The
American Academy of Pediatrics (
AAP) is the major professional association of
pediatriciansPediatrics or paediatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. A medical practitioner who specializes in this area is known as a pediatrician or paediatrician...
in the United States. The AAP was founded in 1930 by 35 pediatricians to address pediatric healthcare standards. It currently has 60,000 members in
primary carePrimary care is the term for the health services by providers who act as the principal point of consultation for patients within a health care system...
and sub-specialist areas. Qualified pediatricians can become fellows of the Academy.
The AAP is based in
Elk Grove Village, IllinoisElk Grove Village is a municipality located in northeastern Illinois adjacent to O'Hare International Airport and the City of Chicago. Elk Grove Village encompasses in land area with located in Cook County and located in DuPage County, Illinois. The population was 32,745 at the 2010 census...
, with an office in
Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, the AAP has approximately 390 employees working on behalf of children's health.
Structure
The AAP is governed by its
board of directorsA board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
. Membership is divided into 10 geographical regions and each region is represented by a board member. On a more local level, there are 59 chapters within the United States and seven chapters in Canada.
Education
The AAP runs
continuing medical educationContinuing medical education refers to a specific form of continuing education that helps those in the medical field maintain competence and learn about new and developing areas of their field. These activities may take place as live events, written publications, online programs, audio, video, or...
(CME) programs for pediatricians and sub-specialists. The Academy has a number of committees, sections and councils representing specific areas of practice within pediatrics which develop education and guidelines within the field.
Publications
The AAP produces more than 480 publications (in 140 countries), electronic products, professional references/textbooks, practice management publications, patient education materials and parenting books.
AAP News is the official newsmagazine of the Academy, and
PediatricsPediatrics is an official peer-reviewed journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. In the inaugural January 1948 issue, the journal's first editor, Hugh McCulloch, articulated the journal's vision: "The content of the journal is... intended to encompass the needs of the whole child in his...
is its flagship journal.
Advocacy
The AAP and its members work at the local level in hospitals, offices and clinics and in state and federal government to protect the well being of children. With support and resources from the AAP, pediatricians communicate with legislators, testify, coordinate media events and participate in appropriate election activities.
The AAP Federal Advocacy Action Network (FAAN) helps to unite the voices of thousands of pediatricians in the fight for better public policies. Members of the FAAN helped secure legislative successes that included passing of the Pediatric Rule, funding for the
State Children's Health Insurance ProgramThe State Children's Health Insurance Program – later known more simply as the Children's Health Insurance Program – is a program administered by the United States Department of Health and Human Services that provides matching funds to states for health insurance to families with children...
(SCHIP) and improving a Head Start bill in the House of Representatives. The FAAN bases its activities on issues moving through Congress or the administration, including children's health care coverage, immunizations, disaster preparedness, pediatric research and quality improvement.
The AAP has published hundreds of policy statements ranging from advocacy issues to practice recommendations. Visit the
AAP policy website to view all current AAP policies and clinical reports.
Public Relations
As part of its effort to bring attention to child health issues, the AAP’s public relations staff provides journalists with resources to ensure timely and accurate information is disseminated to the public. The AAP distributes a monthly media mailing to some 2,000 news outlets. The AAP also has public service announcements (PSAs) on influenza and obesity that are available for use by broadcast outlets.