Pediatric Hospital Medicine Fellowship

Overview

Our PHM fellowship has received ACGME accreditation. Fellows will receive comprehensive training and guidance in clinical care, scholarship, and education in Pediatric Hospital Medicine. At completion, fellows will be primed to begin a career in Pediatric Hospital Medicine in academic and/or community settings. Structure and allocation of time for clinical and scholarly pursuits align with ACGME requirements for PHM fellowship programs, allowing flexibility and individualization when possible so fellows can pursue their career goals.

Mark Brittan, MD, MPH
Program Director
Mark.Brittan@childrenscolorado.org

Kimberly O'Hara, MD
Associate Program Director
Kimberly.O'Hara@childrenscolorado.org

Clinical Care

Fellows will receive outstanding inpatient clinical experience at both our quaternary care and community hospitals. This experience includes working on the Hospital Medicine services at Children’s Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado Newborn Nursery, and at one or more of our community or Network of Care sites. In addition, fellows will gain procedural and sedation experience, perform hospital medicine consultations, and co-manage patients with our surgical colleagues. They will also have the opportunity to rotate in our critical care units or Emergency Departments and with our Acute or Chronic Pain, Palliative Care, Newborn, and Complex Care services.  Responsibilities include taking calls from home and working very few evenings or overnight shifts each year.

Fellows will have the opportunity to explore specific areas of interest through clinical electives including but not limited to:

• Infectious Disease
• Transport Medicine
• Adolescent Medicine
• Internal Medicine
• Pulmonary
• Gastroenterology
• Nephrology
• Cardiology
• Rheumatology
• Neonatal Intensive Care
• Pediatric Intensive Care
• Child Abuse and Neglect
• Global Health
• Risk Management
• Nutrition
• Toxicology

Scholarship

Fellows will have substantial time allocated to developing scholarship. Opportunities exist for projects in translational research, health services research, Medical Education, Clinical Effectiveness, patient safety, and Quality Improvement (QI). Our PHM Section has highly qualified mentors with varied interests and expertise (see Mentorship tab). The Section is supported by highly experienced Research Directors, research coordinators, statisticians, and a survey methodologist.

To enhance their research skills, fellows may participate in formal, local training programs on campus. These include the Master’s in Clinical Sciences (MSCS) Program, the Institute for Healthcare Quality, Safety and Efficiency (IQHSE) Certificate Training Program, or the Academy of Medical Educators' Teaching Scholars Program. These programs will be supplemented with Section of PHM’s monthly educational and research conferences, workshops through the Center for Faculty Development, Department of Pediatrics Fellowship Educational Series, work-in-progress sessions, and University-based learning opportunities through the Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CCTSI) and Adult & Child Consortium for Health Outcomes Research & Delivery Science (ACCORDS).

Fellows will be expected to participate in one or more QI initiatives, submit abstracts to conferences, apply for small grant applications, and begin to write manuscripts to peer-reviewed journals. Fellows interested in QI have access to institutional leadership and Process Improvement specialists through the Quality and Patient Safety Department.

Fellows will be able to attend and present at local and national conferences, such as Children’s Colorado Clinical Concepts & Conundrums in Pediatric Hospital Medicine, local QI Symposiums hosted by CHCO and the University of Colorado, Council on Medical Student Education in Pediatrics (COMSEP) annual meeting, Pediatric Academic Societies’ annual meeting, and Pediatric Hospital Medicine annual meeting.

Medical Education

Our educational mission is to develop leaders skilled in the education of other learners, patients, families, and the community at large. Fellows will teach a variety of learners while conducting family-centered rounds at CHCO and our community hospitals. They will receive training and support to design educational curricula, present small group teachings or didactics in their areas of interest, provide effective feedback, and serve as mentees or mentors to others. Educational learning opportunities at CU Anschutz include:

• The Teaching Scholars Program
• iTeach peer mentoring
• Residents and Fellows as Medical Educators Elective
• Facilitators for Problem-based Learning curriculum
• Workshops presented by the Academy of Medical Educators

Fellows may hone their educational skills through other forums within the Section of Pediatric Hospital Medicine and the Department of Pediatrics:

• Work-in-Progress Sessions
• Morbidity and Mortality conference
• Journal Club
• Morning Report
• Noon Conference
• Section of PHM educational and research conferences
• Section of PHM Teaching Excellence Among Medical Providers (“TEAM”) Program
• Section of PHM HOspital Medicine Mentorship and Engagement (“HOME”) Program
• Department of Pediatrics Fellowship Educational Series and Grand Rounds

Leadership and Administration

PHM fellows are the hospital leaders of tomorrow. Our fellows will gain experience through leading process improvement teams, collaborating on hospital committees, participating in community outreach programs, and developing clinical pathways. Within the Section of PHM, there are notable leaders in administration, medical education, research, and Quality Improvement who will guide Fellows to develop leadership skills and competence (see Mentorship tab). Formal avenues of training include People Development at CHCO, which focuses on leadership style and effectiveness, personal evaluation, crucial conversations and communication models; the IHQSE Certificate Training Program; and the Academy of Medical Educators Faculty Development Program.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Section of Pediatric Hospital Medicine Mentors

Leadership roles and scholarly interests for some faculty members of our PHM Section are listed in the attached PHM Mentor List.

The University of Colorado Pediatric Hospital Medicine Fellowship program is designed for the motivated, self-directed learner who wants to develop a career based on excellence in scholarship, education, leadership, and clinical pediatric hospital medicine. To be considered for admission to our program, applicants must be in the process of completing training in (or completed) a 3-year ACGME-accredited Pediatric Residency program. We encourage applications from members of underrepresented minority groups to apply.

Application Process

ERAS Application Timeline

NRMP Fall Match Timeline

If you are interested in applying to our fellowship program, the application period will open on July 5, 2023 in alignment with dates provided by ERAS. Fellow selection is accomplished by participation in the National Residency Matching Program Match service, which occurs in late fall each year.

Submitting Your Application 

Our fellowship participates in the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). Please submit your application through ERAS. Interview invitations will be offered on a rolling basis after July 19, 2023. Virtual interviews will be held from September 2023 through early November 2023. 

While completing the ERAS online application, applicants should make certain to provide the following documents:

• Current curriculum vitae
• Personal Statement outlining the reasons for choosing this specialty and applicant’s career plans
• At least three (3) but no more than five (5) letters of recommendation from physicians or mentors familiar with the applicant

Please note that as an ACGME-accredited program, our fellows must have passed the USMLE Step 3 examination or COMLEX Level 3. Currently, we require non-US applicants to possess a valid certificate from Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). The ACGME now requires fellows to have completed pediatric residency training in a U.S. or Canadian ACGME-certified program prior to subspecialty fellowship training.

For additional questions about our fellowship program, please contact the program at PHMfellowship@childrenscolorado.org.