Background: The Pediatric Hospital Medicine (PHM) Core Competencies define the expertise required of practitioners in the field and provide a framework for graduate and continuing medical education activities. Since their initial publication in 2010, the scope of practice among pediatric hospitalists has matured. Pediatric hospitalists lead or participate in institutional and national efforts that emphasize interprofessional collaboration and the delivery of high value care to hospitalized children, and many serve a pivotal role in teaching learners. Nearly 50 institutions offer graduate medical education training in PHM. In response to these changes, the American Board of Medical Specialties designated PHM a pediatric subspecialty in 2016.

Purpose: To describe the methodology utilized in the review and revision of The PHM Core Competencies in order to ensure a product reflective of current roles and expectations for pediatric hospitalists across all training pathways and practice settings.

Description: The Executive Council of the Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM) Pediatrics Special Interest Group (SIG) supported the initiation of the revision. Solicitation of a diverse group of editors and authors occurred via the SIG to the wider SHM membership and PHM community, including members of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Academic Pediatrics Association (APA). A new position of Contributing Editor was created to represent community practice, and associate editors represented community, university, and internal medicine-pediatrics practice. More than 80 individuals participated as editors and/or authors. This cohort represented both university and community sites, all US geographic regions, and the three core PHM societies (SHM, AAP, and APA). The editors conducted a two-part needs assessment. First, the editors distributed a survey related to content in individual chapters and the entire compendium to stakeholder groups across all known listservs related to PHM. Second, the editors reviewed content from recent conferences, textbooks, and handbooks specific to the field of PHM to identify important topic areas. The final compendium consists of 4 sections and 66 chapters, including 12 new chapters and 36 chapters with substantial changes to title or content (Table). Notable additions include chapters on behavioral and psychiatric conditions, procedural and surgical topics, and newborn topics. Each chapter contains an introductory paragraph and learning objectives in 3 domains of educational outcomes (cognitive, psychomotor, affective), as well as systems organization and improvement. Chapter links provide a mechanism for users to access comprehensive information and resources on interrelated topics. Individual chapters and the entire compendium underwent rigorous internal and external review.

Conclusions: The revised PHM Core Competencies reflect the work of a broad spectrum of practitioners in the PHM community, as well as changes in the practice and educational environments of pediatric hospitalists. The expansion of the editorial board and a thorough needs assessment supported a robust review of the content. The compendium can inform education, training, and career development for pediatric hospitalists practicing now and in the years to come.

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