A New Year and a New Addition to Our Perspectives Columns

As we prepare to welcome 2012, we are delighted to also welcome a new subject to our Perspectives columns — Global Health. This column, which will rotate every four months with our other ongoing Perspectives columns (focused on medical student education, innovations in residency training, and historical moments in pediatrics), will share insights into a number of issues affecting children worldwide. These articles will be overseen by former AAP President Dr. Jay Berkelhamer who also sits on the Standing Committee of the International Pediatric Association. Dr. Berkelhamer is already busy enlisting colleagues all over the world to share their thoughts on international child health. The first in this series by Cabral et al. (doi: 10.1542/peds.2011-2665) sets the table by providing a brief overview of child mortality across the world and steps being taken to address some disturbing mortality data shared in this important article. Gain some perspective on this important aspect of child health and give this column (and the other Perspectives Columns each month) a read.