Table of Contents

Children's Hospital Colorado Resident Rotation

Welcome from Dr. Mason

Welcome to the Pediatric/Craniofacial Rotation. The goal is to provide you with intentional instruction through bedside rounds, outpatient clinic experiences, operative experiences, and teaching conferences. Please be prepared to own the service. Please come well read and prepared for each experience.

Note that all four sites are now able to offer operative experiences to residents. These include the Anschutz campus, North campus (Broomfield), Highlands Ranch, and Colorado Springs. It is the resident's responsibility in collaboration with our advanced practice provider(s) to assure that the service and day call are covered when the resident is off the Anschutz campus and/or on vacation. Any challenges should be brought to Dr. Mason's attention on Monday of the work week.

With current staffing, patient volumes, and access to all sites, all resident index cases should be obtained without difficulty. It is the resident's responsibility to be aware of the numbers needed, where they stand in meeting those requirements, and have a fluid line of communication with Dr. Mason if challenges present in obtaining those numbers.

Index Cases

The following cases are required for graduation:

Index Cases #
Primary cleft lip repair 7
Primary cleft palate repair 7
Secondary cleft lip or palate repair 7
Craniomaxillofacial reconstruction
Vascular malformation (laser)
Other head and neck congenital defects procedures
Total50

Weekday Workflow


The usual week call schedule is as follows. If the attending is on University call for the week, they take the entire week at Children's as well.

M T W Th F/Sa/Su
KMFDOn Call


0600 Rounding and Patient Pre-op

Prep any patients for first cases in the preoperative holding area. Assure consent is complete and signed. If any concerns, notify operating surgeon ASAP. Round on inpatients. Be sure you have a working knowledge of how patients on the service fared overnight, their salient vitals, the status of their wounds, and any laboratory data including culture results, sensitivity patterns, current antimicrobials, and lab work (CBC, H/H, lytes, albumin, prealbumin, CRP, etc.)
0700 OR Start

The resident will be in the OR as the patient is prepared for surgery. Please read material about the case prior to the date of surgery and be well prepared.
0830 Wednesday Chief Rounds

The resident will round with Dr. Mason and the Yellow Team on Plastic Surgery inpatients. The resident is relieved of other commitments until rounds are complete.

Weekend Workflow

The resident and on-call surgeon will round on each patient on the list at least one of the two weekend days. They will decide upon the time to round.

Resident Responsibilities

  1. Morning rounds-you are in charge
  2. Keep the inpatient list current
  3. Prepare for all cases
  4. Preop (Check in) all assigned patients
  5. Obtain sign out in the morning from the night call and give sign out in the afternoon to the oncall
  6. Connect to TigerConnect and keep the Team updated with pertinent patient information after rounds and/or as the day progresses. To connect call 7-HELP.
  7. See and evaluate all Emergency Room consults. Once complete staff with on call surgeon
  8. See and evaluate all inpatient consults. Once complete staff with on call surgeon
  9. Complete all indicated charting in relationship to patient care
  10. Attend Monday evening conferences 4-6 pm

The List

1. Keeping an updated and accurate list of inpatients and consults is essential to accuracy in continuity of care. It is the responsibility of all of us to keep the list current and accurate. The CHCO resident will keep the list preened in real time, however, keeping the resident informed is our collective responsibilities. Please communicate liberally via Tiger Connect or phone call if you experience any of the following:
a. Admit a patient without the resident at your side
b.Operate on a patient without the resident at your side
c.Change the plan on a patient without the resident at your side
d.Encounter any other event in patient care that would impact future care without the resident at your side.

2. It is imperative that the resident pager and phone be working, accessible, and answered. If the resident is to be in the OR, please massage the OR team such that they answer your communications in a timely fashion. If difficulties arise with OR staff assisting, please connect with Dr. Mason.
3. Transitions of care are also essential to high quality continuity of care. At a minimum a review of the patient list should occur in the mornings to the CHCO resident starting the day and again at the end of the day around 5:00 pm when the night call resident is assuming responsibility.Weekend sign out on Fridays around 5:00 pm and sign ins on Monday mornings should similarly be done comprehensively.

CHCO Conferences

Timing (Monthly) Mode Conference Description
First Friday Present Resident Conference Resident will present 2-4 cases planned for the month. Workup, intervention, and postoperative care will be highlighted.
Third Wednesday Learn Craniofacial Conference Multidisciplinary conference with wide range of topics. Looks for flier for specific for the month you are on service.
Fourth Monday Learn Cleft Lip and Palate Conference Multidisciplinary conference with wide range of topics. Looks for flier for specific for the month you are on service.
Final Friday Mock Orals Mock Orals The pediatric plastic surgery division will perform Mock Oral Boards for the resident. Topics include: Unilateral and bilateral cleft lip, cleft palate, facial paralysis and syndactyly.

Preferred Weekly Schedule

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Week 1 AM Dr. French Clinic Dr. Khecohyan South OR Dr. Khecohyan Clinic Dr. Domeshek Clinic Main Operating Room
Week 1 PM Dr. French Cleft Clinic Dr. Khecohyan South OR Dr. Khecohyan Clinic Dr. Domeshek Clinic Main Operating Room
Week 2 AM Dr. French Clinic AM Children's Clinic Vascular Multi-Disciplinary Clinic Dr. French or Dr. Khecohyan OR North Operating Room
Week 2 PM Dr. French Cleft Clinic AM Children's Clinic Burn Multi-Disciplinary Clinic Dr. French or Dr. Khecohyan OR North Operating Room
Week 3 AM Dr. Khecohyan Orthognathic Clinic Dr. Domeshek Main OR Dr. Khecohyan Craniofacial Clinic Dr. Domeshek Brachioplexus Multi-Disciplinary Clinic Dr. French Main OR
Week 3 PM Dr. Khecohyan Orthognathic Clinic Dr. Domeshek Main OR Dr. Khecohyan Clinic Dr. Domeshek Brachioplexus Multi-Disciplinary Clinic Dr. French Main OR
Week 4 AM Dr. Domeshek North OR Children's Main OR Dr. French Craniofacial Clinic Dr. French or Khecohyan Craniofacial OR Dr. French Main OR
Week 4 PM Dr. Domeshek North OR Children's Main OR Vascular Malformation MDC Dr. French or Khecohyan Craniofacial OR Dr. French Main OR
Week 5 AM Dr. Domeshek North OR Dr. Domeshek Main OR Dr. Domeshek North Hand Clinic Dr. French or Khecohyan Craniofacial OR Dr. French Main OR
Week 5 PM Dr. Domeshek North OR Dr. Domeshek Main OR Dr. Domeshek North Plastics Clinic Dr. French or Khecohyan Craniofacial OR Dr. French Main OR