Program Details

Curriculum

Core didactic curriculum covers all major topics in perinatal physiology/pathophysiology, development of the fetus and newborn and subspecialty topics including cardiology, genetics, endocrine, neurology and many others. Board Review Series is incorporated into the didactic curriculum and is aimed at preparing fellows for the board exam. Research Course Series covers major topics in biostatistics and research methodology.

Educational Conferences

• Improve critical thinking
• Improve understanding and interpretation of the literature
• Improve the management of complex neonatal patients
• Improve the understanding of ethical/palliative care principles in neonatology

Major educational conferences are listed below.

Research & Innovation

A formal scholarly oversight committee (SOC) will be established to mentor and guide each fellow during the fellowship program. The SOC will be composed of at least four individuals, including the research mentor, a mentor for clinical and career development, and additional mentors with expertise in the particular area of scholarship that is being pursued by the fellow. Fellows have a choice of basic, clinical or quality improvement research. Our faculty is involved in clinical research, basic science and QI science/methodology. We have been members of Vermont Oxford for over 15 years.

The specific goals of the SOC are:

1. To meet with the fellow a minimum of 2 times per year. In the first year, the SOC will meet quarterly to ensure adequate development of the program and at least biannually in the second and third year.
2. Complete evaluation/progress reports after each meeting to assess progress and detail accomplishments.
3. Review and approve the proposed research plan for the first-year fellows.
4. Evaluate the fellow’s written product of scholarly activity.

Each fellow is expected to formalize their hypothesis and submit their written proposal by the end of year one and will present their research proposal/initial data at the yearly research seminar at the end year. SOC is committed to ensure progression of the fellow’s project and that their research is on trajectory for completion by the end of the 3rd year of training. Fellows are expected to present research at the yearly research seminar and at local, regional, and national meetings. Manuscript submission at the end of the training program is required. The research mentor oversees all research presentations.

Clinical Rotations

Clinical training consists of rotations at the Regional Perinatal Center at Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital (JMSCH). Our hospital has a large delivery service, approximately 5,500 deliveries/year and approximately 900 admissions/year to the NICU. Fellows will be exposed to a variety of clinical cases. Our 48-single bed NICU offers state-of-the-art services including:

• Whole body cooling for neonates with HIE
• Mechanical ventilation/high frequency ventilation
• Inhaled nitric oxide therapy
• Dedicated small baby unit
• Transport services
• Surgical/pediatric subspecialty support

Fellows gain most of their clinical experience during the beginning of their training, with increasing research opportunities in the second and third year.

Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) Clinic:

Fellows will rotate 2wks/year and observe the evaluation and management of high-risk pregnancies in the ambulatory and inpatient settings, including labor and delivery. They will also participate in the counseling of women with high risk pregnancies, observe fetal interventions, and attend ultrasound clinics. Fellows will also have a unique exposure to high-risk mothers who have been diagnosed with placenta accreta at the Center for Abnormal Placentation.

Clinical Echocardiography:

Functional echocardiography is taught by our cardiology faculty and will be focused on the fellow mastering focused bedside echocardiography. The objective of this rotation is to understand basic principles of ultrasound, acquire skills to recognize various cardiac structures of a normal heart, assessment/identification of shunts (PFO/PDA), and assessment of cardiac function (contractility and filling volume). Fellows are encouraged to assess cardiac function for patients in the NICU under supervision of cardiology faculty in order to continue to build competence.

High Risk Follow-up Clinic:

The fellow will attend a high-risk, follow-up clinic throughout the 3-year fellowship. By the end of training, the fellow will independently be able to perform developmental assessments and recommend appropriate services for premature/high risk neonates.