Ochsner Clinic Foundation Program

The Maternal Fetal Medicine Fellowship Program at Ochsner Health is dedicated to training physicians in the provision of top-notch clinical care across various aspects of perinatal medicine, including high-risk obstetrics, prenatal genetics, and maternal medical complications. This three-year fellowship is designed to provide a robust balance of inpatient care, outpatient clinic experiences, ultrasound training, and opportunities for clinical research. Graduates emerge prepared for diverse clinical or academic practices in the field of maternal-fetal medicine.

Each year, one fellowship position is available for prospective candidates. Applications for the first-year fellowship position for July 2025 will be accepted until late April 2024, in line with the deadlines established by the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. The program requires that applicants submit a completed application, medical school transcript, USMLE board scores, a minimum of three letters of recommendation (including one from a residency program director), a personal statement, and a photograph. Virtual interviews are scheduled for August 2024, with invitations for interviews distributed on a designated single invitation day in mid-May 2024 as decided by the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine.

The fellowship's curriculum consists of 10 months dedicated to outpatient maternal-fetal medicine, seven months in inpatient maternal-fetal medicine, one month in the intensive care unit, 12 months focused on research, and six months of electives. An additional two months of training in genetics is integrated into the outpatient maternal-fetal medicine and elective segments, ensuring comprehensive exposure to critical areas of maternal-fetal health.

Protected weekly time is allocated for educational activities regardless of specific rotations. Fellows are highly encouraged to participate in departmental conferences including Morbidity and Mortality Conferences, Case Conferences, Quality Improvement Conferences, Grand Rounds, and Guest Lectures. The educational structure is designed over a three-year timeline, fostering both self-directed and didactic learning through a flipped classroom approach and case-based sessions.

Clinical training primarily occurs at Ochsner Baptist Medical Center, the flagship hospital for Women's Services in Ochsner Health, where approximately 3,800 deliveries occur each year. The facility serves a diverse population across Southern Louisiana and extends services into the Gulf Coast region of Mississippi.

Fellows gain hands-on experience managing high-risk obstetric cases, including various maternal medical and surgical complications, during their time in inpatient settings. Outpatient clinic rotations focus on ultrasound and the management of pregnancies with medical or obstetric complications. Fellows are expected to engage in thorough preparation before clinical presentations, ensuring an evidence-based discussion of care plans with their supervising faculty.

Additionally, during outpatient clinics, fellows familiarize themselves with genetic counseling principles and prenatal screening and diagnostic testing methods. For elective periods, fellows can select from rotations in outpatient ultrasound, outpatient genetics, neonatal ICU, obstetric anesthesia, adult congenital heart disease, pediatric cardiology, and research.

Ochsner's Maternal-Fetal Medicine fellowship includes a strong research component. Fellows participate in a vast clinical research program comprising various interventional and observational trials. The Ochsner Clinic Foundation allocates resources for a Biospecimen & Core Research Laboratory, supporting translational research tailored to maternal-fetal medicine.

Clinical and epidemiologic data from the Ochsner Health System are housed in a unified electronic medical records system, which enhances capabilities for large-scale data projects focused on epidemiology, outcomes, and quality improvement. While clinical and epidemiologic studies form the bulk of research activities, opportunities for fellows interested in basic sciences to collaborate with affiliated institutions are available.

The program's primary educational site, Ochsner Baptist Women's Pavilion, functions as the tertiary referral center for high-risk pregnancies within the Ochsner Health System. This facility is equipped to support the comprehensive training of fellows while fostering a broad range of obstetric care experiences from a significant patient demographic.

The program offers visa sponsorship for international medical graduates, typically supporting J-1 and H-1B visa types, which allows candidates to pursue fellowship training in the United States.

For prospective applicants, it is important to note that the Maternal Fetal Medicine Fellowship Program at Ochsner is competitive. It welcomes applications from DO (Doctor of Osteopathy) and IMG (International Medical Graduates), being prepared to review and assess diverse backgrounds among candidates.

Candidates need to ensure all application components are submitted prior to consideration for interviews. While there are no strict year-of-graduation requirements, all interested applicants should demonstrate strong academic performance and a commitment to maternal-fetal medicine. The program does not stipulate specific limitations on failed STEP examinations, although candidates are encouraged to present strong scores.