Frequently Asked Questions - Leadership in Advocacy, Under-resourced Communities and Health Equity (LAUnCH) Track

Children’s National is one of the nation’s leading children’s hospitals. Our diverse patient population and extensive connections with local community agencies and The George Washington School of Public Health and Health Services will give you an unparalleled opportunity to learn about community pediatrics in an academic setting. In addition, our location in the nation’s capital gives you unique access to many national organizations working to better the health of children as well as plenty of opportunities to advocate for children on a national level.

The Leadership in Advocacy, Under-resourced Communities and Health Equity (LAUnCH) Track is the track for you if you are interested in learning how broad factors such as lack of investment in communities, systemic racism, and public policy can affect children’s health and cause inequities especially in under-resourced populations. Residents learn to create successful community partnerships, utilize available community resources, advocate for children, and integrate public health concepts into the everyday practice of medicine to improve the health of under-resourced communities.

During the course of three years, you will have one less month of inpatient pediatrics (night float), but the same amount of time in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Emergency Department and electives. The major difference in the training lies in what you do during your ambulatory months. As part of the LAUnCH track, you will be assigned to continuity clinic at an under-resourced community site with a mentor who is interested in community pediatrics. You will also have specific outpatient rotations designed for you, such as Community Building Blocks, a rotation through Children’s Child and Adolescent Protection Center, a block at the Child Health Advocacy Institute and a health policy elective (see Our Curriculum).

Many applicants ask about the difference between the Primary Care Track (PCT) and the Leadership in Advocacy, Under-resourced Communities and Health equity (LAUnCH) Track. The PCT provides an opportunity to learn in one primary care setting during a concentrated period of time, thereby becoming an integral part of a working pediatric practice. PCT residents spend five blocks of time in both their second and third year working closely with office staff and seeing patients side-by-side with the attendings, to gain in-depth exposure to daily primary care pediatric practice. The LAUnCH tracks main focus is on advocacy, public health and serving under-resourced populations. Therefore, LAUnCH residents will spend additional time learning about public health techniques used to identify and address community health needs, becoming a physician advocate and how to address health inequities.