Our Emergency Department is a Level 1 Trauma Center and sees over 60,000 patients a year.  We have more than 50 staff as well as acute care pediatricians.  Graduates of the fellowship program are eligible for the Pediatric Emergency Medicine subspecialty certifying examination.

Training for Graduates of Pediatric Residencies

In accordance with the American Board of Pediatrics requirements, the duration of fellowship training is three years for graduates of pediatric residency programs.

The first year is focused on broadening clinical exposure, particularly to high acuity and surgical patients.  The majority of experience is in the Emergency Department, with related clinical rotations including: ultrasound/radiology, anesthesia, critical care, medical toxicology, sports medicine/orthopedics, and general/adult emergency medicine.

The second fellowship year includes outside rotations in: general emergency medicine at a second adult facility and a trauma month.  In addition, second year fellows have experiences with the Child Protection Program and the Critical Care Transport Team. Time is protected for research as well as elective opportunities.   The clinical experience in the Emergency Department during the second year highlights management and administrative responsibilities and welcomes the introduction of the formal precepting role. 

In the third fellowship year, emphasis is placed on developing clinical independence and comfort in the supervisory role, in the context of dedicated time for completion of scholarly activity projects.

Training for Graduates of Emergency Medicine Residencies

Graduates of emergency medicine (EM) residencies may complete either two or three years of fellowship training. The first year of training is focused on clinical exposure to a wide range of pediatric patients. While the majority of the experiences take place in the Emergency Department, these are complemented by outside rotations including: neonatology and newborn resuscitation, pediatric subspecialties in the ambulatory setting, inpatient general pediatrics, anesthesia, pediatric ultrasound/radiology, and critical care.

In the second year, clinical opportunities outside of the emergency room include: toxicology, child protection and an elective rotation.  Protected time to further skills in research and administration are offered, and may be tailored to the interests of the fellow. 

Similarly, paths for further academic development in a third year are available, including additional clinical experiences, or advanced coursework toward a public health, education, or administration/business degree.

Optional Concentrations in Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship Training

For fellows interested in specializing their training or pursuing additional academic opportunities, four concentrations have been established:  clinical investigation, medical education, clinical operations, and quality improvement/patient safety.  Each concentration provides unique experiences, optional coursework, participation in related divisional meetings, and scholarship opportunities.  Fellows are invited to participate in any of the academic opportunities in any of the concentrations.  Those who choose to complete prescribed requirements graduate with acknowledgement of the additional training and expertise.

The Division of Emergency Medicine

The Division of Emergency Medicine includes more than 50 PEM physician staff and acute care pediatricians as well as more than 70 staff nurses.  The Division of Emergency Medicine accommodates four residency programs in pediatrics and emergency medicine as well as medical students from Harvard Medical School and those visiting from outside schools.

There are 60,000⁺ visits per year, approximately one third of which are surgical visits.  Approximately 20% of patients seen in the Emergency Department are admitted.  Satellite locations in total receive an additional 40,000 visits per year.  Therefore the total number of ED visits to which fellows are exposed is approximately 100,000 per year.

Boston Children’s Hospital is one of the top rated hospitals in the nation and is a primary teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School.  With 3,300 full time employees, nearly 400 beds and 18,000 inpatient admissions, Boston Children’s Hospital provides fellows an optimal first-hand experience in Pediatric Emergency Medicine.

Training Grant

Our division has also been awarded a National Research Services Award (NRSA) grant to establish a Pediatric Emergency Medicine physician-scientist training path. For those committed to a long-term research career, this pathway will provide funding, mentorship and protected time during the senior years of the fellowship. Three research tracks are available; clinical investigation, medical informatics, and basic science.  Those enrolled as trainees in this program will receive additional research time in the third year as well as salary and educational support for 1-2 additional years, depending on the track.

Benefits

For more information on benefits and eligibility, please visit our benefits page.

Moonlighting

The division does offer moonlighting opportunities in the ED as well as inpatient units.  All BCH fellows who wish to moonlight must go through an approval process.