Curriculum


The goal of the VCU Pediatric Residency Program at Children's Hospital of Richmond is to provide residents with a comprehensive exposure to pediatrics. We believe that our curriculum provides the resident with broad knowledge in primary pediatric care while offering a unique exposure to a wide variety of subspecialty services. Our pediatric ED facilities provide state-of-the-art training in advanced management of the pediatric emergency patient.  

Residents chose the type and amount of subspecialties that they experience throughout their residency.

Curriculum Block Chart: Pediatrics


Block
(4 weeks)

 PGY-1

PGY-2

PGY-3

1

 Inpatient Wards

 Inpatient Wards

Inpatient Wards

2

 Inpatient Wards

 Inpatient Wards/Elective

Inpatient Wards/Elective

3

 Inpatient Wards

Night Float

Night Float

4

 Inpatient Hem/Onc

NICU

NICU

5

Night Float

PICU

PICU

6

Night Float

NBN

Ped ED

7

NICU

Ped ED

Outpatient Primary

8

NICU/Outpatient
Surgery Subspecialties

Outpatient Primary

Outpatient Primary

9

NBN

Inpatient Hem/Onc

Elective

10

Ped ED

Adolescent Medicine

Elective

11

Outpatient Primary

Behavior &
Development

Elective

12

Evidence-Based Medicine/
Child Protection

Elective

Elective

13

Elective

Elective

Elective


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Average Call Frequency
The VCU Pediatric Residency Program at Children's Hospital of Richmond fully agrees with the guidelines set forth by the ACGME for duty hours of resident physicians. In recognition of the need to have periods of time free from hospital obligations, each year you are given at least one call-free month and several additional weeks with limited call responsibilities. We believe that this schedule maximizes the opportunities for learning while simultaneously recognizing the lifestyle concerns inherent to a contemporary residency program.  

Service
PGY-1
PGY-2
PGY-3
Requirement
Call
Frequency
Requirement
Call
Frequency

Requirement

Call
Frequency

Pediatric Wards

12 weeks
(3 blocks)
2-3 calls per block
6 weeks

Q7 days

6 weeks
Q7 days

Newborn Nursery

4 weeks
N/A
4 weeks
N/A
N/A
N/A

NICU

6 weeks
Q4-6 days
4 weeks
6 calls/mo.
Q4-7 days
4 weeks
6 calls/mo.
Q4-7 days

PICU

N/A
N/A
4 weeks
Q4 days
4 weeks
Q4 days

Pediatric
Emergency Department

4 weeks

17 shifts (12 hrs./shift)

4 weeks
16 shifts (12 hrs./shift)
4 weeks
15 shifts (12 hrs./shift)

Subspecialty or Outpatient

10 weeks
pull call
18 weeks
pull call, phone calls, PICU cross-cover (5-7 per year) 
Average/mo.
4-8 pull calls
3-6 phone calls
26 weeks
pull call, phone calls

Average/mo.
2-5 pull calls
2-3 phone calls

Inpatient Hem/Onc

 4 weeks

 No call

4 Weeks

 No call

 N/A

N/A 

Subspecialty or Outpatient (Call Free)

4 weeks
N/A
4 weeks
N/A
4 weeks
N/A
Night Float
8 weeks
(5 shifts/wk.)
7 p.m. – 9 a.m. shifts
4 weeks
(5 shifts/wk.)
7 p.m. – 9 a.m. shifts
4 weeks
(5 shifts/wk.)
7 p.m. – 9 a.m. shifts

As indicated above, each resident will be periodically assigned to Pull Call on specific days during outpatient or specialty rotations.  The resident assigned to Pull Call must be available by beeper in the event that a colleague becomes ill.

PGY-2 and PGY-3 residents are assigned periodically to after-hours phone triage (i.e. telephone calls) for the General Pediatrics Outpatient Clinic.  This call is taken from home. 

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