A Message from UMass Med-Peds to Prospective Med-Peds Residents,
Applying to Med-Peds:
We would like to guide you through the application process.
Med-peds programs do not require sub-internships in both medicine and pediatrics; you should choose the sub-internship that will most benefit you as a learner. Letters of recommendation that speak to you as a person and a clinician are what we are most interested in. If possible, having letters representing your work in pediatrics and internal medicine or Med-Peds is recommended. We do not require Departmental/Chair letters.
Away rotations are never necessary, especially in Med-Peds. However, if you are interested in an away rotation, including at our Westborough Med-Peds Clinic, please contact us.
UMass Med-Peds Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging: Key Points and Resources
Updated Mission Statement
It is our goal as educators and trainees in the UMass Internal Medicine-Pediatrics residency to provide culturally humble, quality care across a multitude of clinical settings. We are therefore committed to the ongoing process of creating a patient-centered and resident-driven training program where diverse identities are represented and appreciated. We believe this is necessary to ensure equity and quality in both our medical education and the care that we provide. To that end, our mission is to support a community of residents that is well-informed about the impacts of intersectional and diverse lived-experiences on ourselves and our patients.
A few points to emphasize
- Clinicians need both cultural humility and cultural competence in medical training
- Building institutional capacity for diversity and inclusion requires a mission that “considers diversity as core to excellence”
- Diversity improves performance and outcomes
- “Diverse lived-experiences” is intersectional! Each of our residents have different but mutually enriching lives and goals
DEIB at UMass
Who are we?
As a group we all share commitment to our mission and larger community, while maintaining individual and unique interests and identities. This program has immense flexibility and the priorities are extremely resident-driven
Continuing Education
Residency is a job but it is also an educational program! These are some examples of continuing education focused on DEIB, that includes medical students through senior faculty.
- Partnership with DIO for Education
- DIO staff give expert talks about DEI topics for trainees
- Foundational Workshops are free, open-access, on-demand courses on unconscious bias, inclusive leadership, inclusive communication, equitable feedback and more
- Pediatric Health Equity Corner: dedicated time in every morning report and quarterly grand rounds
- Diversity Summit
Resident Committees
- Diversity Action Council (DAC)
- Women in Medicine Group
- Pediatrics Diversity Committee
Resident Scholarly Projects
There is a GME requirement for everyone to do a QI. Most MedPeds residents are formally involved in more than one, and have ideas for several more! These are the examples that focus on DEIB, SDoH, community-partnership or underrepresented groups
Internal Medicine
- Suboptimal use of translated dot phrases for non-english speaking patients in the discharge paperwork
- Implementing standards of care for adults with sickle cell disease
Pediatrics
- GIS mapping bronchiolitis in the Worcester area
- Improving sickle cell care in the pediatric emergency department
Community Partnerships
- Worcester Free Clinics
- Refugee Asylum Clinics
- Healthcare for the Homeless
- Vaccination Clinics
- Advocacy on the Hill
- Chronic pain and opioid curriculum
- Mentors for Young Mothers
- Transportation for Patients
- Worcester Pipeline Collaborative
Support for Residents
Advising and Mentorship
TendHealth
- Opt-out for interns, opt-in for everyone else
- Program coordinator schedules the interns
- Anonymous and free
- Programs in place for support
Flexible schedule - 7 + 8 required
Questions/Concerns?
We are extremely fulfilled working as Med-Peds physicians and believe Med-Peds is a wise career option, as the training allows one to work in diverse settings including primary care, global and public health, and subspecialty training. Our graduates have pursued virtually all Med-Peds career options. We are happy to advise you or connect you with a Med-Peds resident or attending physician whose interests align with yours. Please reach out to us at any time with questions or concerns.
For your information, we've included links about:
- National Med/Peds Residents Association
- Med/Peds Combined Fellowship Guide
- Board Certification
- The American Academy of Pediatrics
- City of Worcester, Massachusetts
There are also links to the ERAS and to the National Resident Matching Program. If you have additional questions about our program after you have reviewed this information, please feel free to contact us!
Thank you and take care!
Your UMass Med-Peds leadership,
John Solomonides, MD, Program Director, John.Solomonides@umassmemorial.org
Susan Fine, MD, Assistant Program Director, Susan.Fine@umassmemorial.org
Naomi Christenson, Program Coordinator, Naomi.Christenson@umassmed.edu
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