Pediatrics Residency Program at Maimonides Children's Hospital
Maimonides is officially designated as a Children’s Hospital by the National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions—making us the first and only hospital in Brooklyn to receive this prestigious recognition.
Our mission, W.E. C.A.R.E., reflects our unwavering commitment to improving the health and well-being of children through Well-being, Excellence in family-centered care, Compassionate Advocacy, Research, and Education.
To support this mission, we proudly offer state-of-the-art facilities and a dedicated teaching faculty who are passionate about advancing pediatric care for our community.
The Pediatric Division of Medical Education is committed to recruiting, training, and developing a diverse group of high-quality trainees and faculty who are dedicated to excellence in patient care, research, and education. Participants will engage in training and teaching experiences that reflect all facets of diversity, including the patient populations served, the pathologies encountered, and the teaching methods employed. They will acquire the skills necessary to provide a medical home for children and families from diverse backgrounds, and will be equipped to recognize and address the social determinants of health affecting underserved and underinsured populations. Graduates of the program will serve as role models for one another and for the children they serve, embodying a lifelong commitment to learning and teaching.
Message from Our Program Director
I have had the privilege of serving in program leadership in the Department of Pediatrics for over 18 years—and counting. When I first accepted this calling, I was told that most individuals in this role last about five years. Point noted…but clearly not internalized. Each year is filled with memories that keep me not only energized, but focused on what lies ahead. The graduates of this program remain my inspiration—their accomplishments not only locally, but internationally with the reach of the diversity of our graduates continues to make significant strides for children in vulnerable communities. Proud PD moment!
Being a Program Director and Vice Chair of Education is far more than a job for me—I came to learn that it is truly a calling. What a privilege to serve a community that reflects the vibrant beauty of Brooklyn: its children. As an immigrant whose family built a life in Brooklyn, I am deeply humbled to now serve the children and families of this borough. Each day brings the opportunity to learn, to teach, and to grow alongside an extraordinary group of colleagues passionate about the health outcomes of children. We don’t just work together—we truly inspire one another. Each day we inspire each other to show up as our best selves—everyday—in our clinical areas and in our communities.
Maimonides is a truly special place. I’ll admit—our exterior might not turn heads. But step inside, and you’ll find something exceptional: a community of people committed to making a real difference in the lives of every human we have the privilege to treat.
To all prospective learners, I warmly invite you to come and see what we’re all about. Just a word of caution—once you’re here, the years may fly by, just as they have for me.
Ingrid A. Walker-Descartes, MD, MPH, MBA
Vice Chair of Education
Program Director, Pediatrics Residency
Program Overview
The Maimonides Pediatric Residency Program offers a distinctive training experience under the leadership of Jeffrey Avner, MD, Chair of Pediatrics, and Ingrid Walker-Descartes, MD, MPH, MBA, Vice Chair of Education and Residency Program Director. Guided by a dedicated and renowned faculty, the department promotes a philosophy rooted in family-centered care and physician wellness. This dual focus forms a strong foundation for cultivating meaningful patient-family-physician relationships, which are essential to delivering high-quality pediatric care, while also fostering a resilient, team-based clinical environment.
Our residency program is designed to prepare graduates with a focus on clinical excellence, teaching distinction, and research innovation. They are poised for successful careers in both clinical and academic pediatrics—whether they pursue subspecialty fellowships or a career in general pediatrics. We are especially proud of our competency-based curriculum, integrated with the innovative X+Y model. Our 8+2 adaptation was designed for residents by residents while aligned with the Immunization Periodicity Schedule for the Well Child visits. This alignment ensures patient continuity and connection while ensuring protected time for didactics and other curricular activities including but not limited to:
- An Advocacy Rotation that strengthens community engagement and promotes best practices in integrating social determinants of health (SDH) screening across all clinical settings
- Administrative half-days that support trainee wellness
- Regularly scheduled individual and group mentorship meetings, which often evolve into scholarly collaborations and personalized learning plans that benefit residents during and beyond their training
- A structured weekly Academic Half Day Session aligned with the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) Content Specifications. These sessions are designed to ensure comprehensive coverage of core pediatric topics, facilitating progressive learning and knowledge retention. The goal is to enhance residents’ preparedness for the Pediatric Board Examination by integrating high-yield, board-relevant content into a protected academic schedule.
Additional didactic sessions are organized within a comprehensive conference schedule optimized for maximum trainee participation. Clinical rotations are further supported by a cloud-based learning management system, enabling seamless access to educational resources before, during, and after rotations.
These program elements ensure that both faculty and residents remain engaged and committed to the program’s educational mission. Most importantly, they empower our graduates to thrive in their pediatric careers and maintain a lifelong connection to their residency experience.
The residency training program ensure all of our graduates are equipped for a successful career in clinical and academic pediatrics. With a competency-based curriculum, which incorporates protected time for didactics, faculty and residents alike are energized to participate in activities that fulfill the program’s educational mission. All lectures are presented as a part of a conference schedule adapted to facilitate maximal attendance by all trainees. Additionally, web-based and live board review sessions complement the curriculum to enhance the efforts of trainees preparing for the pediatric certification exam upon graduation. Our Faculty Advisor Program continues to flourish serving as the basis for successful mentoring relationships. Such partnerships have resulted in collaborations yielding scholarly products as well individualized learning plans that have served many trainees in their growth as academicians. All of these curricular features guarantee our graduates a thriving career in the field of pediatrics.
- Morning Report
- Morning Report is a structured, case-based teaching conference designed to enhance residents’ clinical reasoning, diagnostic skills, and evidence-based decision-making. Typically moderated by Chief Residents, led by senior residents with faculty supervision. Each session involves the presentation of a recent admission or complex clinical case from the varied clinical areas. The format promotes active discussion among residents and faculty, encouraging learners to formulate differential diagnoses, interpret diagnostic data, and propose management strategies in real-time. Held on Monday, Wednesday, Friday mornings at 8:00–9:00 AM.
- Professor Rounds
- Professor’s Rounds provides a unique opportunity to explore the clinical reasoning process through real-time case analysis by faculty. Even experienced clinicians are not immune to common cognitive errors that can impact diagnostic accuracy—such as anchoring, confirmation bias, overconfidence, ascertainment bias, and premature closure. In this forum, seasoned clinicians are intentionally presented with cases they have not previously reviewed. They are asked to “think out loud,” sharing their step-by-step approach to information gathering, synthesis, and the development of a differential diagnosis. This transparent, reflective process models expert reasoning for trainees while highlighting the potential pitfalls in clinical decision-making. It also promotes humility, interdisciplinary perspectives, and a culture of continuous learning, benefiting both trainees and experienced clinicians alike.
- Grand Rounds
- Academic Half Day
- Simulation
- Journal Club
Benefits
Please review benefits and services provided by Maimonides Medical Center and CIR:
- Meal stipend
- Parking vouchers
- Education/book stipend
- American Academy of Pediatrics Membership
Activities
Our residents enjoy a strong sense of community beyond the workplace. They organize social events, especially after Academic Half Day, and come together to celebrate milestones like birthdays, baby showers, and weddings. These connections help foster a supportive and inclusive environment throughout residency.
Follow our residency program on Instagram @maimopeds.
- Patient care
- Medical knowledge
- Practice-based learning and improvement
- Interpersonal and communication skills
- Professionalism
- Systems-based practice
“We embrace people with all their differences. We cannot be colorblind as our strength is in the diversity of our patients and the members of our Maimonides team.”
– Dr. Ingrid Walker-Descartes
Program Leadership
Jeffrey Avner, MD
- Chair of Pediatrics
Ingrid Walker-Descartes
MD, MPH, MBA
- Vice Chair of Education
- Program Director, Pediatrics Residency
- Program Director, Child Abuse Pediatrics Fellowship
Jeremiah Cleveland, MD
- Associate Program Director, Pediatrics Residency
- Program Director, Pediatric Hospital Medicine Fellowship
Shilpa Bansal, MD
- Associate Program Director, Pediatrics Residency
Our Residents
Our residents have gone on to the nation’s leading institutions
Advocate Lutheran General Hospital
Akron Children’s Hospital
Baylor Medical Center
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School
C.S Mott Children’s Hospital
Centers for Disease Control
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Children’s Minnesota
Children’s National Hospital
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
Cohen Children’s Medical Center
Connecticut Children’s Medical Center
Emory University
Faith Regional Health Services
Family Health Centers of San Diego
Kaiser Permanente, Fontana Medical Center
Maimonides Children’s Hospital
Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, Westchester Medical Center
Medical City Children’s Hospital
Medstar Georgetown University Hospital
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre/ Cornell Pediatrics
Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children
New York University Medical Center
Orange Regional Medical Center
Penn State Children’s Hospital
Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital
Reston Hospital Center
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children
St. Joseph Medical Center
SUNY Downstate
Texas Children’s Hospital-Baylor College of Medicine
The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Medical Center
UCLA Mattel Children Hospital
University of California at San Diego
University of California San Francisco Benioff Children’s Hospital
University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital
University of Maryland Medical Center
University of New Mexico
University of Rochester-Golisano Children’s Hospital
Washington University School of Medicine
William Beaumont Hospital
Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital
Resident Stories
Largest and busiest Pediatric ICU in Brooklyn
Only Pediatric Trauma Center in Brooklyn
How to Apply
Candidates must submit their application through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). We will not consider emailed applications or CVs.
Application requirements:
- Three letters of recommendation (at least one letter in pediatrics)
- Medical Student Performance Evaluation/Dean’s letter
- Medical school transcript
- Personal Statement
- USMLE Step 1 or COMLEX-1 results
- CV
We sponsor applicants for J1 Visas. Due to a recent executive order effecting H-1B sponsorship and subsequent litigation, Maimonides Medical Center cannot guarantee H-1B Visa sponsorship.
Learn more about applying to residencies at Maimonides.
Interview Season FAQs
Our program consists of 20 residents per year and 2 chief residents.
No, there is no minimum score requirement; however, we do look at number of attempts.
Candidates can apply without a USMLE Step 2 or COMLEX Level 2; however, a passing score is required in order to be ranked.
We will consider candidates who graduated medical school within the last five years with clinical experience.