Our patients are the heart of our residency program, and our residents become pediatric experts by caring for children in a variety of clinical settings. In addition to core rotations at Comer Children's Hospital, residents also have the opportunity to rotate through multiple affiliated hospitals that offer unique learning experiences characterized by diversity of practice setting and patient populations. At La Rabida Children's Hospital, residents receive specialized training in the care of children with complex chronic medical conditions. Inpatient, Hospitalist, NICU, and subspecialty elective rotations are offered at Evanston Hospital, NorthShore University HealthSystem and provide an opportunity to learn and practice general pediatrics in a community hospital environment. Lastly, our residents also have the opportunity to rotate through the Inpatient service at St. Anthony Hospital, a community hospital located on the west-side of Chicago that serves a predominantly Spanish-speaking population.
Offsite Clinical Sites
St. Anthony is an academically affiliated community hospital primarily serving a Latinx/Hispanic population on the west and southwest sides of Chicago. Under the supervision of pediatric hospitalists, intern and senior residents take care of a variety of pediatric conditions in the 18-bed pediatric unit, including a 2-bed intermediate care unit. Residents learn how to manage and address clinical situations in a community setting, triaging what can be safely managed on site and what may need to be transferred to a hospital with a higher level of care. Residents also work with residents from a nearby Family Medicine residency.
St. Anthony Hospital
2875 West 19th Street,
Chicago, IL 60623
La Rabida Children's Hospital is located near our main hospital campus at 65th Street and Lake Michigan. Residents rotate through during their 2nd and 3rd years and take care of children with complex medical needs for post acute hospital management. La Rabida specializes in patients with cerebral palsy, history of prematurity, congenital heart disease and technology-dependent children requiring specialized care, including home ventilators, tracheostomies, and gastrostomies.
La Rabida Children's Hospital
6501 South Promontory Drive
Chicago, IL 60649
Evanston Hospital on the north side of Chicago provides residents the option to participate in various clinical experiences in a large community hospital, with a focus on clinical training out of a community-based system. Residents learn how to triage and manage clinical situations with the resources they have, and learn when to escalate patients to a higher level of care not offered at this hospital. Other clinical experiences are offered as an elective, including:
- General Pediatric Hospital Medicine (PHM) Unit (2-4 weeks as PL2 or PL3)
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (2-4 weeks as PL2 or PL3)
- Mother Baby Unit elective (2 weeks)
- Pediatric Hospitalist Medicine elective (2 weeks)
- Ambulatory elective (2 weeks)
- Additional outpatient and elective time possible
Evanston Hospital
2650 Ridge Ave.,
Evanston, IL 60201
Individualized Primary Care Opportunities
Residents looking for additional primary care training may be approved for additional primary care experiences as an elective.
Continuity Clinic Sites
We are fortunate to have a number of training sites for our primary care continuity clinic experiences. All of these are located in Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) which means as primary care physicians, our residents are providing much needed comprehensive primary care services to our underserved communities. Residents are assigned to one of these sites as their primary clinical home, however most if not all residents will spend time at one of our other FQHC Continuity Clinic sites in order to broaden their clinical exposure and ability to care for primary care patients in a variety of settings.
From its launch in 1997 to its present network of community health centers, Friend Health has provided primary health care services to the vulnerable and medically underserved populations in a manner that is accessible, affordable, comprehensive, and culturally appropriate. Friend Health ensures that patients have access to a full-range of primary and preventive health care services as well as the necessary supplemental services which are either delivered directly or through established arrangements or referrals.
Friend has various sites throughout the Chicago area. Friend Health - Cottage Grove is their largest site, and is closest to the University of Chicago. We are very excited to announce that Friend will be moving the Cottage Grove site to a new location just down the street. The move is part of a city-wide effort to serve as a hub for community wellbeing and a place where the people of Woodlawn and the South Side of Chicago come, not only for healing, but to maintain and support healthy lifestyles. The move is anticipated to occur in 2022. The current Cottage Grove site has a lab, WIC office and pharmacy as well as support resources like behavioral health and case management. Resident Continuity Clinic runs 5 days a week at this site.
- Friend Family Health Center - Cottage Grove Site
6250 S. Cottage Grove
Chicago, IL 60637
Friend Health - Pulaski is the next biggest Friend location. The Pulaski site is near Midway Airport and because of its location, they see a good number of Spanish-speaking patients. As such, this site provides a great opportunity for those with Spanish-speaking ability to put those skills to good use, however, translator services are available for those residents that need them. Pulaski has a lab, dental clinic, and pharmacy on site as well as behavioral health support. Resident Continuity Clinic runs 3 days a week at this site.
- Friend Family Health Center - Pulaski Site
5635 S. Pulaski
Chicago, IL 60629
Friend Health - Western is Friend’s third largest site and sees some Spanish speaking patients but not as many as at Pulaski. Western has a lab and dental clinic on site, and behavioral health support. Resident Continuity Clinic runs 3 days a week at this site.
- Friend Family Health Center - Western Site
5843 S. Western Ave.
Chicago, IL 60636
All of our Friend Center locations are staffed by a talented group of Teaching Attendings (TAs). These TAs are all on faculty at the University of Chicago, and they provide all of the direct teaching and supervision for our residents in the clinic. Friend Health also has a number of other resources including case management to assist in the care of their patients.
Motivated by the belief that healthcare is a human right, Erie provides high quality affordable care to support healthier people, families, and communities. Erie delivers holistic care to help every member of the family stay healthy and active from infancy through adulthood.
Erie as an organization has various sites, however the one for resident clinic is located in West Town and provides healthcare to their neighbors in the West Town and Humboldt Park communities. A large proportion of patients here are Spanish-speaking, so residents must have a fluent/near fluent level of Spanish speaking ability (translator resources are not available).
Continuity clinic is staffed by an amazing group of Erie Teaching Attendings (TAs), some of which are Comer residency alumni, and is held 2 times per week.
Erie Community Health Center
1701 West Superior Street.
Chicago, IL 60622
Family Christian strives to address their patient’s physical, spiritual, emotional, psychological and financial needs as they believe focusing on these can greatly improve overall their community’s health and wellness.
Family Christian has a variety of sites, however resident clinic is located approximately 35 minutes south of Comer at 31 West 155th Street, Harvey IL, 60426. Continuity clinic is staffed by an awesome group of Erie Teaching Attendings (TAs), two of which are Comer residency alumni, and is held 2 times per week.
Family Christian Health Center
31 West 155th St.
Harvey, IL 60426
Leadership Opportunities in Primary Care
LUCENT aims to prepare tomorrow’s health care advocates and leaders in both academic & community practices. Interested residents can apply to the LUCENT program during their first year of residency. During this two-year program, LUCENT residents receive special training & mentorship on how to serve as a primary care physician and advocate to underserved populations. Residents also complete a scholarly project of their choosing, and have expanded ambulatory clinical & didactic training focusing on issues like social justice & health care access.
PITCH is a 2-year fellowship post-residency that trains the next generation of primary care clinicians to improve health outcomes and care delivery for patients with chronic diseases from underserved backgrounds. Fellows will be supported in their research efforts, and will be offered the opportunity to complete a Master of Science for Clinical Professionals, in addition to receiving dedicated, aligned mentorship. Through these activities, our fellows will become experts in the key principles of primary care research affecting vulnerable populations, the communication of their findings, leveraging policy to improve equity, and gain the fundamental skills that are required for rigorous academic research careers.
Primary Care Alumni Network & Career Advising
Looking for a primary care job can be an intimidating process for residents, given there is no formal match process like there is for subspecialties. As such, we have a range of career advising resources in order to successfully guide and support our primary care bound residents.
Our supportive network of alumni serve as an invaluable resource for networking, guidance and job opportunities, and many participate in our yearly fall career panel in order to jump-start the job hunting process. Throughout the year, we also provide individualized career advising guidance & resources including direction on everything from creating independent study electives to explore various practice settings, to preparing CVs and cover letters, and tips on where and how to look for positions.
Alumni are regularly invited to participate in our Primary Care Curriculum (PCC) Series which allow our trainees the opportunity to learn about a primary care life.
