Program Details
Curriculum
Over the course of the three-year program, fellows will participate in the core curriculum designed to provide comprehensive instruction covering all major aspects of clinical care, evidence-based medicine, and research techniques. These sessions will be led by content experts from our division. Fellows will be assessed on their ability to apply these concepts in clinical and research settings. Fellows, across subspecialties, will be provided with a collaborative, workshop-based research course that will cover topics including biostatistics, clinical research methodology, laboratory research methodology, study design, introduction to grant writing, critical literature review, evidence-based medicine, and ethical principles in clinical research. Additionally, there will be quarterly sessions on teaching in medical education to assure that fellows are prepared to assist in training the pediatricians of tomorrow.In addition, fellows will gain expertise in musculoskeletal ultrasound over their time here, guided by two Ultrasound School of North American Rheumatologists (USSONAR) trained pediatric rheumatologists. By the end of fellowship, fellows will feel confident using critical techniques to perform diagnostic and interventional scans.
The Center for Discovery and Innovation will also provide bench research and translational projects with a great deal of opportunity for self-initiated, clinical problem based projects. These experiences will greatly enrich the formal curriculum.
Year 1: 80% clinical, 20% research
Year 2: 50% clinical, 50% research
Year 3: 20% clinical, 80% research
Clinical Rotations
- Pediatric ophthalmology
- Physical medicine and rehabilitation
- Pediatric nephrology
- Pediatric pain and palliative care
- Pediatric neurology
- Adult rheumatology
- Physical and occupational therapy
- Pediatric orthopedics
- Pediatric immunology
Educational Conferences
| Pediatric Rheumatology Case Conference | Weekly |
| Core Curriculum | Weekly |
| Pediatric Grand Rounds | Weekly |
| Radiology Rounds | Weekly |
| Pediatric Rheumatology Journal Club | Monthly |
| Rheumatology /Dermatology Rounds | Bi-Monthly |
| Rheumatology /Renal Rounds | Quarterly |
| Rheumatology /Pulmonary Rounds | Quarterly |
| Rheumatology /Gastroenterology | Quarterly |
| Chronic Pain Rounds | Quarterly |
| Research Curriculum | Quarterly |
| Morbidity and Mortality Conference | Quarterly |
Research and Innovation
Fellows will have an opportunity to participate in a wide variety of research projects, ranging from clinical to translational and basic science. They will learn the basics of both clinical and basic science research, from project inception to statistical analysis, and will be supported by mentorship from clinicians within the division as well as world-renowned innovators housed at the Center for Discovery and Innovation (CDI) at the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University.
Clinical research opportunities: We are a major participating center in the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA), with faculty participating at the highest levels of leadership within the organization. Fellows will be encouraged to participate in annual CARRA meetings where they will become involved with evolving clinical research projects. We also participate in the Pediatric Rheumatology Care and Outcomes Improvement Network (PR-COIN). Fellows will be encouraged to use this network to develop their own quality improvement projects.
Translational and basic science research opportunities: Fellows who choose to have a basic science or translational research project have the opportunity to work in a number of research laboratories at the CDI. Creative thinkers are encouraged to create and develop projects with the help of multiple scientists who can take the ideas from paper to bench and ultimately to bedside.
Center for Simulation and Experiential Learning
The Center for Discovery and Innovation (CDI) resides in 58,000 GSF of newly renovated space with core facilities including high-end imaging, mass spectrometry, gene editing, cell sorting, flow cytometry, tissue banks and biocontainment. The high-tech auditorium, Board Room and video conferencing center serve as venues for speakers to present their research to CDI scientists, professors and medical students. An additional ~60,000 GSF of lab space is available for fellows to be active members of their chosen laboratory, attend journal clubs and laboratory meetings, and pursue independent research projects under the supervision of their mentors.