​This group was first convened in June 2016 with funding support from the Centers of Disease Control & Prevention. The collaborative group of organizations makes up the USBC-affiliated Physician Education & Training Constellation. This project concluded in 2023. ​

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Physician Education & Training Constellation

Steward

American Academy of Pediatrics (Kera Beskin)

Constellation Goals

The goal of the Physician Engagement and Training focused on Infant Nutrition project was to engage medical provider organizations and relevant stakeholders to:
1. Implement recommendations on strategies to engage medical practitioners to improve the continuity of infant feeding-related care from the prenatal period through early childhood and
2. Increase availability and accessibility of medical practitioner education curriculum resources that incorporates the most recent evidence-based infant feeding knowledge and clinical skills to support the mother, child, and family in meeting their breastfeeding goals.

Constellation Past Work

Physician Education and Training on Breastfeeding Action Plan
The AAP developed a comprehensive action plan that included recommendations for addressing:
1. Gaps in breastfeeding training and education for physicians, with special emphasis on underserved populations.
2. Training to support the safe implementation of evidence-based maternity practices supportive of breastfeeding.

Culture Plan Development
The constellation participants developed a plan to create a culture of support for breastfeeding within the medical community, emphasizing support for breastfeeding medical practitioners at all levels of training as a part of medical practitioner wellness.

Model Policy Implementation Learning Collaboratives
The AAP and AAFP facilitated and supported processes to identify medical schools, residency and fellowship programs, clinics, hospitals, and healthcare systems that implemented AAFP’s Breastfeeding and Lactation Policy for Medical Trainees within their institution as appropriate for their setting and resources.

Breastfeeding Curriculum Update
Constellation participants updated and expanded essential materials on the AAP Breastfeeding Curriculum website. The AAP Breastfeeding Curriculum was previously focused on assisting residency faculty in curriculum design. The updated resources expanded this curriculum to include both learners and faculty as audiences. For the 2022-2023 grant period, the curriculum was promoted.

Publication in Breastfeeding Medicine:
Meek JY, Nelson JM, Hanley LE, Onyema-Melton N, Wood JK. Landscape Analysis of Breastfeeding-Related Physician Education in the United States. Breastfeed Med. 2020 Jun;15(6):401-411. doi: 10.1089/bfm.2019.0263. Epub 2020 Apr 22. PMID: 32320260.

Meek, J. Y., & Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, Young, M., Noble, L., Calhoun, S. Dodd, S., Elliott-Rudder, M., Lappin, S., Larson, I., Lawrence, R.A., Marinelli, K.A., Marshall, N., Mitchell, K., Reece-Stremtan, S., Rosen-Carole, C., Rothenberg, S. Seo, T. Wonodi. A., (2019). Educational objectives and skills for the physician with respect to breastfeeding, revised 2018. Breastfeeding Medicine, 14(1), 5-13.

Breastfeeding Statements Developed:

• AAFP Breastfeeding and Lactation Policy for Medical Trainees
• ACOG Statement that delineate roles in breastfeeding support for the physician, lactation provider, and other health care professionals as well as how physicians might refer and or consult with them.

Other Work:

• Developed recommendations for an online Breastfeeding Resource Repository.
• Conducted Breastfeeding Residency Curriculum Market Analysis and Content Recommendations

Constellation Participants

• ​Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine
• American Academy of Family Physicians
• American Academy of Pediatrics
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
• American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians
• Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses​

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• National Hispanic Medical Association
• National Medical Association
• Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere
• U.S. Breastfeeding Committee