The "Guidelines for Combined Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Training Programs" jointly approved by the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Pediatrics, provide guidance for Med-Peds programs.

The Rush Med-Peds curriculum is carefully designed to meet these guidelines while striking a balance between experiences in primary and tertiary care and between inpatient and outpatient settings. Flexibility is maintained to allow residents to pursue special interests. Each academic year consists of 12 four-week rotations, three weeks of vacation and one week of educational leave.

Emphasis on Ambulatory Care

• Seven rotations (one in the internship and five to six in the subsequent three years of training) of concentrated outpatient experience at Lifetime Medical Associates, the Med-Peds continuity practice.
• All other rotations involve one session per week at LMA.

Experiences in pediatric ambulatory care, including:

• Developmental pediatrics
• Pediatric urgent care and triage
• Subspecialty electives
• Combined Med-Peds electives

In addition to electives within the two departments, residents may choose electives that combine internal medicine and pediatrics, such as sports medicine, allergy and immunology, dermatology, and others.

Residents rotate between internal medicine and pediatrics every three months. Some intern-level rotations may be scheduled in the PGY-2 academic year.