Continuity Clinic Curriculum

This curriculum is designed to provide pediatric residents with a comprehensive, hands-on, and evidence-informed educational experience in the continuity clinic setting. By integrating direct patient care with structured independent learning, faculty mentorship, and a focus on scholarly activity, this model aims to foster both clinical excellence and a commitment to lifelong learning. The curriculum is built upon four key pillars:

1. Patient Care Opportunities: Faculty-Guided and Independent Practice

Residents will gain progressive responsibility for patient care throughout their training. This component is anchored by a blend of direct supervision and increasing autonomy:

• Faculty-Led Sessions: Residents will participate in clinical sessions under the direct guidance of a dedicated faculty preceptor. This time is used for direct observation, real-time feedback on physical exams, clinical reasoning, and communication skills, and joint decision-making on complex patient cases.

• Independent Patient Encounters: As residents advance, they will be given increasing opportunities to manage patient visits independently, with the faculty preceptor serving as a consultant for complex issues. This component is designed to build confidence, time management skills, and clinical autonomy in preparation for independent practice.

2. Scholarly Activity and Evidence-Based Medicine through PEAC Modules

To foster a culture of scholarly inquiry and enhance evidence-based practice, residents will complete 12 Pediatric Evidence-based Ambulatory Care (PEAC) modules per year. This component includes:

• Module Completion: Residents will independently complete two PEAC module per y-week, covering a wide range of common ambulatory pediatrics topics. These modules are structured to review primary literature and provide evidence-informed guidance on patient care.

• Faculty Presentation and Discussion: On six separate occasions throughout the year, residents will present a summary of one of their completed PEAC modules to their faculty mentor during a scheduled continuity clinic session. This presentation will be a facilitated discussion, allowing for a deeper exploration of the topic, its clinical application, and a critical appraisal of the literature.

3. Informal Review of Primary and Summarized Literature

To directly link learning with patient care, the curriculum incorporates "just-in-time" evidence retrieval.

• Point-of-Care Learning: During and immediately following clinical sessions, residents are encouraged to informally review primary and summarized literature related to specific patient care questions that arose during the clinic day (e.g., a question about a new vaccination guideline or a treatment for a common rash).

• Faculty Facilitation: Faculty mentors will actively encourage this process by modeling it during clinical encounters and by briefly discussing these findings with the resident, fostering a habit of continuous, question-driven learning.

4. Structured Anticipatory Guidance and Community Health Education

This component ensures residents are well-versed in the critical role of preventative care and health promotion.

• Curated Topics: A collection of previously established anticipatory guidance topics has been assembled, with links to key primary literature. These topics range from early childhood development and nutrition to adolescent risk behaviors and mental health screening.

• Dedicated Discussion Time: During periods of clinical downtime, residents and their faculty preceptors will engage in focused discussions on these anticipatory guidance topics. This dedicated time provides an opportunity for residents to enhance their knowledge, practice their counseling skills, and prepare to deliver comprehensive, evidence-informed anticipatory guidance to their patients.