Children's National Hospital/George Washington University Program
Location:
Washington, DCSpecialty:
Neonatal-perinatal medicineACGME Code:
3291021015The Children’s National Hospital/George Washington University Neonatal-Perinatal Fellowship Training Program offers a comprehensive three-year program designed to cultivate future physician scientists through an interdisciplinary approach. This fellowship combines robust clinical training with a structured educational curriculum, utilizing the extensive resources available at both Children’s National Hospital and the George Washington University. The program is structured to accommodate the diverse interests and career goals of its trainees.
Clinical Training
The fellowship consists of a 36-month clinical training regimen that is split between two primary institutions: Children’s National Hospital, which features a 70-bed Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), and George Washington University Hospital, which hosts a 20-bed Level III NICU. Each institution provides its fellows with extensive clinical exposure to both high-risk neonates and neonatal surgical cases. This unique arrangement affords fellows the opportunity to experience a variety of medical and surgical conditions encountered in neonatology.
The clinical training encompasses multiple rotations broken into manageable blocks, including:
- Research: 16 weeks
- Orientation: 4 weeks
- CNH NICU: 16 weeks
- GW NICU: 4 weeks
- Consults/Clinic: 8 weeks
- CICU: 0 weeks
- MFM: 0 weeks
- Vacation: 4 weeks
Fellows participate in on-call duties at both institutions, with calls scheduled on average every fifth to eighth day. This on-call experience enhances fellows' readiness for high-stress clinical situations.
Research Opportunities
Research is a key component of the fellowship, allowing fellows to engage in various scholarly activities, including basic science and quality improvement projects. Throughout the fellowship, fellows collaborate with distinguished faculty mentors within Children’s National Research Institute and the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at George Washington University. Each fellow develops a tailored research project supported by a faculty advisor, ensuring that their academic pursuits align with their professional goals.
Educational Experience
The program emphasizes the importance of education and offers numerous didactic and practical training opportunities. Mandatory educational experiences occur every Wednesday afternoon, focusing on clinical care topics, research, ethics, and case reviews. Fellows also engage in:
- Monthly Case Presentations and Cardiology Conferences
- Quarterly Ethics Rounds
- A weekly Fellow Education series covering essential neonatal medicine principles
- A high-fidelity simulation curriculum aimed at refining clinical skills, including ECMO
Benefits
Participants in the Neonatal-Perinatal Fellowship receive a competitive salary and an educational stipend to support their academic needs. Additional benefits include comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance, life insurance, sick leave, and flexible spending accounts. Fellows also receive dedicated educational materials and a laptop for the duration of their training.
Visa Support
The program supports international applicants and sponsors J-1 visas for eligible fellows, ensuring that a diverse range of candidates can apply and contribute to the clinical and academic environment.
Competitiveness and Application Requirements
The Neonatal-Perinatal Fellowship is known to be highly competitive, attracting applicants from the United States and abroad. The program is friendly to both Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) candidates and International Medical Graduates (IMGs). While there are no specific maximum limits on failed STEP exams, candidates are generally expected to pass all required board examinations to be competitive applicants. Recent graduates and those with unique experiences are encouraged to apply.
Unique Aspects of the Program
Particular highlights of the fellowship include the integration of experience in both urban and suburban healthcare environments, exposure to high-volume delivery services, and a focus on diverse patient care, tackling varying levels of medical complexity. Trainees engage in multidisciplinary teams to provide the highest standard of care while broadening their clinical acumen and procedural expertise.
Website
Director
Khodayar Rais-Bahrami, MDDirector Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship Program Appointed Since July 1997Coordinator
Program
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-Location
Washington, DC
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Living in Washington, DC
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