Curriculum
Throughout fellowship training, our fellows are provided with a variety of rich clinical experiences within and beyond NewYork Presbyterian Hospital. Our rotations are designed to maximize clinical exposure and procedural training in the first two years. The third year Pediatric Emergency Medicine (PEM) rotations are modeled similar to an academic faculty member allowing time for longitudinal research alongside clinic shifts.
Below is a sample of the number and types of rotations included in a three-year curriculum.
1 The prehospital EMS rotation is done with the Fire Department of New York City and includes riding with BLS and ALS 911 receiving ambulance units as well as visits to the city’s command center.
2 Fellows rotate through the New York City Poison Control Center, one of the largest poison control centers in the country.
3 Fellows complete their adult emergency medicine rotations at the Allen Pavillion, New York Presbytarian's local community site.
4 Trauma is done at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, NJ.
Medical Education
Fellows are provided multiple mentored teaching opportunities in order to hone their skills as an educator. Our fellows are fortunate to teach a wide range of trainees including Columbia medical students, pediatric and EM residents, physician assistants and visiting rotators. Formal training is provided by the NYC Teaching workshop and Teaching elective. Fellows present at our divisional conference in topics such as trauma, ultrasound, evidence-based medicine, and case conference. In addition to direct teaching and precepting, fellows facilitate didactic sessions for pediatric residents, emergency medicine residents and medical students.
Ultrasound
The PEM fellowship has a robust ultrasound curriculum developed and overseen by credentialed PEM and EM ultrasound trained faculty. Fellows are trained in a broad range of pediatric emergency applications of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS), including image acquisition and interpretation. Fellows receive dedicated didactic lectures on ultrasound topics as well as hands-on ultrasound skills teaching and feedback on images. Over the course of training, our fellows are expected to complete at least 300 scans and obtain credentialing in the core applications, including FAST exams, cardiac function, 1st trimester pregnancy, skin and soft tissue, and hemodynamic assessment via IVC evaluation. Fellows graduate with the skills necessary to perform and interpret these ultrasound images independently. With multiple ultrasound trained faculty and a dedicated ultrasound fellowship, there is also ample opportunity for PEM fellows to participate in scholarly activity in the field of POCUS. In addition, PEM fellows interested in gaining even more expertise in POCUS have the opportunity to participate in an ultrasound concentration within the PEM fellowship.
Simulation
The PEM fellowship at Columbia is proud to have a robust simulation curriculum. Our fellows participate in weekly multidisciplinary mock codes with participants including pediatric and emergency medicine residents, PEM attendings, nurses, pharmacists, techs, child life specialists, respiratory therapists and frequently include faculty and fellows from other collaborating departments. These simulations utilize high technology mannequins to simulate acute resuscitation scenarios. Fellows are able to use these opportunities to practice leadership and communication skills, practice acute procedures, and develop their diagnostic and therapeutic knowledge. Fellows also gain experience in multidisciplinary clinical debriefing.
Fellows also develop their skills as educators by directly participating in the creation of simulation curriculum with the mentorship of faculty and our simulation team. Our fellows serve as facilitators and debriefers as well as team leaders and participants in mock codes to obtain expertise in curriculum development as well as clinical experience.
While our in situ mock codes in the PED are supported by the Mary and Michael Jaharis Simulation Center, fellows also regularly obtain additional procedural skills training using high technology task trainers, mannequins, and cadavers at the simulation center. These experiences offer state of the art education for procedures such as difficulty airway management, central line placement, pericardiocentesis, and thoracentesis.
https://www.vagelos.columbia.edu/about-us/explore-vp-s/campus-resources-...
First year fellows also attend an annual regional interdisciplinary conference, BASE camp, that utilizes simulation to simulate pediatric emergencies and provides hands on training for critical trauma and airway procedures.
http://pembasecamp.org(link is external and opens in a new window)