Research (CHIRRP)

What is CHIRRP?

• CHIRRP is an American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) approved mechanism for pediatric residency training and is designed for residents who have earned an M.D. (with substantial research experience) or M.D./Ph.D. degree and are committed to an academic research career.
• The ABP's Integrated Research Pathway allows for 11 months of research to be integrated into three years of general pediatrics residency prior to entering a three-year fellowship in a pediatric subspecialty.

Structure

• CHIRRP residents will parallel traditional clinical residency for most of the first year.
• Residents will spend a total of 11 months out of the three-year residency in research training opportunities. Research training months will be maximized in the final two years of residency.
• Continuity clinic continues weekly throughout the three years.
• Mentorship is a central feature of CHIRRP. A customized mentoring committee of experienced Children's National investigators is assembled for each resident. A research mentor is then identified based on the applicant's experience and career interests, which may be oriented toward basic science, clinical science, public health or health policy.

Successful Candidates

• Research residents will be selected through the same residency match system in place for traditional applicants.
  
  • Interview with programs during the same interview window as other prospective residents
• One to two research-residency slots will be offered per year.
• Intern applicants cannot be guaranteed acceptance into CHIRRP prior to the beginning of their internship since clinical performance and PL-1 in-service exam scores are used to judge a candidate's suitability for this training. 
• House staff who wish to pursue this pathway must notify the Program Directors by January 1 of the internship year.
• Necessary requirements to be considered include:
  
  • Extensive prior research experience (most will have graduate degrees in addition to their medical degree) and/or evidence of a sustained research effort.
  • Indication, from the candidate's PL-1 in-training exam score, that he or she will probably be able to pass the American Board of Pediatrics Certifying Exam without a third year of general pediatric clinical training.
  • Candidates must be approved by the American Board of Pediatrics during the first nine months of the PL-1 year.