For 75 years, pediatric healthcare professionals from across Texas have gathered for Pediatrics by the Gulf, an annual pediatric conference hosted by The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB Health). Organizers say the milestone reflects the institution’s long-standing leadership in advancing pediatric education and patient care.
The two-day conference, which took place in June at the Moody Gardens Convention Center in Galveston, brought together physicians, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, and other pediatric specialists for continuing education focused on some of the most pressing issues affecting children’s health today.
Organizers say the event’s purpose was to equip medical professionals across pediatric specialties with practical, up-to-date information they can apply directly to patient care.
This year’s program featured 16 speakers and lecturers, including experts from its home institution, UTMB Health, as well as from Baylor College of Medicine and UTHealth Houston. Topics included vaccines, legislative updates affecting pediatric care in Texas, pediatric mental health, behavioral health guidance for parents, and updated clinical recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
“The pediatric landscape has been very much in the public eye this year. We discussed the vaccine landscape in two parts, as well as new AAP guidelines involving pain management in the pediatric patient,” said
Elizabeth Rodriguez-Lien, MD,
a pediatrician in the Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at UTMB. “We also covered mental health and behavioral topics relevant to providing parent anticipatory guidance, along with classic topics essential to the general pediatrician.”
The conference was chaired by
Amyn Jiwani, MD, a pediatric cardiologist, and Rodriguez-Lien, with planning committee members representing pediatricians, nurses, and administration.
In addition to lectures and panel discussions, the conference included skill-building workshops and provided an opportunity to obtain maintenance of certification (MOC) for physicians and continuing education credits for multiple healthcare disciplines.
A research poster forum showcased projects and research conducted by medical trainees and nurses involved in pediatric research and quality improvement initiatives.
Rodriguez-Lien said the conference’s broad audience reflects the collaborative nature of pediatric care.
“While our primary lens is the general pediatrician, we recognize that we work within interdisciplinary teams — and there is much to be learned from that shared foundation of core content,” she said.
Most attendees came from the Houston area, though organizers say the conference regularly attracts participants from communities across Texas. Topics change annually to reflect emerging trends and evolving challenges in pediatric medicine.
To commemorate the conference’s 75th anniversary, organizers also held a family-friendly celebration at the end of the first day that continued a long-standing tradition of welcoming attendees and their families while honoring the event’s legacy of pediatric education.