Academic Curriculum

The academic curriculum is continuously reviewed and modified by the program. The first year serves to provide broad education on pathophysiology of diseases of the newborn, study designs, and introduces the fellow to processes at the various clinical rotations. The second and third years of fellowship represent a period for consolidating scholarly activity which includes research, QI, administrative and clinical skills. The second and third-year fellow will be expected to lead clinical rounds and guide discussions on the plan of care for patients in the NICU. The period is used also to develop and conduct research and make presentations at regional and national conferences.

Scholarship Activity

All fellows are expected to engage in research projects in which they develop hypotheses, projects of substantive scholarly exploration and analysis that require critical thinking. During the three year fellowship instruction is provided on epidemiology and statistics. At the end of the three year fellowship the fellow is expected to submit a manuscript to a peer reviewed journal.

Quality Improvement

The fellow is expected to demonstrate major involvement in a quality-improvement project, including the conception, planning, implementation, analyses and reporting of the results, which may include manuscript submission.

Conferences

All fellows will receive instruction that prepares them to conduct and interpret relevant scholarly materials in neonatal-perinatal medicine; to teach neonatal-perinatal medicine effectively; and to be effective administrators and leaders in the field. The Graduate Medical Education office provides a series of monthly lectures directed at specific core competencies.