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Education

Morning Report

Our program has a dedicated 60-minute daily morning report and lecture that is attended by all residents. 

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Occurring most weekdays from 0745-0850,  the first 20 minutes is Morning Report which reviews recent admissions and highlights a case presented by an intern or junior trainee.  Morning Report is led by the senior pediatric resident.  This role for a senior resident is unique among pediatric residencies, and is aligned with the reality that our graduates practice as the local pediatric expert in remote locations where they must teach and lead medical teams who may not have much pediatric experience.

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A 40-minute lecture follows morning report.  Lectures are approved for CME credit.  Topics are aligned with the American Board of Pediatrics content specifications.  The first month deals with emergency and acute care pediatric topics from all specialties including general outpatient pediatrics. 

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Various other topics covered during morning report:

- Clinicopathologic Cases

- CPCs are capstone teaching conferences presented by our PGY-3 residents. The resident guides the audience through a patient case, diagnostic decision-making process, differential diagnosis, and cost analysis. The presentation is performed in conjunction with a faculty advisor and field experts who highlight salient points from the case and perform pathologic specimen correlations. 

- Journal Club

- Occurring monthly during morning report, interns are given the opportunity to critically analyze and present a pediatric-relevant research article with assistance from a chosen mentor.

- Morbidity & Mortality Cases

- Morbidity and Mortality Conferences are held as an opportunity to review and learn from experiences in healthcare that result in unintended patient outcomes: morbidities and mortalities. These conferences support a systematic review of patient complications of care and deaths in order to improve future patient care and professional learning. The conferences are intended to be blame free and encourage transparency.

Please see the academic calendar or the Plan of the Week for more information.

Grand Rounds

The Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences (USUHS) Pediatric Grand Rounds are designed to improve the broad practice of pediatric medicine, including patient care, healthcare research, medical education, public health, military medicine, and innovation.

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The USUHS Department of Pediatrics and all School of Medicine faculty, National Capitol Consortium staff and trainees, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center staff, and military physicians throughout the world are welcome to attend this bimonthly lecture to learn about pediatric topics, research, and challenging clinical cases.

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Time: The 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month @ 0745 Eastern Time

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How to attend: Pediatric Grand Rounds is presented in person at either lecture hall A2 or A3 on USUHS medical school campus. It is also simultaneously broadcasted via Zoom.

Continuity Curriculum

Occurring every continuity clinic day from 1215-1300, faculty and residents discuss common pediatric topics and conditions.

Performance Improvement Quality Improvement (PI/QI)

The NCC Pediatrics Residency and the Department of Pediatrics are leaders in Quality Improvement and Patient Safety initiatives in Military Medicine. Our faculty were Principal Investigators and our program was a test site for the I-PASS Handoff Study that is now the standard at Walter Reed Bethesda and military & civilian hospitals throughout the country and world. The Department of Pediatrics also brought the concept and practice of patient-centered (rather than location-centered) safety huddles to Walter Reed Bethesda. Residents and faculty routinely participate in the weekly Safety Huddle and systematically review all patient safety reports that involve children - no matter where in the hospital they occur.

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Resident Quality Improvement Curriculum

All residents train in Quality & Patient Safety through the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Residents form & join teams comprised of residents, faculty, medics, nurses, and administrative personnel toconduct performance improvement project each year. Projects are aligned with the American Board of Pediatrics Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Program for Earning Part 4 MOC Credit. Residents can receive Part 4 MOC credit that is 'banked' for their first 4 year cycle after residency graduation. Meaningful participation in a NCQA-certified Patient Centered Medical Home also earns Part 4 MOC credit. Faculty and residents submit their proposals, projects, and PCMH participation through the Maintenance of Certification Activity Manager

  • How do I request a rotation?
    Requests sent before the 1st Monday of December (i.e. 12/6/2021, 12/5/2022, 12/4/2023 . . . etc) will need to be resent on or after the 1st Monday of December since the date of the request determines precedence. Requests are made by contacting the program coordinator at coordinator@nccpeds.com - at any time on or after December 8th prior to when you plan to rotate - with the following information: - Rank and Name - Email and phone number - Branch of Service (Army, Navy, Air Force, Public Health Service) - Name of Medical School - Your expected year of graduation - Your planned specialty after medical school (preference for rotations from July to October is given to those applying for pediatrics) - Whether you are applying to the NCC Pediatric Residency for internship - Whether you will be traveling to DC on military orders or not - Requested dates of the rotation (be sure to include the year) - A ranked order of your rotation preferences (see below) Please review the available rotations and the current rotation schedule for availability. USUHS students may not submit a 1304 form to the registrar for any pediatric rotation in the NCC program without first getting approval from the Program. Forms with signatures from the Walter Reed Bethesda GME Department or the USUHS Department of Pediatrics will not be honored. Once approval from the program is obtained, USUHS Students may then complete the pre-filled Form 1304, save it locally, and send to coordinator@nccpeds.com. If you do not receive a response to your request within 48 hours, please contact Lieutenant Colonel Hepps, Program Director, at 301-319-2466.
  • What rotations are available?
    The following rotations are offered: Adolescent Medicine Ambulatory Pediatrics Inpatient Sub-internship NICU Sub-internship PICU Sub-internship - may be limited Pediatric Cardiology Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Pediatric Endocrinology Pediatric Gastroenterology Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Pediatric Infectious Diseases Pediatric Nephrology Pediatric Neurology (coordinated with the Department of Neurology) Pediatric Pulmonology Pediatric Rheumatology - may be limited
  • Who is eligible to rotate?
    Fourth-year students at USUHS or in the HPSP programs of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Public Health Service may rotate.
  • Can I rotate at Walter Reed-Bethesda for my third-year pediatrics clerkship?
    Third-year medical students in the HPSP program may not participate in the pediatrics clerkship. The third-year clerkship is for students of the Uniformed Services University only. We have limited resources and placements for the pediatrics clerkship, and they are completely filled by USUHS students throughout the year.
  • Can I participate in 2 different rotations?
    Because of the demand for rotations during the July-October time period, we request that students only rotate in ONE rotation at Walter Reed - Bethesda during this time so that other students have the opportunity as well. During other times, you may rotate in any rotation as long as it is available. If you need to cancel your rotation or if you decide that you are pursuing a residency that is not pediatrics, you must contact us so that we can best accommodate students applying for pediatrics. The military also limits the number of rotations in military facilities. The HPSP office will pay for one active-duty rotation per fiscal year (Oct 1 - Sep 30); additional rotations can be arranged but not funded. In addition, the Graduate Medical Education commands limit HPSP students to a maximum of 3 months of rotations - funded or unfunded - in military facilities each fiscal year. Any additional time training in military facilities for HPSP students may result in your medical school refunding the government some of your tuition payment for that year.
  • Why is preference given to students who are applying to pediatrics during the summer & fall?
    The program has a limited number of rotations and a high number of students requesting to rotate with us. Since the period of time before the Joint Service Graduate Medical Education Selection Board (JGMESB) occurs in December, many students visit our program during the late summer and fall in order to interview and allow the faculty, residents, and staff an opportunity to get to know the strengths of the applicant. If students applying to non-pediatrics programs fill those slots, the program and the student may not have the opportunity to work closely together before the JGMESB. What if I’m split between pediatrics and another specialty? What if a pediatric rotation in the late summer and fall is just what I need to help me make up my mind before the JGMESB? We appreciate that many third-year medical students are still deciding on their chosen career, and that a pediatrics rotation will help make that decision. In these cases, we will offer a non-sub-internship rotation, if available, to the student. If the student decides to pursue another specialty before the scheduled rotation starts, we expect the student to contact us as soon after that decision is made so that we can offer the rotation to a pediatrics student on the waiting list.
  • Where do I report?
    The Chief Resident will contact you in the month prior to the start of the scheduled rotation with the reporting date, time, and place. Generally, it will be at the Pediatrics clinic at 0730 on the 4th Floor of the America Building (Building 19). You will go to morning report first, then report to your rotation to have you dive right in. The afternoon of the first day will be reserved for check-in.
  • Where can I find information on the rotation?
    Rotation specific information can be found in the Rotations section of the nccpeds.com website under the ‘Residents’ menu. While these goals and objectives are geared towards interns and residents, they closely mirror our expectations for fourth-year medical students.
  • Can I split a rotation between 2 different electives?
    We do not split electives during the late summer/fall time period. Exceptions are made in cases where different school schedules create overlaps.
  • Which rotations count as sub-internships?
    Sub-internships are available on the pediatric inpatient ward and the neonatal intensive care unit. The newborn nursery and the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit are sub-internships also but are not always available. Pediatric endocrinology in the NCC does NOT count as a sub-internship despite what the registrar’s catalog at the Uniformed Services University states.
  • How do HPSP students arrange active-duty orders?
    HPSP students should contact their HPSP office to arrange orders. Please send all correspondence to coordinator@nccpeds.com if confirmation is needed by the HPSP office. The information below is a summary for familiarization only - it is not necessarily up to date. Please contact us if you have helpful tips for students navigating the process in the future. Navy HPSP Students (Annual Training Information Website) You should request orders at a bare minimum of 6 weeks before your scheduled rotation with us. Please read the “Instructions for Requesting an Annual Training Request” and complete the Annual Training Order Request Form. You will need to scan your form and email to USN.OHSTUDENT@MAIL.MIL. Once you get your orders, you may or may not have a “Certificate of Non-Availability [CNA]” number on it. If you do, you can arrange government approved lodging in the area. If not, we will have to arrange a CNA once you arrive. Air Force HPSP Students An ADT Form must be completed, signed by our program, and then sent to AFIT (kadams@us.af.mil). The HPSP program contact is Matthew T. Kush, GS9, USAF Medical Student Program Manager, HQ AFPC/DPAME Randolph AFB TX 78150 Toll Free: 800-531-5800 extension 1 DSN: 665-0656 / COMM: 210-565-0656 Army HPSP Students Please contact the Student Management Office at the Army HPSP program website.
  • What if I am not on orders or if my scheduled rotation spans 2 fiscal years (i.e. crosses over October 1st)?
    Active-duty orders are not required. However, the program cannot reimburse students for any costs associated with rotating at the hospital during your rotation. Also, the hospital requires a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between your medical school and the hospital. Walter Reed at Bethesda has existing MOUs with many medical schools, but you should check as part of your preparation for your rotation if you will not be on orders.
  • What do I wear during my rotation?
    If you are on active-duty orders, the uniform of the day is required. As a generalization, working uniforms are worn by most staff from Monday through Thursday, with a more formal uniform worn on Fridays. The Navy uniform is khakis or the Navy Working Uniform (NWU) year-round, with an option to wear Summer White/khakis or Service Dress Blues during the summer and fall/winter respectively; NWUs are NOT authorized on Fridays, however. Army personnel wear the Class B uniform on Fridays, and ASUs or Class Bs on Monday through Thursday. Air Force dress blues or ASUs are worn year round with the exception of ASUs NOT being authorized on Fridays. If you are not on orders but applying to the program, we strongly encourage you to wear the uniform of the day. For interviews, the wearing of your uniform is encouraged even more strongly.
  • Where can I stay during my rotation?
    Students usually stay at corporate housing or a hotel off-base but close to the medical center. However, the process can be hard to navigate. The default for the government is to have you stay in quarters on-base (in the BOQ, Navy Gateway Inn, or the Navy Lodge) -- facilities at times can be unavailable due to needs of the families of patients. Before getting approval for housing off-base, a Certificate of Non-Availability (CNA) is required. A CNA can be obtained by contacting the Navy Lodge (navylodge-bethesda@nexweb.org or 301-654-1795, fax 301-654-9373). Our program can also help you navigate this process. Recently, students have found excellent lodging for comparable prices to hotels but with kitchen facilities and more amenities by using corporate housing services. As long as the corporate housing service has a current contract with the military billeting office, it will be reimbursed. Recent students have used BridgeStreet Corporate Housing [800 278 7338], asked for housing near Walter Reed-Bethesda, and specified the amount of housing per diem [they have several options and pretty much make them $150, so it is important to give them the correct per diem (or under it) because they will charge right up to that amount]. Most students look for housing in Bethesda or in Silver Spring. The hospital is on the western leg of the Red Line of the Metro, and housing with stops close to the Medical Center metro station are good choices. A shuttle service from Silver Spring to the hospital was recently discontinued, although some hotels have direct shuttles to the hospital.
  • How many positions are offered?
    The NCC usually has (4-6) training spots for the Air Force, (1-2) training spots for the Navy, and (4-6) training spots for the Army. These numbers are set by the respective services and may vary slightly from year to year.
  • How competitive is the program?
    Unlike the civilian pediatric match, the number of applicants for Army, Navy, and Air Force Pediatrics exceeds the number of pediatric intern training positions offered nation-wide. Board scores, GPAs, and performance of medical students selected for pediatric PGY-1 positions is much higher than the national average for pediatrics. Not all applicants to pediatrics will match. Navy and Army applicants submit a rank order list of programs, and each program submits a rank order list of applicants, and the match is made similarly to the national civilian Match. For Air Force applicants, a board of military pediatric GME leaders ranks each applicant to generate a composite rank list which is paired with individual applicants' rank lists.
  • What are the salary and benefits?
    Residents are well-compensated as an O-3 military officer with Variable Special Pay and Variable Housing Allowance for the 20889 ZIP code (verification of income for rental or mortgage applications is available from the Program Coordinator). Free healthcare (no-copay, no premium, no deductible) is provided to residents and their family members. Dental care is free for residents, and available at a heavily discounted cost for family members. One of the best day-care systems in the country is available on base with doctor and nurse friendly hours. Service members Group Life Insurance, the Thrift Savings Plan, and eligibility to military federal credit unions and USAA come with active-duty service. A generous maternity and paternity policy is in effect. Thirty days of vacation are earned each year, although PGY-1 residents may only take 14 days during the first year and 28 days during the subsequent 2 years; the extra vacation time is saved for use anytime after graduation. Scrubs and white lab-coats are provided free-of-charge. Paid membership in the American Academy of Pediatrics is offered. A Teaching Fellow academic appointment at the Uniformed Services University is available after completion of internship.

Research

The NCC Pediatrics Residency has a strong active research community in pediatric basic science, clinical studies, and educational research .  Primers on conducting pediatric research are incorporated into the morning lecture series.  A constantly updated online database of projects and mentors is available.  There are many active protocols initiated by our residents. The Scholarly Oversight Committee for Residents (SOCR) was created to track resident Advocacy-Research-Military (ARM) projects and help facilitate resident scholarly activity. The committee is composed of faculty and fellows who have research and mentorship experience and can offer guidance on scholarly work.