History

Founding the BCRP

In 1996, the Boston Combined Residency Program (BCRP) was created by merging the separate  pediatric training programs at Boston Children’s Hospital and Boston Medical Center. The BCRP, the first combined residency program in pediatrics in the US, also brought together two major medical schools (Harvard Medical School and Boston University School of Medicine).

The architects of this merger were Fred Lovejoy and Bob Vinci, the educational leaders at BCH and BMC who then served as the initial program directors for the BCRP. The educational, clinical and research accomplishments of each institution formed the foundation for this collaborative venture. The BCRP merger had, at its core, a singular emphasis of pediatric education and was built upon the rich tradition of the previously separate training programs at Boston Children’s Hospital and Boston Medical Center. Lovejoy and Vinci worked together for an entire academic year, crafting together the BCRP with a primary mission of training residents as excellent pediatricians but also emphasizing preparation for academic leadership in the general and subspecialty disciplines. It was their belief that by providing a foundation of clinical and educational experiences while creating opportunities for independence and learning, the BCRP would establish a culture of academic excellence that would enhance the training of pediatricians who would become academic, clinical and educational leaders of the future.

The BCRP, now in its 26th year, continues to flourish and adapt to the changing elements of pediatric training. Our program continues to support the diverse interests of our house staff in an environment that provides clinical experiences at both Boston Children’s Hospital and Boston Medical Center in strong partnership with our dedicated pediatric faculty.