Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship Program

The Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship Program is a fully accredited three-year program that is closely integrated with other pediatric divisions. The program is designed to give the neonatal fellow graded responsibility for management of the neonatal intensive care unit. The primary training sites are Tampa General Hospital and All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg.

The Tampa General Hospital NICU is a 42 bed level III unit that is a designated Regional Perinatal Intensive Care Center. The TGH NICU offers extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and neonatal transport services. A multi-disciplinary team of neonatologists, neonatal nurse practitioners, nurses and respiratory therapists takes an evidence-based approach to the management of complicated neonatal problems.

The All Children's Hospital NICU is a 60 bed level III unit that is also a designated Regional Perinatal Intensive Care Center. All pediatric subspecialties are represented in the ACH NICU, which is associated with a comprehensive high-risk perinatal program at Bayfront Medical Center. The neonatal cardiac program at ACH is one of the largest in Florida, and includes prenatal congenital heart disease service and complex cardiovascular surgery. The neurosurgical, neonatal surgery, and otolaryngology specialties bring referrals from hospitals in many Florida counties.

The Fellowship Program provides ample opportunities for fellows to gain additional training in the neonatal aspects of genetics, cardiology, obstetrics, and postoperative cardiac care. These opportunities are provided at both TGH and ACH. Fellows attend NICU follow-up and pulmonary transition clinics, and attend lectures given by faculty at both TGH and ACH.

The objective of the Fellowship Program is to assist in the development of lifelong learning skills, and the enhancement of critical methods for evaluating clinical problems and information. This is achieved through exposure to a wide range of neonatal problems and programs, ranging from extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to developmental follow-up. There is ample opportunity for interaction with subspecialists. Electives are available in all pediatric subspecialities, particularly cardiology, genetics and pulmonology.

At the beginning of the fellowship, each neonatal fellow interacts with the program director to discuss the fellow's research interests. Once a research project has been identified, the fellow is assigned a research mentor, and a scholarship oversight committee is formed. This committee consists of three or more individuals, at least one of whom is based outside the subspecialty discipline. The fellow meets bi-annually with the committee to report on the progress of the research project, and to obtain guidance and feedback. Throughout the fellowship program, an appropriate amount of time is committed for the fellow to complete the research project, to prepare the findings for presentation at a national forum, and to prepare a manuscript for submission to a peer-reviewed publication. Funds are budgeted for the direct support of neonatal fellow research projects, and for fellows to present their findings at national scientific meetings.

Presently, the research interests of neonatal faculty include assessments of bone development using quantitative ultrasound, the relationship between splanchnic blood flow and clinical outcomes, the use of innovative biotechnologies in the NICU, perinatal epidemiology, and neonatal nutrition. Fellows with research interests outside of these areas are assigned a mentor from an appropriate discipline.

Neonatology fellows may also take classes at the USF College of Public Health, which offers concentrations in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Environmental and Occupational Health, Global Health, Health Policy and Management, and Community and Family Health.

Each applicant for a Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine fellowship must be:

1. a graduate of a North American medical school accredited by the LCME, or
2. a graduate of a U.S. college of osteopathic medicine accredited by the AOA, or
3. a graduate of a medical school outside the U.S. who has full ECGME certification, or a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in the U.S., and have a J-1 visa prior to the start of the program.

BEGINNING WITH JULY 2009 FELLOWSHIPS, APPLICATIONS ARE MADE ONLINE THROUGH ERAS. Applications shall include a CV, personal statement, and 3 letters of recommendation.

For July 2008 applicants, the Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine fellowship application can be downloaded below:

Application [.pdf]

Mail the application, along with a CV, personal statement, and 3 letters of recommendation to:

Terri Ashmeade, M.D.
Division Chief
Assistant Professor
USF Pediatrics
17 Davis Blvd.
Suite 200
Tampa, FL 33606