Inpatient Advanced Practitioner Fellowship

Overview

This is a unique one-year fellowship program that is dedicated to enhancing the development of early-career Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants who wish to pursue a career in pediatric hospital-based medicine. Fellows will be exposed to all facets of pediatric inpatient care including rotations in hospital medicine, critical care, pulmonology, infectious disease, gastroenterology, cardiology, oncology and more.

As fully credentialed members of the Medical Staff, Fellows will care for pediatric patients at Children’s Hospital Colorado with mentorship and oversight from experienced Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) and specialty physicians. As members of the University of Colorado, Department of Pediatrics faculty, Fellows in this program will also have unique access to educational and research opportunities.

Fully dedicated to caring for kids at all stages of growth, Children's Hospital Colorado is the region's largest pediatric healthcare network and the only dedicated Level 1 trauma center in our seven state region. We are home to over 400 APPs across all disciplines and care settings.

Mission

Through personalized education and mentorship, equip Advanced Practice Providers with the specialized knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to succeed in a pediatric inpatient medicine career.

Ideal Candidates

This Fellowship is designed for APPs who have a strong desire to practice in an academic inpatient pediatric setting. This program is designed for APPs who:

• Wish to have additional inpatient pediatrics training, enabling a smooth and immediate transition into their inpatient pediatric career.
• Understands that he or she wishes to work in inpatient pediatrics, but has not identified a specific specialty.
• Wishes to work in a specific specialty, but has insufficient experience or training within that specialty to be competitive for a position.

Application Process

This application cycle has concluded. Please check back in late fall for the link to apply for our next cohort.

Application Documents

• Brief Cover Letter
• Current Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Two letters of recommendation (at least one must be from a professional reference)
• One-page personal statement discussing why the applicant is interested in pediatric medicine and how this fellowship can advance their career

Key Dates

• Priority Application Deadline: April 15
• Final Application Deadline: April 30
• Interviews: May
• Offers: May

Physician Assistant Eligibility/Requirements

• Graduation from an APAP (ARC-PA) approved Physician Assistant Training Program.
• Certification from the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.
• Colorado license will be required prior to start date.
• BLS and PALS certification will be required prior to start date.

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Eligibility/Requirements

• Graduate of an accredited BSN program.
• APN licensure and a Masters from an accredited Nurse Practitioner program.
• Pediatric Nursing Certification Board certificate or other comparable certification.
• Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner certification.
• Ability to obtain Prescriptive Authority in the State of Colorado.
• BLS and PALS certification will be required prior to start date.

Curriculum

Clinical Rotations

• Core: Hospital Medicine (3 months), Pediatric Critical Care (3 months), Cardiac Intensive Care (1 month), Pulmonary (1 month), Hematology-Oncology (1 month)
• Electives (1 month each): Infectious Disease, Gastroenterology, Neurology

Didactic

• Dedicated APP Fellowship Lecture Series
• Patient Simulations
• Grand rounds
• Clinical Conferences
• M&M
• Radiology conferences

Competencies

• Monthly and Semi-Annual Performance Evaluations
• Clinical Skills Exams

Capstone Project

Each fellow will be required to complete a capstone project with the help of a physician or APP mentor. The goal of the project is to introduce and involve the APP in a quality or process improvement initiative, development of a clinical care guideline, or educational initiative. At the end of the year, the fellow will be asked to present his or her work in a conference or poster session.

Hours/Work Schedule

This is an intensive program in which Fellows can expect to commit an average of 50 hours per week including required night and weekend shifts. Vacations, holiday schedule and time off will be discussed with final candidates.

Salary and Benefits

Fellows will be hired as University of Colorado, Department of Pediatric faculty at the Instructor Fellow rank. As Faculty, Fellows will be offered a stipend along with full medical, dental and vision insurance. Detailed information can be found at CU Faculty Benefits.

Meet the APP Leadership

Cameron Gunville, DO, MEd
Co-Medical Director, Children’s Hospital Colorado Advanced Practice Inpatient Fellowship
Pediatric Critical Care

Dr. Gunville has served as the Medical Director for the PICU Advanced Practice Team since 2012 and has helped to oversee the program’s expansion to 20 providers during this time. He has a broad education interest and earned his Master’s Degree in Education in 2002 from the University of Notre Dame, and has completed the University of Colorado Teaching Scholar’s Program. With his background in education, in 2012 he helped develop a comprehensive eight-month PICU orientation program for new PICU APPs. With the resources at CHCO, one of the premier children’s hospitals in the country, Dr. Gunville is excited to help develop motivated APPs into excellent pediatric providers of the future.

Jason Zamkoff, MD
Co-Medical Director, Children’s Hospital Colorado Advanced Practice Inpatient Fellowship
Pediatric Hospital Medicine

Dr. Zamkoff has been a Pediatric Hospitalist in San Francisco and here at CHCO for the past 15 years. He is currently the Administrative Site Lead for the MD/APP inpatient ward team on campus. Dr. Zamkoff has mentored a myriad of APPs during his tenure at CHCO, and his passion is the education of fellows, residents and students.

Erika Jekich, PA-C
Co-Director, Children’s Hospital Colorado Advanced Practice Inpatient Fellowship
Pediatric Critical Care

Mrs. Jekich is a Senior Instructor and the Orientation Coordinator for the Pediatric Critical Care Section at Children’s Hospital Colorado. She currently coordinates a comprehensive orientation program for new APPs in the PICU which includes a robust clinical and didactic phase. Her work focuses on APP enrichment and effective integration of APPs with varying experience levels into the critical care team.

Jolie Eirich, CPNP-AC/PC
Co-Director, Children’s Hospital Colorado Advanced Practice Inpatient Fellowship
Pediatric Hospital Medicine

Mrs. Eirich is Director of Hospital Medicine Advanced Practice Program for CHCO. Her work has focused on building orientation, education, and training programs to support transition to practice for and increase utilization of advanced practice providers in hospital medicine.

Christopher Newman, PA-C, FCCM
Director of APP Practice Development at University of Colorado, Department of Pediatrics
Pediatric Critical Care

Mr. Newman is Director of Advanced Practice Strategy for the Pediatric Critical Care section and a Fellow of the American College of Critical Care Medicine. His work centers around workforce planning, productivity and exploring novel approaches to educating, training and deploying advanced practice providers.

Current Fellows

Karlie Nau, PA-C

I graduated from the University of Colorado’s Child Health Associate/Physician Assistant Program in 2019. Prior to that, I graduated with my Master’s and Bachelor’s in physiology from The University of Colorado Boulder. I was born and raised in Colorado and I feel very grateful to have completed all my training in my home state. 

During PA school, I was involved in the Pediatric Acute Critical Care Track which solidified my passion for critical care medicine and love for Children’s Hospital. It has been a wonderful journey growing from a student in the track to a PA in the fellowship. The fellowship is an unique and comprehensive exposure to a diverse range of specialties within the hospital and a novel way to become a well-rounded provider. I cannot say enough great things about the fellowship and the team, it is one of my greatest honors being able to train alongside such amazing people in a wonderful institution.

Chelsea Hartman, CPNP-AC

In 2019, I graduated with my Doctorate in Nursing Practice, certifying in both Pediatric Acute Care and Pediatric Primary Care from Creighton University. Prior to graduate school, I was a Division I swimmer at The University of Nebraska in Omaha while pursuing a Bachelor’s in Community Health Education and then went on for my Bachelor’s of Nursing at Creighton University. I have spent almost all my nursing career as an Acute Care Float Nurse at both Children’s Hospital and Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska and here at Children’s Hospital Colorado.

Originally from Colorado, it has been so important for me to stay close to my family while working somewhere that I have always wanted to work, which makes me thrilled to be chosen as a Fellow in this program! I am so excited for the educational opportunities which will help me to become a more well-rounded provider while supporting me as I make the transition from bedside nurse to provider in the only field that I have ever loved, pediatrics. 

Davis Lehman, PA-C

I was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and studied at University of California, Santa Cruz where I earned a bachelor's in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. I went on to complete my physician assistant training at Pacific University in Hillsboro, Oregon. I am incredibly grateful to be a part of the Inpatient APP Fellowship program.

As a youth lacrosse coach I have always been drawn to working with children and their families. My passion for pediatric acute care medicine took flight while working as a technician in a pediatric ICU. This program stood out to me because it offers such a unique and diverse array of speciality experience that cannot be found elsewhere. It is an exceptional opportunity for any APP interested in learning the subtleties of pediatric critical care medicine or looking to develop the confidence, competence, and flexibility it takes to bring their very best to their peers, the patients, and the parents.

Previous Fellows

2020-2021

• Brenna McGinn, CPNP-AC accepted a position in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, University of Colorado & Children’s Hospital Colorado

2019-2020

• Lauren Rodgers, PA-C accepted a position in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, University of Colorado & Children’s Hospital Colorado
• Kara Stefaniak, PA-C accepted a position in Pediatric Cardiology, University of Colorado & Children’s Hospital Colorado

2018-2019

• Cathryn Senour, PA-C accepted a position in Pediatric Hospital Medicine, University of Colorado & Children’s Hospital Colorado
• Kristen Stendel, PA-C accepted a position in Pediatric Hospital Medicine, University of Colorado & Children’s Hospital Colorado ​

Questions?

Contact us at appfellowship@childrenscolorado.org. Please allow 48-72 hours for a response.