Advocacy
All residents participate in a longitudinal advocacy curriculum with opportunities to learn from community based organizations, government based services, and time spent with the state legislature.
Both the ACGME and AAP have stated that training in community pediatrics is an important (and mandatory) part of pediatric resident training. The AAP Policy Statement, “The Pediatrician’s Role in Community Pediatrics,” notes that “the major threats to the health of American’s children – the new morbidities arise from problems that cannot be adequately addressed by the practice model alone,” and further asserts: “It is especially important now for pediatricians to reexamine and reaffirm their role as professionals in the community, as community pediatricians, and prepare themselves for it, just as diligently as they prepare for traditional clinical roles.” This rotation assists residents acquiring the skills to meet these mandates.
Quality Improvement
The residency quality improvement (QI) curriculum includes both instruction on QI principles and successful implementation and completion of a QI project for every resident. Residents learn QI terminology, methodology and data through didactic lectures, web-based modules and readings. Residents are able to apply this knowledge by performing a QI project in a class project during their second year. Recent projects have tackled projects in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. In addition to the 2nd year class project, Utah residents participate in a number of quality improvement projects with faculty mentors from different divisions at Primary Children’s Hospital, with many choosing to use their protected scholarly activity time to do so. As a University of Utah resident working at an Intermountain Hospital, Utah pediatrics residents are optimally positioned to learn and practice improvement skills practicing at the interface of two organizations considered leaders in quality and value.