The Maternal-Fetal Medicine fellowship curriculum integrates didactic lectures, weekly seminars, case discussions, and hands-on workshops. We cover all ACGME competencies, including patient care, medical knowledge, practice-based learning, communication skills, professionalism, and systems-based practice. The curriculum is reviewed annually by the curriculum committee to ensure it remains up-to-date with the latest advancements in the field.
Our department has ten full-time appointed PhD and DVM faculty, two interdepartmental PhD faculty and one PhD research professor emeritus. We currently hold 12 NIH R01, 4 R21 and 1 R56 awards with the department of OB GYN. A few of the many areas of department research include reproductive epigenetics, stem cell biology, placental growth factor regulators, cardiac disease in pregnancy, remote fetal telehealth, and postpartum depression. The department has access to lab space in various facilities including the Bond Life Sciences, Animal Sciences, and NextGen Precision Medicine buildings. Within the NextGen building itself, there is more than 28,000 sq feet of open wet laboratory space, with additional dry space for data science and informatics. There are also offices for PIs and trainees, shared spaces throughout the building to encourage transdisciplinary collaboration, with formal and informal meeting areas interwoven with the technical components of the building. There is a state of the art vivarium below ground that houses swine, mice, rats, and rabbits.
Within these combined facilities, the fellows will have access to autoclaves, darkrooms, an Evos core cell imaging system, spectrophotometers, -80 degree cell storage areas, microscopes, centrifuges, real-time PCR thermocyclers, microtomes, and much more. Three full-time research specialists facilitate clinical research within the department, and statistical colleagues in the Department of Bioinformatics provide statistical support at a reasonable cost. The Medical School and Health Sciences library are open and accessible to the fellows 24 hours a day. The library provides access to bibliographic and full-text databases through OVID Web, MD Consult,
Didactic Activities
Our program offers a strong complement of formal didactics with the goals of education, teamwork, and quality patient care. These conferences provide fellows and residents with ongoing learning, interprofessional discussions, and quality improvement initiatives.
- MFM Journal Club (Monthly, 1 hour)
Led by the Program Director, this conference encourages critical discussion of current literature to promote evidence-based practice. - Patient Safety and Quality Review (Monthly, 1 hour)
Led by the Vice Chair of Patient Safety and Quality, this session aims to improve patient outcomes through safety and quality initiatives. - Quality Planning Committee (Quarterly, 1.5 hours)
A strategic meeting chaired by the Vice Chair of Patient Safety and Quality, focusing on system-wide quality improvements. - Morbidity and Mortality Rounds (Monthly, 1 hour)
Led by the Residency Program Director, this session analyzes complex cases to identify learning opportunities and enhance clinical practice. - Grand Rounds (Bi-weekly, 1 hour)
A bi-weekly session jointly organized by the Residency and Fellowship Program Directors, featuring expert presentations on emerging topics in maternal-fetal medicine. - Perinatal Morbidity and Mortality (MFM Department) (Monthly, 1 hour)
Led by the Fellowship Program Director, this discussion helps refine patient management through the review of perinatal cases. - Daily Teaching Rounds (Daily, 30 minutes)
Conducted by the rounding MFM attending, these rounds involve interactive bedside teaching and case discussions. - Cardio-Obstetrics Multidisciplinary Rounds (Monthly, 1 hour)
Led by the Director of the Cardio-Obstetrics Program, these rounds provide a forum for the multidisciplinary care of high-risk cardiac cases in pregnancy. - Fetal Anomaly Multidisciplinary Rounds (Weekly, 1 hour)
Organized by the Director of Fetal Ultrasound, this conference promotes a multidisciplinary approach to managing complex fetal anomalies. - MFM Fellow Lecture Series (Weekly, 1 hour)
Led by the MFM Fellowship Program Director, this formal curriculum augments fellow education in selected areas of maternal-fetal medicine. - SMFM Fellow Lecture Series (Weekly, 1 hour)
A specialty-specific series led by the MFM Fellowship Director, focusing on expert lectures related to state-of-the-art topics in maternal-fetal medicine. - MFM Fellows Didactics for Cardio-Obstetrics Conference (Multisite) (Quarterly)
A multisite conference led by the MFM Fellowship Director, focusing on the interface between maternal-fetal medicine and cardiology.
