Introduction and Objective: Medical camps (e.g. Diabetes Camp) benefit kids with chronic illness. Studies show camps improve trainee education, yet none study pediatric residents. Camps offer immersive learning beyond traditional rotations. This study aimed to assess the professional, academic, and personal benefits of camp for pediatric residents. Methods: A retrospective survey study was done on residents at a children’s hospital who attended camp between 6/2021-7/2025. The survey included demographics, pre- and post-camp comfort with chronic disease, and questions on camp benefits. A paired-samples t-test analyzed Likert scale responses. Thematic analysis of open-ended items was independently reviewed by two authors. Results: Of 29 residents that went to camp, 19 (65.5%) completed the survey. 63% attended camp during 2nd year, 32% went multiple times, 70% did diabetes camp, 26% noted camp influenced career goals. Comfort with chronic disease rose markedly post-camp (p 0.001, OR 9 2.15-37.66). Table shows thematic analysis of camp benefits. Conclusion: Residents reported a deeper understanding of experiences of children with chronic illness and greater comfort managing them. They noted improved clinical confidence, autonomy, and professional development. Many described increased motivation and empathy, with reduced burnout. Overall, this reveals the value of camp participation, supporting offering this experience as a component of pediatric residency training. Disclosure B.G. Teber: None. D.H. Grossoehme: None. N.K. Uli: None. R. Heksch: None.
TEBER et al. (Fri,) studied this question.