Research - Pediatric Critical Care Fellowship

Fellows are required to pursue research projects of their choosing.

Projects have been done in both basic and clinical medicine under the guidance of mentors from a variety of hospital departments.

The initial goals of the research training are to expose fellows to the mechanics of research (e.g. developing a hypothesis, designing a study, carrying out the study, analyzing data, writing and presenting an abstract, paper writing, etc.).

This introduction to research allows the fellow to gain exposure to this important element of critical care and begin the process of integrating research into their career.

If an academically oriented critical care fellowship program appeals to you, please submit your application. The University of Maryland is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

Throughout your three-year fellowship program, you will work with a research mentor to conduct a research project that is approved by the scholarship oversight committee as well as the IRB.

You will begin by formulating your research question and identifying a research mentor. With their assistance, you will proceed with your submissions to the governing bodies of research at the University of Maryland.

Once your project is approved, you will begin the data collection process and the subsequent analysis of your data. By the completion of your training, you are expected to have submitted a research project for publication.

Past fellow research projects include:

• Use of Bubble Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (bCPAP) in Treatment of Respiratory Distress Secondary to Signs of Severe Pneumonia in Pediatric Patients in Mali
• Prevalence of Critical Illness-Related Corticosteroid Insufficiency Among Children Admitted in the PICU in a Single Center
• Implementing a Resident Curriculum – How to Effectively Lead a Family Meeting and Deliver Bad News
• Changes in Transfusion Practices Over Time in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
• Assessment of the Effects of Dexmedetomidine Infusion on Cardiac Output in Young Critically Ill Children
• Post-operative Course of Pulmonary Vascular Resistance (PVR) after Completion of Atrioventricular Canal (CAVC) Defect Repair

Research Project Timeline

• July & August: Brainstorm ideas on individual basis
• September: Identify a research mentor & topic idea
• October & November: Complete first meeting with research mentor & develop topic idea further
• December: Meet with fellowship leadership to discuss research mentor and project idea, develop scholarly oversight committee
• January & February: Completion of project abstract and create rough draft of scholarly oversight committee submission.
  • Submit to fellowship leadership and research mentor
  • Finalize scholarly oversight committee members
  • Formal Institutional Submissions:
• March 1 - Scholarly Activity Proposal Step 1 & 2 due
  • Project Topic, Mentor
  • Project Abstract
  • Proposed scholarly oversight committee
• April 1 - Scholarly Activity Proposal Step 3 due
  • Completed Proposal Submission