If you are considering a career in pediatrics but are not certain, you should try to schedule an early pediatric Sub-I or pediatric specialty rotation. An early Sub-I is also useful in terms of getting to know what aspects of a residency are important enough to impact on where you'll spend your residency, as well as for obtaining a letter of recommendation from an attending. Residencies seem to expect applicants to do two to three rotations in a pediatric field (this includes the Sub-I). Once you decide to do pediatrics, the next step is to decide in what kind of environment you want to train. Consider such things as:

A great resource to tap into is BU’s pediatric attendings. They can be really useful in helping you sort out different pediatric programs. Often they are aware of the reputations of the programs, their strong points and weak points, and the "atmosphere" of the program. They may know attendings with whom you can speak or BU alumnae that are current residents at the programs. Talking to an attending about this early on helps you get an idea of where to look.

The next step is to request materials from the programs. You get more details in the brochures about what’s available to you and what’s expected of you. Timewise, starting your personal statement at the beginning of the fourth year will give you a good head start - with time to have two or three different people (docs and peers) critique it for you. The same is true for your resume. The checklist in the fourth year manual is good for keeping track of where you are in the process of applying. Concerning numbers of programs to which students apply, the number varies widely, but many students burn out by the tenth interview. Even though the interview process can be stressful, take time to enjoy the different cities you will visit.