University of Minnesota

TRAINING PROGRAM DIRECTOR:  Laura Norton, MD, MS

COORDINATOR:  Ms. Lindsey Christ

CHIEF, INFECTIOUS DISEASES:  Jill Foster, MD

MAJOR FEATURES OF TRAINING PROGRAM:  The Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program at the University of Minnesota prepares physician graduates of pediatric residency programs for board eligibility and academic careers in Pediatric Infectious Diseases. Clinical rotations include three sites and emphasize training in diagnosis and management of common and uncommon childhood infections, infections in immunocompromised hosts, and pediatric HIV. Clinical training occurs in both inpatient and outpatient settings. The training program places an equally strong emphasis on providing trainees with the skills required to conduct original research, generate new knowledge about infectious diseases-related areas, and to make scholarly contributions to the existing fund of knowledge in pediatric medicine.

TITLE(S) OF RECENT FELLOWS’ PUBLISHED RESEARCH PAPERS:

1. Immunomodulation in COVID-19. PMID: 32380023
2. Summer Outbreak of Severe RSV-B Disease, Minnesota, 2017 Associated with Emergence of a Genetically Distinct Viral Lineage. PMID: 32083677
3. Deploying Medical Students to Combat Misinformation During the COVID-19 Pandemic. PMID: 32502537
4. Analysis of urine-specific antibiograms from veterans to guide empiric therapy for suspected urinary tract infection. PMID: 21575439
5. Resident Physician Prescribing Variability Demonstrates Need for Antimicrobial Stewardship in Continuity Clinic: A Pilot Study. PMID: 32879691

GRANT FUNDING RECEIVED FOR FELLOW RESEARCH PROJECTS:

1. University of Minnesota Foundation, 1 fellow
2. NIH T-32 Training Grant, 3 fellows

AFFILIATED HOSPITAL:

University of Minnesota, Masonic Children’s Hospital

NUMBER OF INPATIENT/OUTPATIENT CONSULTS PER YEAR:  1,267

FELLOWS ACCEPTED PER YEAR:  1

VISAS ACCEPTED:  J1

FUNDING ENSURED FOR ALL 3 YEARS:  Yes

IS COMPLETION OF PEDIATRIC RESIDENCY TRAINING IN THE U.S. OR CANADA A REQUIREMENT:  Yes

Program provides training (didactic lectures, hands on experience, or antimicrobial stewardship meetings/membership) in:

1. Microbiology lab on site
2. Infection control and hospital epidemiology
3. Antimicrobial stewardship
4. Immunocompromised hosts

Opportunities to fulfill the ABP requirements for scholarly activity is available in the following general areas:

1. Antimicrobial agents
2. Antimicrobial stewardship
3. Bacteriology/bacterial infections
4. Bioethics
5. Clinical trials
6. Epidemiology and statistics
7. Global health
8. HIV
9. Immunizations
10. Infection control/hospital epidemiology
11. Medical education
12. Mycology/fungal infections
13. Parasitology/parasitic diseases
14. Public health
15. Quality improvement
16. Transplant medicine
17. Virology/viral diseases

Opportunities exist for research outside of the ID Division:  Yes

Program offers the opportunity to obtain a Master’s degree in a field such as Public Health, Education, Clinical Sciences, or Epidemiology (assuming appropriate arrangements are made):  Yes