Developmental Pediatrics Residency Program

Welcome to the Developmental Pediatrics Residency Program at the University of Alberta.

Dr. Sabrina Eliason
Program Director

Our Program

The Developmental Pediatrics Subspecialty Residency Program at the University of Alberta has been designed to meet, and at times exceed, the requirements of the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada. The subspecialty residency program will prepare the resident for an independent career involving patient care, teaching, administration, and research.  Within our division, there are research opportunities in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), cerebral palsy, and complex pediatric outcomes, to name but a few.

STOLLERY SCIENCE LAB DISTINGUISHED RESEARCHER LONNIE ZWAIGENBAUM

Stollery Science Lab Distinguished Researcher Lonnie Zwaigenbaum discusses his child health project. Zwaigenbaum's work is funded by the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation and its donors.

Residency at a Glance

This residency program is for 2 years. Program length of training does not exceed the Royal College or College of Family Physicians of Canada standard.

This accredited training is a two-year subspecialty program, divided into 26 four-week blocks. The majority of rotations are completed at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital. There are 15 blocks in core Developmental Pediatrics, with a minimum of four blocks of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine and four blocks of Developmental/Behavioural services, divided between the first and second years. Core block opportunities exist in preschool and school-aged clinics, brain injury and orthopedic rehab, managing a diagnostic classroom, and running a longitudinal continuity clinic with direct supervision and mentoring. Opportunities to train through outreach clinics in remote locations occur throughout the program. Working closely with the various interprofessional clinicians during training ensures a rich understanding of medical teams and allows the trainee to deliver quality, team-based health care by the end of training.

In addition to the core rotations, one block each of Pediatric Neurology, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and Genetics is required. Five blocks of elective time are available and can be arranged outside of the University of Alberta. All rotations are designed to meet the individual educational needs and interests of our trainees, in keeping with the standards set by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. 

As many Developmental Pediatricians work in academic environments, teaching and research are an essential component of our training program. A minimum of three equivalent blocks of research are required, including a faculty-wide PGME Research Methodology course and optional course-work in the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine. Funding for trainee research is readily available, as is support from local cutting-edge researchers. There is a genuine focus on developing teaching skills throughout training, including numerous presentation opportunities--from grand rounds to medical student clinical skills and community events.

A sample of the schedule/rotations for each year follows: (most rotations are at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital)

Teaching Hospitals

Much of the program is centered at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, a tertiary development and rehabilitation site. All required rotational sites are located within the greater Edmonton area.

Primary Site:

• Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital

Secondary Sites:

• Stollery Children's Hospital 
• East Edmonton Learning and Development Clinic
• Misericordia Community Hospital - Child Health Behaviour Clinic
  
• Optional travel clinics to more remote areas in Alberta

Resident Testimonials

We asked our residents what their highlights of the program are, and one piece of advice for applicants about the interview process. Here is what a few of them had to say: