Department of
Pediatrics

Requirements

Apply for the Residency Program

Candidates are encouraged to visit the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center and meet our house staff and faculty. Interviews are only arranged after the application is complete and letters of recommendation have been received via ERAS. Interviews are scheduled between November 1 and January 31.

In addition to meeting with the chair, several faculty, and house staff during the visit, candidates are invited to participate in attending rounds and departmental conferences.

Requests for appointments can be arranged by calling (304) 293-1224 after your application has been submitted via ERAS. To have any questions answered, please e-mail the education office.

Residency Selection Criteria

  1. Highest priority is given to graduates of LCME-accredited medical schools.
  2. To be eligible for selection, applicants must apply via the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) by December 15th and must enroll in the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP).
  3. Our institution sponsors J-1 visas.
  4. All applicants must have 3 letters of recommendations.
  5. All applicants must be within 5 years of graduation from medical school. If longer than 5 years since graduation, we require an explanation of the circumstances which prevented you from completing residency. Each case will be considered individually.
  6. International applicants are encouraged to have US or Canadian direct patient care activity.
  7. The selection committee evaluates performance on the USMLE, grades in preclinical or clinical courses, letters of recommendation, communication skills and personal qualities. There is no minimum score requirement.
  8. The Department does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, age, religion, color, national origin, disability, sexual orientation or veteran status.
  9. Osteopathic candidates should review the criteria changes since the closure of the Osteopathic track.

Please indicate on your ERAS application the program (s) to which you intend to apply.

Visa Requirements

The Pediatric and combined Internal Medicine/Pediatrics Programs accept International Medical Graduates and sponsor only J1 Visas.  All applicants are required to have a current visa prior to interviewing for our program and starting Residency. International Medical Graduates must have a current ECFMG certificate.

Available Positions

The Pediatric Residency Program offers up to 6 PGY1 positions each academic year. The combined Internal Medicine/Pediatrics Residency Program offers up to 4 PGY1 positions each academic year.

Observerships/Externships

Students currently enrolled in US and Canadian medical schools may contact Brenda Michael.

Students currently enrolled in International or non-LCME accredited medical schools can find information on the requirements here.

The Department of Pediatrics cannot meet the volume of requests for externships and observerships and our Pediatric Residency Office does not arrange these experiences. 

If  graduates of medical school (international and LCME accredited) wish to pursue this further, they will need to contact an individual faculty member and obtain a commitment from them to be completely responsible for the graduate while they are in our department and to allow them to observe under their supervision.  Once the graduate has  obtained permission to observe with a physician, the graduate must contact the approving faculty member’s secretary for paperwork and guidance. Additionally, all observers will be subject to approval by risk management and legal prior to being granted an observership. Please allow 2-3 months to complete this process. Applicants arriving prior to having all necessary paperwork completed will not be permitted to complete the observership, regardless of whether or not their paperwork is ultimately approved.