Adolescent Health Committee

AAP-CA3’s Adolescent Health Committee Chair
Dr. Maya Kumar

1. What are some notable activities of the Adolescent Health Committee?

“We started the ‘Sex, Drugs, and Rock’n’Roll’ evening seminar series, offering continuing medical education and often MOC credits for pediatricians for all specialties in adolescent health topics. We have covered “bread and butter” topics like contraception, menstrual disorders, and SSRI medications, as well as interesting updates in substance abuse, reproductive health laws, and sexually transmitted infection patterns. We also supported advocacy endeavors related to menstrual equity, gun safety, and mental health. We actively collect a repository of adolescent health community services that we can share with chapter members.”

2. What do you think is most beneficial about being part of the AH Committee?

“It is a great opportunity to have a place to share ideas about advocacy and develop practical and relevant continuing medical education related to adolescent health!”

3. Why should pediatricians in all specialties be part of the AH Committee?

“At every meeting, we try to set aside time to share and discuss tough adolescent cases. If you come to our meetings, you can get on-demand consults from adolescent health specialists! Unless you are a neonatologist, regardless of your specialty, you likely see adolescent patients who have clinical challenges related to eating disorders, mental health, reproductive concerns, and psychosocial issues. Our committee is the perfect place to talk through cases with supportive colleagues. We also have many areas of overlap with other AAP-CA3 committees – e.g. immunizations and infectious diseases, school health, mental health, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. We would love to team up with you to make our advocacy efforts stronger and more impactful!”

4. Why did you start the AH Committee?

“I joined AAP-CA3 in 2015 shortly after I started working as an attending physician in Adolescent Medicine at UCSD/Rady Children’s Hospital. Initially, I served as our Early Career Physician representative, but I noticed that our chapter did not have a committee in Adolescent Health. I wanted to create a space to encourage peer mentorship among providers who serve adolescents in our community, as well as a team to create educational content to make adolescent health topics more accessible for primary care providers in our county.

 To my knowledge, there only 5 dedicated adolescent health specialists practicing in San Diego and Imperial Counties; we need to equip our primary care and specialist colleagues to comfortably manage most adolescent health issues, while knowing which cases are appropriate to refer to an adolescent health specialist.”

5. What made you decide to chair the committee and what is it like being the Adolescent Health Committee Chair?

“I suppose I was the de facto Committee Chair because I started the committee! It is great being a Committee Chair because I love representing our specialty to the rest of the chapter and our pediatric community at large.”

6. How does the AH Committee support you in pursuing topics/activities you are passionate about?

“I am passionate about medical education, and the AAP-CA3’s leadership has been incredibly supportive of our initiatives to provide practical CME and MOC credits on adolescent health topics for pediatricians, nurse practitioners, and pediatric residents in our community. The chapter leadership has also connected us to contacts at the San Diego County who support HPV vaccination, menstrual equity, and other areas of interest. We have jointly organized Town Hall Meetings and seminars with other chapter committees. I have been able to meet people that I would never have met otherwise, who share my passion for making health and wellness more equitable for adolescents in our community.”

7. Tell us a bit about you and your background!

“I completed medical school at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, my pediatric residency at Western University in London, Canada, and a fellowship in Adolescent Medicine at the University of Toronto / The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada, followed by an additional fellowship at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Right after in 2015, I started practicing in the UC San Diego Department of Pediatrics. I started off doing primary care and some consultative services for adolescents within the Academic General Pediatrics group, as well as inpatient eating disorder care on the Medical-Behavioral Unit at Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego. In 2020, Adolescent Medicine was reclassified as pediatric subspecialty at Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego. Since then, I have continued to provide inpatient eating disorder care but our outpatient practice has become entirely consultative for issues including eating disorder outpatient management, contraception consults (including for youth with intellectual/developmental disabilities and chronic health conditions), menstrual disorders, and psychotropic medication management for depression, anxiety, and ADHD.”

Dr. Kumar is an active member of AAP-CA3 in addition to chairing the adolescent health committee. She has served as the Early Career Physician Liaison since 2015, First 5 First Steps Advisory Group Member since 2016, regularly volunteers for community-based initiatives such as organizing food drives for AAP-CA3 and UCSD/Rady Children’s Hospital since 2016. AAP-CA3 awarded Dr. Kumar the Special Achievement Award for her advocacy work and community service and 2021 Early Career Physician Pediatrician of the Year Award.