Mission

Our Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship program will train pediatricians (military and civilian) to become neonatologists that successfully balance compassionate family-centered clinical practice with the ever-changing science of neonatology for our most vulnerable patient population.

Vision

To graduate clinically competent neonatologists who successfully become board-certified in neonatology after completing a rigorous fellowship training program, and continue to pursue knowledge and clinical skills beyond training.

Aims

• To develop and maintain a standard of excellence in the clinical practice of neonatal-perinatal medicine.
• To develop a broad knowledge base in neonatal-perinatal medicine.
• To develop a personal program of self-study and professional growth with guidance from the teaching faculty.
• To base clinical decisions upon scientific evidence-based medicine.
• To develop teaching skills.
• To develop administrative skills.
• To develop basic skills in research.
• To help incorporate quality improvement and "Plan, Do, Study, Act" approach as a basic part of clinical practice.

Fellows participate in weekly didactics every Thursday. Weekly didactics are a combination of formal lectures, small group discussions, workshops, board preparation, journal club/evidence-based practice, and case presentations.

In addition to weekly didactics, fellows participate in regular joint conferences with the maternal fetal medicine fellowship at the University of Hawaii. Fellows are integrated into neonatal department Morbidity and Mortality conferences and present at Grand Rounds at least once during their training. Fellows attend regular sessions focused on Quality Improvement and participate in several virtual joint didactic programs with civilian fellowships around the country and with the other military neonatal-perinatal programs.

Fellows complete six, 4-week service rotations during their first year of training. Fellows complete four service rotations in each subsequent year, in addition to 2-week electives in Maternal Fetal Medicine and Cardiology. Service rotations are evenly split between Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children and Tripler Army Medical Center. Fellows participate in the high risk infant follow up clinic at Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children while on Research rotation.

Fellows participate in maternal-fetal medicine and cardiology rotations spread out among multiple sites including Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children, Tripler Army Medical Center, Fetal Diagnostic Center of the Pacific and Straub Medical Center.

Fellows are expected to do four call shifts per 4-week block on average. There are 13 blocks each academic year. When on service, Fellows do one 24-hour call per week, on Friday evenings. When on Research or Elective rotations, fellows perform one night call per week. Fellows have input into their preferred call dates.

The program was designed with an emphasis on the unique demands of a Military Neonatologist. Active duty fellows are expected to take a lead role in planning and conducting worldwide air evacuation missions of critically ill infants. Active duty fellows conduct air evacuation missions of infants from various strategic locations in the Pacific, including Japan and Guam. In addition to physically performing transports, fellows give medical advice on the care of critical infants to military physicians in austere environments. Fellows attend a course where they receive formal training in aeromedical evacuation equipment and airframes. The program is beginning to incorporate training in Point of Care Ultrasound into our curriculum, to better prepare graduates to care for critical infants in operational or austere environments.

There are no formal courses required for fellowship graduation. There is Pediatric Department funding available for active duty fellows to attend educational conferences on a case-by-case basis.

There are formal simulation exercises in perinatal counseling, difficult communication scenarios, and for some high-risk, low-volume procedures.

While the program does not have a formal leadership curriculum, fellows participate in leadership exercises offered through the University of Hawaii and military fellows have access to Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences faculty development opportunities.

Fellows are expected to complete a longitudinal research/scholarly activity project as a requirement of graduation. A quality manuscript of research findings is expected at the time of graduation. Fellows are given significant dedicated time and resources to complete bench or clinical research projects that meet American Board of Pediatrics and program requirements. There are opportunities for Bench research at the TAMC Department of Clinical Investigations, JABSOM, and clinical research projects ongoing at TAMC and Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children that fellows can participate in. Funding is available for fellows to present their research findings at national conferences.

Fellows receive formal training in Quality Improvement methodology. Fellows take a lead role on at least one QI project at either Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children or TAMC during their training. 

Fellows attend a conference on military neonatology in Texas during their second and third year where there are networking and educational opportunities. Fellows have the option to participate in faculty development workshops given by USUHS.

• Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children
• Tripler Army Medical Center

The fellowship is only available to successful graduates of a Pediatrics Residency so there are no formal fellowship supported medical school rotations. Hawaii-based military pediatric residents can complete elective NICU rotations at Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children on a case-by-case basis.

Interested candidates should contact the program about scheduling an interview at the contact info below. Interviews are generally conducted virtually between the months of July and September. Active duty fellows must apply for subspecialty training through their branch of service via the MODS system.

Program graduates take the American Board of Pediatrics Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine maintenance of certification exam. This computer-based examination is taken in March/April. This exam is offered biennially. To be eligible to take specialty board exams, graduates must complete all pre-requisites required by the American Board of Pediatrics by October 31 in the year preceding the test date. Following completion of this exam, members must complete 5-year maintenance of certification requirements in order to maintain board certification. The full requirements can be found at ABP Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Board Exam Information.

Members may choose whether to continue to maintain board certification in Pediatrics.

Fellows can become NRP and STABLE instructors at Tripler. Fellows are given the opportunity to become clinical instructors through UH JABSOM. Fellows work closely with residents during service rotations at both training sites.

Fellows are given the opportunity to give department morning report lectures to residents, and to give CME lectures to the Pediatrics/Neonatal department at least once a year. Fellows also give multi-disciplinary presentations with maternal fetal medicine and give a grand rounds presentation once during their fellowship.

All faculty are Board Certified or Board Eligible Neonatologists. We have faculty that have received additional training or have completed research in neonatal palliative care and ethics, neonatal neurodevelopment, and Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

Fellows are paired with a faculty mentor within one year of arriving at the program. Faculty mentors work with fellows to make sure they are appropriately progressing towards graduation and to support individual fellow career goals.

Fellows can take advantage of our location and weather by participating in outdoor wellness activities with faculty during the regular didactic time every few months. (examples of previous wellness activities include hikes, beach days, outdoor meals/barbeques). There are formal wellness activities offered through UH JABSOM that fellows can participate in if desired.