From left: Larry Markham, MD, and Scott Baldwin, MD, at the Southeast Pediatric Cardiac Society Annual Conference.
By: Kara Jones

After a seven-year pause, the Southeast Pediatric Cardiac Society Annual Conference resumed this year with Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt serving as host.  

For more than 50 years, the annual regional conference for pediatric cardiac care has rotated among institutions throughout the Southeast, creating a consistent forum for education and professional connection. Its return reestablishes an important space where medical students, residents, fellows, faculty and broader care teams from across the region connect, share knowledge and highlight advances in the care of children and adults with congenital heart disease.  

“This is an incredible time right now for the Pediatric Heart Institute at Monroe Carell,” said Thomas Doyle, MD, professor of Pediatrics and holder of the Ann and Monroe Carell Jr. Family Chair in Pediatric Cardiology. “The conference was a great venue to showcase all of the wonderful things we are doing in the Southeast.”  

Angela Weingarten, MD, assistant professor of Medicine and Pediatrics at Vanderbilt Health, presents on adult congenital heart disease.

Over the years, the meeting has played a big role in career development and collaboration, promoting lasting professional relationships among attendees and creating job opportunities for trainees.

The gathering also reinforced a shared mission across institutions: advancing care for patients with congenital heart disease.  

This year’s meeting also provided an opportunity to spotlight the work underway within the Pediatric Heart Institute at Monroe Carell. Presentations and discussions reflected a wide range of clinical and research efforts, including:  

  • Advancements in the congenital coronary artery program   
  • Sudden cardiac death in athletes   
  • Psychological care for patients with congenital heart disease   
  • The gene therapy program for Duchenne muscular dystrophy at Vanderbilt   

These sessions underscored the depth and breadth of work taking place across disciplines, as well as the importance of integrating research, clinical care and patient support.  

Larry Markham, MD, chair of the Division of Pediatric Cardiology at Monroe Carell, delivers the annual Graham Lecture, held in honor of the late Thomas P. Graham, MD.

A key feature of this year’s event was the Graham Lecture, held in honor of the late Thomas P. Graham, MD, founder of the Division of Pediatric Cardiology at Vanderbilt Health. The lecture traditionally brings in nationally recognized leaders in congenital heart disease. While the Graham Lecture is not typically part of the regional conference, it was combined with this year’s event, creating a unique opportunity for attendees.  

This year’s speaker, Larry Markham, MD, presented on the care of adult patients with Fontan palliation for complex congenital heart disease. His participation held added significance as he recently became the director of the Division of Pediatric Cardiology and co-director of the Pediatric Heart Institute after Scott Baldwin, MD, stepped down after more than 20 years of leading the division.

Conference attendees reflected the full range of providers involved in treating congenital heart disease, including nurses, anesthesiologists, surgeons, perfusionists, and other specialists alongside cardiologists.