Pediatric Neurocritical Care Fellowship Program

Pediatric Neurocritical Care Fellowship Program

Program overview

The Pediatric Neurocritical Care Fellowship Program is a one year clinical fellowship position with the goal of developing specialty training in pediatric neurointensive care for board-certified/eligible pediatric intensivists and child neurologists.

  • Each year up to one trainee will be accepted for the Critical Care track, designed for intensivists (start date early July).
  • Each year up to one trainee will be accepted for the Neurology track, designed for child neurologists (start date early July).

Program leadership

Program goals

The goals of this fellowship are to provide:

  1. Expertise in the understanding, monitoring and management of primary and secondary neurologic injuries affecting critically ill children.
  2. Education in neuroimaging interpretation
  3. Training in EEG monitoring and interpretation.
  4. Training in advanced neuromonitoring techniques and real time interpretation
  5. Exposure to interventional neuroradiology
  6. Exposure to adult neurointensive care.
  7. Experience in the diagnosis and management of neurosurgical conditions, including intraoperative and perioperative care.

Eligibility

Critical Care Track — Candidates must have successfully completed a residency in pediatrics and fellowship in pediatric critical care and be board eligible/certified.

Neurology Track — Candidates must have successfully completed a residency in child neurology and be board eligible/certified.

Accreditation

This is a non-ACGME accredited position. There is no board certification following the completion of this one year fellowship.

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

Curriculum

  • Electrophysiology: 4 weeks
  • Neuro ICU consult (includes PICU, CICU, NICU): 20 weeks
  • Neuroradiology/Interventional Neuroradiology: 1 weeks
  • Adult Neuro ICU (HUP): 6 weeks
  • Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU): 1 week
  • Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU): 8 weeks
  • Pediatric Neurosurgery: 2 weeks
  • Palliative Care Team: 1 week
  • In-Patient Rehabilitation Medicine Consult: 1 week
  • Outpatient ICU follow-up clinic & related multidisciplinary specialty clinics: 1-2/month. These will include, but are not limited to, sessions in the Pediatric Stroke Clinic, Physical Medicine/Rehabilitation Clinics, Neurosurgery, Pediatric Regional Epilepsy Program Clinic and Neurocardiac Clinic
  • Research: 4 weeks
  • Vacation: 4 weeks

Didactics

The fellow will participate in all didactic conferences within the Division of Critical Care Medicine, and may additionally attend conferences within the Division of Neurology that pertain to material clinically related to critical care.

Research opportunities

Trainees will have the access to faculty who are funded in basic science, translational and clinical research focused on acute primary and secondary neurologic injuries, neurologic monitoring and neurologic protection. We will work with the candidate to find research opportunities during the annual year. Additional years of research training are available if the trainee secures external or internal grant funding. Potential sources include institutional T-32 funds and national K-12 funding for initial inquiry.

How to apply

Applications must be received by June 15 to be considered for the July start date of the following year (at least 13 months in advance). The application will be reviewed by the combined Neurocritical Care Fellowship leadership with input from both specialties.

Application materials and process includes:

  • Common CHOP application
  • Three (3) Letters of Reference (LORs)
  • Dean’s letter aka Medical School Performance Evaluation (MSPE )
  • Medical School Transcript
  • Current Curriculum Vitae
  • Personal Statement
  • Photograph
  • USMLE Parts 1, 2 CK, 2CS & 3 score transcript(s) OR COMLEX Level 1, 2CE, 2PE and 3 OR MCCQE Parts I and II
  • ECFMG Certification if graduated from a medical school outside the U.S., Canada, or Puerto Rico
  • Visa documentation if not a citizen or permanent resident of the U.S. (Copy of current visa, Permanent Resident Card)
  • Interview with committee
  • The education coordinator will inform each applicant of decisions regarding whether and when an interview will be granted. The program director will communicate with applicants who are interviewed regarding the final decision of the fellowship committee on their application.

Application materials for the critical care track should be submitted via email to Ailin Cornelius.

Application materials for the neurology track should be submitted via email to Ashley Rees-Jones.

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.

Contact

Fellowship directors

Alexis Topjian, MD, MSCE
Phone: 215-590-3915
Email: topjian@chop.edu

Rebecca Ichord, MD
Phone: 215-590-4142
Email: ichord@chop.edu

Program Coordinator

Ailin Cornelius
Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Fellowship, Program Coordinator
Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
3401 Civic Center Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19104-4399
Phone: 609-433-7430
Fax: 267-426-5574
Email: corneliua1@chop.edu

Ashley Rees-Jones
NCERT Program Coordinator
Program Coordinator-Neurology Center for Education, Research and Training
Email: reesjonesa@chop.edu