Pediatric Pulmonary Fellowship

In partnership with UC Irvine, Miller Children’s offers one of the few pediatric pulmonology fellowship training programs in California. This fellowship program has been in existence for more than 15 years and has attracted candidates from across the U.S. and internationally. The pulmonary fellowship offers tailored innovation and research projects for fellows – ranging from air pollution and asthma in children, to immunological aspects of lung disease, to exercise and the impact of immunity and growth factors in children — as well as a thorough and comprehensive program in pediatric and pulmonary medicine.

A strength of the fellowship program is strong interaction with allergy and immunology, resulting in a joint pulmonology/allergy fellowship. A special track program is also in place for candidates interested in pursuing a career in academic pediatrics.

Curriculum

The training is designed to develop the physician’s competence in the clinical diagnosis, pathophysiology and medical treatment of respiratory disorders in infants, children, adolescents and young adults. The fellow learns through clinical experience how to interpret a variety of diagnostic tests, new imaging techniques in relation to conventional X-rays and lung scans, tests of pulmonary function, evaluation of host defense mechanisms, and assessment of non-respiratory functions of the lungs.

The fellow has the opportunity to become proficient in bronchoscopy, thoracentesis, and in physical and respiratory therapy and perform therapeutic procedures and respiratory intensive care procedures, such as tracheal intubation, mechanical ventilation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Fellows are involved in challenging, state-of-the-art research projects in developmental respiratory biology, under the guidance of the research director. Research experience begins in the first year and continues throughout the fellowship in order to allow the fellow time for the development of research skills and to bring the project to fruition.

Rotation Schedule

The pulmonology fellowship is a three year training program, with one and a half years spent on clinical service and one and a half years in clinical or basic research. The clinical experience takes place for six months in the first year, six months in the second year and three to six months in the third year of the rotation. The remainder of the year is devoted to research.

Rotation breakdown:

• Assist in seeing patients in the outpatient pulmonary/cystic fibrosis center under the supervision of program director
• Daily ward teaching rounds with attending physician
• Responsible for lectures given to residents and journal review once a month at weekly pediatric pulmonary meetings
  • A series of lectures are given on a weekly basis. Some lectures are presented by an invited speaker and/or other faculty members.
• Assist in performing flexible fiberoptic laryngoscopy/bronchoscopy procedures, including bronchial biopsies via the pediatric flexible bronchoscope in infants and children twice a week
• During research rotation: the fellow is responsible for the performance of research projects—the preparation of research protocols for submission to the research committee, the actual performance of the research and the writing and submission of the abstract and manuscript
• Each fellow is eligible for three to four weeks of vacation per year

Additional training includes:

• 24-hour coverage for pulmonary problems from clinic patients at Miller Children’s An attending staff backup is always available for this coverage
• During clinical rotation, the fellow participates daily in all activities of the pediatric pulmonary function laboratory, including spirometry, body plethysmography, diffusing capacity, sleep studies, provocation challenges and exercise testing
• Three times a week the fellow participates in the pediatric pulmonary and cystic fibrosis center, including weekly CF team conferences
• Perform all invasive procedures under strict faculty supervision
• Fellows interact with other pediatric sub-specialty physicians through mutual discussions and conferences
• Grand rounds
• Lectures
• Seminars for faculty, house officers, and medical students

For more information on the Pediatric Pulmonary Fellowship visit UCI.

Apply Now

To apply for this program, fill out electronically and e-mail it to Eliezer Nussbaum, Director, Pulmonary Fellowship Program or download the application and send it to:

Eliezer Nussbaum, MD
Miller Children’s Hospital
Pediatric Pulmonary Fellowship Program
2801 Atlantic Ave. Ground floor
Long Beach, CA 90806