Baylor College of Medicine’s pediatric residency program at Children’s Hospital of San Antonio receives accreditation

One year after becoming the academic partner for the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio and bringing more than 100 pediatricians and pediatric specialists to the Alamo City, Baylor College of Medicine received approval from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) to begin the pediatric residency program at the Hospital.

Following the ACGME timeline for medical residency program application process, fourth-year medical students can begin applying in July 2014 to become pediatric residents at the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio. Ten residents will be accepted into the program in the first year, which will begin rotations in July 2015.

“This is an exciting time for San Antonio, it means we will gain more pediatricians and pediatric specialists, as most residents typically continue their practice within 100 miles from their training institution,” said Children’s Hospital of San Antonio Pediatrician-in-Chief Dr. Mark Gilger, “And the fact that we received approval so quickly is paramount. The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio is taking the lead in a new education-driven model."

Recognized as one of the top medical schools in the country by U.S. News & World Report, Baylor in Houston will serve as the sponsoring institution for the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio’s pediatric residency program—a unique model that allows the Hospital to tailor programs specifically to the needs of the patients and of the residents.

“The ‘learners’ model is the future of medical education,” said Baylor/San Antonio Pediatric Residency Program Director Dr. Michelle Barajaz “Baylor physicians will be on-hand 24/7 for training our residents; the curriculum is designed to support each individual doctor’s career path.”

“This is yet another example of the level of expertise and commitment that our partner, Baylor College of Medicine, brings to the community,” said Pat Carrier, president and CEO of CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System. “In addition to working with Baylor physicians, the residents will train with many of our private pediatric specialists, providing them the unique skill sets to provide the highest level of care for the children of South-Central Texas and beyond.”

The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio’s three-year residency program will have 39 blocks of training that follow ACGME guidelines, but with unique opportunities that support the CHRISTUS Santa Rosa and Baylor commitment of serving the underserved. A third year global/underserved block allows residents opportunities to serve the underserved in San Antonio or to train in a global site such as one of the seven Baylor International Pediatric AIDS Initiative Centers of Excellence in Africa.

All of Baylor’s resources, such as video conferencing with faculty and residents at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, research and scholarships opportunities are planned for the program.

“The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio has the ability to lead in a profound way,” said Gilger. “We have a clean slate with renowned physicians from across the country who are building our program from the ground up, a program for which they have buy-in and a program that becomes theirs—for their trainees.”

“Medical students are increasing, but residency programs are not. The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio residency program is able to make more room and train confident and competent pediatricians for the state, the nation, and world,” said Dr. Gordon Schutze, Professor of Pediatrics and Vice Chair of Education for the Department of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine. “But, foremost, the residency program puts another notch in the belt of the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio, in putting the health and well-being of the children of San Antonio first.”