"...it is not enough, however, to work at an individual bedside in a hospital. In the near or dim future, the pediatrician is to sit in and control school boards, health departments, and legislatures. A legitimate advisor to the judge and jury, and a seat for the physician in the republic is what the people have a right to demand." -Dr.Abraham Jacobi (Founder of American Pediatrics, 1904)

In addition to several longitudinal experiences throughout all three years of residency, every resident spends one full month of their residency completed dedicated to the practice of Community and Patient Advocacy. During this month, some of the experiences include:

• Breastfeeding Basics; Community Education class
• Child Abuse Evaluations
• Child-Life shadow
• Cook County Child Death Review
• Cook County Juvenile Court
• Craniofacial Anomalies Clinic
• Dawes Elementary School visit
• Digeorge Clinic
• Downs syndrome Clinic
• Dunbar/Phillips High School Clinic
• Healthy Steps Home visits
• Illinois Chapter of the AAP; Resident Education in Children Advocacy Seminar
• Lactation Specialist
• Latino Clinic
• Myelomeningocele Clinic
• Oak Lawn’s Children’s Museum
• Oral Health Clinic
• Orland Township Health Fairs
• Ronald McDonald Care Mobile
• Ronald McDonald House
• Seasons Hospice Palliative Care
• Social Worker shadow
• WIC Office visit

As an example of community and patient advocacy, the Hope residents recently participated in the annual CureSearch walk in downtown Chicago, helping raise funding for pediatric cancer research. Residents went on to recruit 61 members to their walking team, helping CureSearch raise $89,000 with Advocate Children's Hospital - Oak Lawn as one of the top fundraisers. The overall turnout was great with many Hope patients, staff, friends, and family present to honor and remember those affected by childhoold cancer.

Additionally, our residents began a project in November 2009, called DATE NIGHT RESPITE, in order to provide parents of children with special needs a night out while their child is cared for by qualified volunteers in a fun setting. It is completely free to participating families, provided in partnership with Children's Museum in Oak Lawn. The families and community have been quite vocal in how very appreciative they are. Residents, Nurses, Attendings and Students work as a team to provide this service on a quarterly basis.

	A participating family recently commented, "This event has actually made me less fearful of leaving my children and being able to enjoy a night to myself.  I cried when I got home, because that is how much both my children and I appreciated and enjoyed our evening, even though we were apart for the very first time.  Thank you so very much."

cultural competency curriculum

In order to produce pediatricians capable of delivering clinically sound pediatric health care in a culturally effective manner, our residents participate in a cultural competency curriculum. This curriculum is a longitudinal curriculum with different structured experiences in each year. Our goal is to provide the tools for providing culturally effective Pediatric health care and to guide clinicians in interacting with any cultural group.

During orientation week for our interns, a workshop is given by Dr. Huerta-Galvez on Cross Cultural Issues in Medicine to introduce key concepts. In the second year, the residents are responsible for completing five CBT modules created and provided by the University of Alabama, Arizona, Florida, New Mexico, Washington, Wisconsin, and Mt. Sinai School of Medicine. In the third year, the resident on the Community and Advocacy Rotation (CAR) rotates with Dr. Huerta-Galvez in the Latino clinic (a medical home for Spanish speaking patients with limited English proficiency), and also attends a Community Cultural Outreach visit with Dr Huerta-Galvez.

Lastly, our residents are exposed to a remarkably diverse patient population throughout their training at Advocate Children’s Hospital - Oak Lawn. With this unique curriculum, they are well prepared to truly provide the best overall care to their patients.