Onboarding plan
Pediatric Surgeon Onboarding Plan (30-60-90 Days)
A practical, printable plan to take a new pediatric surgeon from first day to full productivity.
Pediatric Surgeon onboarding at a glance
Week one covers orientation, safety and shadowing. Days 1–30 build vocabulary and supervised practice on core procedures; days 31–60 move to independent work with competency sign-offs; days 61–90 focus on full productivity, cross-training and a credential plan.
Before day one
- Confirm start date, schedule, pay and supervisor in writing
- Verify required credentials: ABS pediatric surgery certification, General surgery board certification (as applicable)
- Prepare equipment and access: pediatric surgical instruments; laparoscopic equipment; monitors; imaging
- Assign a buddy or preceptor
- Enroll the new hire in Pediatric Surgeon training so foundations are covered before or during week one
Week one: orient and protect
- Workplace tour, emergency procedures and incident reporting
- Use pediatric dosing and equipment
- Follow time-outs
- Keep infants warm
- Minimize radiation
- Shadow an experienced pediatric surgeon through a full shift
- Training modules 1–3: role foundations, a day on the job and essential vocabulary (15 terms)
Days 1–30: learn
Goal: perform core tasks safely under supervision.
- Supervised practice: explain surgery to parents
- Supervised practice: evaluate a child with abdominal pain
- Supervised practice: prepare for a newborn surgery
- Training modules 4–7: duties, step-by-step tasks, tools and safety
- 30-day check-in: confidence, questions and early wins
Days 31–60: contribute
Goal: handle a regular workload independently.
- Evaluate children for surgery: independently
- Repair congenital defects: independently
- Perform appendectomies and hernia repairs: independently
- Operate on newborns: independently
- Competency sign-offs completed (see checklist below)
- Training final knowledge check and certificate of completion
- 60-day check-in
Days 61–90: own
Goal: full productivity and a growth plan.
- Meet productivity and quality targets for the role
- Begin cross-training on a secondary task
- Agree on a credential goal (for example, ABS pediatric surgery certification)
- Discuss the career path: Surgery Resident → Pediatric Surgery Fellow → Pediatric Surgeon
- 90-day review
Competency checklist
| Skill or task | Trained | Observed | Signed off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explain Surgery to Parents | |||
| Evaluate a Child with Abdominal Pain | |||
| Prepare for a Newborn Surgery | |||
| Pediatric surgery | |||
| Neonatal surgery | |||
| Laparoscopy | |||
| Trauma surgery |
How to measure onboarding success
- Days until the new hire works without a preceptor
- Competency sign-offs completed on time
- Documentation or charting error rate
- 90-day retention
How Pediatric Surgeon training maps to this plan
- Introduction to the Pediatric Surgeon Role
- A Day on the Job
- Essential Pediatric Surgeon Vocabulary
- Core Duties and Responsibilities
- Common Tasks, Step by Step
- Tools, Equipment and Technology
- Safety, Compliance and Professional Standards
- Skills Employers Look For
- Launching Your Pediatric Surgeon Career
- Final Knowledge Check