Texas Pediatric Society
The Texas Pediatric Society, the Texas Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, believes that the most important resource of the State of Texas is its children, and pledges its efforts to promote their health and welfare. The goal of the Society is that all children in the State attain their full potential for physical, emotional, and social health.

Pediatrics by the Gulf
Annual UTMB sponsored conference

Dr. Amber HairfieldAmber Hairfield DO
Program Director
Chair, Grad. Med. Ed. Comm.
amhairfi@UTMB.EDU
Rodriguez-LienMonica Huff MD
Associate Program Director
mlhuff@utmb.edu
Christy L Humphry class=Christy L Humphrey
Residency Program Manager
(409) 747-0534
clhumphr@utmb.edu
Blanca Araujo class=Blanca Araujo
Administrative Associate
(409) 772-0192
braraujo@utmb.edu

Resident Scholarly Activities

Over the three years of the program, each resident is required to complete a mentored scholarly activity of research by completing one of three project types: a hypothesis driven scholarly research project, a case report, a quality improvement project, an education project, or a substantial review.

The curriculum, with assignments and resources, is managed on a Blackboard course available to all residents and their Advisers.

Scholarly projects are presented at an Annual Resident Research Forum during the spring of the PGY - 3 year.

PEDIATRICS BY THE GULF 2020 VIRTUAL POSTER SESSION

Click on the hyperlink Title to expand each section below.

Scholarly Activity Curriculum

The Department of Pediatrics has had an established Resident Scholarly Project Program since 1991. The program aims to provide mentorship for pediatric residents to promote the successful completion of a scholarly activity project upon graduation. The structure consists of a Scholarly Activity Committee and Faculty Mentors for each resident. Project-directed didactic sessions are scheduled into the Academic Half Day teaching series.

The timeline, in brief, is that interns choose a project and mentor by mid intern year then meet with their mentor and the scholarly activity committee yearly. Over the three years of the program, each resident is required to complete a mentored scholarly activity of research by completing one of three project types: a hypothesis-driven scholarly research project, a case report, a quality improvement project, an education project, or a substantial review. In the final year, residents present their work at the Annual Pediatrics by the Gulf Conference where posters are judged and an award is given. Residents also enter the Texas Pediatric Society resident poster contest where, yearly, our residents represent UTMB as winners in multiple categories. The program has evolved over time as technology has advanced with our first virtual resident poster session in June 2020.

The curriculum, with assignments and resources, is managed on a Blackboard course available to all residents and their Advisors.

A Brief History of the Pediatric Resident Scholarly Project Program

Prior to 1992, the Pediatric Housestaff at UTMB were required to contribute some evidence of scholarly activity in a variety of ways – presentation at Grand Rounds, presentation at a Resident noon conference, and preparation of a manuscript. However, the program was somewhat hit or miss. After several conversations with Dr. Ben Brouhard, who was very interested in residents being more involved in research, I prepared a written proposal for a formal program and submitted it to Dr. Joan Richardson, who was then Interim Chair of Pediatrics (1990). Shortly thereafter (1991), Dr. Pearay Ogra joined the department as a permanent chair and the proposal was reviewed by him and he gave the go-ahead to begin. The essence of the program was that we would provide didactic material and mentoring to support each resident in the completion of a research project, culminating in an oral presentation in the APS-SPR/SSPR 10-15 minute format. Each resident was expected to identify a mentor and a project with the support of the Resident Research Committee, the first Chair of which was Dr. Karen Shattuck with Constance Baldwin, Harold Levine, Susan Keeney, I, and the Chief Resident as members. The first Resident Research day took place on May 13, 1992. The general format of a half-day of oral presentations judged by a panel including a visiting professor (who, as the program evolved, would then give Grand Rounds the following day),  certificates to all presenters and awards to several of the outstanding presentations continued with minor tweaks until 2008.

In 2008, reflecting considerable push back by the Housestaff, it was decided to go to a poster session format, held in the Pediatric Library until 2010 when it was incorporated as a session in the annual Pediatric Review Course off campus. In 2020, as a result of the Coronavirus Pandemic, the Poster session was presented virtually.

The composition of the supervising committee changed over the years, with Drs. Fred Huang and Nigel Bourne being Co-Chairs from 2004-2009 followed by Co-Chairs Drs. Cara Geary and Nigel Bourne from 2010 – 2014, and Drs. Amber Hairfield and Nigel Bourne starting in 2014. I have been the only member of the committee to serve continuously since the inception of the program.

Several outcomes from the program are worth noting. 1. When we started we were still in the era of 35mm slides, which were onerous and expensive to prepare and which did not give flexibility for changes after practice sessions. The availability of PowerPoint and computer projectors for the department were a direct result of these issues and Glennda Rassin spent considerable time educating the Housestaff on how to prepare PowerPoint presentations. 2. The second-floor conference room needed to be upgraded and this was stimulated by the need for a better presentation environment for the Resident Research Day. 3. Several residents found that having done a research project eased the application process for fellowships. 4. The visiting professors gave us kudos for the program and we received positive feedback outside the institution. 5. A requirement that the posters be submitted to the annual Texas Pediatric Society meeting has resulted in more positive feedback as we have had many winners in that competition.

The program continues as an evolving activity in format, but with the goal of educating the Housestaff as to where and how the data are arrived at which they may use in their ongoing careers. The expectation is that this is a learning process although one outcome may be publications and external presentations.

Requirements

  • Residents must choose a faculty mentor at UTMB
  • Present at the Annual Pediatrics by the Gulf conference in June in the last year of training
  • Enter the Texas Pediatric Society Electronic Poster Contest
  • Project completion is a requirement for residency graduation