A collaborative model for inpatient training in a small pediatric residency program.

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Residency Training
• Medical Education Models
• Healthcare Collaboration

Background:

• Declining pediatric admissions threaten community hospital residency programs.
• Limited data exists on how small pediatric programs adapt to these challenges.
• Sustainability of pediatric inpatient training is a growing concern.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and evaluate a collaborative pediatric inpatient training model.
• To assess the impact of a partnership between a community medical center and a children's hospital.
• To address the challenge of declining patient volumes in pediatric residency programs.

Main Methods:

• Described operational, academic, and financial aspects of the collaborative model.
• Collected outcome data on patient volume, subspecialty mix, and resident/faculty perceptions.
• Included Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Residency Review Committee (RRC) review outcomes.

Main Results:

• Patient volume and subspecialty mix more than tripled after model implementation.
• Residents and faculty reported strengths in responsibility, complex care, teaching, teamwork, and academic participation.
• The collaborating children's hospital experienced increased volume without program disruption.
• The program achieved successful reaccreditation by the RRC.

Conclusions:

• A collaborative inpatient training model effectively sustained a community hospital-based pediatric residency program.
• The model yielded positive outcomes for the residency program, community hospital, and children's hospital.
• This partnership demonstrates a viable solution for maintaining pediatric graduate medical education.