Conferences

The UAMS Department of Pediatrics recognizes that there are fundamental academic skills common to all subspecialty training programs, such as professionalism, critical review of literature, teaching skills, and fundamentals in research. The Fellows’ Core Curriculum Conference is designed to provide training in these core areas. This conference meets monthly for one hour, with selected topics presented and discussed by faculty who are knowledgeable in the content area.  The format is one which allows all fellows to share ideas and learn from each other as well as focusing on the content areas.  Time is given to first-year subspecialty residents to discuss their areas of interests in preparation for a future formal presentation (as discussed below).   All UAMS-sponsored ACGME-accredited Pediatric subspecialty programs and their residents participate in this conference.  Attendance is recorded and monitored through sign-in sheets maintained by the Office of Education. Attendance is reported annually to the Program Directors and Department Chair.

 The rotating 3-year curriculum conference outline is as follows:

Fellows’ Day
A culmination of each year’s Common Core Curriculum is Fellows’ Day in May of each year. All second- and third-year fellows present their research findings using a formal platform presentation style. Presentations are discussed by faculty and an outside invited guest facilitator.  As noted above, first-year fellows have a time of more informal presentation of ideas during the monthly sessions.

Online Courses
All UAMS core and sub-specialty residents must complete UAMS GME-sponsored core courses one time during their training. Course content includes Patient Safety, Medical/Legal, and Ethics. A fourth course, Recognizing Fatigue, is under development. Completion is documented through certificates sent to each resident’s respective program coordinator and documentation becomes a part of the resident’s permanent education records.

Biostatistics and Epidemiology Courses
Additional training in biostatistics and epidemiology is available through the UAMS Graduate School. Subspecialty residents are strongly encouraged to take one biostatistics course during their first year and one advanced statistics or epidemiology course during the second year of training.  In addition to this training, the UAMS General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) provides a yearly, one-week intensive course covering all aspects of research.  Sub-specialty residents are encouraged to participate in this course at least once during their training as well.

Educational Support

All pediatric subspecialty trainees are assigned a primary mentor and a scholarship oversight committee for the purpose of assisting the fellow in accomplishing the research project, the scholarly activity, and Fellows’ Day presentation requirements.

Program Improvement

The Fellows’ Core Curriculum Conference is evaluated and modified through a process of feedback and review.  Individual subspecialty fellows are encouraged to evaluate each educational session.  Program evaluations are compiled and reviewed at the end of each year regarding the overall structure and effectiveness of that year’s curriculum.  The responses are discussed and improvements recommended at a regularly scheduled meeting of the Subspecialty Program Directors. Changes are highlighted at the Orientation and Overview session each year.  Thus, the sub-specialty residents have an important role in improving the structure and curriculum through feedback.

For further information, contact:

Patricia Edstrom, M.Ed.

Pediatric Residency Education Coordinator

UAMS COM Department of Pediatrics

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

800 Marshall Street, Slot 512-19A

(501) 364-1868

edstrompatriciaj@uams.edu

Updated:  December, 2005

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