The LAGMC/USC Pediatric Chief Resident Year

Annually, a group of Pediatric and Medicine+Pediatric residents are selected to serve as LAGMC/USC Pediatric Chief Residents. The chief resident year is an additional year in a leadership role dedicated to working with the residents, medical students, inpatient faculty, and residency administration to improve the program, resident education, and resident well-being. 

This leadership position carries a broad range of responsibilities. The chief residents are given the important responsibility of teaching trainees in various capacities, including at the bedside, as part of the core curriculum, as well as at morning report for the inpatient wards teams every morning. Clinically, the chief residents help supervise the care provided in the inpatient wards, pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), and pediatric procedural sedation.

Chiefs serve as advocates and liaisons between the house staff, faculty, and administration. They serve as members of many hospital administrative committees.

Chief residents often go on to competitive and successful careers (primary care and subspecialty) with leadership positions.

Chief Resident (2023-2024)

Kelsey Shea

Hometown: Buffalo, NY
Undergrad: University of Virginia
Medical School: University of Arizona COM - Tucson
Why Los Angeles General/USC?: I was looking for a program that emphasized advocacy as an integral part of providing the best patient care, and a place where all patients were treated with respect and compassion. LAGMC/USC felt like the program that most aligned with my values, and somewhere that I would be challenged yet supported throughout residency. Plus, ever since leaving Buffalo I have moved to cities with progressively better weather, so LA felt like the natural next move. 
Plans for after residency: Considering an adolescent medicine fellowship, and eventually would love to work in a clinic that supports young people who are justice system involved or in the foster care system, and continue to be involved in patient advocacy. 

  • Outside of my subspecialty training, the chief resident year was the year I grew the most as a physician as well as a human. I had so much fun with my co-chief residents learning how to take care of sick children and learning how to be a leader/teacher/mentor. I will always be thankful for that year of important training that set me up for success as a fellow and attending.

    Daniel Im, M.D.

    Former Pediatric chief resident
    LAC+USC Pediatrics residency program graduate

  • It's true that having "Chief Resident" on one's resume is helpful, and it is a respected accomplishment. You can think of it as your first job after residency, but in the cozy safety of your "home," where you have many attendings to ask questions of, to learn from. It was a fun and happy year! The year really honed my management/decision-making skills, and it helped so much to feel even more confident in the "outside world" thereafter. As you know, after residency, we have to now figure out what to do with each patient on our own, and after chief year, I felt even more ready to do just that. It was an honor to be able to work an extra year and more closely under our attendings. I'll always be grateful.

    Shelly Canlas, M.D.

    Former Pediatric chief resident
    LAC+USC Medicine + Pediatrics residency program graduate

  • I have so many memories of chiefs teaching morning report that made me excited about pediatrics and later teaching myself. I’m the educator I’m today because of those role models and my time as chief! Also, I can say when I applied for jobs some of the places preferentially hired ex-chiefs.

    Jackie Vargas, M.D.

    Former Pediatric chief resident
    LAC+USC Medicine + Pediatrics residency program graduate

  • I’m came out the other end a better doctor. Whenever people ask me about my experience, I only talk about learning how to take care of sick, vulnerable children. The amount of clinical work as learning, justifies dealing with the administrative responsibilities.

    Pruthul Patel, M.D.
    Former Pediatric chief resident
    LAC+USC Medicine + Pediatrics residency program graduate

  • It was one of the best years for many reasons and it set me up for great job opportunities. I was asked to be a site director based on my chief year experience which led to my current director job which is balanced and sustainable which is quite hard to find in hospital medicine. All of my co-chiefs ended up in leadership roles as well. I can’t believe how many times I use a skill I learned or developed during chief year. It continues to be helpful.

    Brittany Middleton, M.D.

    Former Pediatric chief resident
    LAC+USC Pediatrics residency program graduate

  • Many lessons from that year that I keep with me today, both in medicine and with people.

    Aslam Khan, D.O.

    Former Pediatric chief resident
    LAC+USC Pediatrics residency program graduate