About SOID

• Amplify the pediatric subspecialty advocacy voice on both federal and state levels regarding issues such as access to care, workforce, training, education, research, payment and other areas specifically of interest to pediatrics and pediatric infectious diseases. 

Leadership

• Develop leadership skills and assume leadership positions within your subspecialty by applying to serve on Internal Committees, Planning Groups and Editorial Boards such as the Section Executive Committee, Education Subcommittee, PREP: ID live, PREP ID on-line self-assessment, AAP Grand Rounds, Pediatrics and Pediatrics in Review. Section members are considered for these faculty opportunities.

• Opportunities to represent the AAP and Section at external meetings based on your areas of expertise and experience. 

• Engage pediatric ID training fellows in Section activities and opportunities, including two positions on the Executive Committee and one position on the Education Subcommittee.

• Recognize colleagues through the SOID Award for Lifetime Contribution in Infectious Diseases Education, which is given to an Academy member who has made outstanding contributions to education in infectious diseases. 

Networking

• The Section Executive Committee has worked collaboratively on several initiatives with the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, such as the PREP ID course and the workforce survey.

• Members may be invited to review draft policy from other AAP Committees, Councils and Sections and/ or external organizations.

• The SOID works with other AAP Sections and Councils to develop joint Section programs at the AAP National Conference. 

Education

• Receive a bi-annual SOID newsletter full of infectious diseases related resources.

• Access the Section collaboration website inclusive of ID related resources.

• Receive Section emails to keep you up to date on AAP and Section activities.

• Receive member discounts on PREP ID course, PREP ID on-line self-assessment and Pedialink Hot Topics regarding infectious disease topics.

• Participate in multiple infectious disease programming at the AAP National Conference and have the opportunity to participate in professional educational program development.

• Assist in the development of infectious diseases public education information.

• Three travel grants are awarded annually to residents and ID training fellows who are members of the SOID to defer the cost of attending the National Conference & Exhibition or the PREP ID course. 

What has the Section on Infectious Diseases done lately? 

• The SOID developed and implemented a pediatric infectious diseases workforce survey that will be instrumental in future workforce planning and advocacy.

• The SOID has established the S. Michael Marcy Visiting Professor Program designed to bring nationally and internationally known pediatric infectious diseases (PID) specialists to pediatric and family practice programs around the country that may not have or who have limited access to a PID specialist.

• The AAP "Documenting Parental Refusal to Have Their Children Vaccinated" form was developed by the SOID Executive Committee as a resource for pediatricians when talking with parents who are hesitant or refuse to have their children fully vaccinated.

• As part of its educational mission, the SOID has published many articles regarding ID related topics in the Focus on Subspecialties column in AAP News.

• To engage more members in the work of the Section, current members were asked to complete a survey indicating their areas of interest and expertise.