Program Overview
At the UNMC/Creighton/Children’s Nebraska Joint Pediatric Residency Program, we combine exceptional clinical training, diverse patient experiences, and a supportive learning environment to prepare the next generation of pediatricians.
Our residents benefit from the combined strengths of three outstanding institutions, gaining broad clinical experience across inpatient, outpatient, emergency, and critical care settings. From common childhood illnesses to complex medical and surgical conditions, our diverse patient population provides the foundation for comprehensive pediatric training. Through graduated responsibility, hands-on learning, and close collaboration with dedicated faculty, residents develop the clinical skills, confidence, and independence needed for successful careers in pediatrics.
We recognize that every resident brings unique interests, strengths, and career aspirations. Our program emphasizes individualized mentorship, meaningful opportunities in research, advocacy, medical education, and quality improvement, and a strong commitment to resident well-being. Whether pursuing general pediatrics, hospital medicine, or subspecialty fellowship training, residents are supported in achieving their professional goals while building lasting relationships with colleagues and mentors in a welcoming, collaborative community.
Please see below for some of the common questions about our program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our residency program prioritizes resident well-being while providing comprehensive clinical training. We have eliminated traditional 24-hour call shifts in favor of a shift-based scheduling system, including dedicated night float rotations for inpatient and ICU experiences. During these rotations, residents typically work blocks of consecutive night shifts, allowing for more predictable schedules and dedicated time away from the hospital.
Schedules vary by rotation and level of training, with interns focusing on direct patient care and senior residents taking on increasing supervisory responsibilities. Emergency Medicine rotations are generally free of additional call responsibilities, while ambulatory and elective rotations may include occasional back-up or cross-cover coverage. Throughout all three years, our goal is to balance clinical experience, progressive responsibility and resident wellness.
Our program has a robust backup system in place so that all residents feel supported in taking the time they need away from work for any unexpected absences. Depending on the time of the year and year in training, residents may be assigned 2-3 backup shifts in a month. For absences known in advance, we generally try to avoid activating the backup resident. When needed, though, the backup resident will cover the absence for that shift.
While there are no completely call-free months per se, there are certainly months where residents experience lighter schedules with little cross-cover or backup responsibilities. We are actively working to limit as much as possible the number of cross-cover shifts that exist in our program. Additionally, our flexible vacation policies allow residents to spend time away from the hospital in a way that fits their needs.
No! While you do have to request the months you prefer to be vacation-eligible, and you need to request vacation in advance (typically ~3 months), we do not dictate how you take your vacation days. Rotations will have limits to how much vacation you can take, but residents are free to take single days of vacation at a time or many days in a row.
Getting between our training sites is easy and convenient! Omaha is a manageable city with relatively light traffic and short commute times. Our three primary training sites—Children’s Nebraska, the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), and CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center–Bergan Mercy—are all located within a short driving distance of one another, typically just 10–15 minutes apart. With minimal traffic congestion and easy access to major roads, traveling between rotations is convenient, leaving more time to enjoy life outside the hospital.
Our graduates pursue a wide variety of rewarding careers in pediatrics, reflecting the breadth of training and individualized opportunities available through our program. Many enter general pediatrics, practicing in communities throughout Nebraska and across the country, while others pursue careers in pediatric hospital medicine or subspecialty fellowship training. Our alumni have matched into competitive fellowships in fields such as neonatology, critical care, cardiology, hematology/oncology, and many others at institutions nationwide. Please see our resident alumni page to see the amazing things our resident alumni are doing with their careers!