Electives may be taken with any of the subspecialty divisions within the department or with individuals or specialties outside the department. Residents however, must still comply with their night call responsibilities while on elective. Residents are to remain available by pager at all times while on an elective.

The following guidelines strictly apply to each elective experience:

1. During residency training, pediatric residents must take a minimum of 6 block rotations in a Pediatrics subspecialty service. Four of these subspecialty elective blocks must last no less than 4 weeks and must be chosen from the following list: 
   

   • Allergy/Immunology
   • Cardiology
   • Endocrinology/Diabetes
   • Gastroenterology
   • Genetics
   • Infectious Disease
   • Neurology
   • Hematology-Oncology (required selective in PGY-3)
   • Nephrology (required selective in PGY-3)
   • (A special elective offered in Family Medicine: Alternative and Integrative Medicine; Drs. V. Sierpina, S. Gerik and M. Frenkel)
     

   Two of the above subspecialty block electives must be taken at UTMB. During the three years of training, no more than 3 block months or its equivalent, may be spent by a resident in any one of the Pediatric subspecialties listed above. Two of the above subspecialties may be combined over a 2-month block if the outpatient and inpatient experiences of the two disciplines can be successfully integrated. Subspecialty research electives that involve no clinical activities may not be included in the calculation of a resident's subspecialty months.
   
   

2. You may not take leave (vacation, educational leave, etc.) from the above subspecialty rotations if you are using the elective to satisfy one of the RRC-required 4 subspecialty blocks and the requested leave time will decrease the subspecialty rotation to less than 4 weeks.
    

3. Additional subspecialty elective rotations may be chosen from the list above or the one that follows:
   

   • Child Psychiatry
   • Dermatology
   • Ophthalmology
   • Orthopedics/Sports Medicine
   • Otolaryngology
   • Pediatric Radiology
   • Pediatric Surgery
     

   Two subspecialty services from this second list may be combined over a one or a two-month period to provide a more effective educational experience.
    
   

4. Additional, program-approved electives presently available at UTMB Pediatrics include:
   

   • Anesthesiology
   • Circumcision
   • Overnight camp for diabetic children and adolescents
   • Reading or Research 
     
     

5. During the three years of residency training, no more than a total of 6 weeks may be spent in a reading or research elective. Electives in reading or research must be supervised by a faculty preceptor and approved by the Chief Resident and the Program Director. The proposed reading or research elective curriculum must be submitted in writing, signed by both the resident and the faculty preceptor, to the Program Director prior to approval. During reading and research electives, residents are required to attend all conferences and to participate in all other program-sponsored educational activities.
   
   

6. Any desired elective not on the above lists, require written approval by the Program Director. Written goals and objectives, proposed educational activities, faculty supervision and evaluation methods must be submitted to the Chief Resident and Program Director, signed by both the resident and the faculty preceptor, prior to approval.
   
   

7. Electives outside the Department of Pediatrics (e.g. Dermatology) require prior, written permission from the faculty supervising the desired rotation.
   
   

8. Off-campus electives may be done only with the explicit approval of the Pediatrics Program Director. These electives include a one-week rotation at the Rainbow Connection Camp for immunocompromised children, a one-month rotation in Nicaragua,  Only one off-campus elective may be taken per each of the PGY-2 and PGY-3 years (or PGY-3 and PGY-4 for Med-Peds residents). Be aware however, that these off-campus electives, especially if out of the State, are extremely difficult to schedule because of licensing and malpractice issues. Because of this, you may not be able to do an elective out of state and you may have to use your own funds to arrange extra malpractice coverage, even if the elective is in state. Recognize also that it can take 6 to 8 weeks to complete the necessary paperwork for one of these electives; so start early. 
   
   

9. Many subspecialty divisions, both within and outside the Department of Pediatrics, limit the number of learners (residents, students, etc.) permitted per rotation. Requested electives will be granted based on availability and on a first come, first served basis.