Graduates from Saint Louis University’s maternal-fetal medicine fellowship program are well-prepared for a career in academic medicine (teaching, research, scholarly inquiry) and to provide clinical care to patients with complex maternal fetal health problems (consults and comprehensive management).
Through a partnership with SSM Health, a regional health care entity, Saint Louis University has positioned itself for continued growth and success by promoting excellent patient care. The strong academic background for our program is complemented by SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital, where we are based.
Our program is collegial in nature, and our faculty is made up of experienced board certified specialists who have a broad range of expertise.
Maternal-Fetal Medicine Training
We provide didactic and practical experience in maternal-fetal physiology and pathophysiology, medical complications, obstetric complications, perinatal diagnosis and fetal interventions.
Research is important and fellows are expected to complete a first-author prior to graduation. There are multiple research opportunities available for fellows, including those in basic science, fetal intervention and clinical maternal fetal medicine.
Basic Science Projects
Basis science projects are available in a laboratory to work in collaboration with scientists who have RO1 grants. Their areas of interest include perinatal inflammation, including chorioamnionitis, placental and perinatal iron metabolism, microbiome and chronic inflammation, and mechanical ventilation at birth. Additional collaborations can be arranged based on fellow interests.
Fetal Intervention Projects
Fetal intervention projects will be carried out with maternal-fetal medicine faculty and members of the Fetal Care Institute. Clinical Maternal Fetal Medicine research is carried out by all of our faculty and covers a scope of topics.
Maternal and Perinatal Referral Center
As a major maternal and perinatal referral center, we provide educational and clinical perinatal outreach to referring physicians and multiple hospitals within a 150-mile radius. We have a well-developed diabetes in pregnancy program, as well as robust programs in patient safety, and quality improvement. We have high-risk inpatient volume and high-risk outpatient programs, a major fetal evaluation and treatment unit, and we collaborate with perinatal epidemiology in SLU’s College for Public Health and Social Justice.
Educational Requirements and Opportunities
Formal educational rotations in perinatal pathology, genetics, critical care, neonatology and fetal echo are required. Through the Fetal Care Institute, we work closely with the neonatal division and all pediatric subspecialists. Attendance at journal club, weekly didactic seminars and monthly ultrasound/genetics conferences is required. Additional educational conferences, including weekly Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine fellow lecture series, monthly perinatal pathology and weekly fetal anomaly teaching conferences, are encouraged. Weekly departmental grand rounds are required. First-year fellows will participate in the "Introduction to Academic Medicine" lecture series. Advanced degrees (e.g. Public Health, MBA) are available through Saint Louis University.
Applying for Maternal Fetal Medicine fellowship
We will be filling two new positions for the 2025-26 academic year. All applicants need to apply using the from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and the Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) before the April 28, 2024 deadline. Emailed applications will not be reviewed. All completed applications will be reviewed to determine your candidacy for a personal interview. We participate in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) match process.
We accept both American and foreign medical graduates. There are no minimum scores. We look at the entire application as a whole. While scores are important, so is your clinical and research experience, recommendation letters, personal statements, etc. We will sponsor J-1 Visas, but not H-1B visas.
The ERAS application should include:
- Electronic application
- Picture
- Transcript
- MSPE
- Three letters of support (department chair, residency program director, and the faculty member of your choice)
- Personal statement
- COMLEX or USMLE transcript
- ECFMC as applicable
Important dates:
- ERAS opens: mid-November
- ERAS closes (final date for applications): Sunday, April 28, 2024
- NRMP Match Date: Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024
- Virtual Fellowship Interview Dates: June 28, July 12, July 26, August 2, August 9, 2024
- Start Date: Monday, July 7, 2025
If you have additional questions, contact Madison LeQuatte, MFM fellowship program coordinator, at madison.lequatte@slucare.ssmhealth.com
Maternal-Fetal Curriculum
- Three months – Inpatient MFM service
- Three months – Fetal evaluation and treatment
- Two months – Outpatient clinics
- Four months - Graduate courses and research
- One month – Outpatient clinics
- One month – Inpatient MFM service
- One month - Supervisor of labor and delivery
- Two months – Fetal evaluation and treatment/Fetal Care Institute
- One month – Medical/surgical ICU
- One month - Neonatal ICU
- Five months - Research
- One month - Genetics
- One month - Fetal echocardiography
- 9 months – Research
- One month – Supervisor of labor and delivery
Additional Requirements
Our fellows are expected to conduct independent hypothesis-based research under a mentor’s supervision. A first author, hypothesis-based, written research manuscript is required before graduation. This thesis must be defended to a thesis committee in preparation for the MFM oral board exam.
MFM fellows take courses in quantitative techniques, including biostatistics and other areas (such as epidemiology, research design and implementation).
Fellows are expected to have a permanent Missouri license, Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) registration, and Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drug (BNDD) registration prior to starting fellowship. Hospital and University credentialing and all required training must be completed prior to the start date of July 7. Human research training (e.g. Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative) is required.
Fellows take three in-house night calls per month as the general OB/GYN attending. Our fellowship training program follows ABOG's Fellowship Leave Policy for vacation and leave time.
Didactics
Our Fellows take part in weekly fellow seminar series, monthly ultrasound/genetics series and monthly journal club. Participation in the semi-annual MFM-Neonatal-Clinical Pathologic case-based conference is required. Fellows are encouraged to participate in the weekly SMFM Fellows lecture series.