commentary
Commentary
Expanding Our Horizons
Author Disclosure
Dr Nazarian has disclosed no
financial relationships relevant to
this commentary. This commentary
does not contain a discussion of an
unapproved/investigative use of a
commercial product/device.
As I interview candidates for admission
to medical school, I marvel at the ex-
periences they have had compared with
my generation. International travel, vol-
unteer experiences of kaleidoscopic di-
versity, exposure to research from the
bench to the clinic, excursions into
disciplines far removed from medicine—
these young people roam far beyond
the traditional track that I and most of
my classmates followed.
Similarly, the perspectives of medi-
cine and of pediatrics have broadened
constantly. Although good physicians
always have realized that any aspect
of the human condition is relevant to
the patient’s welfare, we now formally
study areas that were not part of the
curriculum decades ago. One example is
cultural effectiveness, which has had
more than one name but in essence
connotes sensitivity to and knowledge
of the elements of culture that affect
a patient’s outlook and habits. The
spiritual aspect of a person’s life, al-
ways known to be important, has re-
ceived specific focus. Finally, there is a
widespread emphasis in medicine and
throughout society on wellness and
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healthy lifestyles. We like to think that
participating in an ongoing program
such as PREP The Curriculum姞 to main-
tain one’s professional knowledge is
analogous to eating properly and exer-
cising regularly, with the emphasis on
the positive aspects of health.
The content of Pediatrics in Review姞
as well as the PREP Self-Assessment姞,
the other component of PREP the Curric-
ulum, is based on the 3,700 content
specifications of the American Board of
Pediatrics (ABP). This database is valu-
able to the reader because these knowl-
edge statements form the basis for the
cognitive examinations that are part of
the ABP’s Maintenance of Certification
program. However, they are even more
important because they constitute the
core of general pediatric knowledge,
and most of our readers participate in
the program to stay current. Compiled
and revised by experts in our field, the
content specifications define the body
of knowledge critical to good pediatric
care. We are grateful to the ABP, which
is the certifying organization, for shar-
ing them with the American Academy
of Pediatrics (AAP), a major educator of
pediatricians.
In 2008, the ABP added three new
sections: Research and Statistics, Ethics
for Primary Care Pediatricians, and Pa-
tient Safety and Quality Improvement.
All pediatricians will recognize these
areas as important to their work, and
the journal has addressed them to some
extent in the past. Now, however, we
are covering these topics systemati-
cally, as with all subjects in the data-
base. Each section has its own coordi-
nator, who works with experts in these
realms.
We started our coverage of these
new topic areas in the latter half of
2009 and expect to have all the content
specifications covered by the end of
2011, at which point they will enter
the 5-year cycle used to address all of
our content. At the same time, we will
continue to present topics that fall
outside of the database but are of
interest and importance to our readers.
Adding one or two articles each month
in the online-only format allows us to
go beyond the core content, which
almost fills our allocated printed pages.
Many people work to bring the jour-
nal to fruition. I would like to thank
my Associate Editors, Drs Tina Cheng
and Joseph Zenel, and our Editorial
Assistant, Sydney Sutherland, as well as
Luann Zanzola, Susan Piscoran,
Michael Held, and so many other staff
members of the AAP, and our Copy
Editor, Deb Kuhlman. Our Editorial
Board comprises top educators in their
fields, and they offer their services as
volunteers. Cadmus and HighWire pub-
lishers produce the final product. An
unrestricted grant from Abbott Nutri-
tion provides significant support. And
we are most grateful to you, our read-
ers, for your feedback and your loyalty.
Lawrence F. Nazarian, MD
Editor-in-Chief
Pediatrics in Review Vol.31 No.1 January 2010 3
 Expanding Our Horizons
Lawrence F. Nazarian
Pediatrics in Review 2010;31;3
DOI: 10.1542/pir.31-1-3

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 Expanding Our Horizons
Lawrence F. Nazarian
Pediatrics in Review 2010;31;3
DOI: 10.1542/pir.31-1-3

The online version of this article, along with updated information and services, is
located on the World Wide Web at:
http://pedsinreview.aappublications.org/content/31/1/3

Pediatrics in Review is the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. A monthly
publication, it has been published continuously since 1979. Pediatrics in Review is owned,
published, and trademarked by the American Academy of Pediatrics, 141 Northwest Point
Boulevard, Elk Grove Village, Illinois, 60007. Copyright © 2010 by the American Academy of
Pediatrics. All rights reserved. Print ISSN: 0191-9601.

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