Explore This Residency Program

Mission and Values

Mission

The mission of the Mass General for Children (MGfC) Pediatric Residency Program is to develop a diverse group of independent, innovative pediatric leaders through education and personalized mentorship in a supportive academic learning environment committed to excellence in family-centered clinical care, research, and advocacy. We aim to train the next generation of outstanding pediatric leaders dedicated to improving the health and well-being of the children in the communities in which they work through innovative, evidence-based, multidisciplinary practice.

At MGfC, residents work in "a hospital within a hospital," allowing them to leverage the resources of one of the oldest general hospitals in the country. While at our community hospital sites (Newton-Wellesley Hospital and Cambridge Health Alliance), residents provide expert care in neighboring communities, in conjunction with MGfC hospitalists and specialists. The ability to access care in these community sites that are close to patients’ homes eases the burden of illness for families while providing residents with the opportunity to learn how to recognize disease at its first presentation in the community and how to identify children who need an increased level of care. Our residents then learn how to care for children who require more specialized or intensive care when they rotate through our state-of-the-art 21-bed Level IV NICU as well as the 14-bed PICU at MGfC. The Pediatric Emergency Department is also an incredible learning environment as the only center in the region with simultaneous designations as a level I adult trauma and burn center and level I pediatric trauma center including high level supportive care such as extracorporeal life support.

Our Values

  • Clinical excellence provides the foundation for a successful career as a pediatric physician
  • As a training program and as a profession more broadly, we are at our best when we reflect the diversity in race, gender, religion, and culture embodied in the children and families we serve 
  • To be truly effective as clinicians we must put the knowledge and experience gained at the bedside towards advocating for positive change in our community 
  • Creating a network of encouraging mentors and peers is critical in developing resilient physicians
  • Supporting the unique trajectory of a trainee allows for each individual to develop to their full potential

Program Overview

The bedrock of general pediatrics training allows our residents to explore varied career opportunities and prepares them to achieve extraordinary professional success. Our graduates are some of the most trusted primary care providers in their communities and some of the region's top subspecialists. About half of our graduates continue their training in the most competitive fellowship programs in the country.

You can glimpse the depth and breadth of the patients at Mass General for Children (MGfC) by browsing the NEJM Case Records of the MGH. Leveraging the resources of this academic center, we can meet the diverse and unique learning, research, and clinical interests of each of our incredibly talented residents. We do that within a close-knit community where resident support and mentorship are the cornerstones of a safe and productive learning environment. We, as a program, are invested in your individual and very personal experience of residency.

Photo of Dr. Marielle Young
Photo of Dr. Marielle Young

MGfC is truly my ‘perfect fit’ – an incredible combination of clinical training, research opportunities, mentorship and focus on advocacy and caring for underserved populations.

Marielle Young, MD
Former Chief Resident

Our Commitment to Diversity

MGfC strives to create a welcoming environment for its residents, faculty, staff, and patients. As an MGfC resident, you will have the privilege of caring for patients from a wide range of different racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds at our main campus in Boston, our community health centers in Charlestown, Revere and Chelsea, and our affiliated community hospitals in Cambridge, Salem and Newton. MGH Chelsea Health Center, for example, cares for one of the largest and most diverse immigrant populations in all of Massachusetts! Our residents and staff come from many different backgrounds as well. We cannot think of a more perfect example than our own Pediatric Cardiology Department, where our staff of doctors is fluent in at least 5 different languages! MGfC is committed to recruiting and supporting a multicultural workforce of pediatricians to reflect our beautiful and diverse patient population. We are proud to collaborate with the MGH Center for Diversity and Inclusion as well the LGBT Employee Resource Group to promote and support underrepresented minorities in medicine throughout Mass General.

Learn more about diversity and cultural competence at MGfC

Unparalleled Access to Senior Faculty

Our approach to mentoring is multi-faceted and is adjusted to the needs of each resident. Early in the Intern Year, residents participate in a mentorship workshop, complete with mentoring self-assessments. We are fortunate that our tight knight community provides easy access to faculty for personal and professional development as well as pursuit of scholarly activities. Additionally, one of our associate program directors follows a class of residents throughout the arc of their three-year training, providing support through the key transitions in residency as well as making personal connections between residents and faculty and the broader MGfC alumni network.

The Resources of Mass General Hospital

Institution-wide resources within the Centers of Expertise allow trainees numerous opportunities including small group workshops, funding opportunities, and access to faculty leaders to refine their skills in the areas of Global and Humanitarian Health, Health Policy and Management, Medical Education, Patient Care Quality and Patient Safety and Research. Through initiatives such as this, you gain access not only to leaders in the field of pediatrics, but leaders in medicine across specialties and you become part of a broader community of graduate medical trainees at Mass General and Mass General Brigham. With the current speed of medical advancements, pediatrics can no longer stay insular and pediatricians must work in a broader context of medicine.

Program Leadership

Meet our leadership team

Curriculum

We train physicians in all aspects of general pediatrics, with an emphasis on graduated autonomy and individualized training. With mentorship, residents choose their own subspecialty electives and create their own individuated curriculum rotations – meeting all ACGME Requirements. Our goal is to prepare residents for a lifetime of service to children whether as a generalist or a pediatric specialist.

Consequently, our residents experience the full range of the practice of pediatrics including community health clinics and private practices, community hospitals and world-renowned quaternary care centers. Our graduates enter all fields of pediatrics, and we value the chance to train both community-oriented primary care pediatricians and subspecialist pediatrician scientists.

Resident Rotation Schedules

Pediatric Residency Rotations

Adolescent Medicine Rotation

The experience in adolescent medicine is a 4-week block rotation for second year residents taught by a multi-disciplinary staff of providers in a wide variety of settings where adolescents seek care. Settings include adolescent focused primary care practices, tertiary care center subspecialty clinics (e.g. mental health and substance abuse, sports medicine, gynecology, etc.), and community-based experiences.

Ambulatory Medicine – CHA Community Health Rotation

Ambulatory Medicine is a 4-week rotation for junior residents. This rotation will expose residents to the value of community health organizations and foster excitement about future collaboration. After this experience, residents should see healthcare as a partnership between the patient, their medical providers and organizations in their community. Through seeing patients in settings outside of typical healthcare environments, residents will gain new perspectives on what it means to be both a patient and a caregiver, setting higher goals for the way we deliver care. Each resident spends weeks visiting other community health centers and learning about community resources and organizations in the Boston area.

Brigham & Women’s Hospital Neonatal Medicine Rotation

The overall goal of the second year resident BWH neonatal medicine rotation is to develop the ability of residents to evaluate, resuscitate and manage newborns in the delivery room, and immediately thereafter. At the Brigham, pediatric residents have the opportunity to lead the initial evaluation and management of neonates in the delivery room (including neonatal resuscitation as appropriate), triage and evaluate neonates presenting with distress or illness in the first hours of life, provide appropriate care for neonates in a level 2 nursery, and appropriately counsel pregnant women and their families who are likely to have a premature baby as consultants. The rotation is based in a metropolitan referral hospital that boasts nearly 10,000 deliveries per year.

CHA Pediatric Emergency Medicine Rotation

The emergency department rotation at The Cambridge Hospital offers MGH pediatric interns the opportunity to evaluate and treat a wide range of pediatric illness in the community setting. The department sees 32,000 patients per year which includes 15% of patients aged 18 years and younger. Interns work directly with on-site attending emergency physicians as the pediatric expert and primary caregiver to the pediatric patients. Rotators will have exposure to front-line community medicine including bedside procedures such as orthopedic splinting, abscess incision and drainage, and laceration repairs. The rotation provides a comprehensive community experience that will also educate interns about disposition planning and care coordination in a setting with more limited pediatric resources and sub-specialist availability than the tertiary care center, MGH, where they will also rotate.

Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Rotation

The Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Rotation is a 4-week rotation during the intern year. During the rotation residents are given the opportunity to learn from a wide variety of community and clinical providers to gain a better understanding of child development and the systems in place that support children. The Lurie Center for Autism serves as the core site for the rotation where residents meet and work with a developmental-behavioral pediatrician mentor to see how to apply general development and behavioral principles into practice.

MGH Inpatient Medicine Rotation

The goal of the MGH pediatric inpatient medicine rotation is to develop the ability of residents to evaluate and manage patients with a broad range of medical problems and make decisions about need for hospitalization, changes in status necessitating intensive care, and readiness for discharge. The rotation is based on a general pediatric ward in a tertiary care setting with patients aged birth to 21, and exposes residents to complex, referral-based medical problems. Learning will occur in a multidisciplinary team-based system. First year residents will be the primary caregivers for their patients, under the close supervision of third year residents, who will serve as team leaders. Residents will benefit from guidance by admitting pediatric and subspecialty attendings, as well as the service attending who will round with the team on a regular basis.

MGH Newborn Rotation

The goal of the MGH newborn rotation is to expose first year residents to the well-baby care and develop their ability to evaluate newborns and counsel new families. The rotation is based in a busy urban newborn nursery with a large referral obstetrical service. Frequent teaching sessions are provided by members of the newborn hospitalist service on topics such as rashes, circumcisions, septic risk evaluation, breastfeeding, hypoglycemia, and anticipatory guidance after leaving the hospital. In addition to caring for well newborns, interns will attend deliveries to learn the basics of neonatal resuscitation, a skill set that is further developed in our rotation at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

MGH Pediatric Emergency Medicine Rotation

The goal of the MGfC Emergency Division rotation is to develop the ability of residents to triage, evaluate and manage children with a broad range of medical and surgical problems with varying levels of acuity. The rotation is based in an urban referral pediatric emergency department designated as a level I pediatric trauma center. Patients will include those aged birth to 21 years who live in the area, as well as those referred to this tertiary care hospital emergency department for higher levels of care. First, second and third year residents will all participate in this rotation. The residents will work closely with other team members, including other pediatric residents, emergency department attendings, subspecialists, nurses and support staff to triage and care for patients who present to the pediatric emergency room. The intern emergency medicine rotation combines shifts at both MGH, as well as shifts at Cambridge Hospital, a local community hospital.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Rotation

The goal of the MGH NICU rotation is to develop the ability of residents to evaluate and manage critically ill infants with a broad range of medical and surgical problems. The rotation is based in an 21-bed level IV neonatal intensive care unit. Learning will occur in a multidisciplinary team-based system. Interns will be the primary caregivers for their patients, under the close supervision of staff, neonatologists, and intensive care fellows. The most important goal of the intern experience in the NICU is to develop a comprehensive knowledge of one’s patients and establish a relationship with the family as the primary physician on the NICU team. Residents return to the MGH NICU as senior residents in a supervisory role and have opportunities to teach as well as further develop their neonatal intensive care skills while covering the patient care overnight every fourth night. The NICU Senior rotation is designed to allow seniors to demonstrate the confidence and competence necessary to manage an intensive care unit for critically ill neonates.

Newton-Wellesley Hospital Community Inpatient Medicine Rotation

Newton-Wellesley Hospital is a community hospital in Newton, a suburb of Boston. It has a wide service area in the western suburbs. The spectrum of pediatrics at NWH includes the Pediatric Inpatient Unit, Newborn Nurseries, SCN, Pediatric Subspecialty Clinics and the Pediatric Emergency Department. Residents rotating at NWH manage a general pediatric inpatient unit under the supervision of attending hospitalists and community pediatricians. All house-staff operate under the supervision of the patient’s attending physician. Residents provide daytime coverage at NWH; overnight coverage is provided by NWH hospitalists and moonlighters. The team consists of one PGY-2 supervisory resident and one intern, joined by medical students from Tufts University and PA students from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Many of our own MGH graduates join the Newton-Wellesley community after residency.

The NWH intern rotation is designed to allow interns to learn how to manage common pediatric illnesses in a community inpatient setting. Skills in working with a variable patient/family population, including those that are highly educated and knowledgeable are necessary for this rotation. There is a strong emphasis on the teaching of medical and PA students on this rotation.

The NWH Supervisory Resident rotation is designed to allow junior and senior residents to supervise a team admitting patients to an inpatient pediatric ward in a community hospital. Leadership and supervision skills are paramount for the successful resident on this rotation. Communication and the management of transition to higher level of care when necessary are critical components.

Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) Rotation

The MGfC PICU is a busy 14-bed mixed medical and surgical pediatric ICU embedded in a quaternary referral center. The goal of the PICU rotation is to help cultivate the clinical acumen of junior residents, providing them with the tools to assess and treat critically ill children with a broad range of pathophysiologies. Residents are the responding clinicians, working closely with fellows and attendings as part of a multi-disciplinary team. Trainees are exposed to interventions specific to the ICU setting, including ECMO, CPR, CVVH, non-invasive and invasive mechanical ventilation, ICP monitoring, management of severe shock, poly-trauma, multi-organ failure, and post-operative management of various high-risk surgeries. Residents receive a core curriculum in addition to teaching on rounds; they also play an active role in our scheduled simulation-based team training exercises. Procedures are a mainstay of critical care, many of which residents have the potential to experience: IV placement, arterial puncture, bag mask ventilation, central venous line placement, intubations, and thoracentesis. As a major referral center, the PICU receives patients from throughout New England, as well as specific burn patients referred from Shriners Hospital for Children, complicated airway reconstruction patients from the Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary, and at times, children transferred from distant parts of the US and the world.

Pediatric Surgery Rotation

The goal of the MGH pediatric surgery rotation is to develop the ability of first year residents to evaluate, stabilize and treat patients with a broad range of surgical problems of varying complexity and acuity. In addition to the operating suite, this rotation takes place in various settings within a tertiary care hospital including the pediatric emergency ward, inpatient pediatric floors, PICU and NICU. The team is led by a senior surgical resident working in conjunction with the pediatric surgical nurse practitioners under the leadership of attending pediatric surgeons. First year residents are both surgical and pediatric trainees who are the primary caregivers for the pediatric surgery patients.

Simulation Education

A preponderance of evidence supports simulation in augmenting development of clinical skills. As a result, our program has developed a novel longitudinal simulation to support clinical reasoning acquisition in addition to urgent and emergent simulated scenarios in the clinical learning environments.

Subspecialty Elective & Pediatric Individualized Curriculum

We work hard to help residents tailor residency to meet their individualized educational goals. Rather than track residents into pre-defined and potentially narrow categories, we provide an opportunity for residents to explore their diverse interests and create a residency specific to their own learning and career needs, which may span several traditional “tracks.” A total of 9.5 months of residency are therefore chosen by an individual resident, with mentorship from faculty. Six and a half months of electives are within the core subspecialties listed by the ACGME and residents choose these rather than being assigned by the program to staff the GI or pulmonary service, for example. An additional three months of “individualized curriculum” can be completely self-designed and we have had residents create incredibly rich and diverse rotations such as working on a hospital-boat in Cambodia, working on comparative zoology with veterinarians, working in Kenya to create an emergency medicine curriculum and working with the Chief Quality Office of the hospital. At MGfC, one-size does not fit all, and no two residents have the same training experience because no two residents are the same. We value resident individuality and autonomy in designing their training to meet their needs.

Our electives include:

  • Allergy & Immunology
  • Anesthesiology
  • Cardiology
  • Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
  • Dentistry
  • Dermatology
  • Endocrinology
  • Gastroenterology
  • Hematology/Oncology
  • Hospice and Palliative Care
  • Infectious Disease
  • Medical Genetics
  • Nephrology
  • Neurodevelopmental Disabilities
  • Neurology
  • Ophthalmology
  • Orthopedic Surgery
  • Otolaryngology
  • Pulmonology
  • Radiology
  • Rehabilitative Medicine
  • Rheumatology
  • Sleep Medicine
  • Sports Medicine
Ward Teach Rotation

The Ward Teach rotation is a 2 to 4-week rotation in the PGY-3 year which combines medical student teaching with mentored large group teaching opportunities. During this rotation, the resident runs Morning Case Conference twice a week and one Wednesday noon conference every other week. Each Ward Teach resident is paired with a faculty mentor for 1:1 teaching and feedback on this large group teaching during the rotation. The conferences are designed to allow the residents to improve teaching skills while educating the residents about recent admissions to MGfC. Residents of all three years, the hospitalist and teaching attendings, as well as medical students, attend the conferences. Additionally, the ward teach spends a significant amount of time with the medical students on their pediatric clerkship in their first clinical year. The ward teach observes medical students’ presentations on rounds, observes their initial histories and physicals when admitting new patients and reads their admission notes and gives them feedback verbally and in writing. The ward teach also leads 1-2 teaching sessions for the medical students, helps them with their physical exam skills in the newborn nursery, and leads 1-2 simulation sessions for the medical students. Additionally, the ward teach spends one evening at the Revere Crimson Care Collaborative, a pediatric student/faculty collaborative practice, assisting preclinical students in their history taking and physical exam skills. The overall goal of the senior resident ward teach rotation is to provide residents with the opportunity to teach in different settings to different levels of learner in a mentored setting in which they receive feedback through a structured “Resident as Educator” curriculum.

Learn more about our rotation directors and faculty

Resident Life

Photo of residents outside in the fall

Our residents are a diverse group of extraordinary individuals who form a tight-knit community and excel in many areas above and beyond pediatrics. We have an extraordinarily active advocacy group that has been honored with several awards including the prestigious national Anne E. Dyson Child Advocacy Award. Our pediatric residency program at Mass General for Children is more than just a training experience - it’s a family!

We love to spend time together outside of the hospital, enjoying the amazing city of Boston and the scenic New England region. We have regular wellness events such as picking fresh fruits, tasting local wines, having potlucks and picnics, bowling and pizza nights, hiking trips, and much more. We also have spontaneous gatherings throughout the year because we genuinely like each other’s company. We have a blast together and are excited to welcome you to our community!

Meet Our Residents

Life-Long Relationships

Photo of residents at a summer social

The motto of care for patients at MGfC is “Once we start caring, we never stop.” Similarly, once you’ve joined the MGfC Residency family, you will always be a part of it. Graduates routinely return to “catch up” and share news of personal life events with program directors and faculty, but even more importantly, to receive mentorship as their careers unfold. It is not a coincidence that many of our graduates over the years have stayed or come back to the MGfC at some point in their careers, and we take pride in the extended family of MGfC pediatricians we are creating.

Here are some quotes from current residents when they were asked about the Resident and Community life at MGfC:

“After my first day of intern orientation, my first thought was: wow, this decision was the best I've ever made.” –An MGfC Intern

“I love my life at MGfC! Residents ahead of me told me that they think of MGfC as another family and very quickly into intern year I understood exactly what they meant. These are my people. While so many fun memories have occurred outside the hospital (Red Sox games, many great meals out, resident happy hours, the list go on), it's the camaraderie within the hospital and within our program that makes it so special. This is a program that looks out for each other, lifts one another up when you need it, and at its core, helps you become the pediatrician that YOU want to be. Residency is a challenging time no matter where you go, feeling supported and valued and having a great time while doing so has made all the difference.” –An MGfC Junior Resident

“I love my co-residents because we always have each other’s backs- always lending a hand to help or support each other.” –An MGfC Senior Resident

As you can see, we love MGfC and hope you will too!

Resident Resources and Benefits

Professional Benefits and Resources

Employee Benefits

  • Medical, dental, vision and disability insurance offered by the hospital at a reduced rate
  • Malpractice insurance coverage by the hospital
  • Assistance in managing initial costs of rental housing (Mass General Brigham Lease Guaranty Program)
  • Subsidized parking and preferred access to selected parking facilities on the main campus or satellite facilities
  • Facilities for parking and storage of bicycles

More details about all of these benefits can be found on the Mass General Brigham GME website.

Personal Benefits

Salary and contract

Mass General Brigham offers a wide range of benefits and a competitive salary for residents and clinical fellows.

Salary scale for residents starting July 1, 2023

  • PGY 1: $78,540
  • PGY 2: $82,500
  • PGY 3: $86,350
  • PGY 4: $90,750
  • PGY 5: $95,150
  • PGY 6: $99,000
  • PGY 7: $104,500
  • PGY 8:  $110,000

Mass General Brigham requires that a contract be issued to each resident and clinical fellow annually.

Stipend

Beginning in academic year 23/24, residents and clinical fellows in most GME office approved programs will receive a $10,000 stipend annually. The stipend is intended to assist with the cost of housing, child care, or any other financial challenges. This stipend is in addition to the salary paid to the trainee

Trainees who have questions about their specific circumstance (i.e. program, year in program) and eligibility should discuss this first with their program director, who can then discuss this with the Director of GME.

Educational and Professional Development Resources

Alumni

The Mass General for Children Alumni Association

Medical alumni of the residency and fellowship programs at Mass General for Children have gone on to pursue excellence in pediatric medicine in hospitals across the United States and around the world. Many have assumed leadership roles in clinical practice and research.

We encourage you to use this site to learn about alumni events and to stay connected with the hospital and your fellow alumni. For more information, please email MGfCalumni@partners.org.

Meet our alumni

To learn about alumni events including speakers and receptions at national conferences, please sign up for the alumni association.

How to Apply

What We Offer

The Pediatric Residency Program offers the following:

  • A three-year categorical pediatrics program (NRMP 1261320C0)
  • A one-year preliminary pediatrics program prior to advanced training programs, such as dermatology, radiology, anesthesiology, PM&R (NRMP 1261320P0)
  • A combined Child Neurology Residency program through the Child Neurology Match. Child Neurology Program applicants need to apply to the MGH Child Neurology Program. You will have an opportunity to meet and interview with the Pediatric Residency Leadership Team during Child Neurology interview day. The Pediatric Residency Program reserves two positions for child neurology residents who will complete two years of training in general pediatrics. You do not need to apply to the categorical pediatric residency program separately to be considered for these reserved positions. All inquiries should be directed to the Program Administrator, Virginia Tosney-Trask.

Application Requirements

  • The Pediatric Residency participates in the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) and will only accept applications through that platform.
  • Applicants should have no more than 3 letters of recommendations from faculty who know them well. A pro forma letter of recommendation from department chairs is not required unless the writer knows the applicant well.
  • To be considered for an interview, applicants must have successfully completed USMLE Step 1. The residency supports the move to Pass/Fail and has historically not observed any “cut-offs” for scores.
  • USMLE Step 2 CK must be successfully completed by the close of the Match but is not a requirement to secure an invitation to interview. The Program does not observe any “cut-offs” for scores to be considered for an interview for applicants who have completed Step 2 prior to the ERAS application submission.
  • A personal statement is required. It should reflect your personal experiences and communicate your unique path to a career in pediatrics in lieu of a recapitulation of your CV or other elements of your ERAS application.
  • We respectfully request applicants not re-send their applications via email.
  • International Medical Graduate applicants: the program supports both J-1 and H1B visas. ECFMG certification is required. Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG)
  • Optional: Interested applicants can view more about our residency here

Application Deadline

The Pediatric Residency Training Program is no longer taking applications. We wish all applicants all the best in their very bright futures and thank you for considering our program.

Resources for Applicants
International Graduates

If you are an international medical school graduate and wish to apply, please contact the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) to submit your ERAS application. We sponsor J-1 visas. In some situations, we’ll consider sponsoring H1B visas, and applicants have to have passed USMLE Step 3 prior to the ROL deadline to be considered for an H1B.

Visiting Clerkship Program

The Visiting Clerkship Program (VCP) is designed to increase medical student awareness of opportunities in academic medicine, to increase student consideration of academic training programs for internship and residency, and especially, to increase the number of national minority students applying to hospital training programs affiliated with Harvard Medical School.