Ϲ

header-logo
adult hand touching a newborn hand
Neonatology Fellowship

Ϲ Neonatology Fellowship

Welcome! Our program is dedicated to training and developing the future of neonatology. Our mission is to train physicians who are leaders in patient care, research, and education. The program is designed to provide outstanding clinical training at a Level IV NICU at the largest free-standing children’s hospital in Wisconsin. Trainees will receive exemplary research mentoring from highly respected leaders in pulmonary hypertension, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, bioethics, and clinical outcomes. Our training program prepares fellows to be leaders in clinical care and academic medicine.

Scott Welak, MD
Fellowship Director and Associate Professor
nicu-2

Pediatric Neonatology Fellowship Overview

Scott Welak, MD, Fellowship Program Director at the Ϲ, provides an overview of the Neonatology Fellowship Program.

Children's Wisconsin NICU Video Tour

Scott Welak, MD, Fellowship Program Director at the Ϲ, provides a tour of the NICU and other spaces commonly used by fellows in our program.

Meet Our Neonatology Fellows

Our fellows share advice and experiences, discuss our program, highlight our institutions, and speak on living and training in Milwaukee.

As a Neonatology fellow you will...

Clinical 1

  • Have the unique opportunity to provide care with the optimal balance of autonomy and supervision; our NICU is well known for being a “fellow-run unit.”
  • Master all needed procedural skills, and have the ability to perfect your clinical skills.
  • Participate in scholarly activity.
  • Choose a project that will help you develop the skills needed to be a successful academic neonatologist.
  • Have the opportunity to present your research at international conferences.
  • Master your skills in patient care, research, and education at the largest level IV NICU in Wisconsin, with a catchment area of more than 9 million.
  • Care for children with the entire spectrum of newborn diseases, including extremely low birth weight infants, those who have surgical and subspecialty needs, and critically ill neonates.
  • Learn from faculty who are well recognized as experts in both bedside care and academic medicine, bringing in millions of dollars in NIH funding annually.

About Our Institutions

Ϲ (Ϲ)

The Ϲ brings together the most inquisitive minds in science, medicine, education and community engagement to solve the toughest challenges in health and society today. Academic medicine is at the core, where scientists, physicians and students work hand-in-hand with the community to ask the questions no one else is and fuel the continuous cycle of knowledge that’s shaping the future of medicine.

Learn more about Ϲ

Children’s Wisconsin

Children’s Wisconsin is the region’s only independent health care system dedicated solely to the health and well-being of children. We offer a wide range of care and support for children of all ages. Our services include medical care, dental care, child and family counseling, foster care, adoption, social services, child advocacy and injury prevention.

About Our Fellowship

The Neonatal-Perinatal Fellowship at Ϲ and Children's Wisconsin is an outstanding training program for those looking to specialize in the care of critically ill newborns.  
all
Neonatology Fellowship Curriculum

Children's Wisconsin is home to a newly renovated 71-bed Level IV NICU. We recently moved from our previous bay style NICU into the new unit, which features all private rooms. The average daily census of 50-60 patients is divided between three care teams. Teams A and B are comprised of a Neonatology faculty member, one fellow, 1-2 nurse practitioners, and 2-4 pediatric residents. Team C is comprised of one Neonatology attending, one senior fellow and two nurse practitioners. While on service in the NICU, fellows oversee the team and provide teaching for the residents, either formally or at bedside when possible. This team oversight may involve interacting with one of the many subspecialty services Children’s has to offer, as the NICU team rounds daily with both Cardiology and Pediatric Surgery. The variety of patients admitted to Children's provides an unrivaled opportunity to master procedural skills. First year fellows are preferentially given procedural opportunities during the first six months of fellowship, and nearly all have become phenomenally competent during that time.

In addition to direct patient care of infants in the NICU, fellows attend deliveries and perform prenatal consults. Children’s Wisconsin is affiliated with Froedtert Hospital. Froedtert Hospital has over 3,000 deliveries annually and is home to an expanding Maternal Fetal Medicine and High Risk OB program. Children's is recognized as both the top children’s hospital in the state, and also one of the most prestigious hospitals in the nation. Expecting parents are referred to Children's for many reasons, including prematurity, high-risk deliveries, and congenital anomalies. Our pediatric surgeons and MFM physicians have successfully conducted many fetal procedures, including meningomyelocele (MMC) repairs, bladder outlet obstructions, and fetal hydrops. These unique opportunities ensure that fellows will become skilled at not only typical neonatal resuscitations, but also in the delivery room management of complex congenital anomalies. The Labor and Delivery unit is conveniently located within the east tower of the Children’s building and is a short walk from the NICU.

Neonatal Developmental Follow-Up Clinic
All fellows will participate in the Neonatal Developmental Follow-up Clinic, which is run by our developmental pediatrician and follows NICU graduates up to age three. Fellows will attend clinic twice per month when not on service. This experience provides fellows with an opportunity to see the outcomes of our smallest and sickest patients, and provide fellows experience with the developmental assessment tools.

Newborn Nursery Rotation
During the first year, fellows will rotate through the newborn nursery for 2 weeks. During the rotation, fellows manage the resident team and are responsible for running rounds and staffing patients in the afternoon. The Newborn Nursery actually functions as a Level II NICU, and often has late premature infants and those requiring moderate intervention. Fellows will become familiar with the protocols and abilities of the Level II newborn nursery within Froedtert Hospital.

Maternal Fetal Medicine Clinic
During their second year, fellows rotate for two weeks in the maternal fetal medicine clinic. Fellows follow MFM providers to learn about the obstetrical management of our potential patients. Fellows attend prenatal consults with Neonatology faculty and pediatric subspecialists and observe fetal surgery if possible.

Cardiac ICU Rotation
During the third year of fellowship, fellows will rotate for two weeks in the cardiac ICU. While there, fellows will gain experience with the post-operative management cardiac conditions and ECMO. NICU fellow rotating through the CICU will provide care for post-operative neonates only.

Clinical Electives
Depending on the individual fellow's needs and desires, elective rotations will be designed throughout the fellowship for additional exposure to areas of particular clinical interest to the fellow (e.g. cardiology rotation with focus on neonatal echocardiography, radiology rotation with emphasis on neonatal ultrasounds and special procedures). Each elective is done for a period of one month and no more than one elective month may be requested for each subspecialty area.

Clinical Experience

While on service in the NICU, fellows oversee the team and provide teaching for the residents, either formally or at bedside when possible. This team oversight may involve interacting with one of the many subspecialty services Children’s has to offer, as the NICU team rounds daily with both Cardiology and Pediatric Surgery.

The variety of patients admitted to Children's provides an unrivaled opportunity to master procedural skills. First year fellows are preferentially given procedural opportunities during the first six months of fellowship, and nearly all have become phenomenally competent during that time.

Conferences & Didactic Sessions

The Division of Neonatology holds many academic conferences throughout the year to enhance fellow’s learning. Some of these conferences occur on a weekly basis, while others are monthly to bimonthly. Fellows are expected to participate in these conferences, and the level of responsibility is graduated based on fellowship level.

Weekly conferences include:

  • Physiology conference: Each fellow presents two lectures per year. Topics are based on ABP guidelines and review both common and rare neonatal physiology and pathophysiology. Third year fellows will also present their own research during one physiology lecture.
  • Academic conference: Includes a variety of topics including case conference in which on service fellows present interesting cases for discussion, M&M conference during which patient deaths are discussed, and Maternal Fetal Medicine conference which is a joint conference with MFM fellows where interesting MFM/NICU cases are presented.
  • Back to Basics: During the first half of the year, core neonatology topics are discussed along with the evidence behind our work-up and management. This conference is attended by fellows only and presented by rotating faculty members.
  • Evidenced based medicine: Faculty from across the hospital are invited to present topics relevant to neonatology with discussion of the evidence behind management decisions. This conference is for fellows only.

Monthly Conferences include:

  • Journal club: Each fellow chooses and presents an article for discussion, including if the article should change department practice or not.
  • Research meeting with Dr. Konduri (Section Chief, Neonatology): Meet monthly to discuss research progress and provide mentorship and oversight to research projects
  • Fellow’s meeting: Discuss any housekeeping issues or concerns of the fellows that may arise.
  • Board review: Run by fellows, review of key topics needed to pass neonatology boards

Other Didactic sessions:

  • Fetal care conference: Weekly meeting with neonatology, Maternal fetal medicine, pediatric surgery, and cardiology (with other specialties as needed) to discuss the management of women with known fetal anomalies who are followed by the fetal concerns center
  • Pediatric Surgery conference: Held every other month to discuss surgical management of NICU patients
  • Radiology rounds: Radiology reviews images twice weekly with Imaging Faculty
  • Joint Fellow’s Curriculum (JFC): Monthly conference for fellows of all specialties across Children's Wisconsin to learn about topics such as writing a CV, looking for an attending position, cultural competence, how to search the medical literature, fellow’s research day. Because each topic is required for all pediatric fellows, Children's Wisconsin provides for protected lecture time, and ensures that local experts provide high quality lectures.
  • Department of Pediatrics lectures: The department of pediatrics sponsors weekly Grand Rounds, Friday afternoon research talks, and has many other invited lectures throughout the year that fellows are welcome to attend
Research Experience

Children’s Wisconsin and The Ϲ have a strong tradition of research accomplishments among our fellows. After graduating, many of our fellows have continued their research endeavors and have become leaders in their respective fields of research. The Division of Neonatology recognizes the unique opportunity that is present during fellowship training.

Just as we prepare our fellows to become experts in neonatal medicine, we also mentor them to develop the skills to become experts in research. Rather than assign a project to each fellow, we encourage our fellows to choose a project that will both interest them during fellowship and prepare them for a career in academic neonatology. Our division has a wide variety of research interests, and faculty members are eager to train fellows. However, fellows are not limited to just the Division of Neonatology. As the only academic medical campus in Milwaukee, fellows have a wide variety of research projects to choose from. Past fellows have worked with many different divisions at CW/MCW, including genetics, pediatric surgery, physiology, neurology, and palliative care.

During the first few months of fellowship, fellows will find a mentor and research project. Each faculty member conducting research presents their research to the fellows. The fellowship director will meet with each new fellow to help them decide on a project and will facilitate discussions with researchers outside of the division if a fellow has a particular interest. Fellows will also pick other faculty members to be on their Scholarly Oversight Committee (SOC), who provide guidance to fellows throughout their training. Fellows meet with their SOC members twice per year for updates and advice on their progress. Fellows are expected to submit their research as a manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal in order to graduate. The majority of our fellows not only have submitted one manuscript, but have had several accepted during their training.

Our fellows are encouraged to present their research at national and international conferences. Nearly all of our third year fellows have presented their research at the Pediatric Academic Society/Society for Pediatric Research (PAS/SPR) annual convention, the preeminent neonatology conference in the world. In addition, many have presented at other conferences, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, in addition to local and regional meetings. The Department of Pediatrics often provides additional funding for travel to the PAS/SPR meeting for presenting fellows.

We recognize the importance of training fellows to become successful physician scientists, and have the ability and expertise to help each fellow achieve their research goals. Our faculty take great pride in training fellows and watching them achieve success in their scholarly project. We are confident that if you choose our fellowship program, you will have the ability to become an excellent clinician and be competitive in your future research endeavors.

Research Mentorship

Fellows receive excellent mentoring at all levels of training. They are required to complete a research project before the end of the third year and to have at least one or more first author publications in a peer reviewed journal. In order for them to complete a successful research project, a faculty mentor along with two additional faculty members, will be assigned to assist and monitor their progress by meeting twice yearly with a Scholarship Oversight Committee. Fellows will also be expected to present their research periodically in formal conferences to the faculty. The senior faculty and others provide guidance in grant writing, paper presentations, and manuscript writing in the Ϲ. Fellows will be expected to take courses in biostatistics and will have the opportunity to take courses in specialized areas of research Interests (e.g. molecular biology).

Fellows are encouraged to submit abstracts to national meetings annually (both basic science and pediatric meetings, such as Pediatric Academic Society Meetings). The Department of Pediatrics pays for the expenses to attend these meetings through the academic development fund assigned to each fellow.

Fellow Research Accomplishments

Original manuscript publications in the following journals:

  • Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol*
  • J Neuroinfect Dis*
  • Pediatrics
  • Pediatr Res*
  • J Perinatol.*
  • Perinatal Cardiology*
  • Pediatric Emergency Care*
  • Mat Child Health*
  • J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med.
  • Journal of Surgical Research
  • Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology

*Fellow was first author

Regional and National Conference Presentations

  • Pediatric Academy Society
  • Pediatric Endocrine Society
  • Best Practices in Pediatrics
  • AAP Central Conference on Perinatal Research

Awards

  • Young Investigator Career Development Award, Department of Pediatrics, Ϲ
  • Marshall Klaus Perinatal Research Award
  • District 6 American Academy of Pediatrics Award

SOC Expectations (PDF)

Progression in Responsibilities

For each year of your fellowship, you will be given more responsibility in direct patient care and leading the care team. We expect that by the end of your third year, you will be functioning at the level of an attending and we will work with you to help you get there! Because of this graded responsibility, each year of your fellowship will look a little different.

First Year

  1. Develop clinical competence (5 months in the NICU, ½ month in the Newborn Nursery, and one month in the Neurodevelopmental Follow-Up Clinic). You will master the procedural skills during the first 6 months by preferentially giving procedures to first-year fellows during this time.
  2. Present two basic physiology conferences, one journal club, and at least one patient-oriented conference during your service months.
  3. Attend the Joint Fellowship Curriculum of the Department of Pediatrics.
  4. Initiate research: Identify project, mentor, and Scholarly Oversight Committee (SOC). You will have two SOC meetings to evaluate your progress and provide guidance (see Research).

Second Year

  1. Continue to develop clinical competence (3 months in NICU) but focus more on teaching residents and junior fellows.
  2. Present two basic physiology conferences, two journal clubs, and at least one patient-oriented conference while on service.
  3. Work on research project. We encourage fellows to write a first author abstract that will be submitted by the fall of the third year.
  4. Participate in the Joint Fellowship Curriculum.

Third Year

  1. Continue to develop clinical competence and teaching skills by serving approximately 3 months (including at least 1 month as a Junior Attending in the NICU).
  2. Present three basic physiology conferences (one of which is a presentation of your research), one journal club, and at least one patient-oriented conference while on service.
  3. Complete research project and write manuscript for submission by end of third year.
  4. Present your completed research project at a major conference (usually PAS/SPR).
Application Process & Visa Information

Our 3-year fellowship program is ACGME accredited and begins on July 1 each year. We accept three fellows each year through the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). Applicants must have completed a US-accredited residency program. Applications from prospective applicants are accepted from July through October via the . We will access your application and contact you to make interview arrangements.

Complete applications should include the following:

  • ERAS application form
  • At least 3 letters of reference including Program Director letter
  • Medical Student Performance Evaluation/Dean's Letter
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Personal statement
  • MD Applicants: USMLE scores - Steps 1, 2, and 3 or
  • DO Applicants: COMLEX scores – Levels 1, 2 and 3
  • ECFMG certificate for foreign medical school graduates (see visa information below)

Our program currently accepts the following visas:

  • Permanent Resident Visa
  • Visitor Exchange Visa sponsored by ECFMG (J-1)
  • Temporary Professional Workers (H-1B)

View ϹAH visa information

Benefits, Conditions & Terms of Employment

Fellows are employed by the Ϲ Affiliated Hospitals (ϹAH). View their website for information regarding vacations, leaves, insurance, stipends and professional liability.

ϹAH benefits, conditions and terms of employment

FACTS (Fellow Advancement through Career Development, Training, and Scholarship) Program

As a fellow, you will participate in the FACTS Program and embark on a journey that not only enhances your professional skills but also fosters meaningful connections with peers across various pediatric subspecialties. FACTS is a comprehensive curriculum designed to enhance your education through career development, scholarly activities, and personalized learning experiences. FACTS offers centralized education on core topics relevant to all pediatric subspecialties, promoting collaboration and knowledge sharing among fellows. The curriculum emphasizes individualized education by providing multiple offerings in certain time slots, allowing you to tailor your learning to your specific interests and career goals. Through shared learning sessions and collaborative projects, you'll build lasting relationships that support both your personal and professional growth, preparing you to excel as a well-rounded pediatric subspecialist.

Learn more about our curriculum

After Fellowship

After fellowship, our fellows go on to do great things! Over the years, fellows who graduate from our program have entered practice in both academic and private settings. The training you receive at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin/The Ϲ will prepare you to take care of neonates, participate in an academic institution, and enjoy your career.

Our board review series and the clinical knowledge and skills you will acquire during your fellowship will prepare you to pass your neonatology boards. Over the last 5 years, our fellows have had a 95% pass rate on the first try.

Graduates of our program have entered a variety of clinical settings. These include:

  • Private Practice
  • Basic Science Research
  • Clinical Science Research
  • Medical Education

For those interested in private practice, our fellows have gone on to practice in the following states:

  • Wisconsin
  • Illinois
  • Texas
  • California
  • Arizona
  • Michigan

For those interested in academics, our fellows have become attendings at:

  • Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin
  • Phoenix Children’s Hospital
  • Advocate Christ Medical Center (Illinois)
  • Children’s Mercy (Kansas City)
  • Sanford Children’s Hospital (Sioux Falls, South Dakota)
  • UCLA
  • Children’s Hospital of Illinois
  • Oklahoma Children’s Hospital
Living & Learning in Milwaukee

Milwaukee is one of the Midwest’s best-kept secrets and a prime location for the Ϲ’s main campus. A one-of-a-kind city with a vibrant and diverse culture, this charming, yet metropolitan must-see is just 90 minutes north of Chicago and nestled on the coast of Lake Michigan. Whether you’re catching a show at Summerfest, the world’s largest music festival, immersing yourself in the old world charm of the Historic Third Ward or taking in the sights and sounds of one of the many cafés, beer gardens or restaurants that line the city’s riverbank and shoreline, Milwaukee never disappoints. Find out why Ϲ students, faculty and employees take pride in calling Milwaukee home. You will find that there are many great things to do in Milwaukee.

Neighborhoods that past and current fellows have lived include: Wauwatosa, The Third Ward, Cathedral Square, Bay View, Mequon, Brookfield, and Oak Creek.  Fellows even have commuted from places between Milwaukee and Chicago and Milwaukee and Madison (Waukesha, Pewaukee, Racine, Kenosha). 

Learn more about housing and rental options.

Neonatal Transport Team

Children’s Wisconsin (CW) is the only referral service for the majority of pediatric and neonatal patients in Wisconsin, covering an area of nearly six million people. Many patients require medical transport from referring hospitals to CW. We have a dedicated transport team that provides this service. This specialized group includes nurses and respiratory therapists who go on every transport. Physicians only go on 10 % of the annual transports. However, given the unique challenges inherited in transporting a critically ill neonate, our neonatal fellows often go on these transports to ensure optimal care. CW has access to transport via ambulance, helicopter, and fixed wing plane. The majority of transports are within Wisconsin; however CW commonly transports patients from the upper peninsula of Michigan and northern Illinois as well.

If a physician is needed to go on a transport during the day, the fellow on the admitting team will go with the transport team. On nights and weekends, this responsibility is for the on-call fellow. Exceptions to this are if the fellow is unable to go on transports (pregnancy, illness, or other circumstances). The attending acting as medical control makes the final decision about who goes on transport after assessing the unit’s needs and acuity. On transport, the fellow is the “eyes and ears” for the faculty at CW. They will perform procedural expertise as needed, and will provide medical care in coordination with the transport nurse and respiratory therapist. In addition, the fellow is the representative of CW, and is responsible for communicating with the patient’s family members. Senior fellows also have the opportunity to serve as the “Junior Medical Control” by communicating with the referring physician and transport team in conjunction with the staff neonatologist.

In order to be eligible for transports, you will complete a short orientation to get familiar with the equipment used and review safety information for the helicopters. Fellows are required to document care provided during the transport.

Our Faculty
Our talented team of neonatologists are well recognized as experts in both bedside care and academic medicine, bringing in millions of dollars in NIH funding annually. As an Ϲ fellow, you will have an opportunity to practice and learn alongside these faculty members.
 

Meet our team

Testimonials

Zeina Almajthoub, Fellow
When I joined Ϲ program, I was amazed by how dedicated it is towards teaching fellows and giving them the best experience. All the attending physicians are very knowledgeable, experienced, & passionate about teaching us. They are also very friendly and approachable, always finding the right balance between maintaining our autonomy & supporting us when needed. The training provides a beautiful balance between solid clinical training, broad pathology, decent volume, and research opportunities. Milwaukee is a great place to live. It has something for everyone. It has a vibrant community, lots of things to do & new foods to try. At the same time, it is great for families with children & has great public schools.

Isabella Eiler, Fellow
I always wanted to attend neonatology fellowship at the Ϲ for multiple reasons. As a fellow, you cover a level 4 unit attached to a delivery center, which allows for complex surgical management of newborns, premature infant management, delivery room resuscitation experience, and prenatal consults anytime you are on service or call. The faculty attendings allow for a graduated level of autonomy that benefits you as a trainee in your confidence with ultimately independent practice upon graduation. And lastly, there are various research focuses among the faculty to support multiple different trainee interests to be successful with research. Training at the Ϲ for neonatology fellowship greatly prepared me for practice as an attending, as well as a clinical researcher, which I plan to continue in my anticipated attending role as an academic neonatologist.

Conversations with Neonatology Faculty & APPs

Ganesh Konduri, MD

Scott Welak, MD

Susan Cohen, MD

Alicia Sprecher, MD

Joanne Lagatta, MD

Mir A. Basir, MD

Steve Leuthner, MD

Michael R. Uhing, MD

Tuyet-Hang Nghiem-Rao, MD

Carey Ehlert, MD

Deanna Finley, APNP

Current Fellows

headshot

Zeina Almajthoub, MD

Neonatology Fellow, 2024-2027

headshot

Evan Cross, MD

Neonatology Fellow, 2025-2028

headshot

Kaung Myat, MD

Neonatology Fellow, 2023-2026

headshot

Kathryn Ritter, DO

Neonatology Fellows, 2025-2028

headshot

William Scott, MD

Neonatology Fellow, 2023-2026

headshot

Michaela Simpson, MD

Neonatology Fellow, 2025-2028

headshot

Elizabeth Smet, MD

Neonatology Fellow, 2023-2026

headshot

Abhijeet Trivedi, MD

Neonatology Fellow, 2025-2028

headshot

Jennifer Weber, MD

Neonatology Fellow, 2024-2027

Meet Our Team

headshot

Scott R. Welak, MD

Associate Professor; Director, Neonatology Fellowship Program

headshot

Kathryn Berlin, DO

Assistant Professor; Associate Director, Neonatology Fellowship Program

headshot

Connie Chase, BS, C-TAGME

Fellowship Coordinator, Child Advocacy and Protection, Pediatric Endocrinology and Neonatal Perinatal, and FACTS

Fellowship Program Contact

Pediatrics Neonatology

Department of Pediatrics
Children's Corporate Center, Suite C410
999 N. 92nd St.
P.O. Box 1997
Milwaukee, WI 53226

 

Program Director
Scott Welak, MD
swelak@mcw.edu

Fellowship Coordinator
Connie Chase
cchase@mcw.edu

(414) 266-6820
(414) 266-6979 (fax)