Welcome future pediatricians,
Thank you for your interest in our Pediatrics L.E.A.D. (Leaders Evaluating and Addressing Disparities) Program at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital. Our innovative primary care-oriented program provides residents with a unique opportunity to broaden their pediatric training to encompass public health, community outreach and legislative advocacy. For me personally, being a L.E.A.D resident has been one of the most transformative experiences of my life. I hope that you too will see how special this program is throughout your recruitment season.
The program consists of 12 total residents with four residents per residency class. Although we function as a close-knit group, we also benefit from being incorporated into BCM’s pediatrics residency program – the largest categorical pediatrics residency program in the nation at the largest children’s hospital in the world. We are fortunate to work alongside some of the most talented and world-renowned faculty here at Texas Children’s all while nurturing the tight bonds within our L.E.A.D. family.
Aside from our clinical rotations, the L.E.A.D. curriculum also includes non-clinical experiences that support our mission. We offer evening enrichment sessions throughout the year with various guest speakers, quarterly protected academic half days, and a dedicated month-long rotation in the spring each year with the entire LEAD resident cohort. During our specialized dedicated month, each class focuses on a different aspect of the curriculum: community collaboration (first year), legislative advocacy (second year) and public health (third year).
Furthermore, we have the privilege of working at a continuity clinic that provides access to quality healthcare and resources to some of the most vulnerable children in Houston.
Though primary care is in our name, some of our L.E.A.D. alumni have gone on to pursue fellowship training to become subspecialists, and we welcome a variety of clinical interests. The defining features of a L.E.A.D. resident are this: a passion for the care of underserved and vulnerable children and an enduring commitment to advocate for health equity. Thank you for your interest in our program. We look forward to meeting you!
Sincerely,
Marisa Hudson Donatti, M.D., MPH
BCM Pediatrics L.E.A.D. Chief Resident, 2024-2025
