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      Children's Intensive Research - Residency Pathway (CHIRRP) Overview

      Description

      • CHIRRP is an American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) approved mechanism for pediatric residency training and is designed for residents who have earned an MD (with substantial research experience) or MD/PhD degree and are committed to an academic research career.
      • The ABP's Integrated Research Pathway allows for 11 months of research to be integrated into 3 years of general pediatrics residency prior to entering a 3-year fellowship in a pediatric subspecialty.

      Structure

      • CHIRRP residents will parallel traditional clinical residency for most of the first year.
      • Residents will spend a total of 11 months out of the 3-year residency in research training opportunities.  Research training months will be maximized in the final 2 years of residency.
      • Continuity clinic continues weekly throughout the three years.
      • Mentorship is a central feature of CHIRRP. A customized mentoring committee of experienced Children's National investigators is assembled for each resident. A research mentor is then identified based on the applicant's experience and career interests, which may be oriented toward basic science, clinical science, public health or health policy.

      Successful Candidates

      • Research residents will be selected through the same residency match system in place for traditional applicants.

                     o   Interview with programs during the same interview window as other 
                          prospective residents

      • One to two research-residency slots will be offered per year.
      • Intern applicants cannot be guaranteed acceptance into CHIRRP prior to the beginning of their internship since clinical performance and PL-1 in-service exam scores are used to judge a candidate's suitability for this training. 
      • Housestaff who wish to pursue this pathway must notify the Program Directors by January 1st of the internship year.
      • Necessary requirements to be considered include:

                      o    Extensive prior research experience (most will have graduate degrees
                             in addition to their medical degree) and/or evidence of a sustained 
                             research effort.
                      o    Indication, from the candidate's PL-1 in-training exam score, that he or
                             she will probably be able to pass the American Board of Pediatrics 
                             Certifying Exam without a third year of general pediatric clinical 
                             training.
                      o    Candidates must be approved by the American Board of Pediatrics 
                             during the first nine months of the PL-1 year.