Pediatrics Residency

Our pediatrics residency program is dedicated to cultivating the next generation of pediatricians, primed to excel in both clinical excellence and community health advocacy. We are committed to providing a robust educational experience that marries hands-on clinical practice with a deep understanding of the social determinants of health. We aim to create a nurturing environment that fosters growth, resilience, and a profound commitment to the health and well-being of children across diverse communities. Through this, we aspire to develop leaders in pediatrics who are equipped to innovate, advocate, and contribute meaningfully to the health landscape of their communities.

1. Develop Clinically Competent Pediatricians: Train residents to deliver comprehensive and compassionate care, ensuring they acquire the necessary skills, knowledge, and confidence to meet the complex health needs of children in various community settings.
2. Champion Community Health and Advocacy: Embed a strong foundation in public health principles and advocacy, encouraging residents to become proactive in identifying and addressing community health challenges.
3. Cultivate Lifelong Learners and Leaders: Inspire residents to pursue continuous personal and professional growth, positioning them as leaders who drive change and innovation in pediatric health care.
4. Enhance Diversity and Inclusivity: Commit to recruiting and supporting a diverse group of residents and faculty, thereby enriching the learning environment and enhancing the care provided to diverse patient populations.
5. Promote Well-being and Resilience: Provide a supportive environment that prioritizes the well-being and resilience of our residents, recognizing these as foundational to their ability to provide optimal patient care.

• Passionate about pediatrics
• Strong interest in community health and advocacy
• Experience/interest in working with diverse and underserved populations
• Innovative and eager to help shape our program

Our 3-year program offers comprehensive training at TFHC alongside our community partners at AdventHealth Tampa, AdventHealth for Children: Tampa Pediatric Specialty Clinic, Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital and various community subspecialists and patient resource organizations.

Benefits at a Glance

• Diverse Patient Population
• Emphasis on Community Health and Advocacy
• Extensive Experience in Primary Care
• In-House Specialists in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Adolescent Medicine, Obesity Medicine, and Breastfeeding Medicine
• 40 weeks of Individualized Curriculum
• NSUKPCOM as Our Sponsoring Institution
  • Access to Classrooms and Student Lounge
  • State-of-the-Art Simulation Lab
  • Access to a Full Range of Library Services
  • Opportunities for Medical Student Mentorship and Education
  • Research Opportunities
• Wide Range of Activities in Tampa/St Petersburg/Clearwater
• Making a Difference in the Lives of your Patients EVERY DAY!

Tampa Family Health Centers (TFHC) is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) with 16 locations and counting throughout the greater Tampa area.  TFHC is on a mission to make innovative, high-quality, integrated care available to everyone who needs it. In addition to offering Pediatrics at most of our locations, TFHC strives to provide access to multiple specialties including Family Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Dental, and much more!  Our patient population is quite diverse- approximately 83% of our patients identify as racial or ethnic minorities with approximately 40% of our patients speaking a language other than English. This broad patient base exposes our residents to a wide array of pathologies, including rare and complex cases. We take pride in caring for the children of Tampa, especially those who are under/uninsured.

The TFHC Pediatrics Program is part of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program (THCGME) which awards grants to FQHCs to develop residency programs in primary care to address the growing national physician shortage, especially in underserved areas. Under the supportive leadership of our CEO and President, Ms. Sherry Hoback, and our CMO, Dr. Ashley McPhie (also a pediatrician!), we are dedicated to addressing the unique needs of our patient population and expanding access to care. While our program will prepare our graduates for any career path they choose- primary care, rural, private practice, or fellowship, we have a special focus on training community health pediatricians who will continue our mission of caring for the underserved in some capacity.

Our curriculum is uniquely designed to prepare our residents to be confident in caring for the entire breadth of pediatric medicine. We have partnered with Advent Health Tampa to offer outstanding inpatient rotations in hospital medicine, neonatal intensive care, pediatric intensive care, and emergency medicine. Our outpatient curriculum includes both ample time in our own TFHC centers, and extensive time in outpatient subspecialty areas such as Gastroenterology, Cardiology, Neurology, etc. We have partnered with Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg to offer an exciting developmental and behavioral pediatric rotation, with access to specialists in child psychology, developmental pediatrics, and neurodevelopmental psychology. We have our own in-house subspecialists in Adolescent Medicine, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and Pediatric Obesity Medicine to offer our residents greater continuity in caring for our patients and greater access to care for the children of Tampa.

Perhaps our most exciting curricular focus is the 6 dedicated blocks for community medicine and advocacy. Our faculty pediatricians work tirelessly to advocate for our patients, helping them access insurance coverage, safe housing, and essential community resources. Our residents engage directly with these efforts and spend time collaborating with local institutions like food pantries, health departments, and early intervention programs, ensuring they have the most up-to-date resources at their disposal. Residents will have many opportunities to participate in our mobile medical clinics in the community as well. Our residents also receive structured training on how to advocate at structural and policy levels, writing editorials for local newspapers, meeting with government representatives, and engaging with local advocacy organizations.

The best part? Our program is in Tampa Florida, ranked among US News and World Report’s best places to live and fastest growing cities in 2024. Tampa is part of the larger tri-city area including St. Petersburg and Clearwater, boasting miles of some of the country’s most beautiful beaches.  Outdoor activities include dolphin and manatee watching, kayaking along the Rainbow and Crystal Rivers, hiking through our many local and state parks, and all the water sports. For the foodies, there are top restaurants for every taste and craft breweries to quench your thirst. The art lovers will enjoy a stroll through the museum of art or taking in a show at the Straz Center. We have major sports teams, including professional women’s soccer, the Tampa Bay Sun. Tampa is great for families, with an excellent aquarium, a zoo, a children’s museum, and a science museum, just to name a few of our favorite kid-friendly activities. Tampa truly has something for everyone.