By partnering with local nonprofits that serve children and families, each SPA meeting leaves a lasting mark on the host community. Most recently, in San Antonio, SPA supported The Children's Shelter, a nonprofit dedicated to education and foster services for children and families. During our annual meeting, the Committee on Professionalism and Public Advocacy invited attendees to contribute to The Children's Shelter, and SPA proudly matched those donations (up to a maximum) at the close of the event. The SPA Well-Being Committee, composed of 115 members, recently announced the release of its new Well-being Curriculum, now publicly available on the SPA website (pedsanesthesia.org/wellbeing-curriculum). Developed with both facilitator and participant guides, the curriculum is designed to promote clinician well-being and can be implemented across all medical specialties. While created by anesthesiologists, its content is broadly applicable to physicians, trainees, and health care professionals in diverse fields. This curriculum provides accessible, evidence-informed resources to support clinician well-being nationwide. The launch marks a significant milestone in the committee's mission to promote the well-being of physicians and health care workers through education, research, and advocacy. The continued strength of SPA lies in its members' dedication to advancing the specialty through the development of new SIGs. SPA acknowledges the significant contributions and objectives of its two recently established SIGs. First, the Ultrasound Regional Anesthesia and Point-of-Care Ultrasound (Ult-RA POCUS) SIG has quickly grown into a 50-member community, advancing education through workshops, a robust online resource hub, and innovative training programs. Their work underscores how education and collaboration improve perioperative care in real time. Meanwhile, the newly formed Preoperative Management (P-POM) SIG demonstrates SPA's forward-looking approach. In its first year, the Preoperative Management SIG has already launched a national needs-assessment survey, connected internationally through the EBPOM London meeting, and prepared an inaugural virtual meeting featuring leaders from the U.S. and abroad. By improving how children and families experience the preoperative process, this SIG directly reinforces SPA's mission to center the patient and family in every step of care. From strategic planning to committee projects, from community advocacy to international collaboration, every corner of SPA is alive with activity. What unites these efforts is a single, shared purpose: improving the perioperative care of children. As SPA approaches its 40th anniversary, the society celebrates our decades of continued accomplishments and looks to the future of advancing education, research, and advocacy even further. Individuals interested in SPA's mission are invited to join our organization or learn more about our initiatives by visiting our website at pedsanesthesia.org.Peggy P. McNaull, MD, President, Society for Pediatric Anesthesia, and Chief Medical and Quality Officer, UNC Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.