Pediatric Advocacy, Rural and Community (PARC)

Child health is tied to community health. By getting into the community through PARC, you’ll:

• Understand how community, culture, geography, economics and the health care system affect child health.
• Learn how to identify and approach issues that affect children at the local, regional, state, national and global levels.

Residents have won national acclaim for their work in PARC, including Community Access to Child Health (CATCH) grants from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the AAP Anne E. Dyson National Resident Advocacy Award and private funding.

Rotations include:

• PARC 1 (required during intern year) – This four-week rotation introduces concepts of community engagement, advocacy and public health. Interns also begin developing their ideas for a longitudinal community project, carried out in teams throughout their training.
• PARC 2 (senior electives) – Choose to experience rural New Mexico pediatrics, the operating room and immersion in the local community

As a resident in pediatrics at The University of New Mexico, you’ll learn the skills to advocate for children and families. The Pediatric Advocacy, Rural and Community (PARC) program aims to:

• Provide in-depth advocacy training throughout the residency.
• Strengthen the Department of Pediatrics’ presence in the community by identifying and partnering with groups who share interest in child issues.
• Strengthen the faculty’s work in advocacy by offering professional development in the field, and nurturing and promoting advocacy interests.

We initiated the innovative PARC curriculum in 2001 and expanded the rotation into a comprehensive program in 2014. This curriculum includes an experience in the first year of residency, as well as the second year for residents choosing the Ambulatory/Community Individualized Learning Curriculum track.

PARC curriculum involves:

• Annual Community and Advocacy in Pediatrics Symposium
• Grand rounds on advocacy topics
• Media advocacy workshop, community project series
• Resident lectures, morning report
• Train Talks: trips to the legislature