Curriculum

St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center (SJHMC): The program’s primary delivery hospital with a Level III NICU licensed for 70 beds with >4000 deliveries and >600 admission per year. It is the primary referral hospital for mothers cared for by the Center for Fetal and Neonatal Care. SJHMC contains a Small Baby Unit with dedicated protocols, nurses and care providers. It is the primary rotating site for pediatric residents and is also the site for the Creighton University Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency and Maternal-Fetal-Medicine Fellowship Programs.

Phoenix Children's: A Level IV referral NICU. Licensed for 61 beds with ~400 admissions per year. Approximately half of all admissions are surgical in nature. It is the primary neonatal ECMO center in Arizona with >10 ECMO and CRRT cases each per year. The NICU is a nationally recognized Neuro ICU and BPD Unit. Other areas of expertise are CDH, intestinal failure rehabilitation, neurocritical care and hemodynamics.
 

Our Fellowship offers an exceptional opportunity for fellows to develop specialized expertise in research related to neonatal and perinatal medicine. The research curriculum is designed to immerse fellows in both clinical and/or basic science research, fostering an environment that encourages innovation, critical thinking, and collaboration. Fellows are trained to become leaders in the field, making meaningful contributions to the advancement of neonatal care through scientific discovery.

Goals of the Research Curriculum

The primary goals of the research curriculum are to:

1. Develop Advanced Research Skills: Fellows will gain proficiency in conducting both clinical and/or laboratory research, learning research methodologies such as study design, statistical analysis, and manuscript preparation.
2. Foster Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Fellows will have opportunities to collaborate with experts in neonatology and other related fields to expand their research horizons.
3. Advance Knowledge in Neonatal Health: Fellows will engage in studies that address critical issues such as prematurity, respiratory disorders, hemodynamics, and neurodevelopmental outcomes, contributing to the body of knowledge that directly impacts clinical care.
4. Prepare for Leadership in Research: Fellows will be equipped with the tools and experience needed to lead independent research projects and contribute significantly to the academic and clinical communities.

Research Opportunities

Our fellowship offers a variety of research opportunities across multiple domains of neonatal and perinatal medicine, including:

1. Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Research: Fellows have access to a large NICU population and database(s) for studies related to patient outcomes, clinical interventions, and quality improvement. These also include projects utilizing POCUS and TNE technology.
2. Phoenix Children’s Research Institute at the University of Arizona College of Medicine and Phoenix Children’s: There is opportunity for NIH grant supported research focusing on basic/translational projects. Neonatal projects surround novel molecular mechanisms critical for embryonic lung development and lung regeneration after injury. Current focus is on developing new therapeutic strategies and technologies which can be utilized to improve clinical care for patients suffering from pediatric pulmonary disorders. These include nanoparticle delivery systems for gene therapy, cell therapies with endothelial progenitor cells, and the artificial lung tissue derived from pluripotent embryonic stem cells.
3. Neurodevelopmental Outcomes: The Phoenix Children's NEST Clinic and its robust database of neurodevelopmental screening outcomes provides significant research opportunities for fellows.
4. Clinical Trials: Fellows will participate in ongoing clinical trials aimed at evaluating new interventions and treatments in neonatal care, including drug therapies, device development, and preventive strategies.

Faculty & Mentorship

The research curriculum is led by a team of experienced faculty members who are leaders in their respective fields. Fellows are paired with faculty mentors who provide individualized guidance and support throughout the fellowship. The mentorship process ensures that fellows have the opportunity to develop their own research ideas, learn about the intricacies of grant writing and publication, and receive constructive feedback on their work. 

Faculty mentors are actively engaged in both clinical and basic science research, and fellows are encouraged to work closely with faculty to design and execute projects that align with their interests. Mentors are available for regular meetings to discuss research progress, challenges, and strategies for success in both academic and clinical settings.

The Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship offers extensive didactic/education training that includes:

• A core didactic curriculum that teaches current concepts in fetal and neonatal medicine (consistent with current ABP Content Outline)
• Medical Statistics and QI curriculum
• ECMO curriculum
• POCUS curriculum with both a local and national training component
• Regular perinatal/fetal review meetings held jointly with OB, MFM, and Phoenix Children's subspecialists
• Phoenix Children's and NICU-specific Grand Rounds with international/national/local speakers
• Morbidity and Mortality conferences
• Regular Journal Club seminars with neonatal medicine and invited faculty
• Palliative Care conferences (joint with Palliative Care Medicine fellows)