Faculty from the Department of Pediatrics and other clinical departments present lectures or lead case discussions. The conferences are usually designed to be interactive with an opportunity and expectation that both residents and medical students will participate. Topics include fundamental concepts in primary care, pediatric subspecialties, developmental and behavioral pediatrics, child abuse, child advocacy, managed care and medical finance, medical ethics, and clinical epidemiology. This is a departmental conference attended by faculty, residents and medical students. The involved resident presents the case followed by a free discussion of the differential diagnosis, work-up, pathophysiology and management of the patient.
Relevant faculty discuss the finer points of the case at the conclusion of the conference.
The issues may be basic or complex, but are always interesting. Each month, residents take turns presenting journal articles for group discussion. The resident chooses one or two articles related to a topic of interest and, with the help of a faculty preceptor, leads a critical and detailed discussion. Epidemiology and basic statistical methodology is also reviewed with the goal of helping residents sharpen their skills in critically evaluating the medical literature. Every Friday morning, faculty and residents, as well as many community physicians, gather at the medical center for Pediatric Grand Rounds.