DAYTON, Ohio — While Wright State University and Dayton Children's Hospital have had a long-standing partnership, university trustees recently approved an expansion that aims to further grow the pediatric clinical workforce, as well as improve children's health outcomes in the Dayton region. 

What You Need To Know

  • The partnership is expanding to include additional efforts to help the region

  • This includes efforts to amp up primary care pediatricians in the area

  • The partnership also plans to increase research into children's health priorities, mental health, maternal health and infant mortality

Wright State's Boonshoft School of Medicine and Dayton Children's currently offer the Integrated Pediatric Residency Program and fellowships that allow medical students to grow in their skill sets. It's required for medical students to complete pediatric rotations at Dayton Children's. 

Going forward, members of the partnership aim to do the following:

  • Improve efforts to increase the number of primary care pediatricians, building additional clinical workforce training capacity and upskilling in-career clinicians
  • Increase research that will be focused on region children's health priorities, as well as maternal health and infant mortality, mental health and chronic disease
  • Expand services to underserved areas

“As Dayton’s public university, Wright State is committed to training the next generation of physicians who will positively impact the communities we serve,” said Sue Edwards, president of Wright State, in a release. “Our expanded partnership with Dayton Children’s Hospital marks a transformative step—enhancing clinical training opportunities for our medical students and residents while improving access to high-quality pediatric care. This partnership strengthens our shared mission to advance medical education, improve patient care and fuel the region's health care workforce.”

Dayton Children's said the push to help improve the health outcomes in children around the area is because data shows kids aren't thriving currently. They added that Ohio consistently ranks in the bottom half of states when it comes to child health and well-being, and that infant mortality rates are higher in the Dayton region compared to the overall state's rate.

“We recognize that, as two of the region’s critical organizations, we can do so much more together to grow and strengthen the pediatric-focused workforce, improve access to medical and mental health services for our children and focus research on moving the needle on health outcomes,” said Debbie Feldman, president and CEO of Dayton Children’s, in a release.  “Together there is so much we can do to strengthen the health of our children and our community.”

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