Restructuring of ward teams:
In the spring of 2009, the configuration of our inpatient pediatrics teams was changed so that general pediatrics patients are now admitted to three different ward teams, subspecialty patients are distributed across these teams as well, and the team configurations change slightly in the winter to accommodate seasonal variation in patient census.
Prior to this, our general pediatrics patients were admitted to a single ward team.  The new team configurations were designed with substantial resident input, and in response largely to resident concerns about balancing the patient census between ward teams and about maximizing opportunities for general pediatric clinical education on the wards.
Ongoing active feedback from residents has allowed continued fine tuning of this new system.  Resident leadership has been instrumental in developing and implementing this significant change to the structure of our inpatient ward teams, which has positively affected both delivery of patient care and residents' inpatient educational experiences.

Rheumatology service:
The Division of Rheumatology now has a designated daily time for inpatient rounds, which allows structured, protected time for education in rheumatology.

Wellness program:
Acknowledging that residency can be a stressful time of many transitions, and to provide resources to help residents deal proactively with stress, a new wellness program was implemented this year. This program will include monthly facilitated discussions for interns, periodic conferences for all residents on topics such as “work-life balance” and “dealing with the winter blues,” and resources such as a directory of recommended mental health professionals.  We have a wellness website and bulletin board that feature monthly personal health themes and group social activities.  In addition, residents have access to University Hospitals’ system-wide employee wellness program.