Jane B. Taylor, MD, Appointed Clinical Director of Division of Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine at UPMC Children’s
July 31, 2024
Jane B. Taylor, MD, MsCR, FAAP, ATSF, was named the new clinical director for the Division of Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh at the start of 2024. Dr. Taylor is an associate professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
Dr. Taylor joined the division in 2019, and since that time has made substantial impacts on various clinical and educational activities with the Division and the Department of Pediatrics, and in the broader field of pulmonary medicine.
Dr. Taylor earned her medical degree from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, followed by a pediatrics residency at Vanderbilt University, and a pediatric pulmonary fellowship at the Washington University School of Medicine and St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Prior to joining UPMC Children’s, Dr. Taylor was a physician at Children’s Mercy Kansas City where she served as the Pulmonary Medical Director of the Multidisciplinary Muscular Dystrophy Clinic and obtained a master’s in clinical research. She recently completed a certificate program in medical education at the University of Pittsburgh.
Clinical Work with Neuromuscular Patients
Dr. Taylor’s clinical work has an emphasis in the care of children with neuromuscular disorders, and she is the pulmonary medicine lead in the multidisciplinary pediatric MDA clinic at UPMC Children’s that continues to grow and expand its clinical provider set.
In addition to her neuromuscular clinical work at UPMC Children’s, Dr. Taylor also has long-standing relationships with several national organizations, including Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy, Cure SMA, and others. Dr. Taylor is a frequent lecturer at the annual meetings of various neuromuscular groups, where she shares her expertise in treating the pulmonary complications associated with neuromuscular conditions. She is actively involved in regional family education days with national organizations, providing valuable insights and guidance to families affected by neuromuscular conditions. Additionally, Dr. Taylor serves on several national committees dedicated to developing educational content, ensuring that families receive accurate and comprehensive information about managing neuromuscular diseases.
Medical Education, Training, and Mentoring
Beyond her clinical duties, Dr. Taylor has a long-standing interest and devotion to medical education, within UPMC Children’s and the University of Pittsburgh, and through her leadership roles in the American Thoracic Society (ATS).
In 2021, Dr. Taylor was honored with the ATS Pediatric Clinical Educator Award.
Dr. Taylor served as the pediatric web director for ATS from 2018-2023 and chairs several committees within the organization, including the Townhall and Monthly Fellows Webinar series. She also is on the pediatric journal club committee and has previously served as an editor for their pediatric “Quick Hits” cases and on the social media committee.
Dr. Taylor’s current ATS endeavors include the creation of 'Teachback Modules', which will provide educational resources for pediatric pulmonologists in community hospitals and areas outside large academic medical centers. These educational modules aim to bridge the gap in medical education caused by a shortage of educators.
New and Noteworthy Clinical Programs/Updates and Service Expansions in the Division
As Dr. Taylor begins her role as clinical director, she notes a number of new initiatives in development and expansion across the clinical focus areas of the division.
“I think the clinical strength of our division is that we are adaptable, flexible, and enthusiastic to take on new challenges,” says Dr. Taylor. “You can see this dynamic at work in many of the clinical program expansions and growth that are currently happening.
One recent example is the accreditations earned by the neuromuscular clinic at UPMC Children’s. The clinic has achieved accreditation from Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD) and Cure SMA organizations.
A new area of clinical focus developing within the division revolves around the pulmonary complications that can be associate with bone marrow transplants in young cancer patients.
“One of our newer faculty members, Daniel Atwood, MD, has both a passion for medical education and also a growing clinical practice caring for children and adolescents with cancer who have undergone bone marrow transplants and are experiencing pulmonary complications,” says Dr. Taylor. “It’s a clinical area which we expect will grow in scope and scale in the coming years as we see more cases of interstitial lung disease in this population.”
Dr. Taylor also notes other new programs being developed, such as a dedicated pulmonary vasculature clinic led by director of Pediatric Lung Transplantation, Levent Midyat, MD, that will specialize in treating children with pulmonary hypertension and various congenital heart anomalies.
“We have growing clinical areas for multidisciplinary care of sickle cell disease patients, and also a dedicated trach vent clinic for technology dependent children,” says Dr. Taylor. “Hiren Muzumdar, MD and Tiffany Turner, MD, round with the NICU/PICU/Hospitalist inpatient teams and the rehab service to provide continuity of care, streamline DME order changes, and manage plans for titrating mechanical ventilation needs.”
These newer programs all build upon the numerous, highly specialized programs the Division has cultivated over the years for complex asthma, cystic fibrosis, and pediatric scleroderma.
“I think this type of approach, all of these highly focused and specialized clinics for pediatric pulmonary conditions is what makes our division special and a national leader in both clinical care and research,” says Dr. Taylor. “The growth and expansion of our specialty clinics and the reach they provide to patients in need is a continuing focus for us.”
Learn More
Read more about Dr. Taylor and the Division of Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, including:
