A Message from UMass Med-Peds to Prospective Med-Peds Residents,
Welcome to year 2 of virtual interviews. While this year brings less stress than last, it is still quite atypical to go through the entire interview process remotely. We will do everything we can to share our program with you, and we are confident that this process will be effective and successful.
Why Med-Peds:
The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that Med-Peds trained physicians are critical front-line responders. Med-Peds training provides physicians with the skills and experience to care for children and adults of all ages and in settings from pediatric and adult critical care units to emergency departments to ambulatory clinics. When COVID-19 patients presented to our hospitals, our residents and attendings quickly volunteered to work in the COVID-19 ICU's and inpatient units. Hospital leadership has recognized our residents as being true heroes during this unprecedented time. As med-peds leadership, we couldn’t be prouder!
Applying to Med-Peds in a Pandemic:
We would like to guide you through the application process during this still highly unusual year.
Med-peds programs do not require sub-internships in both medicine and pediatrics; you should choose the sub-internship that will most benefit you as a learner. Letters of recommendation that speak to you as a person and a clinician are what we are most interested in. If possible, having letters representing your work in pediatrics and internal medicine or Med-Peds is recommended.
Away rotations have been less accessible than in years’ past; please do not worry if you were not able to visit our program. Away rotations are never necessary, especially in Med-Peds. However, if you are interested in an away rotation, including at our Westborough Med-Peds Clinic, please contact us.
Program Diversity Statement:
As physicians training in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, we take pride in caring for patients across a multitude of clinical settings. The challenge of practicing medicine across a diverse spectrum enriches our experience as physicians. Similarly, we are appreciative of diversity within our community, and we find the racism and discrimination that patients and trainees face regularly, unacceptable. As a program, we strive to be proactive in creating an inclusive environment. Examples of ways we are combating racism and promoting inclusivity include:
- Supporting the MPPDA statement on anti-racism
- A call to action written by two of our residents and published by In-House
Questions/Concerns?
We are extremely fulfilled working as Med-Peds physicians and believe Med-Peds is a wise career option, as the training allows one to work in diverse settings including primary care, global and public health, and subspecialty training. Our graduates have pursued virtually all Med-Peds career options. We are happy to advise you or connect you with a Med-Peds resident or attending physician whose interests align with yours. Please reach out to us at any time with questions or concerns.
For your information, we've included links about:
- National Med/Peds Residents Association
- Med/Peds Combined Fellowship Guide
- Board Certification
- The American Academy of Pediatrics
- City of Worcester, Massachusetts
There are also links to the ERAS and to the National Resident Matching Program. If you have additional questions about our program after you have reviewed this information, please feel free to contact us!
Thank you and take care!
Your UMass Med-Peds leadership,
John Solomonides, MD, Program Director, John.Solomonides@umassmemorial.org
Susan Fine, MD, Assistant Program Director, Susan.Fine@umassmemorial.org
Naomi Christenson, Program Coordinator, Naomi.Christenson@umassmed.edu