Educational Activities
Neonatal-Perinatal Fellowship Program Seminar and Conference Offerings
· Fellows' Conference (weekly)
This conference is the primary clinical conference run by the Fellows, for the continuing medical education of the Fellows and clinical faculty. The format varies in order to give the presenting Fellows opportunities to develop different types of presentations and critical reviews. The topics include case presentations with review of care, problem-oriented topic conferences, literature reviews, quality assessment/quality improvement reviews, morbidity and mortality reviews, and presentations of proposed research protocols by Fellow or Faculty.
· Neonatal Medical Knowledge Base Curriculum (weekly)
This didactic conference is organized by the third-year fellows under the guidance and supervision of Neonatology faculty. Lectures cover the topics provided on the ABP’s Content Outline for Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine , emphasizing pregnancy, the fetus and neonate (https://www.abp.org/abpwebsite/takeexam/subspecialtycertifyingexam/contentpdfs/neon2010.pdf). Topics are covered on a rotating basis, such that all subjects are covered at least every other year. Faculty with special expertise in these areas, both from within the Division of Neonatology and from other Medical Center Departments and Divisions, give the lectures. Fellows are expected to attend all lectures and are protected from their other duties in order to participate. Learning is supported by topical Board-review questions.
· Pediatric Department Fellows’ Academic Curriculum (weekly Sept-May)
The fellowship provides a core curriculum in scholarly activities that meet ACGME and ABP requirements for training. Topics include biostatistics; ACGME clinical and laboratory research methodology; study design; preparation of funding applications; clinical research protocols; public presentation; critical literature review; principles of evidence-based medicine; fatigue recognition and management; principles of curriculum design; outcomes assessment; and adult learning/teaching methods and principles of communication.
· Perinatal Conference (weekly)
This interdisciplinary case-based conference is jointly led by the Divisions of Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) and Neonatology. Current cases are presented by residents for discussion of perinatal management. Topics in perinatal medicine, neonatal medicine, and regionalization/transport are discussed by MFM and Neonatology Faculty. Local perinatal and neonatal outcome statistics are also presented on an annual basis.
· NICU Health Team Rounds (weekly)
This is a multidisciplinary meeting of representatives from Social Services, Home Health Care, the Neonatal Continuing Care Program (NCCP), the NICU Discharge Coordinator, clergy, and NICU nursing and physician staff. The focus is optimal family centered care, including discharge planning for each infant in the NICU. Family and community resources available to optimize infants’ outcomes are discussed. For the Fellows, these rounds demonstrate links to the community and the medical and social considerations necessary for successful discharge and follow-up of NICU graduates.
· Neonatal Clinical Research Trials (2-4/month)
All active research clinical trials are reviewed and proposed trials are presented and discussed. Principal Investigators and research staff discuss ongoing protocol issues, enrollment progress, data collection and analysis, and progress on manuscript preparation. This meeting is frequently used for presentation and review of Fellows’ clinical research studies, especially in the development phase. Collaborations with Neonatologists in SUNY Buffalo are discussed via conference call at least monthly.
· Neonatology Research Seminar (bimonthly)
This seminar series (by the Division of Neonatology) highlights clinical, basic science, and translational research performed by Faculty, Fellows, graduate students and postdocs within the division. as Outside invited speakers may also present thewir research. Fellows in their second and third years are expected to present their research.
· Prenatal Diagnosis Committee (bimonthly)
This is a multidisciplinary and interprofessional committee with representatives from Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Neonatology, Pediatric Pathology , and Pediatric Cardiology. In utero cases are discussed with respect to differential diagnosis, genetic considerations and management. Recommendations for management and multi-disciplinary consultation are made.
· Pulmonary Biology Research Seminar (bimonthly)
This seminar series is supported by the Departments of Pediatrics, Environmental Medicine, and Internal Medicine. Speakers are experts in their field of research. Approximately 50% are invited from outside the Medical Center. Research presented varies from molecular and cellular biology to clinical and epidemiologic pulmonary research.
· Journal Club (monthly)
With the guidance of Neonatology faculty, fellows lead an in-depth discussion of a journal article of interest to improve their critical thinking skills when assessing scientific information presented in research articles. Faculty also provide additional expertise on research methodology and the topic of the article.
· Neonatal Pathology Conference (monthly)
This is an interdisciplinary conference held in conjunction with the Pediatric Pathologists. Under the guidance of the NICU Attending, the NICU on-service Fellow selects a recent patient-based case for discussion. Each case is presented by a resident with comments from the on-service Fellow (pathophysiologic context, differential diagnosis, evidence from the literature relevant to the case, etc.). The gross and histopathologic findings are then presented and discussed in detail by the Pediatric Pathologists.
· Neonatal Ethics Rounds (monthly)
This is a case-based discussion of a social, ethical or legal issue that has arisen in the NICU. Cases are chosen and presented by the housestaff and on-service NICU Fellow. Representatives from the Hospital Ethics Committee moderate the discussion. The discussion is typically attended by representatives from Nursing and Social Work, as well as Neonatology faculty, fellows and residents.
· Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Staff (monthly)
Run by the NICU Medical Director, this meeting includes representatives of all NICU and NBN services (Nursing, Attendings, Fellows, Nurse Practitioners, Infection Control, Social Work, Respiratory Therapy, Child Life, Nutrition, etc.). The staff meet to discuss NICU administration, procedures, issues of quality improvement and control. The Fellows are encouraged to participate to contribute to the process of NICU management and learn about the administration necessary to run a busy NICU and Newborn Nursery.
· Pediatric Biomedical and Translational Research Seminar (monthly)
This seminar series is sponsored by the Department of Pediatrics. Speakers are renowned experts in their field of research from institutions across the United States and other countries. Presentations are on pediatric clinical, basic science and translational research.
· Neonatal Morbidity and Mortality Conference (quarterly)
With the guidance and supervision of the Neonatology faculty, Fellows involved in the care of infants who died in the NICU present each case for review and discussion. In addition, volume statistics are collated and discussed, and comparative trends from national databases reviewed.