Pediatrics is an important and stimulating part of family medicine, and residents at UPMC St. Margaret are well-trained in all aspects of pediatric care. Five months of required full-time pediatric rotations are broken down as follows:
- One month - Inpatient
- One month - Outpatient Clinic and Newborn Nursery
- Three months - Urgent Care and Emergency Room
- Longitudinal – Follow a panel of Pediatric Patients in Outpatient Health Centers
Four of these rotations are at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh (CHP), one of the best pediatric hospitals in the world, conveniently located near two of our family health centers. The newborn nursery rotation is at UPMC Magee Woman’s Hospital with over 10,000 deliveries a year.
At the family health centers, outpatient management of pediatric issues is a significant aspect of your clinical and educational experience. Residents develop expertise in well-child care (faculty leaders Dr. Don Middleton and Dr. Maryellen Schroeder are contributors to the ABFP modules on well-child care and childhood illnesses as part of ongoing board certification SAMs, immunizations (Dr. Richard Zimmerman at the University of Pittsburgh served as the American Academy of Family Physician's representative to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta), and developmental and adolescent issues. Thanks to an innovative school health program created and led by Dr. Ann McGaffey, all residents rotate through a school health experience providing school health education, including puberty, sexual education, violence prevention, and nutrition, within various Pittsburgh grade school students. In the summer, residents can experience the role of being a camp physician, led by Dr. Rich Bruehlman at Camp Kon-O-Kwee Spencer. A core lecture series on pediatric topics are scheduled each year at UPMC St. Margaret. Residents will fulfill ABFP requirements for the number of pediatric outpatient visits as well as obtain experience in recommended well-child and ill pediatric care. Click here for topics that all residents will be exposed to. Download the topics that all residents will be exposed to. PDF
In addition to the above-required rotations, many excellent electives are available to those with interest. Virtually any pediatric subspecialty rotation (cardiology, infectious disease, nephrology, neurology, NICU, etc.) is available. Residents are expected to be certified in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) with courses being offered each year at UPMC St. Margaret.