Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine Program

The Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Fellowship Program at Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine aims to enhance the behavioral, psychosocial, and developmental aspects of pediatric care. This fellowship prepares fellows for leadership roles across various domains as clinicians, educators, investigators, and advocates.

The program focuses on an extensive array of experiences, including didactic, clinical, scholarly, advocacy, and community engagements, emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration and family partnerships through a public health framework. The training takes place in a culturally rich and disadvantaged environment, with faculty representing nine disciplines to provide comprehensive education.

Program Overview

The Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Fellowship is located within the Division of Developmental Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital at Montefiore (CHAM) and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. The primary clinical site is the Rose F. Kennedy Children’s Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center (RFK CERC), a prominent facility in training developmental-behavioral pediatricians.

With an impressive completion rate, 98% of fellows who have graduated from the program remain active in the field, with many taking on significant roles in teaching hospitals or leadership positions in developmental pediatrics programs.

Curriculum and Training

The fellowship curriculum is designed to provide longitudinal interdisciplinary education across clinical care, education, research, and advocacy. Fellows conduct extensive diagnostic assessments and deliver developmental and behavioral follow-up care for a diverse patient population ranging from infants to 21 years of age. Training includes administering screening instruments, interpreting psychological assessments, and applying results from various tests to formulate comprehensive care plans.

Mandatory rotations encompass pediatric physiatry, premature infant follow-up, and genetics, while elective opportunities are available in audiology, occupational/physical therapy, ophthalmology, and neuromuscular diseases.

First-year fellows benefit from mentorship by core faculty in literature search techniques, selecting scholarly topics, and preparing for Institutional Review Board (IRB) submissions. Educational activities involve department grand rounds, DBP seminars, and child and adolescent psychiatry seminars, encouraging fellows to participate in various interdepartmental conferences.

Research and Advocacy

Fellows engage in advocacy training, which includes participation in community and national initiatives. They also have opportunities to teach rotating residents and medical students and are involved with community outreach through various agencies during their second and third years of training. In addition, fellows participate in the RFK CERC’s Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program, which provides graduate-level interdisciplinary leadership training.

Application Process

Prospective fellows aiming to influence the future of healthcare are encouraged to apply to this program. The application process operates through ERAS in line with the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) subspecialty fall match for Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics.

Additionally, the program actively promotes diversity and inclusion, recognizing them as essential for success within the fellowship and the wider institution.

Visa Support

The fellowship program provides support for visa applications for international medical graduates. Types of visas sponsored by the program typically include J-1 and H-1B visas, aligning with the needs of qualified applicants looking to undertake rigorous training in the field of developmental-behavioral pediatrics.

Competitiveness and Application Requirements

This fellowship is known to be competitive, attracting applicants from a wide range of backgrounds, including those from Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) programs and International Medical Graduates (IMGs). Special application requirements may encompass criteria relating to the year of medical school graduation and any limitations on failed STEP examinations.