Intern Year (PL-1) Second Year (PL-2)
Senior Year (PL-3) Call Duties

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PL-1 Year

In the intern year, the primary focus is on learning the basics of pediatric management. The development of communication skills between interns and their patients, colleagues and outside physicians is a priority. Solid history and physical examination skills, the generation of appropriate differential diagnoses and basic therapeutic plans, and familiarity with procedures are all goals of the intern year. In addition, interns refine their teaching skills through working with third year medical students in the clinic and on the inpatient wards. USMLE Step 3 will be completed this year.

PL-2 Year

Goals of the second year include continuing to perfect history taking and physical examination skills, as well as further refining procedural skills. PL-2 residents will take required rotations in Adolescent Medicine and Behavior/Development, as well as have elective time in other subspecialties to improve their core knowledge of pediatrics and explore subspecialty interests.

The development of teaching and leadership skills is a priority during this year. The second year resident must learn how to effectively lead a team on the inpatient service, ensuring that patient care is appropriate and timely, while teaching and supervising the interns and medical students under them.

PL-3 Year

The focus of the third year is on sharpening leadership abilities, improving teaching skills, and developing proficiency in running a patient care team both on the inpatient wards and in the clinic. Through the Advocacy rotation and other subspecialty electives, seniors can round out their education and focus on areas of interest.

Call Duties

Call is in-house every 4th night for Inpatient (IP). In the Intensive Care (PICU and NICU) rotations in-house call varies from every 4th night to every 5th night depending on the number of residents on service. In compliance with ACGME resident work hour regulations, residents are guaranteed four days off per month, work no more than 80 hours/week averaged over four weeks, and leave by 30 hours on post call days.

Each resident also spends 2-4 weeks of his or her inpatient experience on either the Night Resident or Day Resident team. The Night Resident team consists of a senior resident and an intern working as a third team on at night, helping the other ward teams to admit patients from 7:00 pm to 7:00 am. Two senior residents and two interns will split the coverage over the 2 week period. In the morning the Night Resident team meets with either the Program Director or the Hospitalist on service to discuss the cases admitted overnight. Many of the patients admitted by this team are then followed during the day by the Day Resident team, with a focus on subspecialty and community pediatricians' patients. This consists of a senior resident working directly with appropriate attendings during the day to care for the team's patients from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm. Two senior residents will split the 2 week rotation.

On the General Pediatric Clinic rotation, residents will spend time at Urgent Care in the Emergency Department from 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm on weekdays, and from 4:00 pm – 10:00 pm on weekends. This is an invaluable opportunity for residents to practice performing a variety of procedures in the Emergency Department under the supervision of the Emergency Department physicians and physician assistants. Residents have urgent care call for 8 weeks during their intern year and for 4 weeks during their 3rd year.

Another type of "call" within the curriculum is backup call. While on electives, adolescent medicine, behavior and development, and advocacy rotations residents are required to be available by pager in case another resident is ill or additional help is required for patient care. There are usually 8-9 residents on backup call per rotation, and separate intern and senior resident backup pools ensure appropriate coverage. When a backup resident is asked to cover a call or clinic for a colleague, he or she is usually repaid during a future rotation.   

In the second and third years, residents have one call-free 4 week rotation. The call-free rotation is useful for those applying for fellowships, those interested in international experiences, and those interested in away electives at other institutions.