Program Overview
Our two-year Pediatric Urology Fellowship program includes one year of research and one year of clinical training.
Research Program
Fellows spend their first year working on a combination of basic science research and clinical research. In general, fellows dedicate 50% of their research time to basic science and the other 50% of their time to clinical research.
Basic science research is directed by Douglass B. Clayton, MD. Fellows work closely during the year with Maria Hadjifrangiskou, PhD and her team. Dr. Hadjifrangiskou is a world-renowned expert in bacteriology, and her lab provides invaluable experience with mechanistic studies of UTI pathogenesis and microbiology.
The other portion of the year is dedicated to clinical research. Clinical research is ongoing in the department, and projects are tailored to the interest of the individual fellow. Prior to the start of first year of fellowship, a generalized plan for clinical research will be established based on fellow interest, allowing for early productivity once the year begins.
Clinical Program
Fellows spend their second year leading our busy, hospital-based clinical service. The team consists of the second-year fellow, a senior resident (PGY-4), and junior resident (PGY-2), residents rotate every three months. The fellow provides back-up call to residents two weeknights per week, and two weekends per month. During those backup calls, the fellow participates in evaluation and management of hospital consultations as well as operative call cases.
The Vanderbilt Pediatric Urology program completes more than 17,000 outpatient visits a year for more than 2,400 cases. Our robust volume provides exceptional training at the hospital, in the operating room, and in our clinics. One half-day per week, the seconed-year fellow participates in a supervised outpatient Fellow Clinic. The fellow is responsible for workup and management of their own patients, performs outpatient procedures, and follows those patients to the operating room when indicated. We have many multidisciplinary clinics which the fellow is encouraged to participate, including:
- Spina bifida clinic
- DSD clinic
- Stone clinic
- Reconstruction clinic
Fellows are exposed to a broad range of care and treatment protocols and attend and participate in many workshops and conferences including:
- Multidisciplinary didactic conferences
- Research conferences
- Radiology conferences
- Morbidity and mortality conferences
- Clinical case conferences
These conferences enrich the clinical experience.
Facilities
Fellows see patients at the main Vanderbilt Urology Clinic while faculty travel to seven sites connected to the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt:
- Vanderbilt Children’s Urology, Nashville
- Vanderbilt Children’s Urology, Chattanooga
- Vanderbilt Children’s Urology, Cookeville
- Vanderbilt Children’s Urology, Jackson
- Vanderbilt Children’s Urology, Murfreesboro
- Vanderbilt Children’s Urology, Spring Hill
- Vanderbilt Children’s Urology, Memphis
The majority of surgical cases will be performed at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital for Children’s main campus, Fellows have the opportunity to operate at our pediatric outpatient surgery center in Murfreesboro, if they so choose.
