COMPLEX CARE ELECTIVE: An Outpatient Learner-Directed Complex Care Elective for Pediatric Residents

Breann Buttsa, MD, Rebecca Steuarta, MD, Jennifer Lailb, MD

ABSTRACT

As the population of children with medical complexity (CMC) increases, the physician workforce needed to provide outpatient medical care for these children is also increasing. Currently, few published formal training opportunities exist to support pediatric residents with particular interest in pursuing careers caring for CMC. Here we report our experience creating and implementing a resident-designed, resident-directed elective in the emerging field of outpatient complex care pediatrics at our institution. With the assistance of an expert faculty advisor, we designed and completed a two-week outpatient complex care pediatrics elective as part of our pediatric residency training. The elective included supervised clinical experiences in our institution’s Complex Care Center and subspecialty clinics, observation of specialized therapy visits, interactive lectures on funding mechanisms by financial advocates, and opportunities to learn from families of CMC during informal interviews. Two residents have completed the elective to date; during unstructured curricular assessments, residents reported the elective increased knowledge, skills, and comfort in caring for CMC, as well as offered networking opportunities and insight into career pathways within complex care pediatrics. Further development of formalized training opportunities in the emerging field of outpatient complex care pediatrics is crucial to the growth of a physician workforce passionate about and prepared to provide experienced, expert care for CMC.

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