The BCRP is a family made up of over 150 residents, program directors and administrative staff. Many residents have recently moved to Boston, some with partners and young children and all are working hard to balance their busy professional and personal lives. We value providing a strong support network for our residents, and we strive to give the BCRP community as many opportunities as possible to spend time together outside the hospital.

Intern Orientation

New interns participate in a unique 12-day orientation before their first day of work. This time is dedicated to helping interns explore Boston, learn their way around the hospitals, take care of logistics, and – most importantly – get to know their new family so they can hit the ground running having already forged many of the friendships that will continue throughout the rest of their lives. During Orientation, incoming interns participate in structured modules that highlight a variety of important areas such as communication, professionalism, humanism, resident wellness, individualized learning plans and procedural competency; complete certification courses in PALS and NRP; get oriented to the wards and emergency departments in which they will soon be working; and enjoy a variety of social activities, such as:

• Traditional New England clambake and lobster fest
• Family barbecue and lawn games
• Red Sox games
• Chief Family Dinners
• Happy Hours
• And more…

Pictures of the residents during orientation.

 

 

Advisors and Mentorship

The BCRP strives to provide the best possible educational experience for each and every resident, to foster personal and professional growth, and to encourage the pursuit of individual passions. Our program prides itself on carefully guiding residents along their chosen career path in order to help them become leaders in clinical care, research, medical education, quality improvement, advocacy, or other areas of their choosing. We take a dual approach, with advising being provided primarily through the five “Chief Families” and mentorship being accomplished primarily through the four Academies and Global Health Pathway discussed elsewhere.

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Advising

Each of the Chief Families includes about 30 residents and is led by a Chief Resident. Families are also broken down into smaller, nuclear families with junior and senior residents serving as mentors for interns.  Residents meet with their Chief Family leadership regularly to discuss rotation feedback and peer and faculty Milestones assessments, progress towards individual personal and professional goals, and any issues they may encounter. The advisors often provide guidance on career choices and advocate on behalf of the resident in many forums.

Mentorship

While mentorship overlaps significantly with advising, the primary focus of mentorship through the Academies and Global Health Pathway is professional development and career planning.  The Faculty Advisors, affiliated faculty members, and Chief Residents who lead each Academy/Pathway organize specific opportunities for residents to identify mentors through networking events, career nights, and research-in-progress events, among others. Residents are encouraged to identify mentors that share their interests, with help from chief residents and program leadership, or the Academy leadership may assign a mentor at the resident’s request. Residents have also compiled a list of faculty in each department that are looking to serve as mentors, residents use this list to drive their own outreach or to search for new projects.

Housestaff Lounge

The Housestaff Lounge at Boston Children’s Hospital is a recently renovated, casual space dedicated to BCRP residents. It contains workspaces with computers, printer, a fax/scanner and individual mailboxes; a Keurig coffee machine with free coffee and tea; a microwave and a full-size refrigerator (stocked with seltzers and soda); and a 50-inch HD television with surround sound. Residents use this room to relax, to gather for informal meetings, and for various morning and lunchtime conferences.  The BCRP also has their own Peloton bike that is located in one of the resident call rooms with a shared account open for all residents to use throughout the year.