The didactic curriculum for our pediatric residency has been developed into an intensive board review course utilizing Nelson’s Textbook of Pediatrics encompassing:
- Noon conference
- Protected educational time without clinical duties and with minimized interruptions
- Interactive lectures by general and subspecialty faculty
- Content follows American Board of Pediatric Specifications for that month’s topic
- Guided Independent study
- Monthly 50-question pediatric boards-style test for open or closed-book practice
- Emailed Article-of-the-Week from Pediatrics in Reviewprovided as a study resource
- Test taking Strategies
- Monthly Test review session focuses on questions missed most by residents
- Faculty lead discussions on various test taking strategies useful for pediatric boards
- Simulation Exercises
- Small group sessions at the Simulation Center reinforcing that month’s topic
- Procedural practice including intubation, CPR/PALS/NRP, lumbar puncture, circumcision, needle decompression and interosseous access
- Morning Report
- Interactive case-based guided discussions of presentation, evaluation and management
- Students, residents, and faculty participation enhances learning on all levels
- “Full Nelson” and “Half Nelson” Awards
- Monetary award by the Chair of Pediatrics recognizing the highest resident attendance and test performance each year
Each 4-week period focuses on one or two organ-systems to promote increasing depth of knowledge. The series repeats every 18 months, so that each pediatric resident will complete the course twice during residency. During study breaks each winter and summer, residents attend lectures covering other important topics such as child advocacy, global health, practice management, ethics, public speaking and resident as teacher.
Example monthly schedule: