Exploring Innovation in Paradise: Experiences and Takeaways from PAS 2025
- targetkidsstudy
- 13 hours ago
- 3 min read
This year’s Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) 2025 conference took place from April 24 to 28 in Honolulu, Hawaii and brought together researchers, clinicians, and innovators from around the world to share groundbreaking work in child health. Among them were five team members from TARGet Kids!, each contributing to the global conversation on pediatric research. In this post, we spotlight two of our passionate pediatric residents and researchers, Joseph Jamnik and Katherine Tom, who reflect on their experiences presenting at PAS 2025 and the insights they’re bringing back to their work.
Joseph Jamnik, MD, PhD
Pediatrics Resident & Researcher
Presentation: Child Eating Behaviors and zBMI during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Canada: A Prospective Cohort Study
I was extremely fortunate to attend the PAS annual conference in Honolulu, Hawai'i this spring as both a researcher and pediatric resident. It was a special opportunity to join fellow TARGet Kids! presenters and showcase the collaborative spirit that defines our research group!
The highlight of the conference was the opportunity to present research co-authored with summer student Anita Rajkumar demonstrating the association between child eating behaviours and increased body weight during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sharing our findings on this international stage was incredibly rewarding and underscored the vital role TARGet Kids! plays as a leading pediatric research network.
In addition to presenting this work, the conference facilitated meaningful engagement with international experts in child nutrition and obesity. Connecting with prominent Canadian researchers and collaborators at this global gathering, set against the unique backdrop of Hawai’i’s costal landscape, emphasized the worldwide reach and significant impact of research being conducted in Canada. From a clinical perspective, PAS offered valuable insights into recent advances in pediatric obesity management, including emerging evidence-based treatment strategies, effective approaches to engage families in discussions about weight, and innovative models including culinary medicine programs that support healthy behaviour change in children.
Attending PAS has further inspired my commitment to both clinical care and research as I prepare to begin an Academic General Pediatrics Fellowship with TARGet Kids! this summer.
Katherine Tom, MD
Pediatrics Resident & Researcher
Presentation: Recovery from delay in routine vaccinations following the COVID-19 pandemic
It was a privilege representing the TARGet Kids! team at the recent PAS conference in Hawaii to share research findings about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on routine childhood immunizations. The PAS conference was an incredible platform bringing together international clinicians and researchers committed to the same goal of advancing child health through scientific discovery. During the conference, I enjoyed connecting with others to learn about their work investigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on child development and continuity of community pediatric care.
As a current pediatrics resident, I understand the importance of scientific advancement and its role in informing clinical care. It was exciting attending sessions to learn about the latest research findings in obesity care its potential future clinical implications. I was inspired by the number of conference presenters who were clinician-investigators, successfully balancing their involvement in clinical and scientific work. This was encouraging for a career in academic pediatrics to contribute to the advancement of pediatric knowledge while applying research findings to provide exceptional evidence-based care.
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