FAQs: Pediatric Residency Program

How many months of floor do residents work in the first year?

Interns typically spend four months on the inpatient unit.

How many months do residents work in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)?

There are two months of NICU in the first year and one month in the PGY-2 year. Our NICU is Level III with 44 beds and a busy labor and delivery service, as well as a high-risk perinatal service. The NICU serves as a regional referral center for critically ill neonates, especially those requiring surgery. PGY-3s interested in pursuing a career in neonatology may do an elective in the NICU where they function in the role of a fellow.

How many months do residents work in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)?

There are three months of service in the PICU, one in each year of training. In addition, you will take call in the PICU for one month during the PGY-2 and PGY-3 years.

Is scheduling flexible?

The chief residents make every attempt to honor requests and are as flexible as possible. They also make the schedule several months in advance. Residents are permitted to make switches but need to get approval from the chiefs (to avoid work duty hour violations).

How often is an intern on call in the first year?

Interns work one week of night shifts during each of their four floor rotations.  While in the NICU and nursery, interns work Q4 call in the NICU. In addition to these service rotations, interns provide floor coverage during their subspecialty experiences.

How often are senior (second and third year) residents on call?

Depending on the rotation, senior residents are on call approximately every fourth to seventh night. Senior residents take call on the Goryeb Children’s Center at Overlook Medical Center inpatient floor, the Goryeb Children’s Hospital at Morristown Medical Center inpatient floor and PICU. During NICU rotations, second year residents will work Q4 call. Second- and third-year residents also participate in the night float system on the inpatient unit.

How does night shift work?

During your floor month, you will spend three weeks on the day shift and one week on the night shift. You will come in at 5:15pm and round with the team. In the morning you will sign out to the day shift teams starting at 6:45am and then go home. Time is allotted for the completion of notes.

How does night float work?

During certain electives, both the second and third year residents will spend a one-week block doing night float. Night float covers the inpatient unit and includes a full 24-hour Saturday call followed by a 5:15pm to 8:00am shift, Monday through Thursday.

How does weekend call work?

Weekends are 24-hour continuous call, starting at 7:00am and ending the following day at 7:00am.  

How does the FLEX system work?

Every day there are two senior residents designated for this back-up role.  The FLEX seniors are available within an hour of notification for coverage during urgent and emergency situations. For example, if a fellow resident of any level is sick, if workload demands necessitate additional resident support, or if the emergency management plan is activated.  First year residents do not take FLEX call.

How is the floor team organized?

The floor team consists of two senior residents (usually a second and a third year) who supervise and manage four pediatric interns, a sub-intern and several third-year medical students, plus an additional third year admitting resident, who manages all daytime admissions. Each week, three interns work during the day shift and one works the night shift. The interns are responsible for the care of six to 10 patients, as well as teaching and providing feedback to the medical students. They are expected to formulate a differential diagnosis and treatment or management plan for each one of their patients. The senior resident manages the team and provides direct supervision of the interns, sub-interns and medical students. The residents care for all patients admitted to the inpatient service. There are no non-teaching cases.

What is the size of the program?

We have 12 residents per year, as well as two PGY-4 chief residents. We think this is the perfect size – it’s small enough that it gives our residents, faculty and nursing staff the chance to get to know everyone well, but large enough to provide adequate coverage for planned and unanticipated absences.

What is the skills rotation?

You have two weeks to accomplish a list of tasks, including phlebotomy, intubations, LPs, etc. Time is spent in the outpatient simulation lab, anesthesia, Valerie Fund Children's Center, PICU and NICU. This rotation is based on adult learning theory and gives you flexibility as well as experience in procedures.

Do you have continuity clinic?

All of the residents maintain a panel of patients in either the Family Health Center or the HealthStart Clinic. Clinic is one-half day per week with great emphasis on general ambulatory pediatrics, anticipatory guidance, care of acute and chronic illnesses, and behavioral and developmental pediatrics. Continuity clinic is protected time for residents.

Do you have outpatient pediatric experiences in addition to continuity clinic?

During ambulatory/community pediatrics and private practice experience rotations, residents rotate through a variety of settings, including private offices in the community. This is to expose residents to different populations of patients, as well as different styles of practicing medicine. Third year residents also complete a rotation at a local pediatric urgent care center.

Is there a research requirement?

All of our residents are required to do a scholarly activity, which includes clinical research, quality improvement and curriculum development. With the abundance of ongoing clinical research at the institution, finding an interesting project or a research mentor is easy. In addition, through the Goryeb Academic Pediatric Support (GAPS) program, all second- and third-year residents are required to submit their scholarly activity for Pediatric Research Day, which is then automatically submitted for Atlantic Health System’s Research Day. Residents whose work is accepted for presentation at regional and national meetings are subsidized for their conference registration and travel expenses.

When is orientation?

Orientation programming typically starts in mid-June and incoming interns receive a stipend for that time.

WHAT KIND OF ANCILLARY SERVICES DO YOU HAVE?

Phlebotomy is available 24 hours per day. IVs are done by the nurses and residents. Transport services are available 24/7 to take patients to radiology and various other departments for testing. Our expert child life staff provides art, music and play therapy, distraction therapy during procedures, as well as fun and games while children are in the hospital. Our pediatric integrative medicine staff performs guided imagery, massage and other holistic treatments for the patients and their families.

What is the relationship between the nursing staff and the residents?

Goryeb Children’s Hospital at Morristown Medical Center has a truly excellent nursing staff that has been awarded with Magnet Hospital for Excellence in Nursing Service. The residents work in a collegial way with the nurses and consistently report a positive working relationship with them.

What is the patient population like?

Goryeb Children's Hospital is the regional pediatric referral center and trauma center for Northwest New Jersey. Our patient population represents true diversity of cultural, religious, socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds. More than 150 languages are spoken in our region. We see it all – urban, suburban, recent immigrant, disadvantaged and privileged families of many varied backgrounds. Each group brings its own set of challenges, diseases and opportunities for learning in an atmosphere of true cultural diversity.

Throughout their three years, residents will be exposed to a diversity of pathology from the common to the rare: residents gain experience with the diagnosis and management of a wide variety of pediatric entities.

Do you have electronic medical records (EMR)?

Yes, charting and ordering is done through Epic in all care areas.

Where do we park and how much is parking?

Free parking is available for all staff members at Goryeb Children’s Hospital at Morristown Medical Center and Goryeb Children’s Center at Overlook Medical Center.

Is there a stipend for food?

Yes. Each resident is allotted $650 as a meal stipend every six months ($1,300 for the year)-with money for pediatric residents split between two separate meal cards, one for Morristown and another for Overlook.  Meal money is in addition to your salary.

Is housing available for residents?

Yes. Hospital-subsidized housing is available for residents within a short walking distance at Goryeb Children’s Hospital at Morristown Medical Center and Goryeb Children’s Center at Overlook Medical Center.

Is there funding for educational expenses?

Yes. Residents receive $500 for year one and $1,000 for each subsequent year of training. This money can be used for books, educational tools, board review courses or materials, attendance at conferences and dues for professional memberships. Twenty percent of a resident's educational fund may be utilized towards wellness activities including massages, cooking classes, yoga, nutritional counseling and wellness apps.  

Is there funding for research presentations?

Yes. If your work is selected as a research poster, presentation or workshop, your expenses to the conference will be covered by the Department of Pediatrics.

Is there funding for global health?

Yes. Residents in approved electives can be funded through the Benjamin H. Josephson, MD Fund for international health experiences.