Navigating Gaps Between Pediatric Training and Neonatal Care in Community Practice

As the field of neonatal-perinatal medicine rapidly expands, it faces significant challenges in community and private practice settings, where resources are often limited. Although there have been significant advances in medical and surgical management, workforce shortages, restructuring of training programs, and the increasing acuity of cases threaten the delivery of high-quality care in these environments. These issues are further exacerbated by an aging workforce and fewer applicants for neonatal-perinatal medicine fellowship positions. Furthermore, changes in requirements by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education have reduced exposure to neonatology during medical school and pediatric residency training. This has created gaps in clinical experience and competence, especially critical for independent practice in settings with limited resources. This article identifies the current challenges faced by neonatologists in community and private practice settings and describes potential solutions.