Grant Will Train Pediatricians for Poor Areas

Children’s Hospital has picked up a $1.9 million grant to train medical students to become primary care pediatricians in medically underserved neighborhoods.

Children’s Residency Program Director Dena Hofkosh says many areas in and around Pittsburgh are in need of primary care pediatricians, as well as family doctors. She says this is especially true of both urban and rural low-income areas.

The 5-year program will add two doctors per year for the three-year training course. Hofkosh says the doctors will not only get the traditional academic training of residency, but also hands-on experience in community primary care centers.

Hofkosh says this will be Children’s Hospital’s first attempt to target pediatrician training specifically for high-need areas.

Funding for the grant comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, by way of the Affordable Care Act.