• Structured mentoring of fellows by neonatology faculty and by faculty research mentors elsewhere in the College of Medicine enhances training experiences and fosters career planning.
• Iowa’s NIH CTSA award (under the aegis of our "Institute for Clinical and Translational Science" offers cutting edge research training opportunities
• Divisional educational offerings include:
  • Perinatal mortality conference
  • Journal club
  • Physiology review
  • Evidence-based neonatalogy
• Fellows attend two or more professional meetings annually.
• Fellows accepted into our program receive support during their third year of pediatric residency to attend the national Pediatric Academic Societies’ Meeting in May.
• First-year Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine fellows spend a majority of their first month being oriented to clinical and research fellowship activities with limited on-call duty.
• Our Fellows' Weekly Department of Pediatrics Core Curriculum Seminar Series provides fellows with opportunities to:
  • Enhance professional development
  • Improve teaching skills
  • Develop written and oral presentation skills
  • Present their own research
  • Explore research options
  • Interact with faculty and other fellows
  • Learn about responsible conduct of research
  • Accelerate career development

Example of 3-year Neonatal/Perinatal Fellowship Monthly Assignments

First Year

Second Year

Third Year

Orient: Designates the initial one-month block devoted to orienting new fellows to key research and clinical aspects of our program. A major goal during this month is to assist new fellows begin the process of selecting an area of research, a mentor, and a research project. During this period, first-year fellows shadow senior fellows in the NICU and in their research laboratories. First-year fellows are encouraged to spend 2 or 3 one- to two-week blocks of time in the laboratories of funded investigators in finding one that is "a good fit."

NICU1 and NICU2: (Clinical Care ) Designates clinical service time done in either our high acuity 13-bed NICU1 or in our lower acuity 36-bed and 15-bed NICU2s. Clinical months and nights on duty are developed by fellows with approval by faculty. The goal in doing this is to maintain individualization and flexibilty of a fellow on call scheduling. During clinical months, fellows' call is 2 nights a week. All clinical activities take place in one hospital, University of Iowa Children's Hospital

Res: (Research) Designates time blocks devoted primarily to research, but also includes other training-related activities, e.g., fellows' core curriculum seminar, journal club, physiology review, lectures/seminars, etc. A primary goal in the second and third years is to provide several contiguous, uninterrupted blocks of research time. During research blocks, fellows average 1 call night per week.

Vac: (Benefits) Vacation is included in the 3 weeks per year of paid time off.

On Call Schedule:  The fellows' night and weekend call schedule is prepared by the fellows with faculty approval and oversight. On call days average one in six over the course of the year. All call is done in house.

Moonlighting:  Moonlighting at outside institutions is allowed with approval of the Program Director. Elective opportunities for enhanced clinical training (in which fellows are compensated) are available within our program. Time devoted to either of these activities is included in the ACGME's weekly 80 duty hours.