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Indiana University School of Medicine
Indiana University School of Medicine
Pediatrics

Pediatric Critical Care Fellowship

One of the primary missions of the Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine at IU School of Medicine is to train the next generation of academically minded pediatricians who will help care for children with the most complex and critical conditions. The school offers state-of-the-art facilities, a diverse and medically complex patient population, innovative research centers, and a committed faculty, creating the ideal environment for young physicians to thrive and foster their career development.

Pediatric Critical Care Fellowship trainees enjoy active participation in the collaborative care of all surgical subspecialty patients admitted to the pediatric intensive care units. The intensive care facilities at Riley Hospital for Children include two medical/surgical units totaling 36 beds, a 18-bed integrated cardiovascular unit, a 10-bed burn unit, and an intensivist-managed procedural sedation service. Additionally, fellows train in a high-fidelity simulation lab that provides an opportunity to learn in a realistic, yet safe environment with real-time feedback and direct faculty guidance.

Apply for Fellowship

Physicians interested in applying for the Pediatric Critical Care Fellowship program at IU School of Medicine should submit an application through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) and include the required documents.

Video

Faculty and fellows share what makes the Pediatric Critical Care Fellowship unique.

Curriculum

The fellowship curriculum includes traditional bedside teaching and didactics as well as experiences in a high-fidelity simulation lab, allowing fellows the opportunity to learn in a realistic, yet safe environment with real-time feedback and direct faculty guidance. Pediatric Critical Care fellows complete 17 months of clinical service, 16 months of research and 3 months of vacation time spread throughout the three-year program. The typical breakdown of the clinical schedule includes Pediatric ICU Service (11 months), Cardiac Critical Care Service (5 months), and Procedural Sedation (1 month).

In the first year of fellowship training, fellows spend six months in Clinical PICU, one month in Cardiac Critical Care, one month in Procedural Sedation, three months in Research, and four weeks of vacation.

In the second year of fellowship training, fellows spend three months in Clinical PICU, two months in Cardiac Critical Care, six months in research and have four weeks of vacation.

Third-year fellows spend two months in Clinical PICU, two months in Cardiac Critical Care, seven months in research and have four weeks of vacation.

Night Call

Due to the extensive clinical experience required to become a competent Pediatric Critical Care clinician, night call is required throughout the fellowship, including research months. All fellows have two weekends per month of call responsibility. Typically, first-year fellows are on call six nights per month; second-year fellows cover five nights per month; and third-year fellows are on call four nights per month. A systematic program for advancing the fellow’s autonomy during night call progresses trainees from direct to indirect supervision.

Lecture Series

The Pediatric Intensive Care sections offers numerous educational lectures, and fellows are encouraged to participate. The program is designed to systematically cover the required curriculum through a series of formal didactic lectures, journal club presentations, research conferences, and mortality and morbidity case-based discussion sessions. In addition, the IU School of Medicine often sponsors guest speakers on a national level and from within Indiana University. Additionally a Riley Fellow workshop series addresses the educational and career development needs of all subspecialty fellows within the Department of Pediatrics.

Program Leadership

Program co-Director
12025-Rowan, Courtney

Courtney M. Rowan, MD

Associate Professor of Pediatrics

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Program co-Director
38871-Swinger, Nathan

Nathan D. Swinger, MD

Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics

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Associate Program Director
23541-Friedman, Matthew

Matthew L. Friedman, MD

Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics

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Program Coordinator
Melissa Bales

Melissa Bales, C-TAGME

melbales@iupui.edu

Research

Pediatric Critical Care ResearchFaculty in Pediatric Critical Care are involved in several multi-center studies and focus on topics such as age of blood at transfusion, sepsis and shock, stem cell, and respiratory failure in association with acute lung injury. Fellows are encouraged to actively work with faculty mentors, research coordinators, statisticians and informatics experts to participate in a meaningful research experience designed to provide in-depth education of the scientific process. Focus is placed on study design and implementation as well as the development of a manuscript acceptable for publication and presentation at a national scientific conference.

Fellows have the opportunity to earn a master’s degree in clinical research during the fellowship program. The degree program prepares graduates to successfully compete for grant funding, conduct and analyze research findings, and publish their work in scientific journals.