Welcome

The Department of Pediatrics at the University of Chicago is involved in teaching, service and research in virtually every aspect of pediatric disease, child health care and health disparities. We provide trainees with opportunities for different career directions, whether in general practice, subspecialties or research. We offer a three-year residency training program in general pediatrics that combines both inpatient and outpatient experiences, caring for some of the country’s most challenging patients. From the intensive care and inpatient service to the LaRabida Hospital experience of caring for children with chronic diseases, residents are exposed to a wide variety of both normal development and pediatric pathology.

Located in the southside of Chicago, on the campus of the University of Chicago, residents who choose to train with us have access to one of the world’s most prestigious universities. Complementary education in business, law, ethics and many other fields of excellence are available to pediatric trainees at the University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital.

FIRST YEAR

During the first year, residents learn to recognize and treat serious disease in the acutely ill child. Starting with PALS, NALS and an orientation to the department and to the Comer Hospital setting, the majority of the year is spent in general and subspecialty inpatient services, the emergency department, the general care nursery and the neonatal ICU. Additional outpatient rotations in developmental pediatrics, adolescent medicine and advocacy round out the pediatric intern’s clinical experience at the University of Chicago.

SECOND YEAR

During the second year, emphasis is placed on the care of children with more complex disease and on the acquisition of supervisory experiences. All PGY-2 residents spend one month as the senior resident in the intensive care nursery and the emergency room, one or two months in the pediatric intensive care unit and two or three months at the LaRabida hospital for children with chronic illness and disabilities. A variety of elective opportunities including a teaching elective and international work complete the second year of training.

THIRD YEAR

The third year of training allows the resident to increase clinical skills, enhance clinical judgment and assume increasing responsibility for supervising medical students and residents in both inpatient and ambulatory care settings. Considerable elective time is made available in the PGY-3 year to allow the residents to consolidate their general pediatric background as well as to concentrate on specific areas of their own interest. Most residents currently have 3- 4 months of elective time during this year and often choose to spend some portion of that time in clinical and bench research efforts.

CHIEF RESIDENCY

The Chief Residency is both a clinical and administrative position at the PGY-4 rank. The Chief Residents are the immediate supervisors of the educational components of the Residency Program. Furthermore, they serve as liaisons between the attending physicians, fellows and pediatric residents.  They lead daily morning reports, organize all noon didactic conferences and control the clinical schedule of the pediatric housestaff. The chief residents are a vital and integral part of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Chicago.