Pediatric hospital medicine fellowship
Mission
Founded in 2015, Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU's Pediatric Hospital Medicine Fellowship is a two year, ACGME-accredited training program. The fellowship program provides clinical, education, research, quality improvement and leadership training with the goal of developing future hospitalists who will become leaders in academic as well as community hospitalist programs.
Program opportunities
Clinical and individualized training
Clinical training consists of 16 weeks of PHM-related service per year. The fellow will work with the resident teaching team. Two of the 16 weeks will be at a community hospital site. Additional 16 weeks per year is dedicated to an individualized curriculum including clinical electives such as pain and palliative care, child abuse pediatrics, complex/chronic care, medical transport, medical toxicology, nutrition, pharmacology and antimicrobial stewardship and anesthesia to name a few. Other subspecialty rotations such as critical care medicine and infectious diseases are also offered as electives. Family centered rounds is emphasized during the clinical service times.
Medical education
The fellowship has an educational mission to provide first class education and training. The fellow has an important role in teaching medical students and resident physicians and other interprofessional students. The fellow will spend time in the Introduction to Teaching during the first year and has the option to take classes as part of the Teaching in Medical Education (TiME) course offered through Virginia Commonwealth University School of Education and School of Medicine. The TiME course emphasizes curriculum design, scholarship in medical education, and instructional strategies. During the course of the fellowship, the fellow will develop an educational portfolio.
Research and quality improvement
The fellow will participate in the Introduction to Quality Improvement (QI) curriculum during the first year and have the opportunity to complete the Institutes for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) modules. Other opportunities through the institution and various conferences will provide additional research and QI training. The fellow will work with research and QI faculty mentors throughout the fellowship with the goal of scholarly project and QI initiative during the fellowship which will satisfy the ACGME and ABP requirements for a scholarly product. Fellows have presented (platform and poster) at national conferences such as PHM, PAS, AAP NCE, HVPAA, and APA Region 4 conference.
Medical leadership
The fellowship program has a unique partnership with VCU Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute in which the fellow has the opportunity to enroll in the Leadership Development course (hyperlink: https://gehli.vcu.edu/programs/vcu-leadership-development-program/). This course is a 10-month program designed to enhance the knowledge, skills, and experience of current and emerging leaders who represent the academic and administrative units of VCU and VCU Health.
Past fellows: Where are they now?
- Ashlie Tseng, MD: Pediatric hospitalist at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, Richmond, VA
- Alison Ullman, MD: Pediatric hospitalist at Centra Health, Lynchburg, VA
- Megan Coe, MD: Pediatric hospitalist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH
- Katherine Donowitz, MD: Pediatric hospitalist at Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU, Richmond, VA
- Hilary O'Boyle, MD: Pediatric hospitalist at Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU, Richmond, VA
Why Richmond?
Whether you are passionate about history, arts, gardens, antiques, fine dining, outdoor recreation, theme parks, or NASCAR, there's something for every taste in the Historic Richmond Region. Come find out!
How to apply
Applications should be submitted via the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). The Hospital Medicine Fellowship Program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and participates in the National Residency Match Program (NRMP).
Contact the pediatric hospital medicine fellowship team
Current fellows
Fahim Thawer, MD1st year
Med school: Medical College of Georgia
Residency: Medical College of Georgia - Pediatrics
Meredith Mitchell, MD2nd year
Med school: Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
Residency: Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU - Pediatrics
