Thank you for your interest in the University of Missouri, Columbia.  We are very excited about our residency program here, and we would love for you to take a closer look.  We have a small department of Pediatrics, allowing for a dynamic interaction between our attending physicians, resident physicians, and medical students.  Because we have approximately 40 faculty members, residents and faculty get to know each other very well.

Dr. Paul Robinson and Dr. Ted Groshong

This situation allows for a lot of personal attention, almost as one might see in a liberal arts college. Our residents see a wide spectrum of pediatric conditions, because the University takes referrals from virtually all of middle and southern Missouri (outside of Kansas City and Saint Louis).  In addition, because of our large Amish and Mennonite populations, our residents see a host of metabolic and genetic conditions.  Without question, our residents receive fine clinical experiences, which will prepare them for a life in private practice or a fellowship in a pediatric subspecialty.

We generally have five pediatric interns and four medicine-pediatric interns per year.  Currently, our total number of residents is twenty-five.  They work hard, but they still have plenty of time to read, learn, and have fun!  In keeping with the University of Missouri’s mission, we believe in an active learning environment, in which the residents and students teach themselves at the same time that we, as attendings, teach them.  Residents present journal reviews or AAP policy statements to each other in some of their conferences.  We actively involve our residents and medical students in our biweekly problem conferences (though we don’t “pick on” individuals), and we give the upper level residents the opportunity of teaching one major departmental teaching conference per year, with a faculty member “advisor.”  In addition, we ask our resident physicians to be very involved with student teaching.  On virtually a yearly basis these fine people win teaching awards from the 3^rd and 4^th year medical students at the University.

And all of this takes place in the beautiful setting of Columbia, MO, which consistently ranks among the top places to live in the United States.  With its beautiful parks, dynamic downtown area, three college campuses, and the MKT trail (see pictures on the website), you will not be bored during your time off.  In addition, Kansas City and Saint Louis are “just up the road a ways” (as we used to say in Tennessee).

In short, we have an excellent and friendly program, here at the University of Missouri.  Our residents become almost like “family”.  Yearly, for example, several residents and attendings (and spouses) play together on a coed softball team.  Several times per year the groups get together for joint parties and pot-lucks.  We think we have something special here, and I hope you will further investigate what we have to offer.  Wishing you success for your future!

Sincerely,

Ted D. Groshong, M.D.

Chairman, Department of Child Health

Associate Dean for Alumni Affairs

Pediatric Nephrology

University of Missouri, Columbia

D. Paul Robinson, M.D.                               

Associate Chairman for Education

Pediatric Residency Program Director

Co-Director of Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Program

University of Missouri, Columbia