Northwestern University/Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago

TRAINING PROGRAM DIRECTOR:  William J. Muller, MD, PhD

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR/CO-DIRECTOR:  Leena B. Mithal, MD, MSCI

COORDINATOR:  Ms. Delia Hernandez

CHIEF OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES: Ravi Jhaveri, MD

MAJOR FEATURES OF TRAINING PROGRAM:

The Pediatric Infectious Diseases (ID) Fellowship Training Program trains outstanding physician-scholars who emerge with world-class clinical, scientific and teaching aptitude and experience. Based in the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University and the 284-bed Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, the program provides a balanced and organized training experience with exposure to a wide range of common to rare infectious diseases and additional clinical experience available at other Northwestern Medicine sites. Research training opportunities span the scope of laboratories and clinical research groups at Feinberg and across Chicago. Fellows obtain in-depth exposure to microbiology, virology, immunology, epidemiology, clinical pharmacology, antibiotic stewardship and infection prevention and control as they relate to patient care, training in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, and scholarship. Fellows develop mastery in teaching and are encouraged to develop the skills to be future leaders in the field. The three-year training experience includes submersion in the clinical experience in the first year followed by two years of concentrated mentored research time. Fellows develop novel scholarly projects leading to publications and presentations of their studies at national and international meetings. Fellows are also supported to pursue a master’s degree (MSCI, MPH). The development of teaching skills is emphasized, with fellows given opportunities to develop public speaking and didactic skills. Individualized mentorship and flexibility allow each fellow’s scholarship plan to fit their personal and future goals. Our program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.

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

1. Age-Related Differences in Nasopharyngeal Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Levels in Patients With Mild to Moderate Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
2. Noninvasive Diagnosis of Infection Using Plasma Next-Generation Sequencing: A Single-Center Experience
3. Ideal and Actual Impact of Rapid Diagnostic Testing and Antibiotic Stewardship on Antibiotic Prescribing and Clinical Outcomes in Children With Positive Blood Cultures
4. Chronic Granulomatous Disease: A Large, Single-center US Experience
5. Cord Blood Acute Phase Reactants Predict Early Onset Neonatal Sepsis in Preterm Infants

GRANT FUNDING RECEIVED FOR FELLOW RESEARCH PROJECTS:

NIH T32 Training Grant (5 fellows)

AFFILIATED HOSPITALS:

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago
Northwestern Medicine

NUMBER OF INPATIENT/OUTPATIENT CONSULTS PER YEAR:  1,500

FELLOWS ACCEPTED EACH YEAR:  1

VISAS ACCEPTED:  J1

FUNDING IS 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 for research exist 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