Clinical Experience
Specialized Programs | Clinical Rotations | Clinical SitesSpecialized Programs
Physician Scientist Development Program (PSDP)
Applicants interested in the PSDP track are strongly encouraged to join the BSD PSDP Recruitment Event.
MD/PhD’s and candidates with extensive research are invited to review the PSDP specifics – if interested in applying, please submit the supplemental application.
If you want to apply to the PSDP, but are unable to join the event, please email PedsPSDP@bsd.uchicago.edu and we can discuss potential alternatives. Please note, this event is not an interview day, but rather an in-depth informational showcase which highlights various scholarship being conducted within the University of Chicago.
To confirm, PSDP candidates may select any interview date throughout the season that works with their schedule.
4-Year Health Services Scholarship Track
4-Year Scholarship Track trainees combine our Categorical Pediatric Residency with a fully-funded Masters Degree program, spread over the PL2 – PL4 years.
Track applicants must submit a complete Masters’ application to their program of choice in addition to the ERAS application.
- Public Policy Concentration: MA from the University of Chicago Harris School
Application FAQs and clarifications can be found on our Departmental Program Site.
2-Year Medical Education Research, Innovation, Teaching, and Scholarship (MERITS) Program
The MERITS (Medical Education Research, Innovation, Teaching, and Scholarship) Fellowship & Training Programs in Medical Education will provide postgraduate fellows with the conceptual and practical skills required for successful future careers as medical education scholars and leaders. Fellows will participate in a curriculum drawn from the various fields to develop innovative teaching methods and undertake successful program implementation and evaluation. The goal of MERITS is to develop educational leaders and scholars through participation in a focused curriculum, research in medical education workshops, mentored projects, and active engagement with a rich network of colleagues and faculty in an environment of collaborative learning and support.
2-Year Leadership for Urban Primary Care Education and Transformation (LUCENT)
LUCENT aims to prepare tomorrow’s health care advocates and leaders in both academic & community practices. Interested residents can apply to the LUCENT program during their first year of residency. During this two-year program, LUCENT residents receive special training & mentorship on how to serve as a primary care physician and advocate to underserved populations. Residents also complete a scholarly project of their choosing, and have expanded ambulatory clinical & didactic training focusing on issues like social justice & health care access.
Clinical Rotations
Core Curriculum
During the first year of residency, our interns develop strong foundations in general pediatrics through a structured curriculum including inpatient, ambulatory, and subspecialty rotations at Comer Children’s Hospital. With dedicated time in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), newborn nursery, general pediatric wards, pediatric emergency department, and subspecialty/community-based clinics, interns gain hands-on experience managing a wide spectrum of pediatric conditions.
Individualized Learning Curriculum
During the second year, residents assume more independent roles, taking on increasing clinical responsibility and supervisory duties. Rotations in high-acuity environments like the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and La Rabida Children’s Hospital allow residents to hone their skills in critical care, complex patient management, and multidisciplinary teamwork. Residents also serve as mentors to interns and medical students, reinforcing their leadership abilities while building on their clinical skills. Additionally, individualized curriculum time offers flexibility to explore subspecialty interests and develop a vision for future career paths, whether in fellowship or general pediatrics.
Leadership & Career Exploration
Senior residents lead multidisciplinary teams and take ownership of patient care at a systems level, refining their leadership, teaching, and decision-making abilities. The third year provides significant opportunities for individualized professional growth through elective rotations, subspecialty exposure, and tailored career development support. Our longitudinal professional development series focuses on fellowship preparation, academic scholarship, and transitioning to independent practice, ensuring residents are fully equipped to succeed in the next phase of their career.
Clinical Sites
Comer Children's Hospital
Comer Children’s Hospital at the University of Chicago is a leading pediatric hospital offering advanced, specialized care in areas like oncology, cardiology, and critical care. Located on a major academic medical campus, Comer blends cutting-edge research with compassionate, family-centered treatment for children from across the region.
What sets Comer apart is its strong connection to the University of Chicago’s culture of innovation and its commitment to serving the South Side community. This combination of top-tier academic medicine and community-focused care makes Comer uniquely positioned among children’s hospitals.
Evanston Northshore Hospital
Evanston Hospital – Endeavor Health, located on the North Side of Chicago, offers residents the opportunity to train in a high-volume community hospital setting. These rotation emphasizes clinical decision-making within a community-based system, where residents learn to manage patients with available resources and develop the judgment to escalate care when more advanced services are needed.
Available rotations at Evanston are available in areas such as:
- General Pediatric Hospital Medicine (PHM) Unit (2-4 weeks as PL2 or PL3)
- Mother Baby Unit elective (2 weeks)
- Pediatric Hospitalist Medicine elective (2 weeks)
- Ambulatory elective (2 weeks)
- Additional outpatient and elective time possible
LaRabida Children's Hospital
La Rabida Children’s Hospital, located just minutes from our main campus at 65th Street and Lake Michigan, offers residents a unique opportunity to care for children with complex medical needs during their second and third years of training.
Residents provide post-acute care for patients with a wide range of chronic conditions, including cerebral palsy, complications of prematurity, and congenital heart disease. Many of these children are technology-dependent, requiring specialized management of home ventilators, tracheostomies, and gastrostomy tubes.
This rotation fosters deeper skills in multidisciplinary care, care coordination, and family-centered advocacy for children with medical complexity.
CCHA
Chicagoland Children’s Health Alliance (CCHA) reflects a collaboration among University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital, Advocate Children’s Hospital and Pediatrics at Endeavor Health.
The three organizations are committed to seamless, multidisciplinary teams who are passionate about providing the best possible care for children and their families.
Continuity Clinic Sites - Friend Health
Since 1997, Friend Health has provided accessible, affordable, and culturally responsive primary care to vulnerable and medically underserved communities across Chicago. Through its growing network of Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), Friend Health offers comprehensive primary and preventive services, along with wraparound support such as behavioral health, case management, WIC, pharmacy, and lab services.
All Friend Health sites are staffed by University of Chicago Teaching Attendings, who provide hands-on supervision and mentorship to our residents.
Continuity Clinic Sites - Erie Community Health Center
Driven by the belief that healthcare is a human right, Erie provides high-quality, affordable, and holistic care for individuals and families across the lifespan.
Our resident continuity clinic is held twice weekly at Erie’s West Town location, serving the vibrant West Town and Humboldt Park communities. The patient population is predominantly Spanish-speaking, and as such, residents assigned to this site must be fluent or near-fluent in Spanish (interpreter services are not available).
Clinic is staffed by a dedicated group of Erie Teaching Attendings, including several proud alumni of our own residency program.
Continuity Clinic Sites - Family CHC
Family Christian is committed to improving community health by addressing the physical, spiritual, emotional, psychological, and financial needs of their patients—believing that true wellness comes from caring for the whole person.
While Family Christian operates multiple sites, resident continuity clinic takes place at their Harvey location, approximately 35 minutes south of Comer. Clinic is held twice weekly and is staffed by a fantastic team of Teaching Attendings, including Comer residency alumni who bring both expertise and mentorship to the experience.