Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Specialty at a Glance

A student should consider this specialty if:

• They desire a unique dual board certification specialty that is ACGME (Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education) accredited as an individual specialty.

• They want to have tremendous career flexibility including primary care, hospital-based careers as well as subspecialty fellowships, either categorical or combined med-peds subspecialty care. 

• They want great training for global health careers.

Nothing specific is needed to prepare, as internal medicine-pediatrics is not a cookie cutter specialty.

It's recommended to take electives that focus on disease processes that one will see a lot of in residency such as cardiology, pulmonology, endocrinology and nephrology. Outpatient pediatrics electives are quite different from inpatient side. It's also recommend to take infectious disease for all specialties. There is also a med-peds outpatient elective that students find beneficial.

The internal medicine or pediatrics sub-Is are both fine. Internal medicine is a better representation of the intern experience, so consider that as you make your choice.

Not necessarily. The Med/Peds Program Director Association does not recommend away rotations unless a student has a highly specific reason for being there. The training you will get is excellent everywhere. In some cases, away rotations may make your chances of matching somewhere in particular more difficult.

Research is helpful, but not required for this specialty. Nor does the research you do have to be specialty specific.

Residency training for this specialty is four years.

You will need three to four letters depending on your program. You do not need a specific mix, although most students choose one from medicine and one from pediatrics. It is not necessary to have med-peds trained faculty letters, although these faculty know best what it takes to be successful in a dual residency. What is most important is that the letter writer knows the student well and can comment on clinical skills as well as potential.

The National Med-Peds Residents Association (NMPRA) is the best source with yearly virtual webinars on applying to med-peds as well as program spotlights. These are also archived for later viewing. The Med-Peds SIG at IU School of Medicine can also be helpful.

Program leadership does most of career mentoring for this specialty, but residents do mentor as well through partnership with the med-peds student interest group.