Pediatric Environmental Health Electives

The Children’s Environmental Health Elective Program is open to medical students, nursing students, public health students, and interns/residents in pediatrics, family medicine, preventive medicine, OBGYN, or related specialties.

This elective provides trainees a unique opportunity to work at the Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (PEHSU) based at Mount Sinai, which is part of a federal network of specialty centers that provide education and consultation for parents, communities, health care providers and public health agencies on children's environmental health issues.

During this elective, students will learn to take an environmental history and field clinical questions at our PEHSU regarding childhood/prenatal environmental exposures (such as lead, pesticides, mold, air pollution), under the guidance of physicians trained in Environmental Pediatrics. Students will also have the opportunity to participate in clinical evaluations, educational seminars and lectures, meetings with representatives from public health agencies, and home visits to evaluate for environmental hazards. Opportunity is available to assist the team with ongoing research and community-based projects.

The elective is designed to last four weeks; however, special arrangements can be made to accommodate students for longer or shorter periods of time.