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Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship
Program Aims
The Neonatal Fellowship at the University of Colorado School of Medicine is a comprehensive program that combines extensive clinical teaching and exposure to rigorous research training to facilitate successful academic careers for graduates.
- To prepare learners to provide patient- and family-centered, evidence-based, comprehensive care for neonates with a particular focus on promoting patient safety, system, and process improvement.
- To provide broad opportunities in scholarship, including basic science and clinical research and the development and implementation of quality improvement and patient safety initiatives, that prepare fellows for successful careers in academic pediatrics.
- To teach trainees strategies to maintain wellness (of self and others), to build resilience, and to prevent burnout.
- To provide ongoing education in career development skills, such as leadership and communication, which promote lifelong success in neonatal medicine.
- To build and maintain an infrastructure to recruit diverse fellows and provide an inclusive learning environment that promotes and celebrates differences.
Program Leadership
| Program Director | Associate Director | Associate Director | Program Coordinator |
Jeanne Zenge, MD Program Director Email: Jeanne.Zenge | Thomas Parker, MD Associate Director Email: Thomas.Parker | Nicolle Fernandez Dyess, MD, MEd Email: Nicolle.Dyess | Michele R. Bialkowski Program Coordinator Email: Michele.Bialkowski |
Our Hospital
Ranked No. 1 in Rocky Mountain Region
Children’s Hospital Colorado consistently ranks in the top 20 on the U.S. News Best Children’s Hospitals Honor RollUC Health NICU
More than 650 patients every year
UCHealth is the largest Level III NICU in metro DenverChildren's NICU
2000 infants treated each year
Our NICU is designated as a Level IV facility by the American Academy of PediatricsMeet the Fellows... | Tour Children's Hospital Colorado... |
University of Colorado NICU Research Training
Research/Scholarly training is a major focus of the fellowship training program and fellows are provided substantial protected time throughout their fellowship to engage in rich research experiences. The research program is designed to provide comprehensive scholarly training that prepares all trainees with the background and skills to successfully compete for academic faculty positions and extramural funding at the completion of their fellowship. Although many neonatal fellows are mentored by a faculty member within the Division of Neonatology, the program encourages fellows to consider a broad range of potential mentors. The program will assist in identifying potential mentors, both within the Department of Pediatrics and, when appropriate, from across the School of Medicine campus.
Although we do not limit research topics to those within the neonatology section, we have faculty who are involved in various areas of investigation. Please select an area below for more details.
Click here to see a summary of the scholarly work each of our faculty members pursue.
Basic Science Research
Clinical Research
Health Services
Quality Improvement
Medical Education
Research Expectations
Each fellow in the program is expected to undertake a substantive scholarly project during their training. Fellows are expected to participate in all aspects of their individual research projects, including the development of hypotheses and study design, implementation of basic science techniques (such as whole animal surgeries and in-vivo studies or cell and molecular biology techniques) or IRB submission and patient enrollment, data collection and analysis, and abstract/manuscript presentation.
Scholarship Oversight Committees
Towards the end of the first year of training, each fellow is assigned a Scholarly Oversight Committee (SOC), composed of at least 3 faculty members. The SOC meets every six months, at a minimum, to evaluate the fellow’s scholarly progress and to help provide support and direction. At the end of training, the SOC is responsible for determining whether the fellow’s work has met the American Board of Pediatrics’ requirement for sub-board.
Timeline
| Recommended Research Timeline (dependent on type of research and project identified) | ||
| First Year | Second Year | Third Year |
Identify a mentor(s) and project by Fall Potential IRB submission or initial laboratory studies started by Spring | Ongoing data collection/patient recruitment Aim for abstract submission by Winter Attendance/presentation at Spring conferences such as Pediatric Academic Society (PAS) | Ongoing data collection and analysis Manuscript preparation Determination or initiation of follow-up studies |
About Our Fellowship - Apply Today!
Overview
The University of Colorado Neonatal-Perinatal Fellowship program aims to provide comprehensive training in clinical neonatology across four key domains:
- Evidence-based patient care
- Academic scholarship
- Medical education
- Leadership
Fellows are supervised by a faculty with a diverse array of academic interests and have the opportunity to care for infants across a broad spectrum of gestational ages and disease processes. Education from direct patient care is complimented by our fellow lecture series, a protected half day of interactive didactic sessions that occurs each week. Fellows attend additional seminars focused on communication, ethics, and diversity and health equity throughout the year.
Overview
The University of Colorado Neonatal-Perinatal Fellowship program aims to provide comprehensive training in clinical neonatology across four key domains:
- Evidence-based patient care
- Academic scholarship
- Medical education
- Leadership
Fellows are supervised by a faculty with a diverse array of academic interests and have the opportunity to care for infants across a broad spectrum of gestational ages and disease processes. Education from direct patient care is complimented by our fellow lecture series, a protected half day of interactive didactic sessions that occurs each week. Fellows attend additional seminars focused on communication, ethics, and diversity and health equity throughout the year.
Upon graduation, our fellows are prepared to confidently and independently provide newborn resuscitation, perform all necessary hands-on procedures, and manage a broad range of neonatal problems. Our graduates have gone on to pursue careers as:
- Expert clinicians in both academic and private practice careers
- Clinician researchers with expertise in basic science, translational, clinical, and quality improvement research
- Medical educators with advanced training in curriculum development, trainee evaluation, and educational research
- Administrative leaders in both academic and community settings
Scope of Clinical Training
Fellows in the Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship Program complete their clinical training at two primary medical facilities on the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus - Children's Hospital Colorado (CHCO) and University of Colorado Hospital (UCH). Both hospitals are affiliated with the University of Colorado School of Medicine and house state of the art Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU). The combination of these clinical sites, each with their own distinct patient population, provides fellows with comprehensive exposure to a myriad of neonatal complications.
Interested fellows may request to complete an additional rotation the historic Denver Health Medical Center (DHMC), a University of Colorado affiliated hospital that serves as the primary safety net facility for the city of Denver.
Fellows will have the opportunity to attend unique medical follow up clinics throughout their three years of training. The fellowship clinic experience complements our robust inpatient training to provide a more holistic understanding of our patients’ complex outpatient needs. Options for these clinics include but are not limited to the following:
- Aerodigestive Clinic
- Colorado Fetal Care Center
- Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Clinic
- Chronic Ventilation Clinic
- Cleft Lip and Palate Clinic
- Infant Developmental Pediatric Clinic
- Infant Stroke Clinic
- Maternal-Fetal Medicine Clinic
- Pulmonary Hypertension Clinic
- Short Gut Clinic
- SIE Center for Down Syndrome
- Special Care Clinic
- Therapy Follow Up – PT, OT, SLP
Clinical Training Sites
- Largest level IV NICU in Colorado - 82 beds
- 2000+ infants treated every year
- Primarily cares for term or formerly preterm infants with complex medical problems
- Affiliated with the Colorado Fetal Care Center and accepts transfers from the surrounding 7 state region
- Educational focus on cardiopulmonary failure, congenital heart disease, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, congenital and postnatally acquired infection, surgical problems, and multiple congenital anomalies
- Exposure to complex delivery planning, tracheostomy and long-term ventilation, selective head cooling, dialysis, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
University of Colorado Hospital
- Largest level III NICU in Colorado – 50 beds
- 650+ infants treated every year
- Primarily cares for preterm infants, some as young as 22-23 weeks
- Destination choice for individuals experiencing a medically complicated pregnancy, especially those with a threatening preterm delivery
- Educational focus on respiratory failure, growth restriction, hypoglycemia, early-onset sepsis, and surgical problems
- Exposure to a high volume of deliveries and high-risk neonatal resuscitation
- Level III NICU in downtown Denver - 25 beds
- 300+ infants treated every year
- Primarily cares for preterm infants as young as 24 weeks
- Primary safety net institution for routine and a medically complicated pregnancies
- Educational focus on respiratory failure, growth restriction, hypoglycemia, early-onset sepsis, and surgical problems
- Exposure to a high volume of deliveries and high-risk neonatal resuscitation
Procedural Skills
All fellows are highly trained in neonatal resuscitation and encouraged to become NRP instructors during their first year of fellowship. Additionally, fellows are trained to be competent in all procedures required of an independent neonatologist, including:
- Intubation
- Umbilical catheter insertion
- Central venous and arterial catheter insertion via:
- Percutaneous technique (with and without ultrasound)
- Thoracentesis and chest tube insertion
- Paracentesis
- Pericardiocentesis
- Lumbar puncture
Expectations and Responsibilities
Fellows are directly supervised by full-time neonatology faculty at all times. During the daytime, fellows work alongside faculty and neonatal nurse practitioners to provide high level care to infants at both clinical training sites. During the night, fellows at Children's Hospital Colorado stay in-house along with their attending. At University of Colorado Hospital, the overnight fellow practices and attending practice home-call.
At each stage of training, faculty aim to provide a level of supervision that maximizes fellow education while ensuring patient safety. Fellows assume graduated autonomy as they progress through their neonatology training. Even early in the first year, fellows begin directing clinical management decisions and coordinating complex care with subspecialty teams. Fellows are expected to take an active role in independent learning and seek out the most up-to-date information to guide patient care decisions.
Fellows have the opportunity to serve as the primary educator for pediatric residents and medical students rotating through the NICUs at both University of Colorado Hospital and Children's Hospital Colorado.
Clinical Schedule
The clinical schedule is intentionally front-loaded, with fellows spending six blocks on service during their first year of training, and three blocks during each the second and third years. This model allows fellows to gain clinical competency early on in training and have increasing protected time for personalized scholarly activities as they progress through fellowship. Rotation blocks are typically four weeks in duration, but fellows may have the option to request two-week blocks during their second and third years of training.
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | |
| Rotation | UCH: 2 blocks CHCO: 4 blocks | UCH: 1 block CHCO: 1 block CICU: 1 block | UCH: 1 block CHCO: 2 blocks |
| Overnight Call | 50-60 nights of call per year Approximately half of overnight calls are home-call at UCH, and the other half are in-house at CHCO | ||
| Clinic | 10 half-days of medical follow up clinic per year | ||
| Elective | 1 block of elective during the 3-year training program | ||
| Didactics | Weekly protected half-day for formal education | ||
Education
Every Wednesday, fellows attend a full half-day of protected education time, including:
12:00-1:00 Neonatal Noon Conference:
- The audience includes Neonatology faculty and fellows, NNPs, neonatal nurses, Pediatric Surgery faculty and fellows, and others (depending on the topic of the individual conference).
- Topics include updates on clinical management, multidisciplinary problems and management, QI, and review of current research initiatives
1:15-2:15 Rotating Conferences
- Section Meeting
- M&M Conference
- Case Conference
- Diversity and Health Equity topics
2:30-4:30 NPM Fellow’s Lecture Series
- Faculty lectures on core clinical topics
- Journal Club
- Meetings with visiting professors
- Point of care ultrasound
- Skills review twice a year with annual simulation
- Neonatal Board Reviews
- First Year Fellow Lecture series in July and August
Additional Conferences:
- First Year fellow Regional Boot Camp
- Daily: Surgery Rounds and ECMO and CDH (when applicable)
- Weekly: Pulmonary HTN Rounds, Chronic Vent Rounds, Intestinal Rehab Rounds, SPROUTS, CDH, and Radiology Rounds
- Weekly: Pediatric Grand Rounds
- Perinatal Research Facility Research Seminars
- Neonatal Outcomes Research Alliance (NORA)
Additional Learning Opportunities:
Subspecialty Excellence in Educational Leadership & Scholarship (SEELS) Program :
- The University of Colorado Department of Pediatrics is proud to offer the Subspecialty Excellence in Educational Leadership & Scholarship (SEELS) Program for subspecialty pediatric fellows committed to an academic career in medical education.
- The SEELS program guides fellows through an 18-month program that provides research mentorship, coaching, and instruction.
- The overall goal of SEELS is to equip these fellows with the necessary knowledge/skills/attitudes for success as future medical educators through educational scholarship and professional identity development, faculty and peer mentorship, and engaging in an educational community of practice.
Pediatric Fellowship Educational Series
This educational series has been developed by the Committee on Fellowship Education to address areas of scholarly interest common to all pediatric fellows. Nearly 100 sub-specialized physicians in training will attend 5-6 half-day seminars spread across their 3 years of fellowship.
- Attendance is mandatory and the trainee is excused from clinical responsibilities.
- In addition to providing core educational material, these sessions allow trainees in different disciplines and throughout the department to meet and interact with one another in an informal and collegial environment.
- Occurs several times per year throughout fellowship with fellows of different subspecialties
Pediatric Biostatistics for Clinicians Course:
This course is primarily intended for 2nd and 3rd year Department of Pediatrics fellows as part of the comprehensive fellowship educational program. Designed to help fellows to develop an ability to be a critical consumer of the literature and develop familiarity with many commonly used statistical methods.
- This course comprises for six 2-hour sessions
- Designed for second year fellows, but any fellow or resident an register for the course.
Advanced Degrees Available at CU:
Welcome to the University of Colorado
Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine (NPM) Fellowship!
Our program has a rich history of matching and training quality neonatologists who have made significant contributions to Neonatal-Perinatal medicine. Join us!
Eligibility
To be considered for admission to our program, applicants must have successfully completed training in a 3-year ACGME-accredited residency program in Pediatrics.
We particularly hope to attract applicants who are motivated and self-directed learners who want to develop academic careers based on excellence in research, scholarship, and clinical neonatology. We are particularly interested in receiving applications from members of groups Underrepresented in Medicine
Required Application Materials
All application material should be submitted through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). We participate in the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) and do not offer any positions outside of the match. Required applicates on materials include:
- Completed ERAS common application form
- USMLE (or COMLEX/ECFMG) transcript
- Personal statement addressing your interest in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine
- At least 3 letters of recommendation
ERAS Application Timeline
| Date | Activity |
| Monday, May 31, 2024 | ERAS 2024 season ends at 5 p.m. ET. |
| Wednesday, June 5, 2024 | ERAS 2025 season begins at 9 a.m. ET. |
| Thursday, June 5, 2024 | EFDO will release tokens to fellowship applicants. |
| Wednesday, July 3, 2024 | July cycle fellowship applicants may begin submitting applications to programs at 9 a.m. ET. |
| Wednesday, July 17, 2024 | July cycle fellowship programs may begin reviewing applications at 9 a.m. ET. |
| May 31, 2025 | ERAS 2025 season ends at 5 p.m. ET. |
NRMP Fall Match Timeline
| Dates | Activity |
| Wednesday, August 21, 2024 | Match Opens |
| Wednesday, September 25, 2024 | Ranking Opens |
| Wednesday, November 6, 2024 | Quota Change Deadline |
| Wednesday, November 20, 2024 | Rank Order List Certification Deadline |
| Wednesday, December 4, 2024 | MATCH DAY |
Interviews
Our pediatric fellowship will be conducting virtual interviews this upcoming interview season. We look forward to sharing our programs with you and getting to know more about you.
Interviews will be held mid September to end of October.
On the interview day, candidates will:
- Gain a broad overview of the program
- Meet individually with 4 members of the faculty. If an individual candidate is interested in meeting with a specific faculty member, we will try to accommodate those requests.
- Meet with current fellows
If you have questions about the online application and interview process, please contact our program coordinator, Michele Bialkowski via email at michele.bialkowski@cuanschutz.edu.
Salary and Benefits
The University of Colorado offers salary and benefits packages that are competitive with other fellowship programs across the country. Current salary levels can be found at the School of Medicine - Graduate Medical Education Stipends.
Please address further questions as necessary to:
Program Coordinator
- Michele R. Bialkowski
- Email: Michele.Bialkowski
1st year Fellows
Zayna Marwa Bakizada, MD
- Hometown: Washington, DC
- Medical School: George Washington University
- Residency: OHSU
- Why I chose Colorado for fellowship: As my partner and I were going through the couples match (he'll be Allergy & Immunology fellow at NJ) we both found so many exciting new opportunities in Denver. I was especially impressed with all the incredible health equity initiatives both in the NICU and Department of Pediatrics as a whole. Plus coming from the PNW where we love to hike and ski and play outdoors, we knew we had to pick a place with mountains in sight- the promise of 300 sunny days a year was icing on the cake!
- Research interest: TBD
- Favorite things to do in Colorado: hiking
- Fun fact about me: I grew up speaking Spanish, Arabic, French and English at home-often all at once somehow. Sometimes confusing but never boring
- Favorite food: Cheese
Kylie Anne Mena, MD
- Hometown: Barrington, IL
- Medical School: University of Illinois ,College of Medicine Peoria
- Residency: Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
- Why I chose Colorado for fellowship: I was really impressed with program's health equity initiatives and I feel like I would be well supported with my academic interests. Every person I met on my interview was fantastic and I knew right away that it would be a great fit! The mountains and all the outdoor activities are an added bonus
- Research interest: TBD
- Favorite things to do in Colorado: Enjoy the mountains
- Fun fact about me: I can do the wave with my eyebrows. My forever party trick
- Favorite food: Charcuterie board all day any day
Mariana Nino de Guzman Ramirez, MD, MPH
- Hometown: Guadalajara, Mexico
- Medical School: University of Wisconsin SOM and Public Health
- Residency: CU SOM
- Why I chose Colorado for fellowship: Lots of reasons! The main one being the fantastic mentors I've had the pleasure of working with, I truly felt no other program matched the mentorship I already had at Colorado (but also the fellows, the learning opportunities, the research support and the mountains of course)
- Research interest: TBD
- Favorite things to do in Colorado:
- Fun fact about me: I stalked the Humane Society’s website and countless other pet adoption websites for over 2 years before finally pulling the trigger and adopting my dog Gaia. She’s the best decision I’ve made.
- Favorite food: Tough question- my Mexican-Bolivian self can't choose between Tacos al Pastor and Saltenas
Arjun Dipak Patel, DO
- Hometown: Bartlett, IL
- Medical School: Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine at Midwestern University
- Residency: Baylor College of Medicine/ Texas Children's Hospital
- Why I chose Colorado for fellowship: Everyone I spoke to seemed genuinely happy! I knew I'd be challenged and well-supported in working with both bread and butter and rare cases in the NICU
- Research interest: TBD
- Favorite things to do in Colorado:
- Fun fact about me: I cut my own hair
- Favorite food: Waffles with peanut butter
2nd Year Fellows
Ashley Cowan, MD
- Hometown: San Antonio, Texas
- Medical School: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine
- Residency: University of California Irvine – Children’s Hospital of Orange County
- Why I chose Colorado for fellowship: The people! Felt such a warm and welcoming vibe during the interview, which helped me realize this should be my fellowship family!
- Research interest: Medical Education: Wellness/resiliency curriculum for trainees
- Favorite things to do in Colorado: Exploring, hiking, paddle-boarding, trying new foods.
- Fun fact about me: I’ve swam with pilot whales, dolphins, manta rays, eagle rays, sharks and turtles.
- Favorite food: Tex-Mex. Queso!
Hannah Fuson, MD
- Hometown: Granville, Ohio
- Medical school: Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine
- Residency: Yale School of Medicine Pediatric Residency
- Why I chose Colorado for fellowship: I came to CHCO as a pediatric hospitalist and have been so impressed with the collegial yet friendly atmosphere. Choosing to stay for fellowship was an easy decision once I met the great current fellows and learned about the perks of having two unique training sites.
- Research interest: Effect of Glucagaon on fetal growth and skeletal muscle
- Favorite thing to do in Colorado: easy access to great hiking with my husband, Dave, and my dog, Toby.
- Favorite food: Ice cream!
- Fun fact: I lived part time in Denmark for my last two year of medical school while my husband was doing a post-doc there.
Igor Shumskiy, MD
- Hometown: Denver, Colorado
- Medical School: University of Colorado School of Medicine
- Residency: Boston Combined Residency Program
- Why I chose Colorado for fellowship: Some of my very favorite people live in Colorado - my wife, son, dog, friends, and parents! Also, my wife is a 2nd year medical student at CU SOM.
- Research interest: Provider communication, family engagement, and decisional regret for parents of children born at 22-25 weeks gestation
- Favorite thing to do in Colorado: in no particular order: drive my mini cooper convertible in the mountains, après ski with my wife in the winter, and hut trips with friends year-round!
- Favorite food: Pizza!!! From gourmet pizza at The Greenwich to frozen, it’s all tasty!
- Fun fact: I was born in Ukraine, and I’ve been to 5/7 continents!
3rd Year Fellows
Jamie L Archambault, MD
- Hometown: Houston, Texas
- Medical school: University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
- Residency: University of Colorado Pediatric Residency
- Why I chose Colorado for fellowship: This program is incredible for so many reasons, but the people here are what make it truly special. The faculty, fellows, and NNPs here are some of the most humble, brilliant, and inspiring people I have ever met, and I am constantly learning from their skills and experiences. This program will train you to be the very best neonatologist and give you some of the most supportive best friends and mentors along the way.
- Research interest: Platelet activation in pulmonary vascular disease
- Favorite thing to do in Colorado: Hiking in the mountains with my husband and our dog, Thumper. The mountain scenery is always beautiful, but especially in the fall. We love exploring new mountain towns and are traveling to see as many parts of Colorado as possible.
- Favorite food: Pasta, always
- Fun fact: I’ve been to 2 space shuttle launches… (for my astronaut dad)
Paula Dias Maia, MD
- Hometown: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Medical school: Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Residency: University of Colorado Pediatric Residency
- Why I chose Colorado for fellowship: The mentorship, the patient population, and (of course) the people.
- Research interest: Pulmonary vascular disease and neonatal hemodynamics
- Favorite thing to do in Colorado: I love spending time outside, but I also love the art scene in Denver
- Favorite food: Olives
- Fun fact: I have a trilingual dog – Rufus
Emma Marie Harding, MD
- Hometown: Dallas, Texas
- Medical school: University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
- Residency: University of Colorado Pediatric Residency
- Why I chose Colorado for fellowship: To continue working in a fun and supportive environment with the most incredible people in the country! I also appreciated the opportunity to be at 2 unique sites that teach us different, but complementary skills!!
- Research interest: Education and quality improvement with specific interest in prenatal counseling, resuscitation, and patients with medical complexity born at our free standing children’s hospital
- Favorite thing to do in Colorado: Roadtrips around the state (especially to places like Palisade and Crested Butte!) with my husband, Al, and two dogs, Rosie and Miller ❤️
- Favorite food: Tex-Mex
- Fun fact: I can recite the entire first Harry Potter movie while watching it (which my husband is *never* annoyed by…)
Sarah Anne Kohn, MD
- Hometown: Denver, CO
- Medical school: University of Colorado School of Medicine
- Residency: University of Colorado Pediatric Residency
- Why I chose Colorado for fellowship: I feel so lucky that I got a lot of exposure to our NICU program during med school and residency. One of the fellows on elective at Denver Health was a great teacher, calm under pressure and so competent I decided I wanted to be just like her when I grew up and here we are!
- Research interest: All things related to point-of-care ultrasound, but my primary project is about using lung ultrasound in infants with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
- Favorite thing to do in Colorado: Trail runs, spending time with family, cooking/eating, going to the rodeo, cheering on the Avalanche.
- Favorite food: Pizza
- Fun fact: I married my high school sweetheart ❤️
| Diversity / Equity / Inclusion |
We are committed to creating a diverse environment for students, residents, fellows, and faculty. We believe that an environment of inclusiveness and respect promotes excellence and that a setting where diversity is valued leads to the training of physicians who are prepared to practice culturally effective medicine and meet the needs of the various populations we serve. Visit our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion webpage for more.... |
| Well-Being / Resilience |
By embracing wellness and improving personal resiliency, physicians can reconnect with the meaning of their work and fend off stress. Reducing or eliminating burnout also has practical implications for the entire department such as improving patient safety, student advancement, and the overall campus environment. Visit our Pediatric Well-Being and Resilience website for more. |
