Curriculum

There are several components in our residency curriculum. Each of these serves a distinct purpose and all are necessary for a superior training. The components are:

• Education
• Patient Management Experience
• Evaluation and Constructive Advice
• Support and Social Opportunities
• Recognition

A. Education

1. Orientation/Emergency Lecture Series
   For new residents each July and August, covering the basics and emergency measures in pediatric care.
2. Core Curriculum Conference Series
   A series of didactic lectures, given by faculty, covering a specific planned core curriculum that extends over 12 months and repeats. Three sessions a week.
3. Therapeutics and Toxicology Conferences
   Presentations that cover drug selection and pharmacokinetics, as well as toxins and their management.
4. Inpatient Teaching Rounds
   Everyday ward/bedside teaching by faculty regarding patients' diagnoses and management.
5. General Pediatrics Child Health Clinic Conferences
   Primary care topics of relevance presented by general pediatrics and adolescent medicine faculty and incorporated into the Core Curriculum Series.
6. Radiology Conferences
   Weekdays each inpatient service reviews all imaging studies obtained on their patients with a pediatric radiologist.
7. Morning Report
   Two mornings each week, residents and faculty discussions focus on the differential diagnoses and management a broad variety of patients from the inpatient and outpatient settings.
8. Grand Rounds
   Weekly state-of-the-art clinical science presentations by faculty and guest speakers.
9. Case Conferences
   Monthly multidisciplinary discussions of interesting cases that demonstrate important aspects of disease process and therapy presented by PL-3s.
10. Morbidity and Mortality Conferences
    Monthly examinations of instructive cases presented by PL-2s, a pathologist and pediatric faculty.
11. Subspecialty Conferences
    Each division's periodic conferences attended by faculty, fellows, and residents on that particular subspecialty service.
12. Societal, Professional and Ethical Issues Conferences
    Periodic examination of legal, ethical and fiscal issues relating to the practice of pediatrics.
13. Board Review - Jeopardy
    A monthly topic review based on articles from Pediatrics In Review. Organized by the chief resident in a game show format.
14. Evidence-Based Medicine Curriculum
    A series of monthly presentations on EBM by means of Journal Club presented by PL-3’s.
15. Personal and Professional Development Curriculum
    Pediatric residents gather every six weeks to discuss topics geared toward their complete development as pediatricians.
16. University of Iowa Children's Hospital Symposium
    All first-year residents, and other residents who are able, attend this two-day continuing education course held in Iowa City with pediatric and family medicine practitioners.
17. Pediatric Academic Societies Yearly Meeting and Other Professional Educational Meetings
    Residents elected as teachers of the year have the opportunity to attend the cutting edge of information relevant to pediatrics with attendance fees covered by the program. Residents have presented their research at these/other meetings.
18. Pediatric Residents Computer Access
    IBM and Macintosh computers, linked to a medical database at Hardin Health Sciences Library for residents to obtain up-to-date literature searches and information quickly, are in the resident lounge and call rooms, all inpatient and outpatient work rooms, as well as general pediatric exam rooms. Educational CD-ROMs are available.
19. Membership in American Academy of Pediatrics
    Resident membership includes a subscription to Pediatrics, Pediatrics in Review, and other AAP literature provided courtesy of the program.
20. Book/Meeting Allowance
    Can be used for the purchase of books, journals, educational software and/or attendance at an educational meeting.

B. Patient Management Experience

1. Inpatient and ambulatory diagnostic evaluations
2. Treatment/management of acute and chronic illnesses in hospitalized and ambulatory patients
3. Treatment/management of life-threatening emergencies and illnesses in intensive care units
4. Treatment/management of acute trauma and medical problems in the emergency room
5. Treatment/management of developmental and behavioral disorders
6. Planning for discharge from tertiary care hospital to coordinated community care
7. Verbal and written communications between physicians and local providers/physicians
8. Dealing with gatekeepers and third-party payors
9. Field clinics in general pediatrics and subspecialties in communities throughout Iowa
10. Private community practice rotations in Burlington and Ottumwa, Iowa
11. Full spectrum subspecialty patient encounters
12. Care of adolescents and their issues
13. A broad array of elective opportunities
14. Mock codes held monthly on the inpatient wards
15. Field outpatient calls from concerned parents while on home call.

C. Evaluation and Feedback

1. American Board of Pediatrics In-training Examination
   Given each year, provides specific analysis of areas of knowledge weakness for individual resident
2. Monthly Performance Evaluations of Competence
   Conducted by faculty supervisors all year for every rotation
3. Monthly evaluations of residents by peer residents, nursing personnel on several rotations. Biannual evaluations by families.
4. Video-taped resident encounters with patients in General Pediatrics, with evaluation and feedback given.
5. Evaluations and discussions with faculty advisors at least twice a year. Review of all residents' progress at a quarterly Resident Evaluation Committee meeting with feedback to residents.
6. Direct observation of chief residents while on inpatient services with evaluation and feedback given.

D. Support and Social Opportunities

1. Weekly residents' lunch meeting with Program Director/Associate Program Director/Program Coordinator/Chief Resident
2. Weekly private lunch meeting of residents by year in program, funded by program
3. Annual retreat for PL-1s focusing on team building, stress management, and end-of-life issues.
4. Annual retreat for PL-2s focusing on teaching and supervisory skills
5. Annual retreat for PL3s focusing on life after residency
6. Annual Career Day for PL-2s discussing careers in general private/academic pediatrics, and fellowship training
7. Faculty preceptor system
8. Counseling available
9. Social activities: Welcome dinner for PL-1’s, All residents and family picnic in June

E. Recognition

1. All-expenses-paid attendance at annual Pediatric Academic Societies national pediatric meeting for the PL-2 and PL-3 voted as best teachers in their respective groups by all residents
2. Outstanding PL-2 and PL-3 Awards for Pediatric Clinic-presented by faculty in general pediatrics and adolescent medicine division
3. Gilbert Cuthbertson Award—monetary award to a PL-3 to acknowledge overall excellence as a pediatrician; Recipient selected by vote of all residents
4. Riesz Award—monetary award to a PL-2 with exceptional communication skills; Recipient selected by faculty
5. Krause Award—monetary award to the PL-3 who demonstrates special dedication to the health of adolescents; Chosen by Adolescent Medicine faculty, Chief Resident and Program Director
6. McGuinness/Bell Award—monetary award to the resident who achieves the highest in-training exam score for the year

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