Department of Pediatrics
USF Health · College of Medicine

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 provide the neonatal fellow with the analytical, clinical, and leadership skills required to manage complex problems in neonatal-perinatal medicine.  The Division of Neonatology interacts closely with an active high-risk maternal-fetal medicine program, surgical subspecialties, and pediatric cardiology as part of an active Fetal Care Center to evaluate and initiate management of complicated pregnancies and birth defects prior to delivery. In addition, each fellow pursues a research project of their choosing.  Projects are designed to address important questions in clinical neonatology and perinatal biology at the clinical and cellular levels. Faculty members throughout the Department of Pediatrics and University serve as mentors on fellow research projects.  The primary training sites are Tampa General Hospital, All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, and the Children’s Research Institute in St. Petersburg.

The Tampa General Hospital NICU is a 42 bed level III unit that is a designated Regional Perinatal Intensive Care Center serving as a major referral center for high risk pregnancies. The TGH NICU offers extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, high frequency oscillatory ventilation and neonatal transport services. A multi-disciplinary team of neonatologists, neonatal nurse practitioners, nurses and respiratory therapists takes a collaborative, 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.  The ACH NICU is also 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 a prenatal congenital heart disease service and complex cardiovascular surgery. The neurosurgical, neonatal surgery, and otolaryngology specialties attract referrals from hospitals statewide. 

The Fellowship Program provides ample opportunities for fellows to gain additional training in genetics, cardiology, obstetrics, and postoperative cardiac care during their rotations at both TGH and ACH. Attendance at both NICU follow-up and pulmonary transition clinics serves as a valuable complement to the inpatient rotations.

At the beginning of the fellowship, each neonatal fellow interacts with the program director to discuss the fellow's research interests and meets with a variety of prospective mentors. Once an area of interest and mentor have been identified the fellow works closely with the mentor to define the specific research question and project. The research is supported and guided by a Scholarly Oversight Committee comprised of faculty with expertise relevant to the fellow’s research topic. The fellow meets semi-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 research projects and for fellows to present their findings at national scientific meetings.

Presently, the research interests of neonatal faculty include the regulation of placental development and function, 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 free to pursue projects with mentors identified throughout the medical center.

A didactic program for fellows includes courses designed to provide a foundation in research design, biostatistics, epidemiology, molecular research methods and general perinatal pathphysiology.  Fellows also participate in a variety of clinical case conferences and journal clubs, and may 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. that 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.

 

Michael Fant, MD, PhD
Professor
USF Pediatrics
2 Tampa General Circle
5th Floor
Tampa, FL 33606
Email: mfant@health.usf.edu