The research component of the training program is designed to allow clinically trained individuals to develop skills required to become independent investigators. Research experiences are designed to fit the long-term academic interests of the fellows. Collaborative projects can be arranged with other members of the Vanderbilt University faculty, including those in the Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health, Division of Adult Infectious Diseases, the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, the Pediatric Clinical Research Office, and the Department of Preventive Medicine. Formal course work is encouraged to augment the fellow's research, and many courses are available to fellows.
Fellows will have a concentrated, two- to three-year research experience. Projects may include bench, clinical, or translational research endeavors and may be conducted within the division or in collaboration with other clinical or basic science departments at Vanderbilt. The goal of the research experience is to enable the fellow to compete for research funding at the junior faculty level (e.g., NIH K awards, Clinical Investigator Award, First Award, Industry/Scholar Award, etc.). Fellows are encouraged to present their work at regional and national meetings and publish their work.
We also offer the opportunity to enroll in the Master of Public Health (MPH) program at Vanderbilt as part of the fellowship experience. This formal program provides advanced training in both clinical research and translational research with tuition often supported through NIH-sponsored training grants. For those fellows pursuing this track, course work typically begins in September of the second year of fellowship, with commencement in May of the third year. Ample protected time is provided for research training with the majority of course work completed by the end of the first academic year.
Visit the Master of Public Health Program site to learn more.
Learn more about our division’s research.
Educational Conferences
Monday Case Conference: Fellows and faculty gather every Monday at 1 p.m. to discuss recent interesting clinical cases. A faculty "discussant" provides a differential diagnosis and management plan for each case, and fellows lead a discussion of the interesting components of the case and learning opportunities or new areas of discovery.
Pediatric ID Journal Club: Fellows and faculty rotate on a monthly basis to discuss recent interesting or impactful articles within the field of pediatric infectious diseases.
Red Book Review: This board prep curriculum is led by the Fellowship Program Director and features a discussion of a small section of the AAP Red Book each week, so that by the end of the three-year fellowship program, each fellow will have covered the Red Book twice with faculty facilitation.
Faculty Didactics: Fellows receive a didactic lecture on a monthly basis from the Pediatric ID faculty on a variety of board-relevant and clinically useful topics.
Pediatric Grand Rounds: Pediatric Grand Rounds are held Tuesdays from noon to 1 p.m. in the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt Theater (VCH 2210).
Pediatric Research Conferences: Pediatric Research Conferences are held virtually on Mondays from noon to 1 p.m.