Pediatric Resident Training

At the University of Washington-Seattle Children’s Hospital Residency Program in Seattle, Washington, all pediatric residents participate in a half day, small-group PFR training facilitated by 2 primary care pediatricians with early childhood expertise during their intern year. The training includes foundations in infant mental health, wellness visit specific strategies and anticipatory guidance, videos to practice observational skills, and space for self-reflection.

Residents learn how to observe responsive caregiving in the moment and provide positive, reflective feedback helping parents support their child’s social-emotional development. Feeding, sleep and challenging behaviors are approached through a developmental, relationship-focused lens.

After the training, residents were asked what changes they intended to make after the training. Example responses include:

• “I want to do less talking and more listening”
• “Focus more on the parent and child dynamic rather than my own questions”
• “Vocalize my observations of the child more, so the family can hear the positives about their child and their parent-child relationship”
• “I intend to take my time with each patient, resetting my mind prior to entering each patient room. Now I will look for more patient cues and point these out to parents”