The role of Title VII funding in academic general pediatrics fellowships and leadership.

Since 1979, the Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Health Professionals Title VII, Section 747 (Title VII) programs have been critical to both fellowship and leadership training in academic general pediatrics. Title VII-funded faculty development programs and targeted contract funding have played an important role in training pediatric academic generalist faculty, supporting individual fellowship programs, defining the core elements of such programs, and expanding faculty development to include leadership training. As the major continuing source of external funding for these programs, Title VII has produced documented successful outcomes in all areas in terms of both numbers and accomplishments of trainees. Title VII-funded fellows, as well as the leaders trained, have formed and extended the field of general pediatrics, ultimately improving the health of children, especially in underserved and vulnerable populations.This article is part of a theme issue of Academic Medicine on the Title VII health professions training programs.