This continuing medical education activity is intended for pediatricians, as well as family medicine physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and nurses who provide care to infants, children and adolescents. Register Today!
Practical Pediatrics Conference 2025
Friday, March 28 – 8 am - 5 pm
Saturday, March 29 – 8 am - 12:15 pm
Bridger Field House, Winston–Salem, NC
Guest Speaker
RJ Gillespie, MD, MHPE
Dr. Gillespie is a general pediatrician with The Children’s Clinic in Portland and is the Medical Director of the Oregon Pediatric Improvement Partnership.
Wake Forest University School of Medicine Faculty
| Jeanna Auriemma, MD Associate Professor of Pediatrics Christina Avila, MD, MPH Chief Resident, PGY-4 Laruen Bradford, MD Assistant Professor of Pediatrics Karerina Constantacos, MD Associate Professor of Pediatrics Preston Easterday, MD Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine Matthew Hazle, MD Assistant Professor of Pediatrics Carmen Kiper, MD, PhD Assistant Professor of Pediatrics |
Brittany Martin, MD |
Upon completion of this program, participants should be better able to understand the pediatrician’s role in promoting relational health to mitigate the effects of toxic stress, discuss common barriers to relational health experienced by caregivers, and review practical strategies for promoting relational health in early childhood during well visits. They will also gain knowledge about the most common causes of sudden cardiac death in pediatric patients and screening methods for these patients in the outpatient setting.
Additionally, participants will learn about treatment options for tongue tie, supplements such as echinacea and spirulina, and how supplements can mimic rheumatic conditions. They will discuss recommendations regarding the use of supplements in pediatrics and identify patients at risk for Adrenal Suppression (AS) and Adrenal Crisis (AC) in the setting of inhaled steroid treatment. The program will also cover steroid withdrawal syndrome when weaning steroids too soon and identifying history and physical exam findings that are “red flags” for non-infectious causes of lymphadenopathy.
Other key topics include explaining how primary care providers can lead the way in the patient transition to adult medicine, providing updates in SMART therapy, reviewing the various causes of dysphagia, and offering recommendations for treatment and management of dysphagia, including Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE). Participants will develop a practical approach to genetic testing and understand the scope of use, misuse, and substance use disorder in the pediatric population.
The program will also discuss key treatments for defiant behavior and help participants identify children within their practice who meet the definition of children with specialty healthcare needs, medical complexity, and technology dependence, requiring additional educational and community-based services.
By addressing these objectives, the conference seeks to enhance participants' knowledge and skills in various aspects of pediatric care, ultimately improving patient outcomes.
