Pediatric Surgery Fellowship

The University of Michigan ACGME-accredited Pediatric Surgery Fellowship is a 2 year program that provides comprehensive training in all aspects of pediatric surgery.

Program Overview

We offer 1 pediatric surgery fellowship position each year. The fellow will learn, perform, and teach both core and complex pediatric surgical procedures, including diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy, head and neck procedures, non-cardiac thoracic and abdominal surgery, trauma and acute care, oncologic, neonatal, fetal, and minimally invasive surgery.

The pediatric surgery fellow is ultimately responsible for the supervision of the pediatric surgical service, including inpatient and outpatient consultations, pre- and post-operative care, and all operative procedures.

Our fellowship program offers:

  • Excellent advanced clinical exposure: Pediatric surgery fellows at Michigan see an unusually wide spectrum of cases in our high-volume academic medical center, which includes C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, a major referral center for children in Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana. Fellows gain expertise in all aspects of the discipline, including perinatal care, thoracic cases, minimally invasive surgery, oncology, neonatal, and fetal medicine. This experience includes a significant portion of unusual and complex cases, including from our Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment Center.
  • Diverse formal training: The U-M Department of Surgery is a recognized leader in advanced techniques and technologies taught to fellows through a series of formal training sessions. These include: laparoscopy, da Vinci Surgical System robot, ECMO, and advanced ventilator support for newborns.
  • Interdisciplinary learning: Because our case mix includes the most complex pediatric surgical cases, we routinely collaborate with colleagues in vascular, transplant, otolaryngology, neurosurgery, orthopaedic surgery, urology, and plastic surgery. This cross-pollination enhances fellows’ training experience and inspires creative academic engagement as your interests and goals evolve.

Mission & Goals

The Michigan Medicine Pediatric Surgery mission is to bring excellence and passion to the care of all children. We do this through innovation, compassionate clinical care, education and advocacy to optimize the quality of life for each child. The pediatric surgery fellowship program at the University of Michigan aims to:

  1. Train the next generation of highly competent, innovative academic leaders in pediatric surgery.
  2. Provide a positive, supportive and safe learning environment for our trainees to achieve their maximum potential.
  3. Select our applicants through process that reflects our commitment to diversity, inclusion and equity.

Rotations

Fellows rotate in the following specialties:

  • Neonatology: Four weeks on rounds and patient care with the neonatology team to learn about neonatal diseases and the management of non-surgical infants.
  • Pediatric urology: Two weeks on the pediatric urology service, where the pediatric surgical fellow participates in operative cases and shadows outpatient consultations.
  • Pediatric anesthesiology: Two weeks with pediatric anesthesiology to perform intubations and intravenous lines, induction, maintenance and monitoring of anesthesia during surgery.
  • Pediatric cardiac surgery: Two weeks participating in congenital heart surgeries and learning about the complex reconstructive and palliative procedures available in this population.
  • International rotation: Two weeks learning about a different culture and learning about the use of available resources to provide quality care for pediatric surgical disease.

Curriculum

Beyond standard clinical experiences, the fellows will receive formal training and participate in:

  • Fundamentals of Laparoscopy and robotic surgery at the U-M Clinical Simulation Center.
  • Da Vinci robotic surgery platform
  • ECMO training course
  • Training in routine and advanced ventilator support for neonates
  • Weekly fellow-led Pediatric Surgery Continuity Clinic

Fellows also have opportunities to participate in learning and networking at:

  • St. Jude's Oncology Course, Memphis, TN.
  • Pena Course on Anorectal Malformations, Cincinnati, OH.
  • Advanced Minimally Invasive Course, Chicago, IL.
  • American Academy of Pediatrics and American Pediatric Surgery Association yearly meetings.

All fellows will be PALS, ATLS and ACLS certified at the start of their training.

Research & Academic Opportunities

The fellows have opportunities to further develop the tools and skills for critical thinking, knowledge of literature searching, and critical reading for clinical projects. There is vast opportunity for participation in clinical/health services research and educational research in the rich academic environment in the Department of Surgery and throughout The University of Michigan. Each fellow will also innovate a quality improvement project geared towards improving healthcare delivery for pediatric surgical patients and families.

Salary & Benefits

The University of Michigan offers highly competitive salaries and tremendous benefits to our residents/fellows. An overview of salary, benefits and employment eligibility is available on the University of Michigan Medical School website.

Apply for our ACGME-accredited fellowship in pediatric surgery at Michigan Medicine through the Electronic Residency Application Services (ERAS) website.

The completed application must be received no later than Dec. 31. All applications are reviewed by our training committee, and select applicants are asked to visit for a personal interview.

The following materials are required to complete your application:

  • Curriculum vitae
  • Brief personal statement
  • Three letters of recommendation are required: one from the director of your current training program, one from a surgeon with whom you have worked and one from another professional with whom you are personally acquainted, preferably a pediatric surgeon.

Applicants must be American Board of Surgery eligible and/or board certified.

Contact Us

Please contact Ali Jones ([email protected]) at the Department of Surgery Education Office with any questions.