Mastering Med-Peds: Your Comprehensive Guide to Researching MD Graduate Residency Programs

Understanding the Med-Peds Landscape Before You Start Researching

Before you dive into program lists and spreadsheets, you need a clear picture of what makes Medicine-Pediatrics (Med-Peds) unique and how that should shape your program research strategy.

What Is Different About Med-Peds?

Med-Peds is a four-year, combined training pathway in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. Graduates are board-eligible in both specialties and can practice across the age spectrum. This dual focus affects how you research residency programs:

• Fewer programs, more variability
  Compared to categorical Internal Medicine or Pediatrics, there are fewer Med-Peds programs nationally. That means:

  • You cannot assume every large academic center has a Med-Peds program.
  • Training experiences, patient populations, and program cultures may vary more from site to site.

• Dual identity, dual culture
  You’ll be part of both medicine and pediatrics departments. When evaluating residency programs, you must assess:

  • How well integrated Med-Peds residents are within both departments.
  • Whether you will be “split” or well-supported across two homes.

• Career paths shape what “fit” means
  MD graduates pursuing Med-Peds may plan:

  • Primary care across the lifespan
  • Hospitalist work (adult, pediatric, or combined)
  • Subspecialty fellowship (adult or peds)
  • Academic or global health careers
    Your long-term goals should guide how you evaluate residency programs and prioritize training features.

Clarify Your Personal and Professional Priorities

Before you search, define what you’re actually looking for. This will prevent you from feeling overwhelmed by data and help you build a focused program research strategy.

Ask yourself:

• Geography & lifestyle

  • Where can you realistically live for four years?
  • Are there family/partner considerations?
  • Urban vs. suburban vs. smaller city? Cost of living?

• Training environment

  • Academic medical center vs. community-based vs. hybrid?
  • Level of quaternary/tertiary care exposure?
  • Desire for specific patient populations (underserved, immigrant, rural, urban, etc.)?

• Career focus

  • Undifferentiated vs. clear plan (e.g., adult cardiology, peds heme/onc, med-peds hospitalist)?
  • Interest in global health, advocacy, research, medical education, health policy, or QI?

• Program culture

  • Size of Med-Peds residency?
  • Camaraderie, wellness initiatives, leadership accessibility?
  • Diversity, equity, and inclusion priorities?

Write down your top 5–7 must-haves and 5–7 “nice-to-haves.” These will become your evaluation lens as you research residency programs.

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Building a Target List: Where and How to Start Your Med-Peds Search

Once you understand your priorities, you can systematically build a list of programs that match your goals as an MD graduate pursuing Med-Peds.

Step 1: Use the Official Program Directories

Start with the most reliable, up-to-date sources:

• ERAS / AAMC Program Directory
  Filter by specialty: Internal Medicine-Pediatrics (or Medicine-Pediatrics).
  Use filters for:

  • State/region
  • Program size
  • Visa sponsorship (if applicable)

• FREIDA (AMA Residency & Fellowship Database)
  Search “Internal Medicine-Pediatrics” and then refine by:

  • Program setting (university, community, etc.)
  • Program size
  • Fellowship placement data (sometimes available)
  • Research opportunities, if listed

• NRMP Data
  The NRMP’s specialty data and reports can help you:

  • Understand competitiveness of Med-Peds.
  • Evaluate past Medicine-Pediatrics match trends by program and region.
  • Benchmark your academic profile (Step scores, class rank) against matched applicants.

Start a spreadsheet that includes at least:

• Program name
• City, state
• Institutional type (academic, community, hybrid)
• Number of Med-Peds residents per year
• Total program size
• Notes columns for culture, special tracks, and first impressions

Step 2: Use Med-Peds–Specific Organizations and Networks

Med-Peds has tight-knit national organizations that can significantly enrich your research.

• National Med-Peds Residents’ Association (NMPRA)
  NMPRA often maintains resources such as:

  • Med-Peds program lists
  • Resident perspectives
  • Guides on evaluating residency programs in combined training
  • Contact opportunities with current residents and mentors

• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Section on Med-Peds and ACP equivalents
  They may offer:

  • Webinars about the Medicine-Pediatrics match
  • Career and program selection guidance
  • Networking opportunities

These organizations are especially useful for understanding subtle differences between programs that basic directories won’t show.

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Step 3: Use a Structured Program Research Strategy

To avoid collecting random information, use a layered approach:

1. Broad screening (10–15 minutes per program)

   • Visit the program’s main website and Med-Peds page.
   • Note:
     • Location, size, hospital affiliations
     • Med-Peds leadership (program director, associate director)
     • Number of residents per class and total Med-Peds cohort
     • Very basic curriculum structure (e.g., 3+3 month switches vs. 4+4, etc.)
   • Decide if the program:
     • Clearly fits your geographic boundaries and basic parameters → move to “Further Review”
     • Obviously conflicts with a must-have (e.g., wrong region, no visa, extremely small/unstructured if you need strong academic resources) → move to “Low priority” or “Remove”

2. Intermediate evaluation (20–30 minutes per promising program)

   • Read curriculum and rotation schedules in detail.
   • Review Med-Peds resident biographies (if available).
   • Scan for:
     • Special tracks (global health, advocacy, primary care, research)
     • Dual-department integration
     • Med-Peds-specific clinics and continuity experiences
   • Watch any program videos or virtual tours to gauge culture and resident attitude.

3. Deep dive (reserved for top-choice programs)

   • Look into scholarly output (residents and faculty).
   • Seek alumni destinations: fellowships, academic vs. community practice.
   • Reach out to current residents (when appropriate).
   • Attend virtual open houses or info sessions.

This tiered program research strategy saves time and helps you build a focused application list for the allopathic medical school match process.

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Key Factors to Evaluate in Med-Peds Residency Programs

Once you have a reasonable list, the core challenge is evaluating residency programs in ways that matter for Med-Peds specifically. Use this framework to compare.

1. Clinical Training Structure and Balance

Because Med-Peds spans two full specialties in four years, structure matters more than in most categorical programs.

Key questions to ask:

• Switch frequency and pattern

  • Is it 3 months medicine / 3 months pediatrics? 4/4? Shorter alternating blocks?
  • How often will you transition between departments during intern year?
  • How does the switch structure affect continuity clinics and mental bandwidth?

• Breadth and depth of exposure

  • Are you guaranteed time in:
    • Adult and pediatric ICU
    • Emergency medicine (adult & peds)
    • Neonatology, newborn nursery
    • Subspecialty electives in both IM and Peds?
  • Are there gaps in either adult or pediatric exposure that might affect board preparation?

• Med-Peds–specific rotations

  • Do they offer:
    • Combined Med-Peds inpatient wards or consult services?
    • Med-Peds continuity clinics serving transitional-age youth or adults with childhood-onset conditions?
    • Dedicated transition-of-care experiences?

Programs that intentionally design combined experiences often better support Med-Peds residents’ identity formation and clinical expertise.

2. Integration into Both Departments

You want to avoid feeling like a perpetual visitor in either department.

What to look for on websites and during conversations:

• Are Med-Peds residents:

  • Represented in leadership positions (chiefs, committees, QI projects)?
  • Included in both IM and Peds program retreats, social events, and recognition?
  • Explicitly mentioned in departmental newsletters, publications, or awards?

• How do both departments talk about Med-Peds?

  • As an asset and integral partner?
  • As “the combined program over there” with vague role descriptions?

Programs where the Med-Peds program director is well-respected in both departments, and where residents visibly occupy leadership roles, usually offer stronger integration.

3. Program Size, Culture, and Support

Size and culture will directly impact your day-to-day life as an MD graduate in Med-Peds.

Program size considerations:

• Smaller Med-Peds programs (e.g., 2 residents per class)

  • Pros: tight-knit, high visibility, strong mentorship
  • Cons: fewer peer Med-Peds colleagues, more cross-cover, potential vulnerability if leadership changes

• Larger Med-Peds programs (e.g., 6–8 per class)

  • Pros: robust Med-Peds identity, easier peer support, multiple role models
  • Cons: may feel more “programmatic,” larger institution, possibly less individualized attention

Culture indicators:

• Look at resident photos and bios:

  • Do they highlight diverse interests and backgrounds?
  • Do residents talk about feeling supported, having mentorship, or feeling like a “family”?

• Signs of wellness and support:

  • Formal wellness initiatives
  • Access to mental health support
  • Reasonable approaches to scheduling, parental leave, and accommodations

A helpful exercise: after exploring each program’s website, write a 1–2 sentence “culture impression” in your spreadsheet (“tight-knit, academically intense, urban underserved focus,” etc.) while it’s still fresh.

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4. Academic Opportunities, Research, and Career Support

For many MD graduate residency applicants, academic development is crucial—especially if you’re considering fellowship or academic careers.

Research and scholarly activity:

• Does the program:

  • List recent resident projects, publications, or presentations?
  • Support both adult and pediatric-focused research?
  • Have Med-Peds faculty with research interests aligned with yours?

• Are there:

  • Protected research blocks?
  • Formal scholarly oversight (research directors, mentors)?
  • Partnerships with schools of public health, global health centers, or research institutes?

Fellowship and career outcomes:

• What fellowships have alumni entered recently?

  • Adult subspecialties (cardiology, GI, ID, etc.)
  • Pediatric subspecialties
  • Combined fellowships (e.g., adult/peds ID in a coordinated way)

• For graduates entering practice:

  • Are they academic hospitalists, primary care clinicians, or mixed roles?
  • Do alumni stay in the same institution—suggesting they are valued and well-trained?

A strong Med-Peds program should comfortably support both fellowship-bound and primary care–focused residents with mentoring and resources tailored to each.

5. Patient Population and Community Context

Med-Peds training is deeply shaped by who your patients are.

Consider:

• Diversity and case mix

  • Does the hospital care for a broad range of socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds?
  • Are there opportunities to work with:
    • Underserved or safety-net populations
    • Immigrant or refugee communities
    • Rural outreach or telehealth programs?

• Transitional care and complex patients

  • Are there clinics or services dedicated to:
    • Adults with childhood-onset chronic diseases (e.g., congenital heart disease, sickle cell disease, CF)?
    • Youth with special healthcare needs transitioning to adult care?
  • These are signature opportunities for Med-Peds residents.

This is where your personal values play a major role. If you care deeply about advocacy and health equity, prioritize programs that partner closely with their communities.

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Practical Tools and Tactics: How to Research Residency Programs Efficiently

With many variables to track, you need organized methods to compare programs and make decisions.

Create a Structured Comparison System

Use a spreadsheet or database with standardized categories. Common columns for Med-Peds applicants:

• Location (city/state, urban/suburban/rural)
• Program size (Med-Peds per year / total Med-Peds cohort)
• Switch schedule (3+3, 4+4, etc.)
• Academic vs community vs hybrid
• Special tracks (global health, primary care, advocacy, research, medical education)
• Research strength (low, medium, high)
• Fellowship outcomes (good data / limited data / unknown)
• Med-Peds identity/integration (subjective rating)
• Diversity & DEI efforts (specific initiatives vs generic language)
• Wellness and support
• Notes on culture (from website, residents, open houses)
• Overall interest score (1–5 or 1–10)

As you research residency programs, update this table regularly. It becomes your decision-making map for the Medicine-Pediatrics match.

Use Social Media and Virtual Platforms (Thoughtfully)

Many programs and residents are active on social media:

• Twitter/X, Instagram, and LinkedIn

  • Look for:
    • Program accounts showcasing teaching, resident life, community engagement.
    • Med-Peds resident accounts (public, professional) that highlight daily experiences.

• Program podcasts and YouTube channels

  • Some Med-Peds programs host podcasts or video series explaining:
    • Curriculum philosophy
    • Resident perspectives
    • Day-in-the-life vignettes

Use these to sense culture and daily life, but avoid over-weighting highly curated content. Social media is a supplement, not a substitute, for structured evaluation.

Reach Out to Current Residents and Mentors

Hearing from people living the experience is often the most valuable form of data.

• Current Med-Peds residents
  • Reach out via:
    • Contact info on program websites
    • NMPRA networking channels
    • Virtual open houses and Q&As

Ask targeted questions:

• How integrated do you feel across both departments?

• What are the biggest strengths and limitations of the program?

• How supported are you in your specific career goals (e.g., fellowship, primary care, global health)?

• If you had to choose again, would you pick this program?

• Home institution Med-Peds faculty (if available)

  • Ask them:
    • Which programs might fit your goals and profile?
    • Are there lesser-known programs that are strong in your interest areas?
    • How to interpret subtle signals from program websites and conversations?

Mentors can help you calibrate your expectations and refine your program list, especially if you’re a first-generation applicant or unfamiliar with the academic landscape.

Anticipate Program Fit in the Medicine-Pediatrics Match

As an MD graduate residency applicant, think ahead about how programs will perceive you in the allopathic medical school match.

• Academic profile vs program competitiveness

  • Use NRMP data and advisor input to match your:
    • Step/COMLEX scores
    • Clinical grades
    • Research output
  • To the general competitiveness level of programs.

• Personal statement and experiences

  • When researching, note how well your experiences align with program values:
    • If you’ve done extensive global health work, do they have strong global health partnerships?
    • If you emphasize health equity, do they highlight community advocacy?

Programs are more likely to rank you highly if your stated interests and history clearly fit what they offer.

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Turning Research into a Final Application Strategy

Your research should culminate in a clear, realistic application plan for the Medicine-Pediatrics match.

Narrowing Your List

Based on your spreadsheet and impressions:

1. Sort programs into tiers

   • High priority (“I would be excited to train here”)
   • Moderate priority (“Good fit, but not ideal in one or two areas”)
   • Low priority (“Apply only if needing more geographic breadth or safety programs”)

2. Check geographic and program-type diversity

   • Ensure you’re not over-concentrating in just one city or type (e.g., all large coastal academic centers).
   • Include a mix of academic, hybrid, and possibly strong community programs, depending on your goals.

3. Reality-check with mentors

   • Show your list to Med-Peds or IM/Peds advisors.
   • Adjust based on their knowledge of program culture and your competitiveness.

Using Interviews to Confirm (or Revise) Your Impressions

Your research sets the stage, but the interview season refines your program rankings.

During interviews and virtual visits:

• Ask follow-up questions based on your research:

  • “I saw you have a Med-Peds transition clinic. How involved are residents, and what’s the typical patient mix?”
  • “Could you share examples of recent Med-Peds residents’ scholarly projects and where they are now?”

• Observe:

  • How residents talk about work-life balance.
  • Whether faculty appear accessible and invested.
  • How Med-Peds is described by both IM and Peds leadership.

Update your spreadsheet after each interview with:

• New information learned
• Red flags or unexpected strengths
• Overall “gut feeling” rating

Use both data and intuition when finalizing your rank list for the medicine pediatrics match.

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FAQs: Researching Med-Peds Residency Programs as an MD Graduate

How many Med-Peds programs should I research and apply to?

Most MD graduate residency applicants start by researching 25–40 Med-Peds programs in depth and then applying to a subset, often in the range of 15–30, depending on competitiveness and geographic flexibility. Your advisor can help you tailor this number based on your specific profile and goals.

What is the most important factor when evaluating Med-Peds programs?

There is no universally “most important” factor, but for most applicants it’s a combination of:

• Quality and balance of adult and pediatric training
• Program culture and support
• Alignment with long-term career goals (fellowship vs primary care, academic vs community) Use your personal priority list to decide which factors should carry the most weight for you.

How can I tell if a program supports both fellowship and primary care careers?

Look for:

• Alumni career outcome lists (fellowships and practice positions)
• Program websites or slide decks highlighting recent fellowship matches
• Resident bios that mention their career goals and how the program is supporting them
  During interviews, ask:
• “How does the program support residents interested in fellowship?”
• “What about those planning careers in primary care or hospital medicine?”

Do I need Med-Peds at my home institution to match successfully?

No. Many MD graduates match into Medicine-Pediatrics residencies without a home Med-Peds program. However, you should:

• Seek mentorship from Internal Medicine and Pediatrics faculty who understand Med-Peds.
• Use resources from organizations like NMPRA to learn about the specialty and programs.
• Be intentional and systematic in how you research residency programs, so you can clearly articulate why Med-Peds and why specific programs in your applications.

By combining structured program research with honest self-reflection and strategic mentorship, you can build a Med-Peds application list that aligns with your goals and positions you strongly for the allopathic medical school match.