The Madigan Pediatrics Residency Training Experience
The Madigan Pediatrics Department offers a busy and diverse training experience, to include an inpatient service, PICU, and level three NICU as well as a robust general pediatrics clinic. The Madigan Pediatric department has a wide variety of subspecialists in house, to include Infectious Disease, Cardiology, Nephrology, Neurology, Rheumatology, Pulmonology, Endocrinology, Hematology/Oncology, Adolescent, as well as a variety of Madigan surgical subspecialties to include pediatric ENT and pediatric surgery. Additionally, there is a partnered Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics fellowship program. All of this is augmented by rotational opportunities at three local, free-standing children’s hospitals (Mary Bridge in Tacoma, WA, and Seattle Children’s). Residents also spend time at St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma, WA in the Neonatal ICU.
(View of Madigan's Pond with illuminated fountains with Mt. Rainier in the distance)
Established in 1958, the program has a vibrant teaching environment and prides itself on academic excellence as well as a close-knit work hard, play hard culture. Our American Board of Pediatrics Exam pass rate has been 100% over the past 5 years (the best in the DoD and nation)! Faculty consists of active duty and civilian board certified pediatricians and subspecialists. The didactic schedule consists of daily morning report and noon didactics that are delivered by both faculty and residents, journal clubs, QI symposiums, morbidity and mortality conference, several multi-disciplinary conferences, and research rounds.
All Madigan residents participate in scholarly activity prior to graduation. Madigan residents regularly present at local conferences such as Madigan Research day as well as national conferences such Infectious Diseases Society of America, and American Academy of Pediatrics Annual Meeting. Madigan residents also have an excellent record of published academic work with recent publications in journals such as Pediatrics, Neoreviews, and The Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society. Additionally, all residents participate in department Quality Improvement and Practice Improvement projects throughout their residency.

Curriculum unique to Madigan includes training in Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS). Residents receive training in pediatrics specific POCUS skills such as FAST exams, ultrasound guided IV placement, lumbar punctures, and more. Residents receive longitudinal cultural competency didactics and diversity training as well as a dedicated Community Pediatrics rotation during internship year with the goal of empowering residents to serve as patient advocates while addressing the health and welfare of children in their local and global communities.
The program strives to produce the highest caliber pediatricians who are skilled and prepared to deliver exceptional medical care in environments ranging from austere military combat zones to large, academic medical centers. These complex and varied demands require graduates to be exceptionally competent, healthy, and motivated military officers and physicians. The expectation is that Madigan graduates will possess uncompromising personal integrity and ethical standards and be the pediatricians we want caring for our own children. They will be experts in general pediatrics and well prepared for fellowship training. The program philosophy is that we produce the future leaders in military and civilian medicine.
Resident Rotations
PGY-1
- Madigan ward (2)
- Madigan NICU (2)
- Nursery (1)
- Community Pediatrics (1)
- Madigan outpatient clinic (2)
- Adolescent medicine (1)
- Madigan Emergency medicine (1)
- Electives (2)
PGY-2
- Madigan ward senior (2)
- Seattle Children’s PICU (1) – August-November, January-April
- Madigan NICU (1)
- St. Joe’s NICU (1)
- Mary Bridge Inpatient Services (1)
- Mary Bridge Children’s Emergency Medicine (1)
- Madigan outpatient clinic (1)
- Developmental Pediatrics (1)
- Electives (3)
PGY-3
- Mary Bridge PICU (1)
- Mary Bridge Inpatient Services (1)
- Mary Bridge Children’s Emergency Medicine (1)
- Chief and Chief 2.0 (1)
- Madigan or St. Joe’s NICU (1)
- Madigan outpatient clinic (2)
- Option for one rotation at Naval Hospital Bremerton
- Inpatient elective (1)
- Electives (3)
Medical Student Rotations
The Pediatric Department serves a culturally diverse patient population of approximately 12,000 enrolled patient beneficiaries aged newborn through 23 years of age with a range of general pediatric and specialty clinics, pediatric ward, newborn nursery, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit services.
The Pediatric Department provides pediatric clinical clerkships for 3rd Year Medical Students from the University of Washington School of Medicine and Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences as well as 4th Year Medical Students who wish to pursue sub-internships, clinical rotations and/or interviews for residency.
Third Year Medical Students
All third year medical students rotate through the Pediatric Ward, the Newborn Nursery and the Outpatient Pediatric Clinic. This clinical experience provides ample exposure to pediatric specific history taking, clinical examinations and differential diagnosis skills in infants/children and adolescents. Medical students will learn to assess and manage pediatric patients for preventive health checks, chronic/congenital medical diseases and a variety of acute pediatric complaints in a growing Patient Centered Medical Home. Medical Students will gain clinical skills and experience in oral presentations, clinical note writing, pediatric specific knowledge and differential diagnosis, interpretation and managerial skills. Third Year Medical Students are able to complete their Third Year Medical School specific educational requirements on this rotation.
Fourth Year Medical Students
Fourth Year Medical Students can tailor their clinical experience to their interests or specific school requirements. The full spectrum of subspecialty clinical services are available for rotation experiences. We are happy to host Health Professional Scholarship Program (HPSP) recipients as well as students from the Uniformed Services University (USU).
All Medical Students play a critical role on the medical teams and receive hands on clinical teaching with engaged residents and teaching staff.
All students are expected to attend Department Education Time from 7:30 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. and Lectures from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.