Program Director's Message
A message from Kathleen Donnelly, MD
Pediatric Residency Program Director
Thank you for your interest in the Inova Children's Hospital Pediatric Residency Program. The primary goal of our program is to provide a challenging yet supportive environment for you to acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for a successful pediatric career. Our graduates have pursued both subspecialty and general pediatric careers, in academic, community and international settings.
The residency program was founded by the late Dr. Mike Altieri in 1996. He envisioned an innovative program which would train exemplary 21st century pediatricians to deliver cutting-edge medical care while also prospering in the current environment of fiscal constraint. In order to achieve this goal, a dedicated pool of community pediatricians committed to the program from its inception. Over two decades later, these individuals and others who have joined them continue to teach residents both on the wards and in their offices. In addition, a cadre of approximately 150 pediatric subspecialists supports the diversified education of the housestaff.
Inova has grown considerably since the program’s inception. During the intervening years, Northern Virginia has grown exponentially. The population is currently about 2.8 million and is anticipated to increase further. Inova Children's Hospital has grown as well, with a brand new facility which opened in January 2016 to accommodate the exploding population base. The hospital has evolved into a leading tertiary care center supporting 226 private pediatric rooms, with 10,000 deliveries, 7,000 admissions and 37,000 ED visits annually. Despite this rapid growth, the atmosphere has remained very collegial, and is a strong attraction to the program for many students.
The residents are a highly skilled and diverse group with varied aspirations. Over the last 3 years, 50 percent of housestaff have successfully pursued fellowship training, while many others have remained in the Northern Virginia area working in the offices of their former mentors. I am pleased to have recently had several graduates return after fellowship training to join our teaching faculty. Inova is the leading provider of pediatric care in Northern Virginia and I am proud to be a member of this esteemed, growing institution.
