General Academic Pediatrics Fellowship

The Division of General Academic Pediatrics at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh offers a Postdoctoral Fellowship Program in General Academic Pediatrics and Medicine-Pediatrics. The fellowship is part of an interdisciplinary program funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), entitled, "NRSA for Primary Medical Care Research."

The Fellowship Program is a 2 to 3 year clinical research training experience for motivated, creative individuals with health professional or research doctorates. Fellows should be interested in research careers focused on improving care for underserved populations and improving primary health care delivery, health policy, patient safety, quality improvement, patient-centered care, health care organization and financing, and health care disparities.

The Objectives of the Fellowship Program are to provide fellows with:

• Rigorous, individually tailored, training that encompasses a comprehensive spectrum of research methodologies and motivation to advance HP2020 goals
• Hands-on interdisciplinary mentored experiences in the conduct of their own clinical research projects from conceptualization, to completion, presentation, and publication of findings
• Skills to develop and submit competitive clinical research grant applications
• Leadership and professional capabilities to excel as primary health care researchers, including specific training in cultural and linguistic competence in the conduct of research and health care delivery.
• Course of studies leading to Master’s degrees for those entering with a health profession doctorate.  Those who enter with a research doctorate take select courses.

Comprehensive Research Training

• Fellows are encouraged to take courses of study that lead to advanced degrees in clinical research, medical education or public health. Degrees offered include: Master of Science in Clinical Research, Master of Science in Medical Education, Master of Public Health, and Master of Arts in Bioethics.
• Fellows participate in weekly interdisciplinary seminars (PDF) to advance skills in research design and dissemination and in building a career as a primary care researcher.
• Fellows design and execute an independent clinical or medical education research project.
• Fellows present their research findings at regional and national meetings.
• Fellows establish long-term relationships with career and research mentors through weekly or bi-weekly meetings.

Mentoring

Establishing successful relationships with mentors is one of the most important predictors of academic success during fellowship and beyond. A mentor may provide career and academic guidance, feedback, support and review of ongoing research, methodological expertise, moral- support, introduction to key personal contacts, and serve as a role model for the type of desired academic career. We are committed to provide high quality mentorship.

Fellows in the Program receive mentorship in three areas:

1. A primary career mentor to provide career guidance and oversee all aspects of the fellowship experience.
2. A research mentor(s) to provide guidance, expertise, and support for fellowship projects.
3. A clinical mentor to provide guidance and feedback to health professional fellows for clinical activities, especially precepting of residents in outpatient primary care center.

Fellows meet with the Program leadership early in the first year to determine the primary mentor. Choice of research mentor and clinical mentor will depend on specific projects and clinical precepting site. Mentors will help the fellow develop a portfolio of research, clinical, teaching, and leadership activities and develop a timeline for completion of tasks. Fellows also participate in the ICRE Mentoring Matters ½-day workshop during the first summer.

Leadership Development

• Fellows participate in leadership training programs.
• Fellows apply the principles obtained through this training coursework in leadership roles in their research, education and clinical roles.

Future Career Development

• Fellows create and maintain a Learning and Professional Portfolio, integrating all aspects of the fellowship. The portfolio summarizes accomplishments, competencies and career trajectory.