Message from the Director

Welcome to the beautiful Emerald Coast and Pensacola, Fla. - celebrating its 450th year as America’s oldest settlement. The Florida State University College of Medicine Pediatric Residency Program at Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital was originally founded in the late 1960s on a deep commitment to serving all children, with special attention to the medically underserved and vulnerable of Northwest Florida and South Alabama.

Our mission remains grounded in our founding philosophy, while incorporating the requirements of training residents for practice in the 21st century. Our residents’ educational experiences emphasize the competencies and skills required for practice and extensive familiarity with the subspecialty fields of pediatrics. Upon successful completion of the training program, the resident will be fully prepared for the practice of general pediatrics and for fellowship training in a pediatric subspecialty discipline of their choosing.

In 1997, the Nemours Foundation partnered with Sacred Heart to found the Nemours Children’s Clinic. Through its 11 pediatric divisions, Nemours is the primary provider of pediatric specialty services and provides guidance and education to our residents. The faculty is very accessible and the small size of the program (7 residents per year) allows for one-on-one instruction. Combined, Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital and Nemours Children’s Clinic provide care for over 40,000 children each year.

As a member of the house staff, you will find that the FSU Pediatric Residency Program provides a very competitive benefits package, including health and disability insurance and paid vacations. In addition, residents have a yearly CME allowance.

Prior to becoming Program Director, I spent 12 years on faculty in the Department of Pediatric and Human Development at Michigan State University. Prior to this, I served for three years as continuity clinic director and assistant program director before spending my last eight years as the MSU Pediatric Program Director. I have had a satisfying career of serving the underserved, promoting child advocacy and developing innovations in resident education. All of which I plan on continuing in my position at FSU.

If you share our vision and would like to apply for a resident position, please apply through the ERAS system online. Should you have any questions, please contact myself or Danika Talbert, our program coordinator, at 1-888-243-2681 or dtalbert@shhpens.org for additional information.

Sincerely,

Peter J. Jennings, MD
Pediatric Residency Program Director
Florida State University College of Medicine
Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital