Maternal Fetal Medicine Fellowship Curriculum
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, quarterly 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. M.P.H., M.B.A.) are available through Saint Louis University.
Curriculum Breakdown
- Three months: Inpatient MFM service
- Three months: Fetal evaluation and treatment
- Three months: Outpatient clinics
- Three 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
- Two months: Genetics
- One month: Fetal echocardiography
- Eight months**: Research and writing
- One month: Supervisor of labor and delivery
**Two of these months are 鈥渇lex months鈥�
Additional Requirements
Our fellows are expected to conduct independent hypothesis-based research under a mentor鈥檚 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 M.F.M. oral board exam.
M.F.M. 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 M.F.M.-Neonatal-Clinical Pathologic case-based conference is required. Fellows are encouraged to participate in the weekly SMFM Fellows lecture series.