Education and Training
Observership Program
Note: Due to COVID-19, all Observership Programs are on hold until further notice.
The Observership Program at Boston Children’s Hospital provides knowledge of best practices to improve pediatric care worldwide and promote a collaborate environment for exchange of ideas. Observerships are informal learning experiences and do not constitute formal training or patient contact. Observerships are offered to healthcare providers across a number of departments and can range from one week to 12 weeks, although most programs limit the duration to four weeks.
As part of the curriculum, visitors will:
- observe clinical activities and procedures (without direct patient contact)
- participate in conferences
- attend daily rounds, lectures, and seminars
- partake in a series of networking opportunities and career development events
Available programs
Observerships are offered in a number of subspecialties including but not limited to:
- Adolescent Medicine
- Allergy and Immunology
- Cardiac Anesthesia
- Cardiac Surgery
- Cardiology
- Critical Care Medicine
- Developmental Medicine
- Endocrinology
- Gastroenterology
- General Surgery
- Genetics and Genomics
- Infectious Diseases
- Nephrology
- Neurology
- Neurosurgery
- Newborn Medicine
- Nutrition (For Dieticians)
- Ophthalmology
- Otolaryngology
- Pathology
- Plastic Surgery
- Psychiatry
- Pulmonary and Respiratory Diseases
- Radiology
- Rheumatology
- Simulation
- Urology
Eligibility
In order to be eligible, applicants must be fluent in English and meet one of the following criteria:
- Be a fully practicing clinician with a specific pediatric subspecialty background or interest.
- Be a current trainee (i.e. residents or fellows) with a solid interest in a specific pediatric subspecialty.
Application requirements
The application website provides detailed information about how to apply including Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). You will be prompted through the process and asked to submit the following:
- resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
- statement of purpose
- letter of support from home institution
- photograph
After applying:
- Your application will be reviewed by both the International Health Education program and your desired clinical department.
- A Boston Children's representative will reach out to you once the review of your application has been completed. This generally takes four to six weeks.
If your observership is approved:
- You will receive a letter of acceptance with instructions on onboarding requirements.
- You will need to obtain a visa (B1/B2 or ESTA). BCH does not sponsor visas.
- You will be responsible for your travel and housing arrangements.
Questions? Contact the Observership Office at Observership.Program@childrens.harvard.edu.
Adrian Cheng New World Scholarship Program — China
Adrian Cheng New World Scholarship Program — China
Through the generous support of the New World Group Charity Foundation, 10 clinicians from China have been selected to receive a scholarship to spend up to 12 weeks in the Observership program at Boston Children's. Candidates for the program demonstrate:
- a strong commitment to the improvement of pediatric healthcare in China
- a strong interest in learning best practices in pediatric medicine and healthcare leadership
- a vision for how they would take the knowledge gained at Boston Children's back to China
The Scholarship Program is supported by Mr. Adrian Cheng, Executive Vice-chairman and General Manager of New World Development Company Limited (nwd.com.hk). In 2017, 10 aspiring clinicians from Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou were awarded scholarships to hone their clinical knowledge. They have completed the program successfully and transferred skills acquired at Boston Children's to their workplace, and thus impacting pediatric healthcare in China.
This page will be updated if more scholarships become available in the future.
For additional information please email our office at Observership.Program@childrens.harvard.edu.
In-Person and Online Customized Seminars and Courses for International Audiences
Our customized education programs are tailored to meet the specific needs of organizations and can include a broad selection of clinical and managerial topics. The curriculum may include knowledge of best practices in clinical, research, education, and management. Programs are available in pediatric leadership development as well as hospital management and operations. All programs include interactive lectures and group sessions, tours of our facilities (live or virtual), panel discussions, and more. To request a customized program, please email the Program Manager of International Health Education at Cynthia.Garibaldi@childrens.harvard.edu.
Open enrollment courses and conferences
2021 Digital Education Course in Genetics and Genomics
* Program dates and details to be announced soon.
This program will cover a wide range of topics in genetics including genetic counseling, dysmorphology, newborn screening, state-of-the-art management, and counseling practices as well as case studies.
Care in Pediatrics 3rd Conference of the Americas (Spring 2021)
Boston Children’s Hospital will be partnering with Exemedis for the 3rd Conference of the Americas, which will be held virtually this year. The conference will include updates on the latest advancements in pediatrics for inpatient and outpatient areas including state-of-the-art guidelines and Boston Children’s best practices. Our senior faculty will exchange knowledge with physicians from across Latin America through a series of interactive lectures, workshops, case reviews, and other sessions. Visit the Conference Website for complete details. Learn more.
