Pediatrics Residency Program

Welcome from our Program Director

Welcome, and thank you for visiting the HCA Florida Palms West Pediatric Residency! We are a pediatric residency program based in a 206-bed community hospital in South Florida with 22 inpatient pediatric, 10 pediatric intensive care, and 18 Neonatal level 3 intensive care beds.

Read welcome letter

Mission Statement

The HCA Florida Palms West Hospital Pediatrics Residency program’s mission is to develop the next generation of physicians and physician leaders.

As a part of HCA Healthcare, we are driven by a single mission: Above all else, we are committed to the care and improvement of human life.

This program is designed to offer residents a rewarding, educational environment where residents are provided individualized learning opportunities by faculty and staff who support and sustain one another throughout quality care delivery. Our faculty are committed to ensuring the resident's clinical experience and educational needs are fulfilled while expanding residents’ perspectives to be inclusive of cultures, values and ideals.

Program Overview

The Pediatric Residency Program at HCA Florida Palms West Hospital is an accredited and rigorous three-year program designed to train the next generation of physicians and physician leaders.

Our interdisciplinary approach to learning fosters excellent opportunities for professional growth, committed mentorship and clinical research. Alongside dedicated attending physicians and enthusiastic colleagues, residents strive for excellence in their training and provide high-quality healthcare in patient-centered environments and community-oriented service.

The sponsoring institution for the Pediatric Residency Program at Palms West Hospital is HCA East Florida Division Graduate Medical Education (EFD GME), which is at the same time affiliated with Nova Southeastern University Kiran C. Patel Allopathic and Osteopathic Colleges of Medicine and the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. The Pediatric Residency is an ACGME-accredited three-year pediatric program that accepts six residents per class.

Curriculum and rotation schedule

Our expertly crafted programs are designed to provide resident and fellow physicians with all the experiences and training necessary for professional success.

See Program Schedule

Program details

• Support of a warm house staff that functions well as a team
• Faculty committed to the education of the next generation of pediatricians
• Approachable faculty that educates one-on-one
• Diverse patient population due to the program’s location between a major urban population and an economically important agricultural region
• Affiliation with a regionally influential university medical school
• Access to university libraries
  • Web searches
  • Pub Med
• Access to HCA electronic resources
  • Up to date
  • Electronic library to include the major Pediatric texts
• On-site Research Coordinator
  • Access to HCA Healthcare patient database
• EFL GME Leadership has been supportive of away rotations for those seeking fellowship positions
• South Florida
  • 30 minutes or less to the beach
  • 90 minutes from Miami
  • 60 minutes from Fort Lauderdale
  • Very nice drive to the Florida Keys
• Regional culture
  • Kravis Center for the performing arts
    • Broadway series
    • Ballet/contemporary dance series
    • Concert series
      • Classical music
    • Contemporary music
  • Many clubs and festivals featuring music and the performing arts

Conference Schedule

• Weekly
• Presentation of a confounding admission which reviews: presentation, physical examination, differential diagnosis and status of the patient evaluation

• Three to four times per week
• Faculty presentation of topics identified in the American Board of Pediatrics Content Outline

• Weekly
• Review Board type questions as a form of continual board review

• Every other week (twice most months)
• Faculty-led Socratic discussion of a chapter in the core reference text
  • Most sessions are led by the Program Director and participation is noted

• Every other month
• Resident presentations led by Heme-Once attending physician
• Presentation of a recently presenting tumor

• Monthly
• Currently a presentation and discussion of an important clinical case
• Presentation by the resident team on the Pediatric Inpatient Service

• Monthly
• Faculty and resident discussion of current literature

• Quarterly
• Risk Management Forum to discuss recent death or significant morbidity

• Monthly
• Faculty-led discussion with the entire intern class at PBCGME of issues that must be addressed when reviewing the medical literature

Salary

Reimbursed Expenses

• Equipment: Otoscopes, etc. (stethoscopes not reimbursed)
• Non-research related travel and registration expenses for review courses or educational conferences
• USMLE Step 3, COMLEX Step 3, AMPLE 3 registration fee
• Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) fees and expenses
  • Resident must sit for the boards while in residency
  • American Board of Pediatrics certifying examination is taken post-residency (not covered)

Program-covered expenses

• Professional Association Membership fees
• Question bank subscription for each
  • MedStudy Pediatrics
• Travel/registration for presenting original research
  • With approval by Research Director
• Business cards
• Cell phone and laptop/iPad
  • Includes cell phone charges
• Simulation Lab

HCA Benefits package

• Malpractice
• Healthcare