Post Graduate Year 1 Resident: $75,218 Post Graduate Year 2 Resident: $77,712 Post Graduate Year 3 Resident: $80,768
Insurance
During resident orientation, several insurance packages are presented. Residents are able to select the benefit options that they want within the categories indicated below.
For Residents
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Life Insurance
For Residents' Spouses and Dependents
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Meals
All residents receive a monthly meal allowance of $200.
Housing
The hospital owns an apartment building (called "The Rodney"), which is located across the street from the hospital. There are studios, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments available. Parking is included in a secure lot. Utilities are free. Currently, 60% of our residents live at the Rodney while others live throughout the Los Angeles area including Downtown, West Hollywood, Glendale, Los Feliz and the beach cities.
Current monthly rental rates for the Rodney are:
Studios: $600
One-Bedroom: $750
Two-Bedroom: $900
Housing Stipend
A $10,000 annual housing stipend is available to offset the cost of living in Los Angeles for residents who do not live in our residency housing.
Additional Benefits
The program covers PALS, BLS and NRP expenses, and reimburses the full cost for the USMLE Step III exam and California Medical Licensure.
Residents receive membership to the American Academy of Pediatrics and subscriptions to Pediatrics and Pediatrics in Review.
All incoming residents also receive a $100 stipend to purchase a book, study resource or piece of medical equipment of their choosing. A pair of personalized embroidered scrubs is also provided.
Our housestaff complete their training well prepared for any career choice in pediatrics. On average, about half of our graduates enter primary general pediatrics (both inpatient and outpatient), and half pursue subspecialty training. Our graduates over the last 3 years (2021, 2022, 2023) have entered the following areas as the next steps in their careers:
Outpatient General Pediatrics (35, 35%)
Community HMO: 4
FQHC: 15
Private Practice: 10
Urgent Care: 6
Hospital Medicine (15, 15%)
Academic: 8
Community: 2
Subspecialty: 3
Transport Medicine: 2
Chief Residents: (4, 4%) *Former Chief Residents are included in other categories
Sports Medicine Fellowship: 1 (University of Minnesota)
Urgent Care Fellowship: 1 (PM Pediatrics)
Board Exam
Children's Hospital Los Angeles residents are well prepared for the American Board of Pediatrics Certifying Exam at the end of their residency training. In addition to the various educational conferences throughout the academic year, we conduct a free annual Board Review Course for our residents.
Situated between snow-topped mountains and some of the world’s finest recreational beaches, Los Angeles is the vibrant hub of Southern California.
Its relaxed lifestyle and ideal climate offer a multitude of recreational and cultural activities, ranging from surfing, sailing and deep sea diving, to snow skiing, hiking, mountain bike riding and much more.
Los Angeles is one of the few major metropolitan areas where you can be tanning on the beach one moment and skiing through knee-deep powder a quick, two-hour drive later.
Whether your tastes lean toward modern art, space science or natural history, the city offers a world-class array of museums, art galleries and cultural centers, as well as an exciting roster of college and professional sports events.
After the sun goes down, L.A.’s unparalleled nightlife presents an almost endless array of cutting-edge music, dance and theatrical performances, not to mention one of the most remarkable selections of restaurants to be found in any American city.
There are the world-renowned Hollywood Bowl and Greek Theater, both hosting leading names in classical, jazz and pop music under the stars, while the multi-complex Los Angeles County Music Center offers critically acclaimed plays, civic light opera, musicals and symphonic works.
Los Angeles is also home to celebrated regional and small theaters, television and film productions, behind-the-scenes studio tours and cinema playing everything from current blockbusters to art house classics.
Purpose: For over five decades, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt placement has been the primary treatment for hydrocephalus. Although these shunts prevent further brain damage and are life-saving, they often lead to new, persistent surgical and medical issues. Shunt malfunctions necessitating surgical correction are common, and each surgery heightens the infection risk. Annually in the U.S., there are around 2,200-2,400 pediatric admissions due to CSF shunt infections, resulting in substantial hospital stay and financial costs. The current method for diagnosing and managing these infections depends on microbiologic cultures from the CSF, which aren't always reliable. There's a pressing need for better evidence to guide treatment and reduce the high rates of re-infection.
Study Goals
Check if the fluid during the initial brain shunt procedure is free from bacteria.
Compare inflammation in children who need repeated surgeries to those who don't.
Study the genetic patterns in different brain fluid conditions to find potential warning signs.
Track changes in brain fluid bacteria over surgeries and see how they relate to infections.
Determine if different surgery methods impact the bacteria in the brain fluid, especially focusing on how bacteria respond to treatments.
Purpose: This research study is a collaborative effort spearheaded by Dr. Tamara Simon from Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) and Dr. Jody Lin, MD from the University of Utah. The primary objective of this study is to delve into the decision-making processes of parents or legal guardians when confronted with medical decisions for their children.
Interested in participating or want more information? Please contact the CHLA study team:
Ann received a second chance at life thanks to experts in the Newborn and Infant Critical Care Unit at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles—and therapeutic cooling treatment.
Note: Names have been changed to protect patient privacy.
Ann was born perfectly healthy at a local community hospital, but about 90 minutes later something unthinkable happened: When a nurse came to check on her, Ann was discovered completely unresponsive. She had stopped breathing and gone into cardiac arrest.
“They don’t know how long she’d been like that,” says her mom, Janet. “They couldn’t revive her, so they intubated her and put her on a ventilator—and gave me a pretty bleak outlook.”
Determined to find the best care for her newborn, Janet began calling her network of friends and family members. A friend referred her to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. That evening, she spoke to Philippe Friedlich, MD, MSEpi, MBA, Chief of the Division of Neonatology and co-Director of the Fetal and Neonatal Institute at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. He arranged for Ann to be transported to CHLA.
“The transport team is incredible,” says Janet. “They totally checked Ann out before they would move her. It wasn’t like they just came to pick her up; they knew what they were doing right out of the gate.”
Because Ann had been deprived of oxygen, she was immediately put on hypothermia therapy—known as brain cooling—a neuroprotective treatment that lowers a baby’s body temperature to 92.3 degrees Fahrenheit and reduces the risk of brain injury. CHLA is a leader in studying the impact of brain cooling on infants.
“What CHLA has that some hospitals don’t is a neurocritical care team and a comprehensive program tailored for babies at risk of neurological injuries,” says Dr. Friedlich, who holds the Teresa and Byron Pollitt Family Chair in Fetal and Neonatal Medicine. “We have specially trained neonatologists and neurologists who can come to the bedside 24/7, and more advanced interventions than any other place.”
A waiting game
“Ann came to CHLA really sick,” recalls Tai-Wei Wu, MD, Director of the Therapeutic Hypothermia Program. “She had severe lactic acidosis as a result of low oxygen or blood flow. She was supported on a breathing machine and multiple medications to stabilize her vital signs. Even before arriving at CHLA, neuroprotection by cooling was started, which is crucial because we know cooling as early as possible after injury improves outcomes.”
Doctors at CHLA also performed an MRI on Ann—a feat few institutions are capable of doing on a newborn during brain cooling.
“We pride ourselves on the ability to safely bring patients to the MRI suite while they are receiving neuroprotective treatment,” says Dr. Wu. “Importantly, we were able to rule out other brain pathologies that could mimic Ann’s condition. Using advanced neuroimaging techniques, we were also able to quantify brain temperature and confirm that brain cooling was effective. This is precision medicine at its best.”
“I didn’t know if she was going to live the first week,” she says. “I was just floating through that time.”
Still, Janet says she knew her baby was getting extraordinary care. “In the NICCU, there are a lot of other kids that look like yours, with a serious condition, so you know the doctors and nurses know how to treat your child.”
A thorough evaluation
Once Ann was warmed up, she slowly regained consciousness. Over the next three weeks, Ann was seen by specialists in cardiology, pulmonology, neurology, audiology and much more.
“CHLA offers nearly every pediatric medical specialty, and a major strength is the training and experience of our nursing staff in neurocritical care,” says Dr. Friedlich.
Ann’s care team worked to determine any potential cause for what had gone wrong after her birth, even though there were no complications during delivery.
“We went through extensive testing to make sure her cardiorespiratory systems were normal, which also included her ability to regulate breathing during sleep,” says Dr. Wu. “We turned over every stone to make sure she was OK—and so Janet could be at ease bringing Ann home.”
For Janet, the warmth she received from everyone she encountered at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles made her feel well cared for. A single mom, she went home each evening to be with her older daughter, but always checked in with Ann’s team. “I called Ann’s nurse every night,” she says. “That’s when they gave her a bath and dressed her. The nurses would go through the clothes I’d brought, so when I arrived the next morning, she’d be in a cute little outfit.”
The final hurdle was to ensure Ann could nurse or eat from a bottle. She received physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT), and underwent a swallow study.
Before Ann was discharged, Janet was connected with the Newborn Follow-up Program, which provides developmental assessment for children with complex conditions after they leave the hospital. Through the program, Ann was connected to ongoing PT, OT, speech therapy, behavioral health services and more.
A bright future
Now 3 years old, Ann continues to hit developmental milestones in her own time and has an unstoppable spirit. “She’s got a superstar personality,” says Dr. Wu. “She’s like the Energizer Bunny, always curious, always on the go. Her smile and energy light up any room she enters. It has been a privilege to follow her growth and development. I remain really optimistic about her future.”
In gratitude for Ann’s care, Janet and her family generously support the Fetal and Neonatal Institute. “I remain forever indebted to Dr. Friedlich, Dr. Wu and Dr. Rachel Chapman [Medical Director of the NICCU], and their amazing team of advanced professional practitioners, fellows, residents, nurses and specialists who saved my amazing Ann,” she wrote in a note accompanying a recent donation.
The NICCU team is gratified by Ann’s positive outcome and grateful for her mom’s support. “When we can intervene at the right time, it feels amazing to be able to minimize the impact of a possible brain disorder,” says Dr. Friedlich. “That’s what we live for. And for the team, it’s wonderful that they feel the family’s support.”
Ann received a second chance at life thanks to experts in the Newborn and Infant Critical Care Unit at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles—and therapeutic cooling treatment.
Dr. Tamara D. Simon has been honored with the 2023 APA Miller-Sarkin Mentoring Award, acknowledging her exemplary contributions in mentoring learners and colleagues both on a local and national scale. Her dedication serves as an inspiration to others who aspire to guide and support the growth of individuals in the the field of pediatrics.
The Society for Pediatric Research's Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI)
Soranno DE, Simon TD, Bora S, Lohr JL, Bagga B, Carroll K, Daniels SR, Davis SD, Fernandez Y Garcia E, Orange JS, Overholser B, Sedano S, Tarini BA, White MJ, Spector ND; Justice Equity Diversity and Inclusion Committee for the Society for Pediatric Research. Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Pediatric Faculty Research Workforce: Call to Action. Pediatrics. 2023 Sep 1;152(3):e2022060841. doi: 10.1542/peds.2022-060841. PMID: 37529881.
Dr. Tamara Simon and coauthors aim to address the significant impact of sustained inequality and biases in the medical field. Through the Society for Pediatric Research's Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Committee, they have developed an actionable framework and toolkit. This toolkit comprises scholarly resources and practical steps at various organizational levels to promote JEDI principles within the pediatric scientific faculty workforce. Initially focused on membership diversity, the committee has evolved its mission to encompass broader goals of justice, inclusion, and equity to improve diversity and inclusivity in the field of pediatrics.
In a recent podcast Dr. Simon discusses the significance of this work. Listen here.
Click here for more information on the JEDI Toolbox.