The Emergency Medicine Residency training program at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, provides an excellent training experience in the care of acutely ill and injured children. The pediatric experience for Emergency Medicine residents at Mayo Clinic is multifaceted with dedication to formal teaching environments as well as an excellent bedside clinical experience to provide program graduates with the knowledge and skills necessary to provide excellent care to children and their families.

As part of the Mayo Clinic Model of Care, the needs of the pediatric patient also come first in the Department of Emergency Medicine. A commitment to a child- and family-focused approach to the care of children has been made with ongoing efforts for improvement over time. Team members dedicated to meet the unique needs of the pediatric patient and their families provide an excellent environment for the emergency medicine trainee, who is an integral part of the care of children as part of a comprehensive team of resident, nursing, respiratory therapy, child life, and pharmacy members.

The pediatric care environment

A dedicated physical space has been carefully planned to provide a patient- and family-centered approach for the care of pediatric patients. A 12-bed pediatric care unit including a pediatric resuscitation bay has been created to allow for the timely care of children.

Pediatric emergency medicine faculty

As important as physical space, a dedicated group of consultant physicians oversees the care of pediatric patients in the department and are committed to the education of Emergency Medicine trainees as well as residents in Pediatrics and Family Medicine. The consultant staff have a variety of training backgrounds but include those trained in Pediatrics, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, and Emergency Medicine specialties. These faculty members are committed to provide an excellent training experience for all the learners rotating in the department. They serve as general mentors for emergency medicine trainees and are also committed to provide specific mentorship as it relates to research and quality improvement activities for pediatric-focused projects.

Faculty members are committed clinicians who excel at bedside teaching.  They are also committed to pediatric-specific training using a variety of formats including didactic lectures as well as interactive simulation learning sessions in situ and more formal sessions at the Mayo Rochester Simulation Center.  Hands-on experience is also provided using the Just-in-Time training space available within the department.

The pediatric patient population

Pediatric patients are referred throughout the region and from multiple states for definitive care. Mayo Clinic in Rochester serves as a resource for the care of both complex as well as straightforward care issues for children of all ages. The Emergency Medicine practice functions as a key component to serve both the inpatient and outpatient needs of acutely ill and injured children.

All pediatric specialties are available to provide comprehensive care and serve as a resource center allowing for exposure to a wide variety of patient needs. Inpatient services are available through a dedicated group of pediatric hospitalists as well as pediatric critical care consultants.

Mayo Clinic in Rochester has been designated as a Pediatric Level 1 Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons for many years. A collaborative team of providers from both the Pediatric Emergency Medicine as well as Pediatric Trauma Surgery service ensures state-of-the-art care of the acutely injured child.

Emergency medicine resident pediatric rotation experiences

Each emergency medicine resident trainee will rotate in the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Practice throughout their three years of residency. A dedicated month for a focused clinical exposure to Pediatric Emergency Medicine will take place during the first year of training. Ongoing longitudinal clinical exposure throughout the second and third years of training are key elements to provide a wide variety of experience across seasons.

During the second year of training, emergency medicine resident trainees will rotate in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and will have the opportunity to fully participate in the ongoing care of critically ill and injured children including postoperative patients. Consultant faculty from the Division of Pediatric Critical Care will provide bedside teaching as well as more formal educational sessions throughout the month.

Elective opportunities for Pediatric Emergency Medicine rotations at other sites including Phoenix, Arizona, and the Twin Cities are available on an elective basis to provide learning opportunities in the care of other pediatric patient populations.