A 4-Year Residency Program in Pediatrics/Global Child Health

Abstract

Interest in global health (GH) among medical trainees has surged in recent decades, although longer-term placements are limited. Residency programs face challenges in offering extended GH opportunities. Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children's Hospital (BCM/TCH) created an integrated 4-year Global Child Health Residency Program (GCHRP) to train future GH leaders. This paper describes our 13-year experience implementing the GCHRP. We describe the development and implementation of the program along with curricular and training components. We summarize survey results among a sample of global health residents (GHRs) who completed the program. Finally, we describe lessons learned from program implementation. From 2010 through June 2023, 72 residents joined the GCHRP program, with 10 graduating classes, including 43 GHRs who completed a 1-year global health experience (GHE). Thirty (86%) GHRs who completed their GHE before the COVID-19 pandemic completed a survey about their GHE. Survey responses indicated high levels of satisfaction and high confidence in caring for children in GH settings. Forty percent experienced moderately difficult to difficult transitions home, and 43% experienced at least one personal safety event. Post graduation, 63% pursued pediatric subspecialty fellowships. Lessons learned, from survey results and program administrative experience, include understanding the benefits of sending GHR to established partner sites, learning the administrative, physical, and emotional needs of the GHRs, and seeing positive effects for the entire residency. Benefits of the GHE include gaining knowledge and skills to care for children in resource-limited settings. Assessing graduates' posttraining careers will be crucial to understanding the program's long-term impact.