Overview

The Pediatric Neuromuscular Fellowship Program at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) is a one-year clinical training program that offers qualified physicians exposure to neuromuscular medicine and testing modalities, including muscle ultrasound. Additional electromyography (EMG), nerve conduction studies (NCS) and electrophysiology training is available, offered in collaboration with colleagues at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, the Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Pennsylvania Hospital.

Length of Fellowship: 1 year
Start date: July 1
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Salary: Commensurate
Application deadline: December 31 year prior to fellowship start date
Institutional GME approval: Yes
ACGME accredited: No
Primary topic: Neuromuscular medicine
Requirements:

• Adult or pediatric neurology residency, board certified or board eligible
• International candidates will be considered

The history, expertise and compassion that make Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia unique are also what makes it the best place for medical trainees.

Clinical activities

Fellows will see children with neuromuscular symptoms in the Neuromuscular Program at CHOP and through inpatient consultations by the primary Neurology service teams.

Fellows will gain clinical experience in caring for children with a wide variety of common and rare problems and disorders, including:

• Babies with very poor muscle tone, often referred to as “floppy babies”
• Children who are hypotonic and/or weak
• Children with pediatric muscular dystrophy
• Children with inherited and acquired myopathies, including structural, inflammatory and metabolic myopathies, as well as channelopathies
• Infants and children with acquired myasthenia gravis and genetic myasthenic syndromes
• Children with botulism
• Children with acute and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathies (AIDP and CIDP)
• Children with congenital and inherited neuropathies
• Children with spinal muscular atrophy
• Children with disorders of motor unit hyperexcitability

Electromyography (EMG) of infants and children takes place under sedation during clinic at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and also weekly in the EMG lab at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP). Further EMG and nerve conduction studies (NCS) training with adult patients is available in collaboration with HUP colleagues if desired.

CHOP fellows have the option of attending an ACGME-compatible neuromuscular lecture series that is provided for the HUP Neuromuscular fellow(s).

Nerve and muscle biopsies are performed by general surgery and interpreted by neurology and neuropathology. Trainees attend conferences where the biopsies are reviewed and discussed.

Training faculty

The Division of Neurology currently has approximately 40 neurologists, with seven specializing in clinical neuromuscular care:

• John Brandsema, MD, attending neurologist, section head and director of the Neuromuscular Fellowship Program
• Brenda L. Banwell, MD, chief of the Division of Neurology
• Elizabeth Kichula, MD, PhD, attending neurologist
• Susan Matesanz, MD, attending neurologist
• Sabrina Yum, MD, attending neurologist

There is also a monthly Complex Diagnostic Clinic featuring Carsten G. Bönnemann, MD, of the National Institutes of Health.

Conference schedule

Monday

• Complex Diagnostic Clinic (Brandsema/Bönnemann) – once per month, mornings
• Muscle/nerve pathology conference – once per month, afternoons

Tuesday

• EMGs at HUP (Brandsema/Yum) – mornings
• Neuromuscular Screening Clinic (Kichula/Matesanz) - mornings
• Muscular Dystrophy Assocation Clinic (Banwell/Brandsema/Matesanz/Kichula/Yum) – afternoons

Wednesday

• Muscular Dystrophy Association Clinic (Brandsema/Kichula/Matesanz/Tennekoon/Yum) – mornings
• Brachial Plexus Clinic (Yum) – weekly, afternoons
• Neuromuscular conference at HUP (3 Gates) – 4 p.m.

Thursday

• CHOP Neurology Grand Rounds – mornings
• Neuromuscular multidisciplinary rounds (Colket) – 4 p.m., first Thursday each month

Friday

• EMGs at CHOP (Brandsema/Yum) – weekly
• Urgent Neuromuscular Clinic

Research expectations and opportunities

Fellows have the opportunity to complete both clinical research and basic science research projects. Many of our past fellows have gone on to further training at the U.S. National Institutes of Health or abroad.

How to apply

The following items are required for application to the Pediatric Neuromuscular Fellowship Program:

• Common application
• Three (3) Letters of Reference
• Dean’s letter, also known as Medical School Performance Evaluation (MSPE)
• Medical school transcript
• Curriculum Vitae
• Personal statement
• Photograph
• USMLE Parts 1, 2 (ck and cs if applicable) and three (3) score transcripts
• ECFMG Certification if graduate of a medical school outside the United States, Canada or Puerto Rico
• Visa documentation if not a citizen or permanent resident of the U.S.

Application process

Please submit applications via email to Ashley Rees-Jones at reesjonesa@email.chop.edu. If items need to be mailed, they can be mailed to:

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Pediatric Neuromuscular Fellowship Program
Attn: Ashley Rees-Jones, NCERT Program Coordinator
Colket Translational Research Building - Room 10200-11
Philadelphia, PA 19104

If you have any questions at any time during the application process, please contact Ashley Rees-Jones at 215-590-1722 or by email. 

Other requirements

To carry out its mission, it is of critical importance for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) to keep our patients, families and workforce safe and healthy and to support the health of our global community. In keeping with this, CHOP has mandated all workforce members (including trainees) on site at any CHOP location for any portion of their time be vaccinated for COVID-19 as a condition of employment.

This mandate also applies to workforce members or trainees performing work for CHOP at non-CHOP locations. Additionally, all workforce members based in or regularly scheduled to work at any New Jersey location are mandated to be both vaccinated and boosted for COVID-19, with booster timing consistent with applicable guidelines. The CHOP COVID-19 vaccine mandate is in alignment with applicable local, state and federal mandates. CHOP also requires all workforce members and trainees who work in patient care buildings or who provide patient care to receive an annual influenza vaccine. Employees may request exemption consideration for CHOP vaccine requirements for valid religious and medical reasons. Please note start dates may be delayed until candidates are fully immunized or valid exemption requests are reviewed. In addition, candidates other than those in positions with regularly scheduled hours in New Jersey, must attest to not using tobacco products.

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, national or ethnic origin, disability, protected veteran status or any other protected category. CHOP is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor seeking priority referrals for protected veterans.

CHOP is committed to building an inclusive culture where employees feel a sense of belonging, connection, and community within their workplace. We are a team dedicated to fostering an environment that allows for all to be their authentic selves. We are focused on attracting, cultivating, and retaining diverse talent who can help us deliver on our mission to be a world leader in the advancement of healthcare for children.

We strongly encourage all candidates of diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply.