Tulane Pediatrics Residency Application Process

Applications for the residency program are accepted through the Electronic Residency Application Services (ERAS).

We receive well over 1,000 applications each year for our 8 intern positions. The primary criteria by which we select applicants for interviews is the likelihood that we can help them reach their career goals. Please review our website to see if your career goals align with our program’s training mission before applying. There is no singular way to become an exceptional pediatrician. We are looking for applicants that we can uniquely support in their career goals because their goals align with what we are good at. For example, those committed to a career that:

• Addresses health disparities due to race, ethnicity, geography or poverty
• Provides exceptional care to children with complex, chronic medical conditions
• Expands the bounds of evidence based medicine

In addition to looking for applicants with these specific career goals, we also look for applicants that demonstrate the grit to achieve these goals. Applications are reviewed for evidence of:

• Experience working outside of their comfort zone
• Persistence in working on difficult problems
• Proactiveness in addressing problems that arise

Our program director personally reviews all CVs and personal statements looking for career goals that align with our program’s mission and experience suggesting that applicants work hard to achieve their goals.

A Note About STEP Scores and Grades

We currently have residents who did incredibly well on the STEP exams, who graduated in 4 years and aced their medical school courses. However, it was their additional distinctive characteristics or experiences that stood out. We also have trainees who may have failed STEP exams, taken time off in medical school and dealt with chronic medical conditions. They were selected because of their strengths, including their persistence and grit. We do not believe that STEP scores or grades reflect an applicant’s potential. We choose applicants that we can uniquely help to become exceptional pediatricians and credit this approach to the incredible breadth of our residents and successes of our graduates.

The Interview Process

After discussing options with our current residents and faculty, we have decided to consolidate our interview days into half days on Thursday and Friday mornings. Our program director will start the mornings with an introduction to the program’s mission, and then applicants will rotate through four experiences:

1. Interviews with program leadership
2. A video session describing our teaching strategies
3. A session on the logistics of our program
4. A virtual tour of our training sites

Once you have rotated through these sessions, you will have an opportunity to talk to some of our residents.

How We Rank Applicants:

Interview scores are assigned immediately after your interviews based on your responses to interviewer questions.

How We Do Not Rank Applicants:

• Race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability
• STEP scores
• Participation in elements of the interview day outside of interviews
• Post-interview communication
• Thank-you notes

For More Information Contact:

Meghan Howell, MD
Program Director, Tulane Pediatric Residency Program 
mhowell2@tulane.edu

Cheryl Dempsey, Sr. GME Program Administrator I
Tulane Pediatrics Residency Program
210 State St., Bldg 1, Suite W-122
New Orleans, LA 70118
Phone: 504-988-5458
E-Mail: cdempsey@tulane.edu