Diversity
The NICU at RUMC provides quality healthcare for patients with a broad range of diseases and a variety of racial, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds that reflect Chicago’s diverse population. In addition to a strong emphasis on patient/family diversity, RUSH University Medical Center values the diversity of its staff, faculty and trainees, and is committed to maintaining a respectful and inclusive environment in which all feel accepted and supported. With that in mind, the Department of Pediatrics, in collaboration with RUSH University Children’s Hospital delivers a unique Diversity, Equity and Inclusion curriculum with the aim of assisting staff, faculty and trainees to embrace difference, treat each other with respect and deliver outstanding clinical care that is culturally sensitive. RUSH is amongst the first academic medical centers to design, develop and implement a formal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion curriculum.
RUSH NICU Human Milk Research Program
The multidisciplinary, cutting-edge RUSH NICU Human Milk Research Program led by Aloka Patel, MD has a long history of sustained funded research that focuses on human milk and mother’s own milk feeding for preterm and high-risk hospitalized infants. The research team is comprised of neonatologists, human milk scientists, nurses, lactation consultants, a developmental psychologist, a healthcare economist and statisticians. The team conducts clinical and translational research that directly relates to clinical practice and health policy, with a focus on neonatal outcomes, healthcare economics, racial disparities in lactation outcomes, barriers faced by mothers in providing milk for their hospitalized, high-risk infants and the gut microbiome.
Fetal and Neonatal Medicine Center (FNMC)
The Fetal and Neonatal Medicine Center (FNMC) at RUMC provides multidisciplinary care to families whose pregnancy has been complicated by a fetal anomaly or complexities requiring specialized care in the immediate newborn period. Additionally, the Center coordinates the care of pregnant women with complex medical illnesses or complex pregnancies that require care from a variety of sub-specialists to ensure the safest pregnancy, labor and delivery. The FNMC provides expert care for pregnant women with a fetus (or fetuses) with abnormalities of development, and pregnant women with acute and chronic illnesses. The Center provides a wide range of diagnostic procedures (including fetal ultrasound, fetal echocardiography, fetal MRI, chorionic villus sampling, amniocentesis, etc.), minimally invasive fetoscopic procedures, palliative care and genetic counseling and testing. Families meet with a multidisciplinary team prior to birth to prepare for their infant’s unique medical needs during and following birth. Annually, approximately 80-100 of these infants are admitted to the RUSH NICU. Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine fellows have the unique opportunity to participate in the antenatal counseling of pregnant women with a range of antenatal diagnoses such as congenital lung malformations, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, congenital heart defects, abdominal wall defects, intestinal atresias and genetic syndromes. Fellows also learn about advances in fetal surgery through our collaboration with the Chicago Institute for Fetal Health.
Neonatal Quality Improvement and Safety Program
The RUSH Neonatal Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Program led by Laura Seske, MD utilizes the Institute of Healthcare Improvement (IHI) methodologies and Lean Six Sigma to promote and achieve sustainable improvement in family-centered care. The interdisciplinary team that includes a wide range of healthcare professionals, process improvement consultants, and chaplains, as well as students and trainees, has achieved sustainable improvements in multiple areas. The interdisciplinary team participates in multicenter collaborative projects with regional and national organizations including IDPH (Illinois Department of Public Health), ILPQC (Illinois Perinatal Quality Collaborative), VON (Vermont Oxford Network) and NSQIP (National Surgical Quality Improvement Program) and has presented their work at regional, national and international meetings (VON, Pediatric Academic Society, March of Dimes Regional Conference and the International Society for Research in Human Milk and Lactation). The team conducts a monthly review of ongoing projects and presents their data and Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles to staff, faculty and trainees. Fellows have the unique opportunity to conduct quality improvement research with the robust interdisciplinary team and present their ongoing work. Fellows additionally participate in a Quality Improvement Didactic Series.
The RUSH Advantage
RUSH University Medical Center is an incredible place to complete your fellowship training. Learn more about what makes RUSH a great place to work.
For questions about the program and/or application process:
Beverley Robin, MD, MHPE, CHSE, FAAP
Program Director
Beverley_Robin@rush.edu
(312) 942-6640
Kathryn L. Lindsey
Program Coordinator
Kathryn_L_Lindsey@rush.edu
(312) 942-8311
ACGME program ID: 3291632099