Pediatric Level-2 Academic Year

The second year of training is designed to allow the resident greater responsibility for patient care. He or she has the opportunity to hone clinical skills learned during the PL-1 year and to gain in-depth knowledge in specialized areas of pediatrics.

As the requirements for the residency curriculum are changing for all programs across the country, St. Chris pediatric residents will have new, exciting and valuable opportunities throughout their education. In addition to an already successful curriculum in primary care, pediatric residents will have a greater opportunity to care for children with special healthcare needs and the capability to shape their own third year continuity experience. Also, categorical residents will have the opportunity to participate in six units of individualized curriculum focused on the career and educational goals of the resident.

Electives (8-12 weeks)
Elective opportunities include infectious disease, nephrology, hematology/oncology, pulmonology, rheumatology, allergy, cardiology, gastroenterology, endocrinology, genetics, immunology, radiology, anesthesia, general surgery and surgical subspecialties, neurology, psychiatry, and research. Each PL-2 will be provided with a "call-free" month, which may be used for electives at other institutions unavailable at St. Chris or for international experiences.

Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics (4 weeks)
The PL-2 will learn to screen for, identify, and manage a variety of behavioral and developmental issues including and associated with autism, ADHD, Cerebral Palsy and various cognitive and neurologic disorders. Residents also participate in the SNAP clinic, which follows premature infants, and gain exposure to audiology, physical therapy and occupational therapy services. During this rotation residents will also visit with various community resources for children with developmental disabilities.

Adolescent Medicine (4 weeks)
The PL-2 will learn to identify and manage the medical and psychosocial issues associated with adolescence. The three major types of clinic visits are well child, family planning, and STD screening and treatment.

Intensive Care Unit (6 weeks)
As a 2nd year, the intensive care experience is divided within the ICU, cardiac intensive care and special care unit. The 2nd year ICU resident works closely with the attending physicians and PL-3's in caring for the most critically ill children in the unit. The schedule follows the traditional q4 system.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (8 weeks)
The 2nd year NICU experience takes place at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children 30-bed Level IIIC NICU. All patients are critically ill and are transferred from outside institutions, often requiring surgical consultation and repair. ECMO is performed at this facility. At Hahnemann NICU, PL-2's will spend 2 weeks of night shift from Sunday through Friday nights and 2 weeks of daytime shifts. The 2nd year resident may also spend one of their NICU months supervising PL-1 residents at Hahnemann University Hospital NICU. The NICU call schedule follows the traditional q4 system.

Emergency Medicine (8 weeks)
ER shifts in the 2nd year are 12 hours. The PL-1 experience allows the PL-2 residents to work efficiently, seeing a higher volume of patients and of higher acuity.

Night Shift (2-4 weeks)
Second-year residents supervise PL-1's on inpatient night float for two weeks during the year. While on night float, your weekends are free.

Continuity Clinic (1/2 day weekly)
The PL-2's patient panel has grown considerably as has their autonomy in making patient care decisions. PL-2's are expected to see at least five patients during each half day session and to prepare at least three 25-minute pre-clinic talks for the year.

General Pediatrics (4 weeks)
Beyond the weekly experience in continuity clinic, PL-2s rotate for four weeks in an onsite general outpatient pediatrics office, receiving comprehensive exposure to primary care pediatrics. The resident sees a number of scheduled ill visits and is available by telephone to provide faculty supervised advice and consultation to parents for the ambulatory practice during daytime office hours.

Inpatient Red Team (2-3 weeks)
PL-2's will spend two-three weeks as the senior resident on the inpatient Red team. The PL-2 has the role of supervising the PL-1's care of subspecialty patients while working closely with the attending physicians from those services. This serves as an excellent introduction to future time as a PL-3 supervising resident.

Educational Retreat (2 days)
The second year of training also includes two separate one-day educational retreats focused on preparing the residents for their upcoming role as supervising PL-3's.

Vacation (4 weeks)