The Pediatric Emergency Medicine fellowship at the University of Utah/Primary Children's Medical Center (PCMC) has been carefully planned to place each fellow in a well designed clinical and research program emphasizing the skills needed for future academic success. The fellowship has evolved to meet the educational needs of its participants since its inception in 1989. The 24 faculty members of the Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine are firmly committed to the goal of training academic pediatric emergency physicians. Our clinical program is designed to complement rather than inhibit research productivity. Specifically, our faculty provides full-time Emergency Department coverage, allowing each fellow's clinical experience to be designed to meet their educational goals rather than service staffing requirements. This clinical experience is complemented by instruction in research design and methods, leading to completion of original research projects.

The Program

The four major aspects of academic Pediatric Emergency Medicine to which the fellow is exposed over the three years of training are listed below, with a description of the pertinent experiences available.

Clinical Experience

Approximately 900 hours per year are spent supervising the Emergency Department at Primary Children's Medical Center. A board-certified pediatric emergency medicine attending physician is available on site at all times. In July of 1999, fellows started gaining experience in observation medicine when the 24-bed Rapid Treatment Unit located next to the Emergency Department opened. All fellows spend two months during their training gaining additional experience in managing critically ill patients in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Fellows entering the Pediatric Emergency Medicine training program after a pediatric residency spend one month a year treating adult emergency patients at the University of Utah Hospital. Those entering via emergency medicine complete pediatric inpatient service, pediatric subspecialty clinics, and neonatal/nursery rotations. Additional clinical experience is gained through the required electives of toxicology and pediatric anesthesia. Other elective rotations round out the fellow's clinical exposure.

Research Experience

Fellows become proficient with investigative techniques and skills, and apply these to both retrospective and prospective clinical or epidemiologic research projects. Formalized study in statistics and research design is included in the fellowship, from both within and without the Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine. Attending physicians in the division provide mentoring and serve as a rich source of research ideas. These ideas and other research-related topics are discussed by division members and fellows at a monthly research conference. Fellows are financially supported when submitting and presenting their data at regional or national meetings. A major goal of the fellowship is the completion of a well-designed study that is published in a peer reviewed journal. A Scholarship Oversight Committee is set up for each fellow to mentor progress in research. The three-year length of the Pediatric Emergency Medicine training program facilitates these research-related goals.

Teaching Experience

Fellows have ample opportunity to develop and improve their teaching technique in a variety of settings. These range from one-on-one and small group sessions with families and residents in the Emergency Department, to large group conferences. Fellows actively participate in the Emergency Department lecture series given to all residents at Primary Children's Medical Center and family practice residents. Fellows receive guidance as to the creation of visual and printed material for educational purposes.

Administrative Experience

First year fellows select cases and present them at the monthly Emergency Department Interesting Case Conference. Second year fellows gain administrative exposure through their coordination of monthly Emergency Department/Rapid Treatment Unit Morbidity and Mortality conferences. Third year fellows continue this process via their supervision of the monthly Fellows Research conference. Didactic instruction regarding other administrative and financial issues of importance to an Emergency Department physician is given in staff meetings attended by fellows. By the completion of the fellowship, the fellow will be expected to be familiar with the management and administration of the Emergency Department. The fellow can have administrative responsibilities through various division projects. Fellows also gain administrative experience through self scheduling.

Educational Conferences

Weekly

• Primary Children's Medical Center (PCMC) Grand Rounds
• Department of Pediatrics Fellow's Conference (1st year)

Monthly

• PEM Interesting Case Conference (run by 1st year fellows)
• PEM Fellows Conference (run by 3rd year fellows)
• ED M&M (run by 2nd year fellows)
• PEM Journal Club
• ED Research Conference
• Case Reviews
• PEM Curriculum Lectures
• PEM Chapter Reviews
• ED Resident Lecture Series
• PCMC Hospital M&M
• PCMC Hospital Trauma Meetings

Schedule of Monthly Rotations

Salary and Benefits

Projected salary for a PL-4 fellow during 2009-2010 is $53,700.00 per year plus benefits. Three weeks of vacation are available each year. Medical and dental insurance is available. Fellows may also be eligible for long term disability and life insurance. For those interested in obtaining a MPH concurrently with fellowship, the University tuition is 50% discounted after six months of employment.

Applying for Fellowship Training

Graduates of residencies in either pediatrics or emergency medicine are considered for entry. Applications for the 2010/2011 year will be accepted only through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). It will be open to residents beginning in July of 2009 until the end of August. Our interview season is September through the first week of November.

Our program will require the following items from applicants:

• Personal Statement
• Board Scores and Medical School Transcripts*
• Curriculum Vitae
• Letter from your current program director
• Three other letters of recommendation

*The University of Utah Affiliated Hospitals require all international medical graduates to have ECFMG certification in order to enter a residency program. If a non-US citizen, you must also have a J-1 Visa. No other visa will be accepted.

Feel free to contact the program coordinator below with any other questions or concerns.

Pamela Carpenter
Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Phone: (801) 587-7436
Email: pamela.carpenter@hsc.utah.edu
fax: (801) 587-7455