The Department of Pediatrics at Rush offers a three-year residency leading to certification by the American Board of Pediatrics. In addition, for those who wish to pursue certification in both internal medicine and pediatrics, a combined internal medicine/pediatrics four-year training program was established in July 1995. Eleven residents are matched each year in pediatrics and four residents are matched in the combined medicine/pediatrics program. The Rush Pediatric Residency provides a broad, in-depth educational experience that enables residents to develop the skills and knowledge base required for a strong foundation in pediatrics. Rush graduates are well prepared either for careers in general pediatrics or for continued subspecialty fellowship training.

Residents rotate through the general inpatient and intensive care units, general care nursery, pediatric emergency department, and acute care and specialty clinics. Continuity of Care Clinic sessions are one-half day weekly.

Residents work under direct supervision of their attendings to assess and treat patients in a variety of settings and to gain extensive procedural skills.

Residents have a total of 8 elective months over their three years, which can be taken in any subspecialty. Elective time is split between outpatient clinics and inpatient consults. To enhance their training, residents also spend time at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital, private pediatricians’ offices, homeless shelters, Shriners Hospital for Children, Misericordia Home for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities, and in many other settings. We have also partnered with our other Illinois Medical District neighbor, the University of Illinois, to create a combined hematology-oncology rotation for our residents.

The Rush Pediatric residency program provides many formal and informal educational opportunities. Residents on inpatient and subspecialty rotations participate in resident-run morning reports, daily noon conferences, and ward or ICU attending rounds. There is a weekly grand rounds, which is a joint forum with the residency program from Stroger Hospital. Additionally, there is a monthly board review session, journal clubs, ethics conferences, and morbidity and mortality conferences. A description of our conferences can be viewed in detail on a separate page. Residents also receive training in teaching, presentation skills, and evaluation of other trainees.

Overall, the program emphasizes a problem-oriented, analytical approach to patient care and a philosophy that learning is a lifelong process. The ACGME competencies of medical knowledge, patient care, professionalism, communication and interpersonal skills, systems–based practice and practice-based learning and improvement are incorporated throughout the curriculum and residents build a portfolio to demonstrate acquisition of the competencies. The program is fully compliant with the duty hour requirements of the ACGME.