Residency is an opportunity to further intellectual curiosity and establish a basis upon which to build adult learning skills. Participating in scholarly activity during residency is a great way to expand learning beyond the clinical setting.
In my role as Associate Program Director, I work to ensure that our residents can explore various aspects of scholarly work. We are proud to offer a wide range of both structured and independent scholarly activities that are integrated throughout the curriculum in a variety of settings from the bedside to didactic sessions.
The longitudinal ACQUIRE curriculum is a unique experience that introduces residents to scholarly activity in Advocacy/Community, Quality Improvement, Research, and Education, while also providing independent time to support the development of a long-term scholarly project over the course of residency. This occurs over 2-week rotations during each year of residency (for a total of 6 weeks of ACQUIRE time). During intern year, the focus is placed on introducing residents to the various forms of scholarship, exploring their academic interests, and building foundational skills in navigating the research process. Interns are encouraged to identify a longitudinal academic interest to inform the development of a scholarly project. All interns are scheduled together for PGY1 ACQUIRE, which promotes class bonding and identity formation. During the 2nd year ACQUIRE rotation, residents are provided with individualized time for scholarship project development and career mentorship. Additionally, they receive more advanced skills-building in research/QI, scholarly dissemination, and advocacy and clinical teaching skills. Residents are split into 2 ACQUIRE cohorts for the PGY2 ACQUIRE (4 residents per cohort), which also provides an opportunity for class bonding. The 3rd year ACQUIRE rotation is an individual rotation, when PGY3s plan to complete or transition their scholarly project by graduation and practicing advanced clinical teaching skills matched to their clinical interests.
Our residents also required to participate in several additional structured activities during residency, such as Journal Club, Health Equity Rounds, quality improvement projects, and formal educational presentations, such as Morning Reports and Grand Rounds (all PGY3s present Grand Rounds at our program).
In terms of built-in support for scholarship, residents have access to a dedicated Resident Research Navigator, who helps to support faculty/resident connection, project design and Institutional Review Board navigation, and assistance with project troubleshooting and dissemination.
Our faculty have expertise and interest in incredibly diverse areas of pediatric scholarship, including basic science, clinical research, educational research, policy, and advocacy, and are very eager to partner with residents in scholarly work. Collaboration between residents and faculty is further supported by the MHMMC Barbara Bush Children's Hospital Scholars Academy and the Faculty-Resident Scholarship Program, which are departmental programs that provide research navigation, financial support, opportunities for feedback on projects in progress, and further opportunities for education.
Through these collaborations and mentorships, residents regularly are able to pursue independent academic development resulting in poster and platform presentations at regional and national academic meetings, authorship of journal articles, and participation in existing clinical research projects.
Amy Buczkowski, MD
Associate Program Director, Pediatrics Residency Program
Assistant Professor, Pediatric Hospital Medicine
Fall 2024-2025
- Annie Coates and Sean Patterson (2026): Interprofessional Educational Intervention to Improve the Accuracy of HASS Assessments of Pediatric Asthma Across Hospital Clinicians
- Meredith Jackson and Emma Freeman (2027): Alignment of the Evaluation and Management of Febrile Infants at MMC with National Guidelines
- Amy Buczkowski and Annie Batten (2026): Understanding Diaper Access in Southern Maine – A CATCH Planning Grant
- Michael Zubrow and Rayne Whitten (2027): Use of Eye Tracking as a Measure to Assess Ultrasound Competence
Fall 2023-Fall 2024
- Annie Coates and Sean Patterson (2026): Interprofessional Educational Intervention to Improve the Accuracy of HASS Assessments of Pediatric Asthma Across Hospital Clinicians
- Genevieve Whiting and Rachel Rockers (2025): Increasing Equitable Access to Pediatric Specialty Care in Maine through Implementation of E-Consultation
- Julia Fritz and Ambia Ahmed (2025): The Relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders: A Retrospective Study
- Meredith Jackson and Bela DeOliveira (2024): Alignment of the Evaluation and Management of Febrile Infants at MMC with National Guidelines
Fall 2021-Fall 2022
- Amy Buczkowski with Aaron Wallace (2023): A Qualitative Study of Parental Experience of the Eat, Sleep, Console Protocol for Management of NOWS
- Jill Gregory with Bill White (2022): Cannabis Toxicity in Pediatric Patients Following Statewide Legalization of Recreational Use
- Mike Zubrow with Emily Kelly (2023): Bedside Thoracic Ultrasound-Guided Assessment of Lung Inflation in Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
Spring 2022-Spring 2023
- Noah Diminick & Annie Coates with Amanda Gagnon (2023): Improvement in Interdisciplinary ED and Hospital Care of Pediatric Asthma (contingent upon IRB approval)
- Roslyn Gerwin with Marlow Easterling & Hannah Burley (Child Psych Fellows): Characteristics of suicide attempts amongst rural youth: A retrospective review of hospitalized pediatrics patients
- Meredith Jackson with Bela DeOliveira (2024): QI Project: Alignment of BBCH Management of Febrile Infants with National Guidelines
Learn more at MHBBCH Scholarship Academy Members - MaineHealth Institute for Teaching Excellence (MITE)
- Allison Grover, MB BCh (2026): Improvement in recommended vaccination uptake in patients with sickle cell disease in Maine
- Brianne Drury, MD (2026): Program improvement of the pediatric residency program didactic and supplemental educational curriculum
- Maria Terzis, Allison Grover, and Kelly Gao (2026): Creation of a nutritional and cooking program to connect residency continuity clinic families with local food and safety net programs
- Annie Batten, MD (2026): Understanding diaper access in Southern Maine: A qualitative study
- Sean Patterson, DO (2026): Improvement of inpatient asthma care through an institutional guideline
- Calvin Schaffer, MD (2026):
- Improvement of food screening and mitigation in the emergency department
- Creation of a residency educational curriculum regarding the care of patients with medical complexity
- Ambia Ahmed, MBBS (2025): Mental health conditions among patients with a disorder of the gut-brain interaction
- Rachel Rockers, MD (2025): Increasing equitable access to pediatric specialty care in Maine through implementation of e-consultation
- Jess Iyer, MBBS (2025): Screening for and mitigation of period poverty in a resident continuity clinic
- Elizabeth George (2025): Evaluating the effectiveness of the Vaso-occlusive Crisis Management CarePath
- Christina Rittenhouse, DO (2025): Improvement of CMV screening in neonates that fail the newborn hearing screen
- Makenzie Zidek, DO (2024): Perception of pediatric resident mental health training needs from primary care, trainee, and psychiatrist perspectives
- Maria Libertin, MD (2024): Assessment of heart rate variability in point-of-care ultrasound training
- Bela DeOliveira, MD (2024): Alignment of BBCH Management of Febrile Infants with National Guidelines (A Quality Improvement Approach)
- Julia Oppenheimer, MD (2024): Creation of a longitudinal legislative advocacy curriculum
- Hannah Yeomans, MD (2024):
- Improve use of High Flow Nasal Cannula in the treatment of bronchiolitis
- Improvement of rapid identification of blood cultures and appropriate antibiotic use in the NICU
- Danielle Doctor, MD (2023):
- Parental experience of the care of children with medical complexity: A qualitative study
- Development of an educational intervention for middle school aged children to participate in “Mini Medical School”
- Aaron Wallace, MD (2023): Educational intervention to decrease bias in resident evaluation of medical students
- Haley Pelletier, DO (2023): Improvement of the follow-up evaluation for infants who require repeat car seat evaluation for safe transport after discharge from the NICU
- Heather Reiley, ME (2023): Creation of local support group for adolescents that have recently immigrated to Maine
- Amanda Gagnon, DO (2023): Increase screening and mitigation of ENDS (electronic nicotine delivery system) use in the adolescent population of a resident continuity clinic
- Sarah (DiBrigida) Gibbons, MD (2023): Improving access to materials regarding healthy diet and exercise in non-English languages
- Colbey Bowen, DO (2022): Examination of the use of combination versus individual vaccinations in the care of very premature infants in the NICU
- Robin Wolschendorf, MD (2022):
- Improvement of the screening, referral, and access to child developmental services for families that prefer non-English languages
- Improvement of the screening for and identification of neurodevelopmental disabilities in pediatric patients with complex heart disease
- Amber Brown, DO (2022): Impact of inpatient osteopathic manipulative treatment on the quality of life for hematology/oncology patients
- Anna Sagaser, MD (2022): Comparison of measuring POC versus whole blood glucose levels in the newborn nursery
- Ambia Ahmed, J Fritz. Mental health conditions among patients with a disorder of the gut-brain interaction. 2025 PAS Conference Poster Presentation
- Annie Batten, J Gregory, M Zubrow. Primary HIV Presenting a Acute Hypoxic Respiratory Failure and ARDS in an Infant. 2025 SCCM Conference Oral Presentation
- Sean Patterson, A Coates. 10-Year-Old Male with ARDS in the Setting of Unwitnessed Drowning Event, Complicated by Acute Asthma Exacerbation. 2025 ATS Conference Poster Presentation.
- Clara Williamson, L Amar-Dolan, R Conroy. Dexmedetomidine use in the treatment of a pediatric patient with concurrent DKA and thyroid storm. 2025 Maine AAP Spring Conference Poster Presentation
- Sean Patterson, A Coates, N Diminick, L Amar-Dolan. A Quality Improvement Project to Reduce Variation in Pediatric Asthma Care Using the Hospital Asthma Severity Scoring (HASS) Tool. 2025 Maine AAP Spring Conference Poster Presentation
- Maria Terzis, J. Fritz. Menetrier’s: A Pediatric Chronic State of Disease with a Questionable Heritable Form. 2025 Maine AAP Spring Conference Poster Presentation
- Calvin Schaffer, L Murray, D Doctor, A Buczkowski. Implementation and evaluation of a resident pediatric complex care series. 2025 Maine AAP Spring Conference Poster Presentation
- Rayne Whitten, J Landry, Calvin Schaffer, Jess Iyer, C Motyl. Fever, irritability, and decreased right arm movement in an otherwise health 3-week-old infant. 2025 Maine AAP Spring Conference Poster Presentation
- Emma Freeman, M Jackson. Implementing the 2021 AAP Well Appearing Febrile Infant Clinical Practice Guideline Across a Tertiary Referral Hospital. 2025 Maine AAP Spring Conference Poster Presentation
- Franny Chung, Katie Maehl, J Fey, A Gagnon. Recalling the Rule of Twos. 2025 Maine AAP Spring Conference Poster Presentation
- Maria Terzis, J Fritz. Energized to Exhausted: A Teen’s Unusual Battle with Anemia. 2024 NASPHGHAN Conference Poster Presentation
- Annie Batten, A Buczkowski. Diaper Insecurity in Southern Maine: A CATCH Planning Grant Project, 2024 NNEAC Conference Oral Presentation.
- Jess Iyer, E Hidu, A Buczkowski. Addressing Period Poverty in the MMC Pediatric Clinic. 2024 NNEAC Conference Poster Presentation
- Maria Terzis, J Fritz. NASPGHAN White House Grant Application: A Community Nutrition/Cooking Program. 2024 NNEAC Conference Poster Presentation
- Julia Oppenheimer, A Buczkowski. Resident Involvement in Legislative Advocacy. 2024 NNEAC Conference Poster Presentation
- Bela DeOliveira, M Jackson. Evaluation of Febrile Infants Before Vs During the COVID-19 Pandemic. 2023 National Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting Poster Presentation.
- Maria Libertin, Mitch Peterson, D Thyssen. Navigating Parental Notification and Confidentiality in Perinatal HIV Exposure: An Ethical Case Analysis. 2023 AAP NCE Meeting Poster Presentation.
- Maria Libertin, M Ferguson, J Gregory, M Zubrow. HR Variability differentiates level of expertise of POC lung ultrasound interpretation. 2023 National SCCM Meeting Poster Presentation.
- Danielle Doctor, Hannah Yeomans, A Buczkowski. Poverty Training Increases Trainee Knowledge of Patient Individual and Structural Barriers. 2023 National APPD Spring Meeting Poster Presentation.
- Julia Oppenheimer, K Pleacher. Firearm Safety Advocacy Research, 2023 NNEAC Oral Presentation.
- Jess Iyer, P Dietz. Anticipatory Guidance for Safety in New Immigrant Population. 2023 NNEAC Summit Oral Presentation.
- Annie Batten, A Buczkowski. Inpatient Food and Diaper Insecurity Screening and Mitigation, 2023 NNEAC Summit Poster Presentation.
- Paolo Tavares, M Afari. Community Hands-only CPR Training, 2023 NNEAC Summit Poster Presentation.
- Rachel Coffey, J Fritz. Relationship between ACEs and Pediatric Functional GI Disorders, 2023 Maine AAP Spring Conference Poster Presentation.
- Bela DeOliveira, M Jackson. Improving AAP CPG Adherence for Well-Appearing Febrile Infants. 2023 Maine AAP Spring Conference Poster Presentation.
- Amanda Gagnon, A Coates, N Diminick. Educational Intervention to Improve Inter-Rater Reliability of HASS. 2023 Maine AAP Spring Conference Poster Presentation.
- Jess Iyer, J Fey, A Coates. A Perfect Cloudy Storm. 2023 Maine AAP Spring Conference Poster Presentation.
- Maria Libertin, Mitch Peterson, D Thyssen. Navigating Parental Notification and Confidentiality in Perinatal HIV Exposure: A Case Study Analysis. 2023 Maine AAP Spring Conference Poster Presentation.
- Hannah Yeomans, M Jackson. Scurvy: A Case of a Child with Autism and Refusal to Bear Weight. 2023 Maine AAP Spring Conference Poster Presentation.
- Doctor D, Dedekian M. Rate of Recognition and Referral in Early-Onset Severe Obesity. Costas Lambrew Research Retreat, Portland, ME. May 3, 2023. Poster
- Iyer J, Mathes J, Doctor D, Coates A, Fey J. Maine. A Perfect Cloudy Storm. AAP Spring Conference, Rockport, ME. April 29, 2023. Poster.
- Doctor D, Murray L, Payne A. Caregiver perspectives on Telemedicine for children with medical complexity. APA Region 1 Meeting, Waltham, MA. March 27, 2023. Poster.
- Doctor D, Yeomans H, Riddell L, Buczkowski A. Gettin’ By is Tough: Poverty Training Increases Understanding of Individual and Structural Patient Barriers. Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting, Washington, DC. April 27, 2023 & Association of Pediatric Program Directors Conference, Atlanta, GA. March 29, 2023. Poster.
- Drury, B., McElwain, L., Goddard, A. (2025) Infant with Fever and Splenomegaly; Time is Ticking. Journal of Maine Medical Center. Accepted for publication.
- Fox, L., Cutler, A…Deerwester, K. et al. (2025) A Pilot Randomized Control Trial of Holding During Hypothermia and Effects on Maternal and Infant Salivary Cortisol Levels. Advances in Neonatal Care. 00(0), pp. 1-8.
- Libertin, M., Ferguson., M, and Zubrow, M. (2023) Heart Rate Variability Differentiates Expertise Level in Point-of-Care Lung US Interpretation. Critical Care Medicine. 52(1): p S323.
- Doctor, D. (2021) “Treating Adolescent ADHD with Medication.” ADHD in Adolescents: A Comprehensive Guide, edited by Alison Schonwald, Springer, pp. 27–36.
- Coffey, R; Melendi, M; Cutler, AK.; and Craig, AK. (2022) "Telemedicine Consultation to Assess Neonatal Encephalopathy in Rural Community Hospitals and Tertiary Care Centers," Journal of Maine Medical Center: Vol. 4 : Iss. 1, Article 7.
- Sagaser A, Pilon B, Gheller A, Lemon M, Craig A. (2022) Parent Experience of HIE and Hypothermia: A Call for Trauma Informed Care, American Journal of Perinatology, 13;10.1055/a-1739-3388.
- Kusari, A., Reiley, H. and Seiverling, E. (2021), A lesion on the abdomen in an infant. Pediatric Dermatology, 38: 117-118.
- Brown, A., Chaleff, S. (2021). Anaplastic astrocytoma and oligodendroglioma presenting as simultaneous primary brain tumors in a pediatric patient: The first known report of a rare condition. Neuro-oncology, Volume 23, Issue Supplement 1, pp. i41.
- Brown, A., Bennett, S., Hayman, J. (2021). Purulent pericarditis in the setting of disseminated community-acquired methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus infection: a rare condition in children. SHM Converge 2021, Journal of Hospital Medicine. Abstract 759.
- Craig, A; Deerwester, K; McAllister, L; Noubary, F; Hourihan, M. (2021) A Pilot Randomized Control Trial of Safety and Feasibility of a Delayed Rewarming Intervention for Infants Following Cardiopulmonary Bypass Surgery. Pediatrics and Neonatal Medicine
- Hoffman, S; Buczkowski A; Mallory, L; McGovern L; Porter, S; Douglass, A; Correia, R; Long, L; Taylor, C; Homes, R; Poulin B, McElwain, L. (2021) Addressing Transportation Insecurity Improves Attendance at Post-Hospitalization Appointments. Pediatrics
- Redford, K., and Trachimowicz, G. (2020). Newborn with Hemorrhagic Skin Reaction. NeoReviews, 21: e49.