We are grateful for the privilege to be apart of the rich, historic South Side communities of Chicago. Apart from the humbling and powerful clinical experiences we gain within the hospital working with children and families from these areas, our residents also have the opportunity to engage in a variety of service and community empowerment activities. Though time can sometimes be limited during residency, we enjoy the chances to learn more about the needs and strengths of our community via educational and service events.

Project PEACHES (Pediatricians Engaging Adolescents for Contraception, Health Education, and Safe sex): A resident initiative that focuses on education, access, and empowerment to expand access to reproductive health services for adolescents in our community. Community-driven academic partnerships are prioritized, giving pediatric trainees opportunities to engage in reproductive health counseling while creating longitudinal relationships with female teens to impart knowledge, skills, and confidence.
Contacts: Bako Orionzi, Nina Gummadi, Jane Bialek, Kali Kramolis

Docs Back To School: A resident initiative seeking to promote representation of underrepresented in medicine (URiM) physicians and future physicians at our institution while also supporting elementary-school-aged children in nearby Chicago Public Schools through mentorship, at the earliest stages of their educational and career journeys. The goal of this program is to intentionally engage a Chicago Public School to impact the educational pipeline and empower students to take ownership of their own health and wellness, while addressing health literacy and rebuilding trust in the medical community.
Contacts: Cameron Boyd, Chidimma Acholonu, Jasmine Thomas

Sullivan High School Volunteering: An opportunity to teach teenagers about general pediatric health topics at a North side high school located in a predominantly immigrant neighborhood.

Community Service Events: There are so many ways to volunteer in Chicago, and our residents participate in all sorts of service events! Recent examples include neighborhood clean-ups, time at a community garden, and sorting clothes at a local shelter.

Structural Competency Curriculum: A resident initiative to formalize routine education about the history and impact of systemic racism and structural violence on our patients’ health and lives. Learn more about our curriculum here.

Community Champions: Run via our institutional GME and Urban Health Initiative, this program fosters increased community engagement, while working with leaders and participating in a monthly lecture series. The program is open to residents and fellows across UCMC.