CHOP Residency Houses

Upon entering residency at CHOP, residents are assigned to one of four distinct  "houses.”. The houses align with the Y cohorts, and each house is comprised of residents across all years of training, a chief resident, and an assigned associate program director. The mentoring program has also been layered onto the cohort system, providing additional depth of connectedness and support. The houses function to support intra- and interclass camaraderie (and at times fun and friendly competition!).

Resident Groups

Residency Leadership Council

The Residency Leadership Council (RLC) brings together residents, chief residents, and program directors to review resident feedback and prioritize and implement improvements within the Residency Program. The RLC is designed to make the most of our collective capacity for innovation in an environment that promotes collegiality and collaboration.
Regular resident forums are a venue for the RLC leadership to report program updates and to allow the residents to discuss any new issues or concerns. RLC leadership meetings are designed to discuss and address issues raised by residents at the forums as well as issues brought up by chief residents and program directors.

The RLC is comprised of subcommittees: Advocacy, Education, QI and Operations, and Wellness. Below are some examples of work underway by these subcommittees.

• Education: The Education Committee is dedicated to improving the educational experience of residents at CHOP. We strive to enhance clinical education by providing resident feedback at the GEC (Graduate Education Committee) meetings. Each clinical experience/rotation has its own dedicated meeting which is attended by program leadership, rotation directors, and residents. It is a great way to get a peek behind the curtain at all of the hard work that goes into making each rotation as educational and meaningful as possible.We also hope to facilitate knowledge sharing and educational resources amongst residents, which includes the residency survival guide (tips and tricks that include both practical and clinical knowledge for each rotation). Finally, we support residents in starting, joining, and implementing educational initiatives within our program or at the institutional level.
• QI/Operations: The QI/Operations Committee works closely with the Housestaff Quality and Safety Council to identify areas for improvement that are relevant to trainees. Past endeavors have included encouraging trainee submissions to KAPS (CHOP's safety reporting system). 

NERD Squad

The NERD (New Epic Resident Development) Squad is composed of energetic and like-minded residents who have an interest in creating digital solutions to improve patient care and physician workflow.

The group brings together residents with wide-ranging skills and interests, along with informatics fellows and faculty members, to help foster resident-based initiatives. For example, in an effort to allow residents to focus on patient care and education, NERD Squad members have been responsible for many of the document templates and "Dot Phrases" used throughout the hospital that streamline the admission and discharge processes.

Well-Being Initiatives

Led by our associate DIOs for trainee well-being, and informed by resident input including from our Wellness Committee members, we have constructed a comprehensive, multi-modal, and feedback-driven infrastructure to support resident well-being. Select interventions have included: 

• Schedule modifications and administrative support to address fatigue mitigation, strategies to promote self-efficacy, and opportunities to decrease task switching
• Implementation of the trainee support specialist role to provide direct support to residents and fellows during their training. The Trainee Support Specialists are an added layer of support, a bridge to internal and external resources, and a guide in navigating the ups and downs of training.
• Creation of a Connection and Meaning in Medicine Curriculum

Retreats

One of the most important traditions of the CHOP residency experience takes place far outside the walls of the hospital. Each year, the program hosts class retreats for residents gather to share and reflect upon their experiences as new physicians. The retreats vary in duration from one day (for PL-3s) to 2.5 days (for PL-1s and PL-2s). The retreats are facilitated by our aDIO, Dr. Tara Bamat, and our Program Director, Dr. Jeanine Ronan, and are rooted in a model of trauma-informed and emotionally-intelligent leadership development. These retreats also provide an escape from the demands of residency and include plenty of time to connect and socialize as a class. The retreats are a rewarding way to strengthen the bonds between classmates while providing tools needed to grow as pediatricians and leaders.

Team Dinners

Another cherished tradition at CHOP is team dinners.  After completing clinical service, the resident team and faculty go to dinner compliments of the program.  It is a great opportunity to relax, reflect, and celebrate the time together.

Institutional Groups 

Multicultural Physicians’ Alliance

The Multicultural Physicians Alliance (MPA) is a Clinical Affinity Group (CAG), open to all CHOP residents, fellows and attending physicians which strives to foster education and understanding while enabling members and participants to grow and thrive within their chosen field as they treat and serve patients and families, while building allyship amongst colleagues. 

To learn more about the MPA, contact MPA@chop.edu.

Providers of Pride (POP)

Providers of Pride (POP) is a physician-led Clinical Affinity Group (CAG), open to all CHOP physicians which strives to foster education and understanding of the unique experiences and perspectives of  LGBTQ+ residents, fellows, and faculty at CHOP, while building allyship amongst colleagues.

To learn more about POP, contact pop@chop.edu or popchop1855@gmail.com.