curriculum
The University of Washington and Seattle Children's Combined Pediatric-Medical Genetics Residency Program provides an integrated four-year curriculum that fulfills the educational requirements for both pediatrics and medical genetics while preparing residents for careers in academic medicine, clinical practice, or physician-scientist pathways.
Residents develop progressive responsibility throughout residency, gaining expertise in the diagnosis, management, and long-term care of infants, children, adolescents, and adults with genetic conditions while maintaining strong foundations in general pediatrics.
Clinical training takes place across the University of Washington's nationally recognized teaching hospitals and clinics, including Seattle Children's Hospital, UW Medical Center-Montlake, and affiliated regional clinical sites. This diverse training environment provides exposure to patients from throughout the Pacific Northwest and WWAMI region - a five-state network that includes Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho - offering experience with both common pediatric conditions and rare, complex genetic disorders.
The curriculum includes a balanced combination of inpatient and outpatient experiences designed to develop expertise across the full spectrum of pediatric and medical genetics practice. Core rotations include:
- General Pediatrics
- Pediatric Inpatient Medicine
- Neonatal Intensive Care
- Pediatric Intensive Care
- Emergency Medicine
- Prenatal
- Pediatric Genetics
- Adult Genetics
- Cancer Genetics
- Biochemical Genetics
- Cytogenetics
- Molecular Genetics
- Multidisciplinary Specialty Clinics
- Continuity Clinics
- Elective rotations tailored to individual career interests
The four-year combined curriculum is designed to provide a strong foundation in general pediatrics before transitioning to increasingly specialized training in medical genetics and genomics.
- PGY-1: Pediatrics
- PGY-2: 6 months Pediatrics / 6 months Medical Genetics
- PGY-3: 6 months Pediatrics / 6 months Medical Genetics
- PGY-4: Medical Genetics
Throughout training, residents participate in a robust educational curriculum that complements their clinical experiences. Weekly conferences, case discussions, board review sessions, multidisciplinary conferences, journal clubs, and genetics seminars reinforce foundational knowledge.
Graduated autonomy, faculty mentorship, and individualized learning plans allow residents to build confidence as independent clinicians while tailoring elective experiences and scholarly activities to their professional goals. By the completion of training, graduates are well prepared to provide comprehensive, evidence-based care for patients with genetic conditions across all stages of life and to pursue board certification in both Pediatrics and Medical Genetics.