VCOM-Carolinas recently held its annual Pediatric and Neonatal Bootcamp, a high-impact preparatory course designed to equip second-year medical students with essential skills and confidence before beginning their third-year pediatric core rotation.
The full-day course, developed and led by Hanna Sahhar, MD, FAAP, FACOP, discipline chair and professor of Pediatrics at VCOM-Carolinas, combines pre-course study, interactive workshops, simulation-based learning, and clinical skills sessions focused specifically on pediatric and neonatal care. With a strong emphasis on experiential learning, the bootcamp reflects Dr. Sahhar’s commitment to fostering competence, empathy, and preparedness in future physicians.
Structured around three main pillars—clinical competence, confidence, and self-efficacy—the bootcamp allows students to:
- Practice taking pediatric-focused medical histories and performing physical exams across different age groups
- Respond to common emergencies seen in pediatric offices, well-baby nurseries, and hospital floors
- Engage in realistic patient encounters and high-fidelity simulations
Students completed two hours of pre-course study, followed by six hours of immersive, small-group learning, including:
- Medical education games to reinforce key pediatric concepts
- Simulated patient encounters to develop clinical decision-making and communication skills
- Hands-on simulation-based procedures to build comfort with critical neonatal and pediatric interventions
Participants received a certificate of completion for eight contact hours. Events like this highlight VCOM-Carolinas’ continued dedication to high-quality, hands-on medical education that bridges classroom learning with clinical practice, especially in the vital field of pediatric and neonatal care.
