Attracting quality applicants to a pediatric residency training program is competitive. Residency training programs therefore have had to concentrate on understanding the interests and concerns of their residents and resident applicants while continuing to fullfill the requirements set forth by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The purpose of this study was to examine factors that residents identify as important when entering a residency training program, and to determine if they are satisfied or dissatisfied with these factors once they have entered or completed the training program. A questionnaire consisting of 48 questions was administered to 62 residents in our training program during June 1995. Fifty-seven (91%) of the residents responded. Results of the questionnaire demonstrating the top five important factors considered when choosing a residency training program were as follows: reputation of the hospital (86%), reputation of the faculty (84%), location of program (77%), curriculum-based education (68%), and call schedule (65%). Once training has begun, residents are most satisfied with reputation of the hospital (91%), electives available to residents (91%), subspecialties offered at the hospital (91%), conferences offered (91%), and reputation of faculty(88%). They are most dissatisfied with the degree of crime in the city (49%), moonlighting opportunities (29%), availability to attend medical conferences away from the hospital (26%), call schedules (22%), and parking, e-funds, uniforms, and memberships (21%). In conclusion, promoting factors residents deem important when choosing a training program will improve recruiting techniques allowing a training program to remain competitive. Many of the areas residents identify as problems are not within the control of the program. Examining areas of satisfaction and dissatisfaction on a routine basis will improve the ability to meet residents' interests and concerns, and assure a quality education.