Overview
There are approximately 45 residents per class, comprised of 31 categorical residents and the remaining 14 in our specialized tracks or dual-specialty programs. All residents rotate through the three primary training sites, including Seattle Children’s Hospital, Harborview Hospital, and the University of Washington. Although we have one of the larger pediatric training programs, it doesn’t feel big. We foster an inclusive and supportive environment where residents get to know each other well.
Tracks
In addition to the standard categorical track, the UW Pediatric Residency offers training in three specialized tracks and two joint or combined training programs. Additional individualized training in global health and community pediatrics and advocacy are available for categorical residents in the REACH Pathways. Residents in all tracks are firmly integrated within the categorical program and are a part of the larger family of the pediatric residency program.
Alaska Track
The University of Washington/Seattle Children’s Pediatric Residency Alaska Track is a primary care track within our three-year categorical pediatric residency program that involves cumulative one-year dedicated to training in primary care and community pediatrics at four sites in Alaska. There are four Alaska Track residents per year.
Check out the Alaska Track Website
NRMP Code: 1918320C1
Health Equity Track
The University of Washington/Seattle Children’s pediatric residency Health Equity Track is designed to train the next generation of leaders and innovators in pediatric health equity across the clinical care spectrum. Throughout their three years of training, residents will have dedicated months to focus on growing skills in advocacy, leadership and communication to recognize roots of health inequity and effectively strategize and mobilize resources and interventions to advance health equity for our children, adolescents and families. Residents in the Health Equity Track will develop projects within their preferred area of focus, including, but not limited to, public health, legislation, policy, media advocacy and community-based research. The general structure of the track will involve a combination of workshops and educational sessions, a community based project, and mentorship, along with outpatient clinical time at one or both of our two partner clinics (Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic and Harborview Pediatrics Clinic). Residents will follow the categorical track but have 2 months in the R1 year and 3-4 months in the R2 and R3 year dedicated to health equity training. The Health Equity Track is a different match/application via ERAS and applicants are able to apply to both our categorical and Health Equity Tracks if desired.
NRMP Code: 1918320C3
Research Track
This track provides pediatrician scientists with MD/PhD and equivalent backgrounds with an opportunity to participate in a significant amount of protected research time during their pediatric residency.
Residents on the Physician Scientist track will experience the same core pediatric rotations as categorical residents but will select from several tracks to allow for development of a research focus during 6-12 months of their residency training. A personalized path for these residents include either a specific research focused time, or one of the American Board of Pediatrics’ training pathways, the Integrated Research Pathway (IRP) or Accelerated Research Pathway (ARP). Participants in this track will receive additional mentorship and financial resources to support their development as a physician scientist.
Many categorical residents who are not part of the Research Track also participate in meaningful research during their training. However, due to the extended time commitment in research, there is a separate match number to apply to the Research Track. To be considered for both the categorical program and the Research Track, applicants apply to each separately using their individual match numbers. There are two research track residents per class.
NRMP Code: 1918320C2
Child Neurology
The Pediatric Neurology Residency Program is a five-year categorical program which includes two years of general pediatrics with our categorical residents, training and educational experiences through the Core Neurology Residency Program, as well as an extended period of intensive training in Pediatric Neurology at Seattle Children’s Hospital. Over the three years of neurology residency, trainees will spend 12 months in general (adult) neurology, and 12 months in pediatric neurology. The remaining 12 months are flexible and are reserved for a variety of clinical and neuroscience electives which includes one required month of child psychiatry. The program director is Dr. Hannah Tully. There are three child neurology track residents per class.
NRMP Code: 1918185C0
Pediatrics-Medical Genetics
The Combined Pediatrics-Medical Genetics Residency Program is a 4- year program based in the Department of Pediatrics in conjunction with the Department of Medicine at the University of Washington. This program builds on the history of excellence in both residency programs, and is designed to train the next generation of academic leaders in pediatric medical genetics. The philosophy of the program is to use the most advanced concepts and techniques of genetics and genomics in the elucidation of problems in pediatric medical genetics.
All residents are required to undertake a mentored research project during their training, which can be in either basic science or clinical and translational research. Additional research training is available with salary support from an NIH T32 training grant. There is one pediatrics-medical genetics resident per class.
NRMP Code: 1918765C0
Rotations
Read more about the specifics of each training year below:
On the right is a sample schedule for all three years of residency.
Block schedule: WWe are on a “block schedule”, a total of 13 four-week blocks throughout the year. We do not currently have an x + y schedule. We are planning to transition to an x + y schedule once ACGME rules allow us to in 2025.
Vacation: Residents have 4 weeks of vacation per year as well as 4 days off for their holiday of choice. Additionally, interns have 5 days off at the end of intern year.
Days off: Most days off during a block fall on weekend days. Residents are guaranteed 4 days off in each block.
Nights: Inpatient teams are on day and night schedule, meaning residents do 3 weeks of days and approximently 1 week of nights.
Call Months: Interns do not have any q4 24hr call months. Each year, Seniors have 2-3 blocks with q5 24 hr. call.
Year One
The R1 year is designed for residents to acquire the skills necessary to recognize children with manifestations of acute and chronic illness. The schedule will vary for residents in the various tracks.
We do not do any 24hr call as interns. All of our inpatient months have 3 weeks of days and 1 week of nights.
- Inpatient medicine (3-4 months)
- Inpatient Hematology-Oncology (1 month)
- UW NICU and Newborn (2 months)
- ED (2 months)
- Development (1 month)
- Electives (1-2 months)
- Community Practice (1 month; Call Free)
During the Community Practice month, interns spend most days in their designated continuity clinic, but also have dedicated time to learn about the community resources our patients and families access. Residents on this block will visit a WIC site, local dental office, early intervention facility, family court, in addition to completing unique training sessions like car seat safety and promoting first relationships. This month is “Call Free,” meaning residents have all of the weekends off and don’t have any cross coverage.
Years Two and Three
The R2 year promotes leadership, teaching and clinical decision-making skills. The R3 year of training allows each resident to further enhance their clinical, teaching and leadership skills.
Wards Senior (2-3 months per year): As soon as their first month of R2 year, residents can senior a wards team. This can include time on senior-only service of general pediatric patients, which is a great opportunity to build autonomy. These months are typically 3 weeks of days and 1 week of nights.
PICU (1 month per year): Residents spent one month in the PICU as an R2 and again as an R3. We recently transitioned from a q5 24hr. call system to a night float system.
SCH-NICU (1 month as an R2): R2s, spend one month in the Seattle Children’s NICU. We recently transitioned from a q4 24hr. call system to a night float system. Residents interested in NICU can spend more time here as an R3.
HMC (1 month per year): Harborview Medical Center (or HMC) is the region’s level 1 trauma and burn center. Residents spend time in the PICU, on the Wards, and in the ED during their time at Harborview. These months are 2-3 weeks of days, and 1-2 weeks of nights.
WWAMI (2 months as an R2): A highlight of R2 year is spending two months practicing rural primary care through the WWAMI rotation.
Electives (3-4 months per year): Residents have lots of electives to choose from and ample time to explore careers of interest.
Adolescent (1 block as an R3)
Electives
In addition to all of the typical subspecialty electives, our program offers tons of other electives for residents. Two favorites are Wilderness Medicine (where residents spend time backpacking and applying their medical skills in the field), and Clinics Rotation (where residents create their own schedule visiting various pediatrics clinic sites to see the various sides of primary care).
Other popular electives include Advocacy, Bioethics, Procedures, Complementary & Alternative Medicine, Palliative Medicine, Hospitalist, Indian Health Service, Global Health, away rotations, and Transplant Medicine.
We also have a rotation called Professional Development, where residents can build a rotation to work on personal and professional goals. Residents spend time working on research, advocacy, and meeting with mentors and advisors. This is a great time for residents to focus on personal wellness.
Didactics
The residency program at Seattle Children’s Hospital combines both inpatient and ambulatory experiences throughout the three-year period, and residents are exposed to a wide variety of pediatric pathology in primary care, acute care and critical care settings. Seattle Children’s Hospital has the benefit of being a large referral center while also being the primary hospital for the children of Seattle.
In addition to the in the moment teaching that happens on rounds and in the team rooms; we have dedicated daily conferences for resident learning. Our program is incredibly receptive to resident feedback and has made changes to the teaching conference format and implemented academic half-days. We have multiple curricula which stemmed from resident passions and cover topics outside of clinical medicine. These curricula, facilitated by residents, are incorporated into morning reports and noon conferences, as well as small group teaching sessions and events outside of the hospital.
Daily Teaching
Case Crunch (12:30pm to 1:00pm): Case-based and interactive presentations, typically given by executive residents or current residents.
Housestaff Conference (1:00pm to 1:30pm): Dedicated to teaching based on a core curriculum of ambulatory and inpatient topics presented by general pediatric and subspecialty attendings. This series provides a framework for approaching common pediatric diagnostic and management issues.
Grand Rounds: Every Thursday morning at 8am residents, hospital staff, and community physicians attend this lecture series of varied topics, ranging from advances in molecular research to legislative issues affecting children. This forum brings international experts in pediatric medicine, research, and policy as it relates to their expertise to our local population. See the schedule for Grand Rounds here.
Resident Designed Curricula
- INclusion, Cultural humiLity, Diversity, Equity (INCLUDE)
- Health Equity Rounds
- Climate Change Curriculum: The Climate Change Curriculum was started by residents in 2021 and is the first of its kind in the country. Residents learn about how climate change impacts the health of our children, how to have discussions with families, and actions residents can take to improve the health of our climate.
- Residents As Teachers and Leaders (RATL): The RATL Curriculum is a longitudinal curriculum that takes place approximately once per month with presentations during conference and resident-led small group discussion sessions. This curriculum is designed to introduce and build upon skills that empower resident teaching and encourage leadership development. Topics include how to develop a chalk talk and how to give effective feedback.
- Advocacy Curriculum: The advocacy curriculum teaches residents tangible skills that can be used in residency and beyond to advocate for the health of children. This curriculum covers topics about how to effectively advocate for the individual patient as well as the community at the local, state, and federal levels.
- Journal Club: This curriculum occurs most Thursdays of the month and residents take the lead on presenting and discussing a journal article of interest.
- Point of Care Ultrasound Curriculum (POCUS): Residents are developing a curriculum that gives trainees dedicated time to practice their sonography skills.
Longitudinal Curricula
We also have several longitudinal curricula which are incorporated throughout the year to enhance resident understanding of all aspects of patient care.
- Ethics Rounds: Faculty members host sessions for residents to reflect and process difficult situations that arise, particularly with caring for medically complex children.
- Topic of the Week (TOW): Preceptors take time at lunch to discuss a primary care topic and work through example cases together.
- Patient Safety: The first Wednesday of every month includes a patient safety conference. These conferences bring together residents, nurses, administration, and faculty with the goal of reviewing critical cases from our hospital experience. As a teaching institution, this process provides an invaluable opportunity for us to learn from our experience and subsequently provide better patient care.
- Wards 7 Quality Improvement: R2 and R3s that are seniors on Team 7 (a private hospitalist team) complete a QI project during their month as part of the rotation.
- Procedure Bootcamp: All R3s participate in a Procedure Bootcamp; where they can practice placing IVs, intubating, splinting, and doing LPs.
Academic Half Day
Interns have academic half days every other month, where they have dedicated time to learn about specific areas within pediatrics. Examples include cardiology, pulmonology, palliative care, adolescent medicine, as well as a session dedicated to discussing microaggressions. Interns have an opportunity to do hands on learning in small group settings.
I’ve had a great balance of caring for patients with more general pediatrics issues and patients with more complex medical needs. Seattle Children’s is a large referral center so we don’t refer out for any care, but we also serve a large city so still see lots of bread and butter pediatrics.
Day in the Life
A Typical Intern Day on Wards
6:30 or 7:00 am: Sign-out
The day team (including senior residents and interns) meet to get sign-out from the overnight team, which is comprised of one senior resident and one intern.
7:30 am: Pre-rounding
R1s follow 4-8 patients on average. Our senior residents are incredible at balancing not just the number of patients interns carry but also the complexity.
9:00 am: Family-Centered Rounds
Each team rounds with general pediatric and subspecialty attendings. Patients and their families, nurses, pharmacists and social workers join the medical team to plan care for the patient. The team care coordinators help with administrative duties such as PCP follow-ups. Multidisciplinary teams are critical to our learning!
12:30 pm Case Crunch and Housestaff Conference
Faculty members from various disciplines present topics in a variety of formats. Lunch is provided! Evaluations are collected in order to improve the following year’s curriculum. Housestaff conference (also called Noon Conference) is a great break in the day to rest, refuel, and refocus. While the learning is top notch, the walk back to the wards is the best part. Lots of residents pit stop in the cafeteria to load up on afternoon snacks and catch up before getting back to patient care!
1:30-6:00pm: Patient Care
R1s follow up on issues or tests ordered on their patients. They meet and admit new patients with supervision from the senior resident.
In addition to bedside teaching on rounds, there is dedicated time in the afternoon for team attendings to teach on topics relevant to the team’s current patients.
6:00 or 6:30 pm: Sign-out
Care is transitioned back to the night team. We used the IPASS system to ensure patient safety is at the core of our sign-out. Once sign-out is over, it’s not uncommon for the day team to linger just to hang out and laugh with the night team.
At Seattle Children’s Hospital, we have 7 different inpatient teams that residents rotate through.
- Most teams are a combination of general medicine and a sub-speciality service.
- Each team has a senior resident (R2 or R3) and 3-4 interns. This may include visiting residents who serve as interns on teams.
- Interns typically carry 3-8 patients per day. We are currently working on implementing volume caps for some teams.
- Most teams will also have a medical student on their third-year clerkship, and potentially a sub-intern.
- We also have Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) on some of the teams who function as interns and help to offload patient volume.
WWAMI – Rural Community Pediatrics Rotation
Commonly referred to as the “WWAMI experience,” rural community training sites in Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho have been a unique part of medical education at the University of Washington School of Medicine since 1971. We are the only program in the country to offer this training opportunity. As second years, all residents spend two months at one of six WWAMI practice sites, learning from community pediatricians about primary care in a rural setting. These practices are located in Port Angeles, Yakima and Bellingham Washington, Missoula Montana, and Sandpoint and Pocatello Idaho. If residents have a dream WWAMI destination in mind, they can preference it in their PGY-2 template.
Working in Yakima has been the highlight of my residency experience thus far. In just eight weeks, I feel I have gained a new appreciation for what community medicine really looks like. From rotating through multiple clinics, working in the local hospital, and taking time to immerse myself in the community, I feel like I have a much better understanding of how to best serve this population. Yakima was greatly impacted by COVID-19, particularly the farm worker population. Learning how to be a better advocate for these patients and families during a pandemic that coincided with their harvest season is a lesson I will never forget.
Continuity Clinics
Each resident is assigned a site throughout the greater Seattle area for their continuity clinic, and they spend an average of one half-day a week seeing patients there. Residents typically have clinic on the same day each week, so they work with the same preceptor throughout all three years of residency. As an intern, clinic days fall outside of days on the wards, so residents don’t have to travel from wards to continuity clinic in the same day. As first years, residents also have a month-long rotation called Community Practice; where, they see patients at their clinic most days of the week.
Read more about each of the continuity clinic sites on the Training Sites page.
One of the highlights in residency has been training as a primary care pediatrician at the Harborview Pediatrics Clinic. Harborview Medical Center is a county hospital that serves as the safety net for King County-Seattle and therefore takes care of many children and families who have complex social circumstances. As a child of Vietnamese refugees, I have found tremendous joy in caring for patients at our clinic, including new immigrants and refugees, new entrants to foster care, and youth seeking asylum. It has been a huge privilege for me to build relationships with these families and to learn from a beloved group of faculty pediatricians who have a shared commitment to health equity.
Continuity Clinic Sites
The map below to shows the continuity clinic sites in the Seattle area!