Resident education is a priority at our program. We have regularly scheduled educational activities, didactic as well as case-based, in which all residents participate. The goal of our educational curriculum is to teach our residents strong clinical and problem-solving skills. The curriculum is designed to improve the knowledge base of the residents as they prepare for the American Board of Pediatrics Certifying Examination.
Morning Conference:
Each morning from 8 to 9 AM, all of our residents meet for a conference led by our chief residents. Conferences are case-based and focus on the management of patients from the floor, PICU, NICU, and acute care clinic. The chiefs help the residents work through the history, physical, differential diagnosis, and management plan for each case with their resident and faculty colleagues. At the conclusion of the case discussion, the chief resident gives a short didactic presentation focusing on the salient features of the case.
Complex Case Conferences (CCC):
During the second and third year, senior residents have the opportunity to participate in the CCC, which is held monthly by the department as part of Grand Rounds. Each month, one second year resident presents a patient’s initial presentation, physical findings, and laboratory data. The third year resident then serves as the case discussant, going through a list of differential diagnoses and generating a list of questions to facilitate attending-level discussion between multiple providers and sub-specialties involved in the management of a complex patient. This is an excellent way for senior residents to showcase their knowledge base and clinical acumen, as well as provides an opportunity for residents to present at Grand Rounds.
Continuity Clinic Conference
Residents attend biweekly conferences focused on primary care topics related to well child care. Each resident has the opportunity to lead a case-based discussion, supported by the literature, and develop and showcase their role as educator both patients and peers.
Senior Case Presentation:
During the second and third years, residents have the opportunity to present interesting cases during morning report in which they lead residents through the case with the support of a faculty member. The resident discusses the evaluation and management of the patient’s case while the faculty member provides teaching points.
Noon Conference:
Noon conference is held daily and consists of didactic sessions emphasizing issues common to general and subspecialty pediatrics that residents may encounter during their residency. Conferences are selected based on the content specifications in the AAP’s PREP curriculum. The Chiefs have organized an 18-month curriculum that runs twice over the course of a residency covering such topics as: Neuro, GI, Heme/Onc, Developmental Peds, Toxicology/Environmental Health, Advocacy, etc.
Grand Rounds:
Grand Rounds is held weekly and is attended by the entire Department of Pediatrics. Speakers from UIC as well as from institutions around the country are invited to discuss their research in fields ranging from basic science to medical education.
Patient Safety Curriculum:
Each month, Dr. Smith facilitates a patient safety conference during which she illustrates a medical error or “near-miss” that has occurred and initiates a discussion among the residents about the issue. She includes clinicians from around the hospital, including Laboratory Medicine, Pathology, Blood Bank, as well as administrators from the Risk Management and Electronic Medical Record departments.
Quality Improvement (QI) Curriculum:
Dr. Kreppel, one of our General Pediatrics & Pediatric Infectious Diseases faculty will be using his expertise to lead the residents in the their QI projects. The curriculum will be delivered via teaching workshops and small-group work throughout the year. Each of the QI projects will have an opportunity to make either a podium-presentation at Grand Rounds or a Poster Presentation at Noon Conference on QI Day at the end of the year.
Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) / Journal Club Curriculum:
Our EBM curriculum is now delivered via a monthly journal club led by our ambulatory residents. Each month those residents are assigned an EBM topic along with an article to present to their peers with a pediatric faculty mentor there for support.
Academic half-days:
Academic half days occur on the Friday of each Y week from 8 am – 12 pm and is a protected educational experience for the residents. During the academic half day, residents participate in our Residents as Teachers curriculum, Simulation training, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion curriculum, continuity clinic curriculum, and much more.
