Pediatric Residency Program Overview

Overview of the Pediatric Residency Program

Loyola University Medical Center | Stritch School of Medicine

Welcome to the Pediatric Residency Program at Loyola University Medical Center, affiliated with the Stritch School of Medicine. Our fully accredited, three-year categorical pediatrics residency is recognized by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).

Our Mission

We are dedicated to training the next generation of pediatricians to be:

Skilled General Pediatricians

Develop a strong clinical foundation through the care of a diverse patient population with a wide range of conditions and complexities.

Inquisitive Clinicians

We foster a culture of curiosity and evidence-based practice. Residents actively engage in clinical research, quality improvement, and lifelong learning to remain at the forefront of pediatric care.

Global Health Advocates

Through our established Global Health Program, supported by the Graduate Medical Education Office, residents have opportunities to participate in international experiences that broaden their perspective on pediatric care worldwide.

Compassionate Leaders

Our residents are dedicated to service and leadership, making meaningful contributions to their communities and advancing the health and well-being of children and families.

Champions of Health Equity

We offer a combined EM/IM/Pediatrics Health Equity Track. PGY1 residents in internal medicine, emergency medicine, and pediatrics may apply in the spring of their first year to begin the track as PGY2s. This two-year program culminates in a certificate in Health Equity Education from the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for residents who meet all requirements.

Who We’re Looking For

We seek applicants who are:

• Passionate about pediatrics and committed to compassionate care
• Collaborative team players who support and uplift their colleagues
• Self-directed learners with a growth mindset who embrace challenges and value feedback

Our Learning Environment

We promote a supportive and inclusive environment where residents:

• Cultivate intellectual curiosity and professional growth
• Deliver high-quality, family-centered pediatric care
• Advocate for children locally, nationally, and globally

Resident Schedules

Intern Year PGY1 Example Schedule

X+Y Model 4+2

• Inpatient General Pediatrics 10 weeks
• NICU 4 weeks
• Newborn Nursery 4 weeks
• Pediatric Emergency Medicine 4 weeks
• Nights 4 weeks
• Required electives including Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics, Adolescent and Mental Health
• 12 weeks individualized electives
• Continuity clinic half day sessions

Time off includes four weeks vacation and five furlough days.

Pediatric Residency Curriculum

The curriculum is intended to build upon basic experiences of intern year with increasing challenges as training proceeds. Specialty rotations and electives have been built into the schedule to allow for an individualized curriculum that encourages residents to reflect on their interests and areas of experience that need to be strengthened.

Our schedule allows for maximum flexibility in the PL-2 and PL-3 year to allow preparation for the next phase of training or practice.

PL-1 (1.5 months – 6 weeks – call-free)

PL-2 (2 months call-free)

PL-3 (3 months call-free)

Continuity Clinic

In addition to the above designated rotations, residents spend one half day per week in their own continuity practice. Residents are assigned to a small practice in the Loyola outpatient center with 2-3 other residents and a general pediatrics faculty member. Residents are encouraged to build a practice and follow children longitudinally over a three-year period of time. They are regarded as the primary care taker and patients identify the residents as their personal physicians.

Electives

Residents are able to customize their schedules to their interests using their individual curriculum blocks. The following electives are available:

Longitudinal Core Curriculum

• 18 month curriculum repeated twice
• Includes wellness teaching and career planning

Didactic Schedule X+Y Model

• Academic half day
• Grand rounds Tuesdays
• Noon conference Monday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Teaching Formats

• Patient case presentations
• Chief resident sessions
• Faculty lectures
• Board review
• Quality improvement discussions
• Journal club
• Flipped classroom
• Case based learning

Simulation Lab

Residents train at Loyola’s simulation center using high fidelity simulators such as SimBaby and SimJunior.

Training includes:

• Bag mask ventilation
• Intubation
• Cardioversion and defibrillation
• Airway management

Focus areas include teamwork communication and critical thinking.

Global Health Opportunities

Residents may participate in structured global health experiences supported by GME, including preparation modules and international electives focused on service and cultural humility.

Research Project

All residents have two project requirements during their residency: The goal of these projects is to allow residents to practice evidence-based medicine and to contribute to the improvement of patient care.

These research projects have given the opportunity to our residents to build their CV for the professional career and to go to various national and international conferences to present their work. Residents who are chosen to present at a conference can apply for funding to help cover any travel expenses.

Clinical Research Educational Study Team (CREST)

The Pediatric Residency Program uses the CREST model for clinical research projects. Required for those pursuing a fellowship, optional for those going into primary care.

• Teams of 1-2 interns/seniors working on a research project
• A faculty member serves as a mentor
• PGY-1: project identification
• PGY-2: data collection and data analysis
• PGY-3: write-up and presentation(s) at Grand Rounds and local/national conference(s)
• You are allowed to do a 2-week research elective during PGY-2 and PGY-3 year(s)
• A committee of faculty provides oversight for all resident research projects

As part of the research curriculum, core lecture topics include:

• Overview of research
• IRB application process
• Basic statistics
• Literature searching
• Using library resources

Quality Improvement (QI) Project

All residents complete a longitudinal QI project with a faculty mentor.
Residents learn:

• Peer review and medical record evaluation
• Literature review and application
• Analysis of adverse events
• Systems based practice

Residents implement interventions using PDSA cycles and present results during PGY3.
 

We support well being through multiple initiatives. 

Resident Advising 
Longitudinal mentorship 

Residents as Teachers 
Training in teaching and feedback 

Annual Retreats 
Reflection and team building 

Administrative Half Days 
Time for appointments and rest 

Financial Wellness 
Book money for educational use 
Lectures on financial planning 
Travel support for conference presentations

Resident Wellness

Our program has a multi-faceted approach to addressing wellness and resiliency in our residents. Current and future programs within the residency include the following:

Professional Wellness:

• Resident Advising: Residents choose one faculty member as their advisor during their first year of residency. The advisor they choose will provide mentorship throughout residency and will meet with the resident several times during the year.
• Resident as Teachers: This lecture series focuses on teaching our residents how to effectively teach and provide feedback to junior residents and medical students.
• Retreats: Retreats are held on an annual basis to prepare the class of residents for their next year of residency and to provide time for them to come together and socialize.
• Academic Half Day: Each resident has dedicated half days during certain rotations where they can schedule health appointments or just have the afternoon off.

Social Wellness:

• Annual Attendings vs Residents Competitions: Throughout the year, activities ranging from softball game to bowling are organized to promote attending/resident bonding outside of the clinical setting.
• Annual Holiday Party: Residents are alloted time off to have a holiday party during the winter months in addition to the residency-wide holiday lunch that occurs in December.
• Book Club: Attendings and residents can choose to participate in the residency book club that meets periodically to discuss their chosen novel for the year.
• Snack Rounds: Our chief residents visit the hospital with an abundance of candy and snacks to check-in on our inpatient teams and provide support.
• Inter-Residency Competitions: Through the GME office, annual pumpkin carving, gingerbread house building, and trivia competitions have been held among all the different residencies here at Loyola. Our residents have been proud winners of the gingerbread house building and trivia competitions!
• Resident Wellness Week: Loyola's GME Wellness Committee hosts an annual wellness week in the spring that includes a range of activities like free yoga and treats.

Mental/Spiritual Wellness:

• Debriefs: Attendings and chaplains are present during debrief sessions to help residents process and talk through recent patient deaths.
• Carebridge: Through Trinity Health, residents can access a counselor or work-life specialist. Private consultations on any personal issue is available 24/7.
• Wellness Conferences: Multiple lectures are scheduled throughout the year to address physician wellness and burnout. Additionally, our chief residents host wellness conferences, where residents can take a break from patient care and come together to participate in fun activities and have time to socialize with one another.
• Therapy Animals: Therapy dogs and even a miniature horse regularly visit the hospital to treat not only the patients, but also the staff.
• Holidays: Celebrate holidays (i.e. EID, Christmas and New Year's Day, etc.) off

Physical Wellness:

• Annual Races: Through the Trinity Health System and GME office, there are annual races that residents can team-up to participate in.
• On-Site Fitness Center: Residents have the option to become a member at the Loyola Center for Fitness. The fitness center has a wide variety of amenities including strength training and cardio equipment, a lap pool, a warm water therapy pool, racquetball and basketball courts, and group exercise rooms. Gym members can participate in classes like yoga, spinning, aquatic fitness and utilize their massage therapy, personal training, and nutritional counseling services.
• Reimbursed Rides: Loyola GME will provide reimbursement for post-call residents who are unable to safely travel home.

Financial Wellness:

• Book Money: Residents are allocated a yearly stipend that they can use towards board fees, educational materials, or review courses.
• Lectures: Lectures on financial wellness are provided throughout the year.
• Travel Money: Residents who are presenting at conferences are eligible to apply for funding to help cover travel expenses.

The resident led DEIC promotes a culture of inclusivity and belonging while addressing healthcare disparities.

Educational topics include implicit bias microaggressions transgender health and racism in medicine. The committee hosts recruitment events and participates in SNMA initiatives, supporting a diverse resident community and fostering respect for all patients and colleagues.
 

Community and Advocacy in Pediatrics

Every resident rotates with our community and advocacy pediatricians during their second year of residency. As a part of the rotation, residents will work in our pediatric mobile health unit, which travels to schools throughout Chicago and the suburbs to bring medical treatment to underserved pediatric populations.

The mobile clinic offers routine immunizations and well-child-checks to children and young adults from birth to age 21. Additionally, residents will work with our board certified child abuse pediatrician to learn how to recognize the signs of abuse and neglect and how these patients are treated.

Community Pediatric Engagement Project (CPEP)

The Community Pediatric Engagement Project allows for selected pediatric residents to pursue knowledge and experience in community health leadership to improve child health. The program includes didactic modules and experiential learning that offers residents opportunities to engage with the greater surrounding community to discuss health topics with patients and their families.

Additionally, it assists residents in planning and completing a collaborative project in the community surrounding the Loyola University Medical Center. The community project will fulfill the obligation for a scholarly project. Current projects include implementing a process to evaluate social determinants of health in our clinic population and addressing developmental delay screening in children ages 3 to 5.

Residents may apply to the program at the beginning of their PGY-1 year. One to two residents will be accepted each year to participate in the program. Residents may participate in the program in conjunction with the hospital-wide GME Community and Global Health Engagement Initiative. Residents will choose a faculty or community mentor for the 3-year experience and Proviso Partners for Heatlh (PP4H) leadership will be available as a resource for community mentors.