As one of the current editors of Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics and Nelson Essentials of Pediatrics, and as a former residency program director, I have a keen understanding of the needs of interns and residents. Indeed, one might say that my colleagues and I have "written the books" that educate millions of pediatricians throughout the world. Now, as chairman of the Department of Pediatrics, I guarantee our house staff a well-balanced and exceptional educational experience. Residency training in Pediatrics at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin is part of a highly individualized program that provides physicians in training the opportunity to reach their maximum potential while achieving clinical excellence. Our broad-based program is extremely flexible. Resident physicians are able to experience the diverse aspects of a pediatrician's career. The eager faculty provide our house staff with personal guidance to assist in the development of individual education programs to meet their career goals as pediatricians. An exciting combination of patient care activities, opportunities for participation in a wide variety of clinical, community and research elective rotations, together with dedicated hands-on teaching and faculty based counseling, enables the pediatrician in training to explore career choices and achieve the fullest potential to function as an experienced and independent practitioner. The comprehensive nature of our program provides a strong clinical base which results in the graduation of competent and skilled pediatricians. The flexibility of our program provides the needed experiences for successful future careers in primary care, research or public health. Our residency program also encourages scholarly pursuits and provides a strong foundation for future subspecialty fellowship training and for clinical pediatrics. Individuals who complete our program are highly competitive in subspecialty training, provide outstanding primary care, and become advocates for children's health at local, community, national and international levels. Goals during the first year internship are a little different from the overall career goals of pediatricians in training. The goals take into consideration the important transition from medical student to house officer. Our program wants to make the transition as smooth as possible and has attempted to reduce the workload and anxiety of each incoming intern group. We look forward to meeting you during your interview at our department. Robert M. Kliegman, MD Professor & Chair, Department of Pediatrics Medical College of Wisconsin Pediatrician-in-Chief Pamela & Leslie Muma Chair in Pediatrics Children's Hospital of Wisconsin