Third Japanese Association of Pediatrics in North America (JAPAN) Meeting

"Let’s share our knowledge and experience to improve child health and development!!” A new academic association lead by Japanese pediatricians who work in the US (The Japanese Association of Pediatrics in North America: JAPAN) was launched in August 2014. On Saturday, March 7th, its third academic meeting was held at the Kravis Children’s Hospital of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York. This meeting was another great success with an outstanding special lecture entitled “Fetal Medicine for Pediatrician” by Dr. Tomo Tarui (Tufts Medical Center) and exciting presentations by Drs. Maya Nishijima-Suzuki (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center), Chikara Ogimi (Elmhurst Hospital Center), and Yuko Shiima who is a current trainee of Dr. Akira Nishisaki (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia). Twenty-five attendees including medical students, residents, fellows and attending physicians from a variety of specialties enjoyed active discussions to gain knowledge from the experts.

“I am very excited about what we achieved with the past three successful meetings. My goal is to make continuous opportunities for Japanese pediatricians in the U.S. to expand friendship and academic relationship,” said Dr. Mika Ito (Maimonides Medical Center) who is a co-steering committee chief with Dr. Junko Nishita (Maimonides Medical Center). “We attempt to bridge medical communities between Japan and the US and I believe our activities will benefit Japanese pediatric health care providers as well as children and families who travel to the US. We really appreciate a generous support from JMSA!”

The meeting was followed by a reception dinner at Guzan restaurant in the Upper East side, which was organized by Dr. Miho Nakajima (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center).  The next meeting is scheduled in August 2015 and the speaker of special lecture series is Dr. Takeshi Tsuda, a pediatric cardiologist at Nemours Cardiac Center in Delaware.