What Makes Us Unique
History of Excellence
Our Academic General Pediatrics Fellowship Program has over 50 years of experience in successfully training general academic pediatric fellows for careers that serve underserved populations. Since 1967, over 100 former fellowship graduates have become full-time faculty at medical centers, serving vulnerable children, teaching the next generation of pediatricians, and performing innovative research. Additional graduates have part-time appointments in primary care, generally focusing on at-risk children. Many of our fellowship graduates have attained leadership positions in general pediatrics and public health, including Drs. Philip Nader, Elizabeth McAnarney, Samuel Yancy, James Perrin, Richard Cockington, Arthur Elster, Richard Kreipe, Allison Kempe, Lance Rodewald, Peter Szilagyi, Robert Byrd, Bruce Lanphear, Jeffrey Kaczorowski and Jill Halterman.
The University of Rochester's Academic General Pediatric Fellowship Program has received the Ambulatory Pediatric Association's National Teaching Award, its most prestigious educational award. The University has a large Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) from the NIH that has significantly enriched our environment for primary care translational research by fellows and junior faculty through research education seminars and courses, pilot grant programs, mentor training, and infrastructure development.
Leadership Development
The fellowship is built on a training model that provides intensive mentoring and a planned curriculum of educational and evaluation activities in the domains of research, education, and leadership/career development. Our academic skills program capitalizes on the expertise of two co-directors: Cynthia Rand, M.D., M.P.H., is currently funded by CDC and NIH to improve immunization delivery for adolescents and pregnant people; she is an expert in QI, health informatics, and health services research. Constance Baldwin, Ph.D., is nationally respected for her work in faculty development, curriculum development, educational scholarship, and scientific writing.
Our faculty are devoted to working with fellows, one-on-one, on research project planning and execution, scientific writing, and community advocacy activities. In addition, because members of our faculty are national leaders in a number of different organizations and programs, they offer fellows unique opportunities for national-level experiences which complement their local community-based experiences, and help in their development of leadership skills. For example:
Our division is not dependent on fellows for clinical work, so they are free to pursue their academic interests full time. Their clinical work is teaching oriented, and is carefully planned to enhance their academic careers. Some fellows enroll in the MPH Clinical Investigator Track, a degree program specially designed for clinicians and clinically related research needs. Others enroll in the MS in Health Professions Education degree program. The academic skills component of the fellowship includes career planning and management, leadership and administrative skills, advanced work in scientific writing and grantsmanship, and other skills essential for success in academics.
Mentored Learning Experiences
A hallmark of the Academic General Pediatrics Fellowship Program is intensive mentoring of fellows, who have access to a deep pool of faculty with varied interests and expertise. Fellows are encouraged to develop mentoring relationships with faculty experts in the fields of health services research, clinical care, education and community pediatrics. Many faculty are able to introduce fellows to national-level academic activities which allow them to develop networks that become critical to their future career opportunities.
Community Partnerships
Our fellowship program and the division of general pediatrics are unique nationally in their strong relationship with hundreds of community partners. Side-by-side with both community pediatricians and community agencies, we actively work together to improve the lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable children in Rochester. Fellows are therefore able to work in an environment enriched in opportunities for community pediatrics research and advocacy.
Dr. Robert Haggerty, Chair of the Department of Pediatrics from 1964-1974, originated the term “community pediatrics.” He was a pioneer in the development of the idea that a close relationship with pediatricians in the community would provide the best care and improve the health of all children, including underserved populations. This concept has continued to thrive under subsequent leadership and community partnerships are an important aspect of pediatrics in the Rochester region.
Breastfeeding medicine is an optional focus within the General Pediatrics Fellowship for individuals interested in breastfeeding and health disparities.
Within the Division of General Pediatrics, Dr. Jill Halterman is medical director for the Children’s Institute, a community-based program to improve educational and mental health achievement among inner-city children.
The Division is also the home of the national award winning Hoekelman Center (formerly known as Pediatric Links to the Community (PLC) program, which teaches pediatric residents and medical students in the context of community partnerships, as well as contributing to fellowship training for general academic pediatric fellows. Fellows have the opportunity to teach in this exemplary program if they choose.