General Pediatrics Residency Curriculum Continuity Clinics Didactics Leadership & Committee Work Individualized Tracks Pathways STAR Pathway Primary Care Pathway Tracks Home Research Research: Clinical Departments Pediatrics: Home Pediatrics: Education & Training Pediatrics: Education & Training > Residency Programs Pediatrics: Education & Training > Residency Programs > General Pediatrics Residency Program Pediatrics: Education & Training > Residency Programs > General Pediatrics Residency Program > Curriculum Pediatrics: Education & Training > Residency Programs > General Pediatrics Residency Program > Curriculum > Individualized Tracks Curriculum Individualized Tracks Residents select tracks specific to their future career goals and are given opportunities to individualize their residency experience while completing all ACGME-mandated requirements. This process starts during the first year of residency through the Academics, Basics and Career Development (ABC) rotation, which gives residents a designated time to explore future aspirations and begin a dialogue with potential mentors and researchers. Residents are provided curriculum suggestions based on their tracks, which are reviewed biannually with administrative staff. We also encourage residents to develop new electives, creating innovative experiences that further supplement resident education. New tracks continue to be formed based on resident interest. These tracks are either currently expanding or undergoing revision each year to provide the most enriching and comprehensive experience for our residents. This is a dynamic process in our program. ABC Rotations The Academics, Basics and Career Development (ABC) rotations include the following tracks: Critical Care Consists of sessions in our PICU/CVICU and Anesthesiology Departments, along with experiences in transport and PICC team. This track is ideal for residents interested in critical care specialties, including PICU, NICU and emergency medicine. It can also be considered for hospital medicine, cardiology and other subspecialties that have more of a critical care and procedural focus. Primary Care Consists of sessions in an outpatient clinic as well as procedures pertinent to the office setting. This track is ideal for residents interested in practicing primary care and general pediatric medicine. Subspecialty Consists of sessions in a specified subspecialty, typically in the outpatient clinic setting, along with opportunities to observe subspecialty-specific procedures. This track is ideal for residents interested in pursuing a fellowship after residency in a noncritical-care specialty. Hospital Medicine Consists of inpatient ward sessions at Mission Hospital, a community hospital in Mission Viejo that has a pediatric floor and serves South Orange County. It provides a unique experience, different from a standalone children’s hospital. This track is ideal for residents interested in hospital medicine, emergency medicine or hospital-based general medicine. Research Consists of dedicated research elective time, along with faculty mentorship, structured didactics and research funding as available from the Department of Pediatrics. Typically one or two residents are identified for this track per postgraduate year. Research opportunities are not limited to residents within this track. ACT Rotation Residents further individualize their curriculum by selecting a track while on their ACT (Advocacy, Community Pediatrics, and Teaching) rotation during PGY-1. The ACT rotation includes the following tracks: Advocacy For residents seeking a deeper focus on advocacy, the rotation offers specialized activities to build sustained advocacy skills and leadership. Residents may participate in several Resident Advocacy Days in Sacramento, joining fellow pediatricians to lobby policymakers alongside the AAP-California Chapter or the California Children’s Hospital Association. Throughout the rotation, residents work closely with Clarisse Casilang, MD, in individualized sessions to identify advocacy interests and develop longitudinal projects that can be pursued throughout residency. Each resident on this track presents a brief “Advocacy Update” at noon conference to share legislative updates or to highlight local resources, with the option to expand this into a full academic presentation in later years. Additionally, residents attend CalOptima Board or Advisory Committee meetings to understand health coverage policies affecting child health, followed by debriefs with leadership to connect policy to practice. These experiences are designed to empower residents as lifelong advocates for children’s health equity and system-level change and to provide mentorship in their areas of interest. Medical Education Consists of an asynchronous curriculum on adult learning theory, learning styles, effective questioning, feedback and an introduction to instructional strategies. Residents on this track may participate in the medical student OSCE, providing feedback to students; apply bedside teaching strategies through an educational session with students; and receive direct observation of their teaching with real-time feedback. This track serves as an introduction to the Medical Education Pathway for those residents interested in pursuing a more longitudinal experience. “When I matched at UC Irvine-CHOC, I was very excited to learn in an environment that would challenge me to become a skilled and well-rounded pediatrician across a variety of clinical settings. As an intern, I was nervous to begin this new chapter, but everyone from the attendings and my co-residents to program leadership has helped me flourish by providing guidance, friendship, and creating a welcoming and supportive teaching environment. I have also been surprised by the number of unique pathologies I had previously only read about that I am now seeing regularly on the wards. These experiences have strengthened my clinical knowledge and confidence while making me even more excited about my growth as a pediatrician.” -—Katie El-Sokkary, PGY-1