Why CHAM?
A Large Size Program, With a Small Program Feel
We have 30 residents per class, which is more than most NY-area programs; however, the CHAMily doesn’t let you feel lost in a big program. With the exception of Newborn Nursery, Neonatology and Developmental Pediatrics at our Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Weiler Campus, all rotations are housed at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Einstein, never keeping you too far from the support and smiles of your co-residents. You will know everyone from all of the classes. You will know the faculty. You will know the patients and their families. And they will know you! Another added bonus: a larger class size means more flexibility in scheduling.
The Residents Here Are Some of the Best People I Know
The sense of collegiality at CHAM is remarkable. In their colleagues, residents find people to rely on and laugh with, making the hard times lighter and the good times even greater. Every year, graduating residents report that “the people” are their favorite aspect of their residency experience at CHAM. No one working at CHAM just accidentally finds themselves here. Most feel a connection and calling to the work done here and the community we serve. They come here to find others to share in that experience. The culture this creates is one of the biggest reasons so many graduates also remain or return to CHAM.
If the people are the best part of CHAM, then being able to enjoy time with your co-residents is one of the most important parts of your time here too. No matter where residents live, everyone takes full advantage of the many social gatherings organized by residents, including:
- Happy hours at local Bronx pubs or Manhattan bars
- Dinners at favorite restaurants
- Group trips to Broadway shows, movies, or sporting events (sometimes paid for by the hospital!)
- Sunday brunches and picnics in Central Park
- Family-style meals for those working holidays in the hospital.
- “Midnight snacks” and “smoothie runs” while on-call
CHAM Provides a Diverse Clinical Experience in Both Primary Pediatrics and Subspecialty Care
The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Einstein serves children and families in the heart of the Bronx, many of whom have a wide variety of social and medical needs. Our residents take pride in being identified by families as their children’s primary care provider and in this role gain solid experience in the medicine and logistics of primary care pediatrics. As a tertiary-care referral center for children from all over NYC, Westchester and Rockland Counties, CHAM has every pediatric subspecialty represented, many of which are nationally ranked. Residents get hands-on experience with each and every one of these specialties and their vast range of diagnoses. Overall, CHAM prides itself on giving residents ample opportunity to become equally comfortable managing rare and complex disease processes as well as routine well-child visits. In addition, we offer unique experiences for all residents including our School-Based Health Program and complex care LINCS clinic.
On the floors, residents care for patients with high acuity and are often the first-line in decision making, giving an unparalleled opportunity for independent practice. Still, when unsure, support is always nearby. Interns are paired with a senior resident when on-call; most team seniors share a room or are just a floor away to brainstorm together; a hospitalist and chief resident are always available by phone; sub-specialty fellows are on-call to provide support with more complex cases; and, in true emergencies, the Pediatric Critical Care Rapid Response Team can be activated to get immediate assistance to the bedside 24-hours/day.
Education is a Priority: Academic Half Day and Beyond
Every Thursday our residents gather for 3 hours of protected learning time when the inpatient floors are covered by faculty, fellows and a small group of Senior Residents. This time allows us to integrate interactive workshops and small group learning into our curriculum. It also allows residents to focus 100% of their attention on their learning rather than splitting it with floor responsibilities or interruptions. Our new X-Y-Z model also allows for extra dedicated learning time for Advocacy Hot Topics, Mental Health, simulations and global health discussions in small groups on Ambulatory Y-blocks before Academic Half Day. There are numerous other structured teaching activities during the week including noon conference, Grand Rounds and departmental M&M. Finally, Professors’ Rounds is a highly popular Friday morning conference where the faculty demonstrate their clinical reasoning skills to the residents and medical students.
The educational experience at CHAM is constantly evolving and relies heavily on feedback from residents. In the last 3 years we have expanded Academic Half-Day, redesigned a Board Review curriculum which now includes a MedStudy QBank for each PGY-3 resident, and taken advantage of the X+Y+Z schedule to facilitate more small-group sessions.
If You’re Interested in Research and Quality Improvement, You’ll Find Opportunities at CHAM
Whether you have a specific field of interest or you just want to gain familiarity with research and the quality improvement process, you will find a faculty mentor here with the expertise and shared passion to lift your project off the ground. Numerous residents present at national meetings each year, including Pediatric Academic Societies, and many leave residency with peer-reviewed journals. In addition, we offer a research curriculum with yearly bootcamps tailored to each training year to help demystify academic inquiry for all residents. For those with a particular interest in QI, we also offer a dedicated QI rotation where you can work closely with multidisciplinary QI leaders and gain a certificate in QI Methodology from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.
Resident Wellness: Much More Than Pizza and Parties
We support our residents making time for relaxation, fun and emotional wellbeing. Check out our commitments to wellness here!
Location, Location, Location
Working and living in New York City gives you the opportunity to experience one of the greatest cities in the world. With the hospital conveniently located near the D, 4, and 5 subway stations, the Metro-North railroad station, and many of the major highways, you have full access to all that New York has to offer. Depending on your lifestyle, you can live in the Bronx for a short commute, in the heart of Manhattan to take full advantage of the Big Apple, or in the surrounding suburbs for peace and quiet after a long shift.
Of course, the Bronx holds a key place in our hearts. Check out what makes the Bronx so special here!