Since 1970, the Committee on International Child Health of the American Academy of Pediatrics has supported COPREP, The Latin American Committee for Promotion of Residency Programs in Pediatrics. During the coming year, 1978-1979, the Academy will phase out its present level of economic support and the Latin American group will continue more independently. A report, educational in nature, is in order at this time.
BACKGROUND
During the 12th International Pediatric Congress in Mexico City in 1968, the American Academy of Pediatrics proposed discussions concerning the quality and content of pediatric residencies in Latin America. Two years later this was brought to fruition in Paipa, Colombia as the First Seminar on Education for Pediatric Residents under the sponsorship of the Committee on International Child Health (COICH) of the American Academy of Pediatrics with the support of the Johnson and Johnson Institute for Pediatric Service. This Seminar was organized by a Committee of District X of the Academy, under the leadership of Dr. Jorge Camacho Gamba, Chairman of that District, and with consultation by Dr. Nelson Ordway, Chairman of the COICH.
From this first seminar emerged COPREP, the Comité Latinoamericano para la Promocion de Programas de Residencia en Pediatria. This Committee has held a seminar on the training of pediatric residents every three years at the time of the Pan-American Congress of Pediatrics and elected committee membership at each seminar, one faculty member and one resident from each Latin-American district of the Academy plus a consultant from the previous committee for purposes of continuity.
