In this episode, we sit down with three experienced pediatric otolaryngology physician assistants to explore their roles within their respective divisions. Our guests—Anita Lazar, PA-C (Rady Children's Health San Diego), Kimberly Donner, M.P.A.S., PA-C (Dallas Children's UTSW), and Tammy Auyeung, PA-C (Boston Children's Hospital)—share insights into their daily responsibilities, how they were trained to excel in pediatric ENT, and what they love most about their specialty. Whether you're a fellow APP, a pediatric Otolaryngologist, Speech pathologist, Audiologist, or anyone who cares for children in this field, this conversation offers valuable perspectives on the critical contributions of PAs in pediatric otolaryngology.

Guests:
Anita Lazar, PA-C (Rady Children's Health San Diego) - Host
Kimberly Donner, M.P.A.S., PA-C (Dallas Children's UTSW)
Tammy Auyeung, PA-C (Boston Children's Hospital)

In this episode, we engage in a conversation with experts: David Chi, MD; Julian Smith, PhD CCC-SLP; and Madison Howe, AuD, CCC-A. Our discussion revolves around the distinct training pathways for students in various disciplines. We delve into the extent of exposure these students receive to multidisciplinary care during their training, explore the experiences of their trainees in this aspect, and share insights on enhancing exposure and learning opportunities in a pediatric multidisciplinary environment

In this episode, Julian Smith co-hosts the conversation with 3 speech and language pathologists who specialize in working with cardiac babies. The guests are Kimberly Morris SLP Rady Children's, Hallie Clason SLP Texas Children's, and Jeanan Sfeir SLP Dell Children's. Topics discussed include standardized protocols for SLP involvement with cardiac children, chart and bedside assessments, FEES vs MBS. How they approach feeding and swallowing advancement in fragile cardiac patients, as well as how they frame their thought process around children with vagal nerve damage.

In this podcast we have a conversation with the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital, Aerodigestive program team members. Their team is comprised of Otolaryngology, Sohit Kanotra, MD, Gastroenterology, Riad Rahhal, MD,MS, Pulmonary, Rebecca Weiner, MD, and Speech and Language Pathology.

The topics discussed include; team formation, team structure, and clinic structure. Aerodigestive team clinical decision making, things ream members have learned from each other, and examples of how patients have had improved care. The team members also reflect on areas of current aerodigestive care short comings and what care will potentially look like in 10-15 years.

In this episode I'm joined by Ron B. Mitchell MD, Yann-Fuu Kou MD, Courtney Van’T Slot SLP, and Caitlin Lentz SLP of the Dallas Children’s Velopharyngeal Incompetence (VPI) Team. We discuss VPI, how and when their team was formed, how their team functions, VPI assessment decision making, therapy and surgical decision making, current VPI care shortcomings, and what ENTs and SLPs often misunderstand about VPI care.
You can learn more about the team and team members by visiting their website. https://www.childrens.com/specialties-services/specialty-centers-and-programs/ear-nose-and-throat/programs-and-services/velopharyngeal-incompetence-clinic.

This episode is a conversation with the tracheostomy and ventilator team of Children’s Wisconsin. The multidisciplinary team is composed of an otolaryngologist, pulmonologist, nurse practitioner, speech language pathologist, social worker, dietitian, and respiratory therapists. In this conversation we discuss the origin and structure of the team, and their successes in improving inpatient and outpatient tracheostomy care. The team has been successful in improving parent trach teaching through use of simulation, as well as in early speaking valve assessment and use.

Participants:

Michael McCormick – Pediatric Otolaryngology

Cecilia Lang – NP Team Manager

Jennifer Henningfeld – Pediatric Pulmonologist Medical Director

Grace Flanagan – Respiratory Therapist

Lisa Molkentine – Respiratory Therapist

Christine Bueckers – Speech Language Pathologist

In this episode we have a conversation with Mike McCormick, Jennifer Lavin, and Josh Bedwell about how we can use quality improvement (QI) to improve our team patient care.

Jennifer Lavin is a pediatric otolaryngologist and works in the center for quality and safety

At Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago. https://www.luriechildrens.org/en/doctors/lavin-jennifer-m-3527/

Josh Bedwell is a pediatric otolaryngologist, surgical director for Quality and Safety for his division, and NSQIP surgeon champion at Texas Children’s Hospital/Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. https://www.texaschildrens.org/find-a-doctor/joshua-r-bedwell-md-facs

Michael McCormick is a pediatric otolaryngologist, quality improvement coordinator for department of otolaryngology, director of surgical quality, and NSQIP surgeon champion at Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. https://childrenswi.org/physician-directory/m/mccormick-michael-e

In this episode Daniela Carvalho and Keri Colio, two members of the Rady Children's Cochlear implant team, about the approach to evaluating CI candidates, the medical work up prior to implantation, specialists that comprise the team, the surgical implantation, and subsequent activation.

Daniela Carvalho is a pediatric otolaryngologist with an expertise in otology and cochlear implantation. At Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego, she is medical director of surgical services, the director of the hearing program, as well as a professor of surgery at University of California San Diego. She is the current SENTAC president (2022).

Keri Coli is a pediatric audiologist at Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego and serves as the cochlear implant coordinator. She is also the chair of the Young Members Committee for SENTAC.

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