The Pediatrics Residency Program conforms to the training guidelines set forth by the Pediatric Residency Review Committee of the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
The program focuses on providing strong clinical foundation with emphasis on primary care and ambulatory pediatrics.
Residents are required by the American Board of Pediatrics to complete 33 months of training to be eligible to take the certifying exam. Residents rotate through Cook County Health clinical sites throughout their training. Our residents provide general and subspecialty care to pediatric patients under faculty supervision. Each resident also establishes a panel of patients in their continuity clinic and provides outpatient care in that setting one afternoon per week.
Residents are assigned a faculty adviser upon entering the program. Residents also participate in scholarly activities, as well as a quality improvement project.
The Department of Pediatrics has an academic and clinical affiliation with Rush University Medical Center. Medical students from Rush University Medical Center rotate in our department for their core Pediatrics rotation, giving our residents ample opportunity to teach.
In addition to General Academic Pediatrics, the Department of Pediatrics at John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County offers a full range of subspecialties, including Adolescent Medicine, Allergy/Immunology, Cardiology, Child Behavior and Development, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Hematology/Oncology, Infectology, Neonatology, Nephrology, Neurology, Pediatric Emergency Medicine and Pediatric Intensive Care.
Clinical services are also available to children through other departments at Stroger Hospital, including Anesthesia, Audiology, Burn, Child Life, Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Dental, Dermatology, Ophthalmology, Otolaryngology, Neurosurgery, Orthopedics, Palliative Care, Pathology, Pediatric Surgery, Pharmacy, Physical and Occupational Therapy, Radiation Oncology, Radiology, Social Services, Speech Therapy, Trauma and Urology.
Learning opportunities abound in our residency program. We have a weekly, four-hour teaching session, monthly Board Review sessions and weekly Grand Rounds. During conferences, residents present interesting cases, and each case is thoroughly discussed with attending physicians, residents and medical students.
Residents are required to become certified in Basic Life Support, Neonatal Resuscitation Program and Pediatric Advanced Life Support. These courses are offered free to all residents.
Teaching takes place in many other settings, including attending rounds, the morbidity and mortality conference, journal club, the simulation lab, online modules, and through both formal and informal presentations on each rotation. Perhaps, the most valuable learning activity is the direct patient care that is provided under faculty guidance.
Current Residents & Graduates
Current Residents
PGY-4 – Chief Resident:
- Allison Byrd, MD – Meharry Medical College
PGY 3:
- Sabitu Alofoje, DO – Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Jaime Boyd, MD – Universidad Latina de Panama Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud Dr. William C. Gorgas
- Nicole Francis, MD – Ross University School of Medicine
- Astrid Soto Ruiz, MD – University of Medicine and Health Sciences, St. Kitts
PGY 2:
- Griffin Jones, DO – Des Moines University
- Alina So, DO – Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific
- Teresa Zurita, MD – Universidad Central de Venezuela Escuela de Medicina Luis Razetti
- Adriana Portela Hernandez, MD – Universidad Nacional de Colombia Facultad de Medicina
PGY 1:
- Laila Azan, MD – University of the West Indies Faculty of Medical Sciences
- Tanya Brown, MD – University of the West Indies Faculty of Medical Sciences
- Ebuwa Joy Obaseki, MD – Universidad Central del Este (UCE) Facultad de Medicina
- Richard Napier, MD – Ross University School of Medicine
Graduates
Approximately half of our graduates have chosen general pediatrics. Listed below are the fellowship appointments of our graduates in recent years.
Class of 2017:
- Baylor College of Medicine – Endocrinology
- Boston Children’s Hospital – Sports Medicine
- University of Chicago – Behavior and Development
- Medical College of Wisconsin – Pediatric Intensive Critical Care
- New York University – Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine
- St. Louis Hospital School of Medicine – Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine
- University of California, Davis – Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine
Class of 2018:
- Children’s Mercy Hospital Kansas City – Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition
- Advocate Lutheran Children’s Hospital – Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine
- University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital – Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
- Michigan State Helen Devos Hospital – Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Class of 2019:
- Yale School of Medicine – Gastroenterology
- Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago – Nephrology
Class of 2021:
- Duke University School of Medicine – Child Neurology
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine – Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Northwestern University – Post Doctoral Research Fellow, Minority Health and Health Disparities
Welcome from the Program Director
Thank you for your interest in the Pediatrics Residency Program at John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County with focus on outpatient pediatric medicine.
Our program has a long and rich history of training generations of pediatricians. Our graduates have pursued successful careers in both general and subspecialty pediatrics across our country and around the globe. First accredited by ACGME in 1927, we continue to offer high-quality pediatric education to residents who come from near and far. Our residents enjoy a rich teaching environment with a full lecture and conference schedule, but learn the most by providing care for our patients under faculty supervision. Stroger Hospital, a public safety-net hospital in the city of Chicago and the Department of Pediatrics provides general and subspecialty care to all infants, children, adolescents and young adults without regard for the ability to pay.
Fellowships are also available in Neonatology, Adolescent Medicine (combined program with University of Illinois at Chicago) and Allergy/Immunology (combined program with Rush).
Rosibell Arcia, MD
Pediatrics Residency Program Director
FAQs
How do I submit an application to the Stroger Hospital Pediatrics Residency program?
All application materials must be submitted through the Electronic Residency Application System (ERAS).
Do you accept applications from international medical graduates? Is U.S. clinical experience a requirement?
Applications from international medical graduates are accepted; U.S. clinical experience is preferred, but not required.
What types of visas do you sponsor?
Our institution has sponsored both J-1 and H-1B visas in the past. We cannot guarantee H1-B sponsorship for matched applicants.
When will invitations for interviews be offered?
The application review process will begin in September, and invitations for an interview will be offered to well-qualified applicants starting in October. The interviews will be scheduled for November, December and January. Due to the very large volume of applications we receive, we are unable to extend an invitation to interview all qualified applicants.
What is the deadline to complete the USMLE step III?
Matched applicants planning to apply for an H-1B visa must have a passing score by Match Day.
What is the graduation date cut off?
Completion of training at the medical school/residency level within the last five years is strongly preferred.
Do you have a deadline for application submission?
October 31.
Do you offer externships or observerships?
No, externships/observerships/shadowing are not available at Stroger Hospital.
Can an application be sent with only a USMLE step I score?
Yes.
Are prematch positions being offered by the program?
Residents are selected and matched only through the NRMP.
How many recommendation letters are required?
Three letters of recommendation and the Dean’s letter are required.
What university affiliation does the hospital have?
Rush University Medical Center is the primary academic affiliate of Stroger Hospital. Faculty appointments, combined residency and fellowship programs, and joint research efforts are numerous. Students from Rush University Medical Center rotate through the inpatient wards for their M3 Core Pediatric Clerkship.
Are student rotations available in the Department of Pediatrics?
The third-year Core Pediatric Clerkship is not offered to students from international medical schools.
Are pediatric fellowships offered at Stroger Hospital?
The Department of Pediatrics offers fellowship positions in Neonatology, Allergy/Immunology (jointly with Rush) and Adolescent Medicine (jointly with the University of Illinois).
Are graduates of the Pediatrics Residency Program prepared to pursue subspecialty training upon graduation?
Our graduates are well prepared to enter either general pediatrics practice or to pursue subspecialty training. Our residency is focused on outpatient ambulatory pediatrics training with the goal to train excellent general pediatricians.
Is the residency accredited?
Yes, the Pediatrics Residency Program at Stroger Hospital was first accredited by the ACGME in 1927 and remains fully accredited today.
Will you review my application materials upon request, prior to submission to ERAS? Can I arrange a pre-interview meeting?
We only accept applications via ERAS. Due to the very large volume of applications we receive, we are unable to review application materials outside of the ERAS system, and we are unable to arrange meetings unless formally invited for interview.
Do you require the USMLE transcript?
Yes. An applicant will not secure an interview invitation without score transcripts.
Do you require an international candidate to be ECFMG certified at the time of application?
We do not require an applicant to be ECFMG certified at the time of the application or interview. International applicants will only be ranked if they have successfully completed Step 1, Step 2 CK and 2 CS and have ECFMG certificate, or be able to obtain ECFMG certification by residency start date.
What are your USMLE score requirements?
The competitive candidate will have USMLE scores above average. Applicants with failed attempts at the USMLE will not be considered competitive.
For DO applicants, do you require both USMLE and COMLEX scores?
We require either USMLE or COMLEX score transcripts. Both are not required.
Where can I obtain more information about salaries, benefits, etc.?
General information which applies to all residency training programs at Stroger Hospital can be found at cookcountyhealth.org/education-research/eligibility-benefits/.
Salary & Benefits
Salary – as of June 2022:
PGY1 – $54,192
PGY2 – $57,217
PGY3 – $60,008
Health and Disability Insurance
Vision Insurance
Dental Insurance
Life Insurance
Education Allowance – used for Conferences, Books, Electronics – $1,400 per year
Meal daily allowance – $19 per day
Malpractice Insurance
12 Paid Holidays per year
Access to Rush University Medical Center Online Library Database
Current Clinical Schedule
PL-1
Ambulatory Pediatric clinics (4)
Adolescent Medicine (1)
Community Medicine (1)
Pediatric Emergency Medicine (1)
Stroger Hospital Inpatient Pediatrics – PICU (1)
Stroger Hospital Inpatient Pediatrics (2)
Newborn Nursery (1)
Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) (1)
Vacation (1)
PL-2
Ambulatory Clinics (4)
Electives at Stroger Hospital (2)
Behavior and Development (1)
Elective / Individualized Curriculum (1)
Pediatric Emergency Medicine (1)
Stroger Hospital Inpatient Pediatrics (Wards /PICU) (2-3)
NICU
Vacation (1)
PL-3
Electives (3-4)
Ambulatory Clinic (2-3)
Stroger Hospital Inpatient Pediatrics (Wards and PICU) (3)
Pediatric Emergency Medicine (1)
NICU (1)
PICU (1)
Vacation (1)
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