Resident Life

It is clearly important that one chooses a residency program where he or she can work with extremely knowledgeable, talented, and dedicated faculty. Duke pediatric residents are just as important in the teaching process. They take pride in teaching and learning from each other. Duke School of Medicine students have consistently ranked the pediatrics clerkship as one of the best rotations for teaching, and our Resident As Teacher committee and Resident As Teacher elective help our trainees to develop as outstanding teachers.

While striving to be the best residency program possible, we are always looking for ways to improve. Our leadership provides many opportunities for residents to discuss issues and solutions. Monthly Friday morning meetings are held with associate program directors and a chief resident where residents can address any concerns with leadership. Announcements and kudos are emailed to the group once per week to facilitate communication between the chief residents and the residents, and the program director sends out a monthly round up of what is going on in the program. Every month, we host a town hall where all residents have a chance to get together with program leadership to discuss issues and work constructively on solutions. There is also an online suggestion box which is always available for those that prefer to provide anonymous feedback. Additionally, three rotating resident representatives join the Pediatric Graduate Medical Education Committee meetings on a quarterly basis to provide feedback and resident input.   

The mission of the residency program is to attract a group of people with interesting and diverse backgrounds who can come together and work well as a team. The leadership realizes the importance of finding people who enjoy each other’s company for both improved teamwork and an enjoyable atmosphere. 

To this end, we enjoy hosting events that encourage the residents to get to know each other. Interns are invited to meet their classmates at the annual intern welcome party at Dr. Staples' home. In the fall, the program holds an intern retreat at the beach for some fun and reflection on their first few months of internship. Each Friday, we have an intern only morning report, where interns get to hone their clinical skills discussing an interesting case, and also get to spend some time getting to know their class and debrief each other about their experiences.

Winter months are highlighted by the annual department holiday party. The springtime is packed with activities: retreats for each program level to reflect on the past year and think about the future, senior dinners, a hello party, and more . . . anything that can be done for a little R&R! The resident-led Wellness Committee also sponsors events to encourage community building such as resident trivia, pumpkin decorating, Valentine’s Day party, and more throughout the year.

Unfortunately, physical distancing guidelines have precluded much of these activities during the summer and fall of 2020. In the meantime, we have gotten to know each other over Zoom, Instagram, in small groups outdoors at one of Durham’s many local parks and trails or outdoor restaurants, and by sharing our favorite spots around town with a fun Google doc the residents have been building and sharing.

Residency is what one makes of it. It can be a tough three years that one must "get through" or it can be a time of learning, opportunity and fun. At Duke, the latter is preferred. Our goal is for residents to enjoy their time here at Duke and in Durham! That means having a life outside of the hospital, too.

Residents here have wonderfully fulfilling lives outside of the hospital. Some of them are married with children, some have significant others, and some choose to enjoy the single life. Many have bought their own homes or townhomes; the local banks give great incentives to residents. They often socialize with each other outside of work and take advantage of all the opportunities in the Triangle area. They go dancing, out to dinner, shopping, movies, and the theater. They play sports and truly enjoy themselves in a wide range of recreational activities, including biking, hiking, kayaking, and visiting local museums and art galleries.  
 
Durham has a variety of sites to keep the visitor or resident busy. Durham’s dynamic neighborhoods and thriving businesses celebrate the combination of old and new. With its close ties to the community and commitment to outstanding education, its venerable past and vital future, Duke University and Duke University Health System offer extraordinary opportunities to medical students, residents, fellows and faculty. We invite you to discover your own future potential for growth, for achievement, and for professional satisfaction by investigating the possibilities at Duke. Read more about Duke and Durham and the Triangle. 

We hope we've given you a better sense of what our residency program is all about, but we would be happy to answer any other questions you might have. Please feel free to email us and we would be happy to give you the phone numbers and/or email addresses of some residents to contact.