Pediatric Residency Curriculum

Saint Louis University School of Medicine's Pediatric Residency Program offers a balanced curriculum with ample opportunity for individualized learning. The training produces well-rounded pediatricians who are ready for board certification, clinical practice and diverse patient care.

Rotations

Pediatric residents train at the following sites:

Inpatient Rotations

Pediatric Care: patients admitted to SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital with common, complex and life-threatening illnesses
Five Multidisciplinary Teams: medical students, interns, senior residents, fellows, attending physicians
Specialties Covered: pulmonology, cardiology, hematology/oncology, endocrinology, nephrology and gastroenterology

Outpatient Rotations

Emergency Medicine:
- Level 1 trauma center at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital
- 24-hour on-site attending coverage
- Skills including resuscitation, suturing and splinting
Ambulatory Medicine: rotation at the Danis Pediatric Center, providing acute and well-child visits, and obtaining continuity over three years
Longitudinal CARE (Community Advocacy through Resident Education): child care center tours, home nursing visits and lead inspection assistance during outpatient rotations
Developmental Medicine: rotation at the Knights of Columbus Developmental Center, providing multidisciplinary care
Teaching (Third-Year Residents): rotation at Tower Grove Danis Clinic, teaching third-year medical students

Critical Care

Level IV NICU Experience:
- 65-bed regional perinatal center at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital
- No overnight call responsibilities
Level III NICU Experience:
- 38-bed perinatal center at SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital
- Focus on high-risk OB and immediate neonatal resuscitation
PICU Experience:
- 21-bed intensive care unit at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital
- ECMO capabilities
- Specialties include Level 1 trauma, cardiothoracic surgery, neurosurgery and solid organ transplant

Electives and Subspecialty Rotations

Residents will have nine total months of subspecialty electives plus a month of neurology over the three years of residency training.

Pediatric Subspecialties (Three to Six)

Advanced PICU
Advanced NICU
Advanced ER
Advocacy
Board preparation
Child protection
Community pediatrics
Evidence-based parenting
Global health
Inpatient teaching resident
Medical genetics
Pediatric allergy and immunology
Pediatric cardiology
Pediatric cardiothoracic surgery
Pediatric dermatology
Pediatric endocrinology
Pediatric gastroenterology
Pediatric hematology-oncology
Pediatric infectious diseases
Pediatric nephrology
Pediatric neurology (required in second year)
Pediatric pulmonology
Pediatric rheumatology
Pediatric anesthesia
Physical medicine and rehabilitation
Research
Sedation
Sports medicine
Yellow Team (hospital medicine elective)

Other (Up to Three)

Breastfeeding medicine
Hospice and palliative medicine
Neurodevelopmental disabilities (development)
Pediatric ophthalmology
Pediatric orthopedic surgery
Pediatric otolaryngology
Pediatric radiology
Pediatric surgery
Sleep medicine

X Block Schedule (PGY-1)

Six-Week Rotation Block	Block Components	Vacation Eligibility
Baby Care (inpatient)	Four weeks: Well Baby Nursery Two weeks: NICU	NICU*
Emergency Department (ambulatory) plus Elective	Four weeks: ED Two weeks: Elective	Both*
General Pediatrics (inpatient)	Four weeks: Day shift Two weeks: Night shift	None
General Pediatrics (inpatient)	Four weeks: Day shift Two weeks: Night shift	None
Danis Pediatric Center/CARES program (ambulatory) plus Elective	Four weeks: General pediatrics Two weeks: Elective	Both*
Inpatient Specialty + Ambulatory Specialty	Four weeks: Inpatient specialty Two weeks: Ambulatory specialty	Ambulatory specialty*

*Residents may take vacation during asterisked rotations subject to program approval and coverage requirements.
Note: Adolescent medicine and developmental pediatrics are delivered entirely through Y block half-day sessions.

X Block Schedule (PGY-2)

Six-Week Rotation Block	Block Components	Vacation Eligibility
Baby Care (inpatient)	Four weeks: NICU Two weeks: Nursery (backup call)	None
PICU plus Scholarship	Four weeks: PICU Two weeks: Scholarship/backup call	Scholarship*
General Pediatrics (inpatient)	Four weeks: Day shift Two weeks: Night shift	None
Emergency Department (ambulatory) plus Night Shift (inpatient)	Four weeks: ED Two weeks: General pediatrics night shift	Emergency Department*
Inpatient Specialty plus Ambulatory Specialty	Four weeks: Inpatient specialty Two weeks: Ambulatory specialty	Ambulatory Specialty*
Mental Health (ambulatory) plus Elective	Two weeks: Mental health Four weeks: Elective	Elective*

X Block Schedule (PGY-3)

Six-Week Block Rotation	Block Components	Vacation Eligibility
Inpatient Specialty	Four weeks: Day shift (supervisory) Two weeks: Night shift (supervisory)	None
General Pediatrics (inpatient)	Four weeks: Day shift (supervisory) Two weeks: Night shift (supervisory)	None
Emergency Department (ambulatory) + Backup Call	Four weeks: ED Two weeks: Backup call	Both*
Intensive Care Unit (inpatient)	Choose one: Six weeks: NICU Six weeks: PICU Six weeks: NICU and PICU (minimum two weeks each)	None
TEACH (ambulatory) + Elective	Four weeks: TEACH (Ambulatory general pediatrics, MS leadership) Two weeks: Elective	Elective*
Elective	Six weeks: Elective	Elective*

Y Block Schedule

Two-Week Activity Block	Total Sessions per Block	Scheduling Details
Continuity Clinic	Seven to eight half-days	Sessions distributed across both weeks
Academic Half-Day	One half-day	Fixed time slot
Simulation Lab	One half-day	Fixed time slot
Advocacy	One half-day	Week 1
Quality and Safety	One half-day	Week 2
Adolescent Medicine	PGY-1: Two half-days PGY-2: Two half-days PGY-3: One half-day	Varies
Developmental Pediatrics	PGY-1: Two half-days PGY-2: Two half-days PGY-3: One half-day	Varies
Mental Health	PGY-1: None PGY-2: One half-day PGY-3: One half-day	Varies
Emergency Department	PGY-1: Two half-days PGY-2: None PGY-3: None	Completed as one full day (AM+PM)
Longitudinal Elective	2-3 half-days	Varies
Wellness	1 half-day	Protected time
Flex Time	PGY-1: None PGY-2: Zero to one half-days PGY-3: One to three half-days	PGY-3 retains the most flexibility

Didactics

Core Conferences and Curriculum

Noon Conferences: Monday-Friday
- Resident-led case presentations
- Pharmacist-led education
- Wellness days
- Global health education
- Quality improvement/safety
Academic Half Days: 1-5 p.m. on Thursdays; attendance varies by year
- Pediatric Board Prep: comprehensive, board-relevant curriculum
- Mission in Medicine: focused on humanism, medical/legal partnerships, social detriments of health and health equity
Grand Rounds: 8-9 a.m. on Wednesdays, September through June; topics vary

Simulation Education

High-acuity scenarios with high-fidelity manikins
Communication simulations with standardized patients
Learning incorporated into academic half-days and rotations
Resident Immersive Simulation Experience (RISE) sessions

Scholarship and Research

Basic Science and Clinical Research:
- IRB certification, mentorship, implementation and presentation
- Data analysis with SLU School of Public Health experts
Quality Improvement:
- Patient safety/QI curriculum during the PGY-2 ambulatory month
- For residents considering a career in primary care
Resident Teaching:
- Work with academic faculty
- Participate in Stanford Teaching Curriculum (second-year residents)
- Training to teach medical students, nursing staff and families
Advocacy/Global Health: mentored projects developed for specialized tracks
Research Funding:
- More than $7 million active grants
- Internal “Fleur-de-Lis” grants to kickstart project
Productivity: 300+ publications from residents, fellows and faculty in the past five years

Board Prep

Annual PREP: 250-question AAP self-assessment
Annual ITE: yearly American Board of Pediatrics In-Training Examination

CARE Curriculum (First-Year Residents)

Community, Advocacy, Resident Education (CARE) curriculum cultivates sustainable advocacy through community immersion.

Pursue community interests and passions
Engage 20+ schools, shelters and food pantries
Bridge the gap between community needs and pediatric clinical practice

Watch: CARE Curriculum

Pathways

Advocacy

The MoCARE Advocacy pathway prepares residents to become leaders in child health advocacy. Training includes:

Advocacy-focused capstone project
Statewide pediatric advocacy leadership conference
Elective rotations dedicated to regional child health

Residents can apply for this pathway at the end of their first year. Two applicants will be accepted.

Global Health

The Ann Manganaro Global Health Pathway in Pediatrics prepares residents for careers in global health. Training includes:

Pediatric global health program modules
Simulation education
International elective rotation in an underserved area

Residents can apply for the pathway during their first year. Two applicants will be accepted.

Watch: Global Health Track

Primary Care

The primary care pathway prepares residents for careers in outpatient primary care clinics. Training and focuses include:

Community partner sites
Adolescent medicine
Development behavior
Mental health
Mentorship
Business and practice management

Interested residents will engage in special electives during their second and third years of residency.