About Our Program
The Division of Pediatric Urology at Texas Children’s Hospital and ÌÇÐÄÊÓÆµ of Medicine offers a two-year ACGME-accredited fellowship under the direction of Dr. Paul F. Austin, M.D., division chief and Dr. Nicolette Janzen, M.D., fellowship director. The first year serves as the academic/research year, and the second year serves as the clinical year. One fellow is appointed each year.
The research year has a variety of experiences for the fellow in basic science research, clinical research, and device development in collaboration with local universities including Rice University, Texas A&M University, and University of Houston.
For basic science research, fellows may work directly under the supervision and guidance of Dr. Sandeep Keswani in the Division of Pediatric Surgery.
Fellows interested in clinical research may choose to pursue a Certificate of Added Qualification through the Clinical Scientist Training Program at ÌÇÐÄÊÓÆµ of Medicine. While in this course, fellows will develop a mentor-based grant (NIH K grant)application and complete preliminary studies designed to support this application, and will develop familiarity with the conduct and design of translational, clinical, and health services research studies. View information on this program.
Device development occurs under the mentorship of Dr. Chester Koh. Dr. Koh is the founder and executive director of the Southwest National Pediatric Device Innovation Consortium, a FDA P50 grant-supported multi-institutional consortium at Texas Children's and Baylor that supports pediatric device innovators to create novel pediatric medical devices with local, regional, and national institutional and innovation partners. Fellows participate in the inception and development of low and high-fidelity device prototypes, and may extend their experience to industry collaboration.
In addition to protected time for academic/research activities, the research fellow is responsible for organizing the weekly Pediatric Urology conferences as well as the weekly Education conferences for residents and fellows. Clinical duties for the research fellow include participation in the weekly Spina Bifida Clinic and biweekly Colorectal and Pelvic Health Clinic, as well as operative opportunities in complex reconstructive cases. Both fellows actively teach the ÌÇÐÄÊÓÆµ of Medicine residents, medical students, and other trainees, as well as participate in the educational program of Texas Children's Hospital.
The clinical year involves extensive clinical and surgical experience at Texas Children's Hospital, the largest children’s hospital in the United States. With the attending surgeons, the clinical fellow oversees the inpatient service, performs a wide array of routine and complex pediatric urology cases, and provides leadership and guidance to the residents, medical students, and advanced practice providers on the Pediatric Urology service.
The Pediatric Urology Fellowship program at Texas Children's and Baylor is one of the most experienced ACGME-accredited training programs, as it has been consistently training pediatric urology fellows since 1982.The pediatric urologists at Texas Children’s Hospital are also faculty members in the Scott Department of Urology at ÌÇÐÄÊÓÆµ of Medicine.
Admissions
Candidates must have completed an ACGME-accredited general urology program (or Canadian equivalent), must be eligible for a Texas Medical Board license and must be eligible to take the certifying examination of the American Board of Urology.
Applicants will provide:
- A current curriculum vitae
- Three letters of reference from their residency program faculty
- Pediatric Urology Fellowship Universal Application
Two interview days will be posted by Jan. 1, and the fellowship coordinator will schedule at the convenience of the applicants. Applicants are invited to attend dinner with the current fellows on the evening prior to interviews. The following morning, applicants will meet with faculty and fellows for breakfast and interviews. Current fellows will provide a tour of the Texas Medical Center hospitals and associated labs.
Questions about admissions? Contact the urology education department at uroeducation@bcm.edu.
Curriculum
The Pediatric Urology Fellowship is a one-year, intense clinical and academic post general urology residency experience designed to provide the general urologist with the knowledge and skills to diagnose and manage the most complex pediatric urologic disorders from the fetus through the older adolescent years. The entire year is done at Texas Children’s Hospital. A non-optional, non-accredited second year, consisting of at least 80 percent scholarly and research activity, completes the pediatric urology experience.
The first year is an intense clinical and academic post general urology residency experience designed to provide the general urologist with the knowledge and skills to diagnose and manage the most complex pediatric urologic disorders from the fetus through the older adolescent years. The entire year is completed at Texas Children’s Hospital.
The first year includes:
- Developing skills to perform a competent pediatric urological history and physical examination, recognizing the unique advocacy relationship of parents to their children.
- Developing the operative and medical skills to provide children with optimal urological care.
- Achieving an in-depth knowledge of the broad range of variables from prematurity through adolescence that impact on the use of drugs and diagnostic and therapeutic options in managing children through a broad range of ages.
- Developing an understanding of the psycho/social and psycho/sexual development of childhood and how these developmental changes might impact decisions on care.
- Developing an understanding of the current controversies regarding specific treatment options in certain urological disorders.
- Providing evidence of the ability to review and understand the literature relative to pediatric urology and to integrate, where appropriate, published material into their treatment decisions.
Home-call Duties
On average, fellows take home-call every fourth night.
A non-optional, non-accredited second year, consisting of at least 80 percent scholarly and research activity, completes the pediatric urology experience. The successful fellow, at the end of his/her training, is eligible to sit for the certificate of added qualifications in pediatric urology awarded by the American Board of Urology.
Didactic curriculum includes:
- Tuesday: Pediatric Urology Conference (weekly)
- Wednesday: Grand Rounds (week one, two, four, five) and Morbidity & Mortality (week three)
- Thursday: GU Pathology and GU Radiology (week one), AUA Core Curriculum didactics (week two and four), Public Hospital Case conference (week three and five)
Affiliates
Affiliations with leading research and healthcare institutions in and around the Texas Medical Center, the world’s largest healthcare complex, provide access to an exceptionally diverse array of people and resources. Discover how our affiliations enhance our education programs.
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