Surgical Research Positions

Last Updated: September 2023

Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements: 4 calls per month (which provide supplemental compensation)
Program Length: 2 years
Location: Chicago, IL
Program Director: Mehul V. Raval, MD, MS

https://research.luriechildrens.org/en/research-resources/childrens-surgery-methodology-and-research-training-program

Source of Support: Institutional Grants, Training Grants
Program Description: This is a two-year research scholar experience based out of the Division of Pediatric Surgery at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.  This nationally reputed Scholars Program includes formal research training and mentorship.  Opportunities exist in a wide variety of research fields spanning from Basic and Translational Science to Health Services Research including Quality Improvement. Funding is available for the research scholar to obtain a Masters degree in Clinical Research, Health Services and Outcomes, Public Health, or Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety.  Candidates should be General Surgery residents interested in pursuing a career in Pediatric Surgery.  Preference is given to candidates who will have completed their PYG3 clinical training year. Scholars will maintain clinical proficiency and gain exposure to the expanse of faculty within the Pediatric Surgery Division through participation in the call pool as Moonlighters approximately 4 nights per month for supplemental pay beyond ACGME approved base salary commiserate with PGY level.  This research scholar program offers the added benefits of spending time in Chicago, IL and graduating from a program with an excellent record of matching candidates into Pediatric Surgery Clinical Fellowships.  If interested, please email a cover letter and resume to Dr. Raval ([email protected]).

Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements: Typically two weekdays and one weekend day per month
Program Length: 2 years
Location: Boston, MA
Program Director: Heung Bae Kim, Program Director
Farokh Demehri, Program Director
https://www.childrenshospital.org/research/departments-divisions-programs/departments/surgery/surgical-innovation-fellowship
Source of Support: Foundation Grants
Program Description: The Surgical Innovation Fellowship (SIF) is a two-year program at Boston Children’s Hospital that provides hands-on exposure for surgical residents to all aspects of healthcare innovation. The Department of Surgery in collaboration with the Innovation and Digital Health Accelerator (IDHA) and the Simulator Program (SIMPeds) have developed an innovation journey that is supported by a network of advisors that provide fellows with the knowledge and mentorship they need to identify clinical needs and then take an idea from the drawing board to the operating room or bedside. During the two year program, fellows will experience the entire device and software innovation pathway including needs assessment, market analysis, design, prototype engineering, product management, customer discovery, sales, patent and regulatory filing, etc. Fellows will have access to the rich innovation environment and infrastructure in the neighboring Harvard campus and greater Boston area. In addition to the surgical innovation projects, the fellow will gain experience in clinical and scientific research and will remain clinically active within the Department of Surgery, taking in-house call (additionally compensated) and participating in didactic activities related to Pediatric Surgery and Transplantation.  To apply, please contact either Farokh Demehri, MD at [email protected], or Heung Bae Kim, MD at [email protected]

Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements: Typically two weekdays and one weekend day per month
Program Length: 1 to 3 years
Location: Boston, MA
Program Director: Tom Jaksic, MD, PhD and Dario Fauza, MD, PhD
http://www.childrenshospital.org/research-and-innovation/research/departments/surgery
Source of Support: Foundation Grants, NIH Grants
Program Description: The Surgical Research Laboratories at Boston Children’s Hospital support the
endeavors of six different principal investigators, all of whom offer fully funded positions for surgical
trainees currently enrolled in an accredited residency program, with a focus on those interested in
pursuing a career in Pediatric Surgery. Our diverse cadre of investigators allows for the development of
a variety of research interests, reflecting the general nature of our specialty. More specifically, our
laboratories integrate work on regenerative medicine (tissue engineering and other cell based
therapies), fetal therapy and biology, wound healing, transplantation, surgical nutrition, short bowel
syndrome, oncology, angiogenesis, and vascular anomalies. Successful candidates will also be able to
participate in the didactic activities of the Department of Surgery at Boston Children’s Hospital.
Additionally, they will have access to the resources available in the neighboring Harvard Campus. Clinical
moonlighting in a senior resident position is also expected for an average of two weekdays and one
weekend day per month for which additional compensation is provided. To apply, please contact either
Dario Fauza, MD, PhD at [email protected], or Tom Jaksic, MD, PhD at
[email protected]. 

Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements: One weekday and one weekend day per month during the second and third years
Program Length: 3 years
Location: Boston, MA
Program Director: Shawn Rangel
http://www.childrenshospital.org
Source of Support: Foundation Grants
Program Description: We are pleased to offer a three-year Fellowship in Clinical Effectiveness & Health Services Research, now accepting applications for the July, 2025 – June, 2028 position. The three-year fellowship is designed for surgery residents who wish to pursue a career in pediatric surgery with a focus in health services and outcomes research. Ongoing research efforts include development of novel quality metrics and prioritization strategies for hospital-level comparative analysis, characterization of causes and financial implications of practice variation associated with antibiotic utilization, and development of novel collaborative models to accelerate value-based quality improvement, among many others. As an integral part of the fellowship, the Department of Surgery will sponsor the fellow to obtain a Master’s in Public Health with a focus in Clinical Effectiveness Research from the Harvard School of Public Health. Interested applicants are encouraged to contact Dr. Rangel ([email protected]) for further information

Clinical Call Required?:  No, but pediatric surgery call can be arranged
Clinical Call Requirements: 
Program Length:  2 Years
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Program Director:  Eugene Kim, MD
Program Website: https://researchers.cedars-sinai.edu/Eugene.KimX/about
Source of Support:  Institutional funds, industry support, foundation grants
Program Description: The two-year research fellowship in the Pediatric Surgical Oncology Laboratory of Dr. Kim is primarily a basic science laboratory experience, which focuses on the aggressive pediatric malignancy neuroblastoma.  Through chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation, most children with neuroblastoma will achieve remission, however many of these children will eventually succumb to recurrent metastatic disease. Our laboratory is focused on studying and inhibiting pathways that are responsible for metastatic disease.  Recent RNA sequencing studies from our laboratory have identified a number of genetic targets, which may contribute to metastasis. We utilize benchtop techniques and in vivo modeling to study these potential therapeutic targets.  The research fellowship will also include clinical outcomes research in pediatric surgery and pediatric surgical oncology.  Previous experience and background in basic science research is preferred but not necessary to apply for the position.

Clinical Call Required?: No
Clinical Call Requirements: None required, but opportunities may be available if desired
Program Length: 1 to 3 years
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Program Director: William Peranteau, MD
Source of Support: Private Grants
Program Description: 1-3 years, fully-funded research fellowship for general surgery residents, PGY2+.

The Center for Fetal Research fellowship will support research focused on fetal diagnosis and fetal gene therapies for 3 different Principal Investigators, all of whom offer fully funded positions for surgical trainees currently enrolled in an accredited residency program, with a focus on those interested in pursuing a career in Pediatric Surgery. This opportunity is open to individuals who are currently in or have recently completed a residency in General Surgery as well as exceptional postdoctoral candidates from other fields. To apply, please contact either
Bill Peranteau, MD at [email protected], or Grace Chau at [email protected]

Clinical Call Required:  Yes

Clinical Call Requirements:  4-5 calls per month

Program Length:  2 years

Location:  Orange County, California

Program Director:  Peter T. Yu, MD MPH

Source of Support:  Institutional grants, Division support

Program Description:    We are pleased to offer a two-year research fellowship with the Division of Pediatric General & Thoracic Surgery at CHOC and UC-Irvine.  Research fellows will have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of studies, including basic science and translational projects, pediatric general surgery outcomes, and trauma, fetal, quality, and health disparities endeavors.  Research fellows will have no shortage of high-quality research opportunities available to them.  Candidates should be general surgery residents interested in pursuing a career in pediatric surgery.  Preference will be given to candidates who will have completed their PGY3 clinical training.  Maintenance of clinical proficiency and additional exposure will occur through participation in the call pool.  CHOC is a high-volume, free-standing, rapidly growing children’s health system.  We are an academic division of 10 pediatric surgeons with an excellent record of close mentorship for our trainees.  And finally, Southern California is a wonderful place to live and work during research training.  Interested parties should email [email protected]. 

Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements: Variable, Candidate dependent
Program Length: 1 to 2 years
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Program Director: Catherine J. Hunter, MD
Source of Support: Institutional Grants, NIH Grants
Program Description: The Pediatric Surgery laboratory investigates the pathophysiology of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). NEC is a multifactorial process which typically affects premature infants. In our lab, we are investigating the role of specific bacteria in modulating the development of this disease. This Research Scholars Fellowship is a GME approved program at the University of Oklahoma.  It is designed for general surgery residents, and offers an exciting basic science experience with numerous clinical research opportunities. Fellows will gain expertise in research techniques, data analysis, and manuscript writing and presentation. The experimental studies employ cell culture, mouse and human tissues. You will be trained in various molecular biology techniques and then analyze the collected tissues employing SDS Page electrophoresis, western blot, immunohistochemistry, and in vitro assays. The ideal candidate will have completed the PGY-2 or 3 year in an approved general surgery residency program by the start of the research fellowship and will make a 1-2 year commitment, 2 years is preferred.  Salary and benefits are included and based on PGY level at our institution.

Last Updated: September 2023

Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements: 5 shifts/month
Program Length: 1 or 2 years
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Program Director: Ryan G. Spurrier, MD, FACS
Todd P. Chang, MD MAcM
https://www.chla.org/las-madrinas-simulation-center
Source of Support: Salary and benefits from the clinical department plus a $10,000 stipend from the Las Madrinas Simulation Center for equipment purchases, conference travel, etc.
Program Description: The Surgical Simulation Fellowship Program at CHLA is intended for trainees with an interest in pediatric surgery. The commitment of 1 or 2 years usually begins August 1st and can be adjusted as needed. The base curriculum consists of 8 core months of required activities and 4 elective months. The fellow will taylor their individual curriculum over the course of the year. Each fellow is expected to run multiple simulations within the CHLA pediatric surgery department and take an active role in multidisciplinary simulation efforts throughout the institution. Monthly journal clubs are led by the simulation staff. The fellowship is designed to generate multiple manuscripts and textbook chapters per year with the fellow serving as lead author. Two-year fellows are expected to build a novel project of their choosing and further the science of surgical simulation.

This is a supplementary fellowship for trainee surgeons with at least 2 years of post-graduate experience. Clinical practice in a surgical discipline is required. Our mission is to develop future leaders in pediatric surgery.

Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements: 5x/month
Program Length: 2 years
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Program Director: Christopher Gayer
http://www.chla.org
Source of Support: Institutional Grants, NIH Grants
Program Description: Our lab focuses on a bile acid receptor called farnesoid X receptor (FXR), and the role it plays in intestinal inflammatory injury and recovery. FXR is a key bile acid receptor that influences the intestinal epithelial barrier and the intestinal innate immune system. We have shown that in acute, inflammatory injury, FXR knock-out animals are protected from barrier dysfunction. These animals have improved tight junctional protein organization and decreased proinflammatory cytokine production. We are exploring the mechanism through which FXR affects intestinal tight junctions and the inflammatory milieu through the innate immune system. In our lab we utilize a number of techniques to explore these questions, including animal models, organ-specific knock-out animals, enteroid culture, and bone marrow-derived macrophage culture. In vivo models include an LPS-injection model of acute injury, cecal ligation and puncture, inflammatory bowel disease models, and models of necrotizing enterocolitis. Research fellows do not need experience in a basic science lab setting to apply. You will learn not only science, but also hypothesis generation, presentation skills, and writing skills (abstracts and manuscripts). You will also have the opportunity to be involved in clinical projects if desired. The research fellows will present any accepted abstracts. We encourage a two-year commitment to the research program to maximize productivity.

Last Updated: September 2023

Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements: 5x/month
Program Length: 2 years
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Program Director: Lorraine Kelley-Quon
http://childrenshospitalla.org
Source of Support: Institutional Grants, NIH Grants
Program Description: The Health Outcomes and Policy Effects (HOPE) Lab at CHLA aims to create knowledge that directly translates to policy-level interventions to improve pediatric health.  We work with several large administrative and clinical datasets including the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS), Kids’ Inpatient Database (KID), the Pediatric National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP Peds), and the California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative (CPQCC), putting our group in the unique position to answer meaningful clinical questions using diverse data sources. We also partner with the Western Pediatric Surgical Research Consortium (WPSRC) to conduct multi-institutional research among 10 free-standing children’s hospitals in the Western United States.  In addition, we are running several clinical projects at CHLA exploring opioid use in infants, children, and adolescents and often collaborate with the Institute for Addiction Science at the University of Southern California (USC). We encourage fellows to commit two years to this research program and obtain either a Certificate or Masters in Clinical, Biomedical, and Translational Investigations in order to maximize productivity. Clinical opportunities include multi-disciplinary conference attendance as well as call on the pediatric surgical service.

Institution Name: Children’s Mercy Kansas City
Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements: 4-5 calls/month 
Program Length: 1 to 2 years
Location: Kansas City, MO
Program Director: Tolulope A. Oyetunji
Program Website: Surgical Scholars Program | Children’s Mercy Kansas City
Source of Support:  Institutional Grants
Program Description: The Surgical Scholars Program at Children’s Mercy Kansas City exposes the trainees to development and execution of prospective clinical trials and prospective observational studies. It has also incorporated health services research using large national databases. The focus of the research has always been emphasis on improving the quality of pediatric surgical care and patient experience. The scholars obtain a strong appreciation for true evidence-based practice as research findings are integrated into protocols and clinical pathways for routine surgical care. The program makes a conscious effort to involve the research scholars in the clinical work of the division as they also participate in the call schedules with the other surgery residents, the surgical critical care fellow and the pediatric surgery fellows. Prospective scholars must have completed at least 2-3 years of general surgery residency. There is an option to pursue an additional year of Surgical Critical Care training in our ACGME-accredited program.

Last Updated: September 2023

Clinical Call Required?: No
Clinical Call Requirements:
Program Length: 1, 2 or 3 years
Location: Washington, DC
Program Director: Marc Levitt, MD
http://www.childrensnational.org/departments/colorectal
Source of Support: Institutional Grants
Program Description: The focus of our research is on outcomes for patients with colorectal problems including anorectal malformations, cloaca, Hirschsprung disease, functional dysmotility disorders, and fecal incontinence from a variety of causes. We have developed an interactive database across four disciplines, colorectal, urology, gynecology, and GI/motility, and will investigate outcomes in each area, including long term continence, quality of life, renal health, and gynecology. We have developed an international network for outcomes and education with partner colorectal centers and joint projects with these partners are ongoing, as part of the Pediatric Colorectal and Pelvic Learning Consortium, www.pcplc.org. Past research experience is not needed, training in surgery with a plan to pursue pediatric surgery, and/or pediatric colorectal surgery are the requested prerequisites. Clinical opportunities include conference attendance and observerships in the operating room and the clinic, with opportunities for hands-on clinical experience for a candidate with the appropriate credentials. For information email [email protected]

Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements: 0-5 times per month
Program Length: 1 to 2 years
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Program Director: Dr. Kyle Cowan
http://www.medicine.uottawa.ca/
Source of Support: Institutional Grants
Program Description: Mechanism of support: institutional, local and national research granting agencies Dr. Cowan is the principle investigator for the division of pediatric surgery’s translational tumour biology basic science research program. Current translational research focuses for this group include: (1) Role of pannexins in skeletal muscle health and disease; (2) Role of pannexins in pediatric tumourigenesis.

Last updated: November 2023

Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Required: Yes, 2-4 calls per month

Location: Cincinnati, Ohio and Kampala/Mbarara, Uganda

Program Director:  Meera Kotagan, MD

Source of Support: Salary support provided

The CCHMC Pediatric Surgery Equity Research Fellowship is a research training program for surgical residents interested in pediatric surgery and surgical equity (including global surgery). This is a 1-2 year training program, geared toward US surgical residents in their “lab years” or US residents who have completed general surgery training but want to expand their knowledge and engagement in surgical equity prior to pediatric surgery fellowship. Fellows are expected to be active participants in the division research team, pursuing projects to better understand and address disparities and inequities in surgical care regionally, nationally, and globally.  

Fellows with an interest in global surgery will also work in collaboration with the pediatric surgery teams based at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital and Mulago National Referral Hospital in Uganda and will travel to Uganda during the fellowship to work on collaborative research projects. Institutional and international guidelines for travel safety will be followed and may prevent travel (as occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic). When in the US, fellows will take clinical call 2-4 times/month (and may rotate on service for a month during research fellowship) in order to garner exposure to the pediatric surgery faculty at CCHMC. Fellows will also join in efforts linked with the institutional strategic focus on population health, including research and quality improvement aimed at achieving excellent, equitable child health outcomes. Fellows will have opportunities to learn from and work with individuals from the Fisher Child Health Equity Center at CCHMC.

Fellows will work primarily with Meera Kotagal, MD, MPH, Director of the CCHMC Pediatric Surgery Global Health Program and Director of Trauma Services, but will also have opportunities to work with leaders across CCHMC focused on equity, with pediatric surgeons from CCHMC, and with surgeons from other partner institutions, including colleagues in Uganda. Salary support will be provided by the fellowship.

Mentorship Team: In addition to the mentorship of Dr. Kotagal, fellows will be exposed to a diverse mentorship team focused on surgical equity.

• Andrew Beck, MD, MPH – Professor, General Pediatrics and Hospital Medicine; Faculty Co-Lead, Community and Population Health, Fisher Child Health Equity Center; Director, Population Health/Health Equity Research & Innovation, CCHMC
• Rich Falcone, MD, MPH, MMM – Chief of Staff; Professor, Pediatric Surgery, CCHMC
• Doruk Ozgediz, MD, MSc – Associate Professor; Director, Center for Global Surgery and Health Equity, UCSF
• Ndidi Unaka, MD, MEd – Professor, Hospital Medicine; Medical Director, Quality Improvement and Analytics, Population Health, CCHMC

Application Requirements:

Please send the following to Dr. Kotagal ([email protected]) by January 8, 2024.  

• Personal statement about why you are interested in the fellowship and your future goals
• Two letters of recommendation
• Curriculum vitae

For more information, please contact Dr. Kotagal at [email protected].  

Last Updated: September 2023

Clinical Call Required?: No
Clinical Call Requirements:
Program Length: 2 years
Location: New Hyde Park, NY
Program Director: Samuel Z Soffer, MD
http://www.northshorelij.com/ccmcny/home
Source of Support: Institutional Grants, Private Grants
Program Description: Osteosarcoma remains a clinical challenge. While control of the primary tumor has seen great improvement over the past two decades, many children still succumb to distant metastatic disease. Our lab studies mechanisms of distant metastasis, and ways to perturb this process. In conjunction with researchers at the Feinstein Institute, we are currently focusing on extracellular vesicles as well as tumor associated macrophages and their role in distant metastatic disease.

Last Updated: December 2024

Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements:at least once a week
Program Length: 1 to 2 years
Location: New York City
Program Director: Dr. Chethan Sathya
https://www.northwell.edu/center-for-gun-violence-preventionhttps://www.northwell.edu/chethan-sathya-md
Source of Support: NIH funded, NYS funded, Institutionally funded
Program Description: Successful candidates will have the opportunity to work at the Northwell Center for Gun Violence Prevention. As the largest health system in New York, Northwell has taken a public health approach to gun violence prevention, focusing on key areas such as research, medical education, clinical screening, advocacy and community engagement. Research fellows will have the opportunity to engage in dozens of research studies, including our NIH funded implementation work. They will also have the opportunity to lead and evaluate community initiatives, learn about community participatory research and programmatic implementation, and engage in policy and advocacy work and research if interested. The center has nearly 100 different initiatives that offer fellows diverse opportunities for engagement.

Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements: During the Surgical Critical Care (SCC) year, the fellow will take call as the SCC fellow. During the ECMO/Ethics fellowship year, the fellow will take ECMO call.
Program Length: 2 years
Location: Chicago, IL
Program Director: Grace Mak, MD
http://www.uchicagokidshospital.org/
https://macleanethics.uchicago.edu/fellowship/surgical_ethics
Source of Support: Institutional Grants
Program Description: This unique program combines training in Surgical Critical Care with Ethics and ECMO training. During Year One, the individual will be trained in Surgical Critical Care in our ACGME-accredited fellowship. Individuals choosing to go on to Year Two will complete both the internationally acclaimed Maclean Center Surgical Ethics Fellowship and the dedicated Pediatric ECMO Fellowship within the Department of Surgery at the University of Chicago Medicine. The Maclean Ethics fellowship will include a proposal for a scholarly project to be completed during the fellowship year. During the ethics/ECMO fellowship year, the fellow will participate in ECMO call for new consults and management of patients actively on ECMO.  Support for attendance at selected national conferences is provided. The applicant for this combined program should have a commitment to incorporating surgical ethics into a future career plan.

Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements: Pediatric surgical research fellows will take call for ECMO patients. They will be trained in evaluating infants and children with critical cardiorespiratory illness, and in managing patients during ECMO runs.
Program Length: 1 to 2 years
Location: Chicago, IL
Program Director: Grace Mak, MD
http://www.uchicagokidshospital.org/
Source of Support: Foundation Grants, Institutional Grants, NIH Grants
Program Description: The Pediatric Surgery research fellows will participate in the care of ECMO patients, under the guidance of the ECMO Director (Dr. Johnson). Fellows will have the opportunity to choose and pursue scholarly work in a variety of settings. They may participate in basic science research under the direction of Dr. Kandel, studying the molecular mechanisms of angiogenesis in the context of bacterial infection, and in models of development and tumorigenesis. A wide variety of other scholarly programs available at the University of Chicago include formal ethics fellowships; medical education training; and outcomes research. The goal of the scholarly portion of the experience is to teach fellows how to frame a hypothesis; how to rigorously explore this hypothesis; and how to evaluate data. Ample opportunities are provided for writing and presentation of work locally and nationally.

Last Updated: September 2023

Clinical Call Required?: No
Clinical Call Requirements: Depends on applicant; if yes, 2-4 per month
Program Length: 1 to 2 years
Location: Dayton, OH
Program Director: Arturo Aranda, MD
Source of Support: Institutional Grants
Program Description: This is a 1-2 year fully funded clinical research position in the Center for Surgical Outcomes and Quality based at Dayton Children’s Hospital in Dayton, Ohio. Applicants need to have completed two years of general surgery residency training prior to beginning the fellowship. The fellow will work mainly with the Pediatric Surgery division but may also participate in research projects of other surgical divisions. The fellow will be encouraged to pursue research projects under the supervision of Dayton Children’s Hospital surgical faculty; this will include ongoing projects and ones devised by the fellow.
The Center for Surgical Outcomes and Quality will provide space and logistical support for the fellow for the duration of the fellowship. The Center Director is a pediatric neurosurgeon with a doctorate in clinical epidemiology, and there are two research coordinators each with a Master of Public Health. The Center will provide support in study design and protocol development, IRB submissions, data management and statistical analysis, abstract and manuscript preparation, and presentation of research findings in national and international forums. Funding will be provided to support presentation-related travel.
This position will offer direct participation on ACS and APSA quality programs as well as Children’s Surgery and Trauma verification.
There is the option of sponsoring a Master’s in Public Health from the Wright State University
For more information and/or to apply, please contact Dr. Arturo Aranda at [email protected].

Clinical Call Required:  Yes
Clinical Call Requirements:  Every 5^th day, fellow level call
Program Length:  1-2 years
Location:  Atlanta, GA
Program Director:  Hanna Alemayehu, MD
Source of Support:  Institutional grant
Program Description:  This position is open to current or graduated general surgery residents, interested in a career in pediatric surgery.  The fellow will participate in and lead a variety of clinical research projects including retrospective reviews, database studies, prospective observational studies, and multi-institutional studies.  Opportunities for research exist in the areas of clinical outcomes, surgical equity, quality improvement, pediatric trauma, and pediatric surgical critical care. The fellow will participate in research activities of the CHOA Pediatric Surgery Health Equity Center. Multi-institutional projects are established through the Eastern Pediatric Surgery Network, the PCPLC, PECARN, amongst others institutional collaboratives. The research program is supported by biostatisticians, program coordinators and data analytics.  The fellow will be mentored regularly by pediatric surgery faculty with monthly education in research principles and weekly mentoring meetings with the program director.  Presentations at scientific meetings are encouraged and supported; fellows can expect a highly productive experience.  The fellow will have exposure to pediatric surgery educational conferences, multidisciplinary conferences, operative cases and clinical service.  Applicants must have completed a minimum of an ACGME-accredited PGY 3 general surgery residency to be eligible for the Fellowship.  Residents should send a CV and cover letter outlining their experience, interests and career goals.  Selected applicants will need to provide letters from supporting faculty.  

Last Updated: September 2023

Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements: 5-7 times per month
Program Length: 1 year
Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Program Director: Dr. Christopher Blackmore

https://www.iwk.nshealth.ca/page/health-professionals

Source of Support: Institutional grants through IWK Health Center

Program Description: The IWK Pediatric Surgery Research Fellowship is designed for highly motivated mid or post-general surgery residency candidates interested in becoming independent clinical investigators, as well as future leaders in academic pediatric surgery. Our diverse group of surgeons provide opportunities for research fellows to develop projects related to health care outcome analysis, database analysis, quality improvement studies, and clinical trials for pediatric surgical conditions.

Research fellows are encouraged to initiate and lead independent research projects. In addition, the research fellow will have the opportunity to contribute to established research projects that are in progress at our center. Current research projects relate to a variety of areas including surgical education, quality improvement (ie. reducing wound infection rates), and clinical conditions including congenital airway anomalies, cystic fibrosis, and testicular torsion. For more information, please contact Dr. Blackmore at [email protected].

Last Update: November 2023

Clinical Call Required?: No
Clinical Call Requirements: Opportunities for optional clinical call will depend on experience and performance.
Program Length: 1–2 years
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Program Director: Christopher Snyder, MD, MSPH
Source of Support: Institutional Grants

Program Description: Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital (JHACH) is a 259-bed free-standing children’s hospital and tertiary referral center for Southwest Florida. The research fellow will develop and conduct a variety of clinical and translational research projects. Ongoing projects include clinical trials, prospective observational studies, multicenter research with regional/national research consortia, and outcomes research using large databases encompassing pediatric surgery, education, and trauma. The surgical research program is supported by a dedicated clinical research nurse. The fellow will participate in the JHACH Clinical and Translational Research training program, which provides didactic instruction, structured mentorship, and robust core research resources. These resources include study startup teams, biostatisticians, database managers, and experts in predictive analytics and machine learning.

The program includes tuition funding toward a Master’s of Public Health or similar advanced research-related degree. Degree program options include the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (http://publichealth.jhu.edu ) and the University of South Florida College of Public Health (http://health.usf.edu/publichealth).

From a clinical standpoint, the research fellow is a welcomed member of the Division of Pediatric General & Thoracic Surgery and will participate with the clinical fellows and general surgery residents in weekly academic conferences and operative cases. Depending on clinical performance and interest, the fellow will have unique opportunities to assist the Esophageal & Airway Treatment and Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia teams in the OR, ICU, and outpatient clinic.

Our institution also offers a separate ACGME-accredited 1-year Surgical Critical Care (SCC) fellowship (https://www.hopkinsallchildrens.org/Academics/Education/Office-of-Medical-Education/Fellowship/Pediatric-Surgical-Critical-Care-Fellowship). Options exist for a combined track that involves completing the SCC fellowship before or after the 1-2 year research fellowship. This combined track is highly selective due to the rigorous workload and is only recommended for applicants with strong interest in pursuing future careers in pediatric surgery.

At a minimum, fellowship applicants must have completed 2 clinical years of general surgery residency training (3 years if interested in a combined SCC-research track) in an ACGME-accredited program by the start of fellowship. Interested applicants should send their CV, a one-page personal statement describing their career goals, and two letters of recommendation to Dawn Jones, Program Coordinator [email protected].

Last Updated: September 2023

Clinical Call Required?: No
Clinical Call Requirements: Opportunities available
Program Length: 2 years
Location: Baltimore, MD
Program Director: Shaun M. Kunisaki, MD, MSc
Source of Support: NIH and Institutional Grants
Program Description: Postdoctoral research fellow in organ regeneration at Johns Hopkins Hospital. The overarching mission of our laboratory is to use regenerative medicine technologies, including fetal stem cells and novel biomaterials, to treat surgical diseases in the fetus and neonate. Diseases of special interest include the lung, esophagus, and spinal cord. This research fellowship is designed for general surgery residents and offers an exciting basic science/translational experience. Fellows will gain expertise in research techniques, data analysis, and manuscript writing, and presentation. The experimental studies employ cell culture, rat, mouse, sheep, and human tissues. You will be trained in various molecular biology techniques and then analyze the collected tissues in collaboration with surgeons, developmental biologists, and engineers. Successful applicants will also have the opportunity to participate in pediatric surgery clinical studies and clinical conferences with the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, as time permits. The lab facility is located within the Ross Building located within the Johns Hopkins Medical Campus. The ideal candidate will have some basic science laboratory experience and will have completed the PGY-2 year in an approved general surgery residency program. Interested candidates should email a CV and cover letter describing relevant experience and career goals to [email protected]. Please state explicitly that you can commit to a two-year term of research.

Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements: Negotiable
Program Length: 1 to 2 years to start July, 2023
Location: Memphis, TN
Program Director: Tim Jancelewicz, MD MA MS FAAP FACS, Associate Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics, Director of Research and Associate Program Director, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, University of Tennessee Health Science Center

Shannae Staten 
http://www.lebonheur.org

https://www.uthsc.edu/surgery/pediatric-surgery/ 
Source of Support: Institutional Grants
Program Description: This fellowship is available to individuals interested in obtaining dedicated training in clinical research focused on pediatric surgical conditions. Fellows will gain hands on experience with local, regional, and national prospective trials, outcomes research and large database analyses (e.g. NSQIP-Pediatrics, NTDB, etc.). Emphasis will be placed on study design, implementation, and manuscript and grants preparation. Fellows will be paired with a primary research mentor from amongst six pediatric surgeons involved in research spanning the breadth of pediatric surgical disease. Specific areas of research focus within the Division include health disparities in pediatric surgical outcomes, development and use of clinical pathways in trauma and burn care, neonatal and pediatric critical care, and outcomes and management of congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Coursework in epidemiology & clinical research can be obtained through the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Pursuit of a Master’s degree in Epidemiology may be made available to interested candidates. Requirements: Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Ability to manage multiple projects, tasks and priorities to achieve desired goals. Prior publications and experience with statistical software preferred, but not required. Candidates must have a MD/DO or PhD degree or equivalent. Candidates must be eligible to work in the United States (no visa sponsorship). The position is open to categorical residents that have completed at least two years of residency training. Clinical call on the Pediatric Surgical Service is required. Qualified applications should submit a Personal Statement (1 page) outlining their interest in a research fellowship position and future career goals, a current Curriculum Vitae, and a letter of recommendation from their Program Director. Applications due January 1, 2023.

Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements: One 12-24 hour shift per week
Program Length: 1 to 2 years
Location: Stanford, CA
Program Director: James Dunn
Program Coordinator: Samrawit Gebregziabher
http://pediatricsurgery.stanford.edu/education/innovationpedsurg.html
Source of Support: Institutional Grants, NIH Grants, Training Grants
Program Description: The Division of Pediatric Surgery at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford would like to offer a non ACGME accredited fully funded 1-2 year fellowship. This program is designed for highly motivated mid- or post-general surgery residency candidates interested in becoming successful, independent basic or clinical investigators, and future leaders in academics. The main objective for the fellowship is to graduate individuals who will advance the field of pediatric surgery. Fellows will develop and conduct high-quality research protocols under the guidance of experienced faculty with advanced degrees in basic science and clinical investigation. At the completion of the fellowship, participants will have gained hands-on experience in local, regional and national research, presentation of research results at high-profile professional meetings and publications in peer-reviewed journals. Our diverse faculty allows for the development of a variety of clinical and basic science research interests, reflecting the general nature of our specialty. More specifically, minimal access surgery and endoscopy, bariatric surgery, fetal therapy, short bowel syndrome, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, necrotizing enterocolitis, surgical oncology, vascular anomalies, and large databases analyses such as NSQIP-Pediatrics. The Fellowship is intended to include 70% of research time and 30% of clinical time, and the fellow should work less than 80 hours a week. The Program Coordinator and the Program Director will be in charge of monitoring works hours. Examples of clinical time include: Scrubbing in the operating room for selected cases related to research projects; Participating in selected outpatient specialty clinics; Enrolling patients for clinical trials and participating in the clinical care associated with them; Call schedule participation: Many of the studies we perform include patients that come in after hours, in a more unpredictable fashion, i.e. gastroschisis management, operative versus non operative management of appendicitis, research in trauma, fetal therapy, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, necrotizing enterocolitis, etc. The fellow will also participate in our weekly division meeting that includes our Core Course didactic session, Journal Club, Morbidity and Mortality conference, and different subspecialty conferences with Radiology, Pathology and the Gastrointestinal service. Eligibility: Applicants should have completed at least the PGY-3 year and need minimum 3 years of ACGME-accredited general surgery residency program training by the start of the fellowship. A current curriculum vitae, a statement of interest, and one letter of recommendation from the candidate’s current program director or chair are required. Prior experience with statistical software (i.e. SAS/SPSS) is preferred.

Last Updated: November 2023

Clinical Call Required?:  No
Clinical Call Requirements: n/a
Program Length:  1-2 years

Location:  New York, NY
Program Director and Email:  Joshua Honeyman, MD ([email protected])
Source of Support:  institutional grants
Program Description: The Pediatric Surgery Service of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center offers a research fellowship in pediatric surgical oncology that provides 1 to 2 years of dedicated research training for post-doctoral physicians. The program is focused on providing the essential skills in basic, translational, or clinical research to prepare participants for a career as a surgeon-scientist.  The pediatric surgery service also offers a clinical fellowship which can be combined with the research fellowship

Clinical Call Required?: No
Clinical Call Requirements: N/A
Program Length: 1-2 years
Location: New York, NY
Program Director: Vincent Duron, MD 
https://columbiasurgery.org/pediatrics 
Source of Support: Institutional Foundation Grants
Program Description: We are pleased to offer a one- to two-year fetal research fellowship at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital-Columbia University Irving Medical Center (MSCH-CUIMC). This position is well-suited for a general surgery resident who has completed their second or third year of general surgery residency and has an interest in pursuing a career in pediatric surgery. The fellowship will focus on clinic research projects on fetal diagnosis and therapy – specifically, fetal diagnosis of complex congenital conditions such as congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), congenital pulmonary airway malformation (CPAM), intestinal abnormalities (atresias, duplication cysts), and abdominal wall abnormalities (omphalocele, gastroschisis); and fetal therapy such as fetoscopic myelomeningocele repair and fetal endoluminal tracheal occlusion (FETO) for CDH. The fellow will gain expertise in outcomes research techniques, data analysis, oral presentation, and manuscript writing. The fellow will have access to numerous resources, including biostatistical support from the Mailman School of Public Health, workshops from the Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, and research coordination from the CUIMC department of surgery research core. If time permits, the fellow will have the opportunity to participate in other pediatric surgery endeavors, including research in pediatric trauma and pediatric general and thoracic surgery. Interested applicants should send an email with CV to [email protected].

Clinical Call Required?: No
Clinical Call Requirements: N/A
Program Length: 1-2 years
Location: New York, NY
Program Director: Vincent Duron, MD [email protected] 
https://columbiasurgery.org/pediatrics 
Source of Support: NIH Grant, Institutional Foundation Grants
Program Description: We are pleased to offer a one- to two-year pediatric trauma research fellowship at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital-Columbia University Irving Medical Center (MSCH-CUIMC), a Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center. This position is well-suited for a general surgery resident who has completed their second or third year of general surgery residency and has an interest in pursuing a career in pediatric surgery. Research will focus on prospective studies in pediatric trauma and critical care, including multicenter randomized controlled trials and prospective observational studies. The fellow will gain expertise in clinical trials research and outcomes research techniques, data analysis, oral presentation, and manuscript writing. The fellow will have access to numerous resources, including biostatistical support from the Mailman School of Public Health, workshops from the Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, and research coordination from the CUIMC department of surgery research core. If time permits, the fellow will have the opportunity to participate in other pediatric surgery endeavors, including research in fetal therapy and pediatric general and thoracic surgery. Interested applicants should send an email with CV to [email protected].

Clinical Call Required?: No
Clinical Call Requirements: optional
Program Length: 2 years
Location: Columbus, OH
Program Director: Jennifer H. Aldrink, MD
Source of Support: Institutional Grants
Program Description: Broad-based epidemiology laboratory focused on pediatric surgical oncology study.  Current projects employ a range of methodologies including analyses of large administrative datasets, retrospective single and multi-institutional studies, prospective trial development, quality improvement projects, and prospective longitudinal cohort development. Clinical opportunities include conference attendance and observerships in the operating room and the surgical oncology clinics. Intended for trainees with plans to pursue pediatric surgery and/or pediatric surgical oncology fellowship training.

For information email: [email protected]

Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements: Once a week
Program Length: 2 to 3 years
Location: Columbus, OH
Program Director: Gail Besner
http://www.childrenscolumbus.com
Source of Support: Federal and Private Funding
Program Description: The Besner laboratory has positions available for surgical research fellows. Dr. Besner’s laboratory is located at the Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. The focus of the Besner Laboratory is in two main areas. The first is in the development of novel therapeutic strategies designed to protect the intestines from injury. The translational component of Dr. Besner’s research involves the often devastating disease of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), which results in intestinal necrosis in newborn babies, especially those born prematurely. Experiments are conducted at the molecular biology, cell biology, and whole animal model levels. The long range goal of Dr. Besner’s work is the prophylactic and therapeutic treatment of high-risk neonates in order to prevent and treat NEC. The laboratory utilizes a novel probiotic delivery system that holds great promise for curing the disease. Dr. Besner and her collaborators, working with Scioto Biosciences, have obtained FDA approval to begin human adult clinical trials. Exciting new results using a piglet model of NEC will support the application for newborn clinical trials. Stem cell therapy is also of great interest. The second major focus of the laboratory is on the production of tissue engineered intestine for the treatment of short bowel syndrome, as well as the production of Gut-on-a-Chip. The Besner laboratory provides an excellent research experience for residents interested in intestinal injury, regenerative medicine, ​tissue engineering, and translational research.  Clinical research projects throughout the department are simultaneously conducted and participation is encouraged. Travel to national meetings to present trainee research is fully supported. Research residents trained in the Besner Laboratory have had a superb track record of matching in Pediatric Surgery.

The successful candidate will have an MD or MD/PhD degree. Previous research experience is helpful but not required. The candidate will conduct independent research projects, write manuscripts, assist in the preparation of research grant proposals, and present their research at national meetings. This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a team that is working to translate our research findings from the laboratory to the bedside.

Interested individuals should send a curriculum vitae and a statement of research interests to Dr. Gail Besner at [email protected]. 

Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements:  4 calls per month
Program Length: 1-2 years
Location: Columbus, OH
Program Director:  Brian Kenney, MD 
Source of Support: Institutional Grants
Program Description: The Implementation Science Fellowship focuses on Quality Improvement work related to clinical problems in Pediatric Surgery.  The focus is very broad and includes projects in trauma, critical care, neonatal surgery and hospital management.  Fellows work on hospital based projects but also analyse data from PHIS, NSQIP, TQIP and NTDB as well as other large data sets.  Fellows attend all departmental educational conferences and have additional learning resources related to the conduct of QI and clinical research work.  Hospital call is essential to understanding the QI process which is dedicated to improving health care for children. For information email:  [email protected]

Clinical Call Required?: No
Clinical Call Requirements: N/A
Program Length: 2 – 3 years
Location: Columbus, OH
Program Director: Oluyinka O. Olutoye, MD, PhD
Source of Support: Institutional Grants
Program Description: The Olutoye laboratory is currently looking for a postdoctoral research fellow to start July 1, 2025. The laboratory primarily focuses on developing animal models of fetal anomalies to study disease pathophysiology with the goal of developing innovative diagnostic markers and therapies to correct those anomalies in-utero. Our ongoing projects include a swine model of necrotizing enterocolitis and an ovine model of lower urinary tract obstruction; we are also in the process of developing small animal models of gastroschisis and congenital diaphragmatic hernia.  Additional basic science research projects include studying the mechanisms of anesthesia induced neurotoxicity, inhaled nitric oxide therapy, and fetal wound healing.  Furthermore, we are also involved in a variety of multi-disciplinary clinical research endeavors on fetal and neonatal conditions. 

General surgery residents interested in a career in Pediatric Surgery are encouraged to apply. Prior bench research experience is preferred but not required.  Clinical call is not required however moonlighting opportunities are available within the department for those who are interested. 

Interested individuals should send a curriculum vitae and a statement of research interests to Dr. Olutoye at [email protected]

Clinical Call Required?: No
Clinical Call Requirements: optional
Program Length: 2 to 3 years
Location: Columbus, OH
Program Director: Kyle Van Arendonk
Source of Support: Institutional Grants, T32 training grants
Program Description: Broad-based epidemiology laboratory focused on 3 core areas of pediatric surgical practice: congenital anomalies, acquired diseases, traumatic injuries surgical oncology. Current projects employ range of methodologies including analyses of large administrative datasets such as Medicaid and PHIS; prospective trial development; and prospective longitudinal cohort development. For information email [email protected]

Clinical Call Required?: No
Clinical Call Requirements:
Program Length: 2 years
Location: Columbus, OH
Program Director: Richard Wood, MD
http://www.nationwidechildrens.org/CCPR
Source of Support: Institutional Grants
Program Description: The focus of our research is on outcomes for patients with colorectal problems. We have developed an interactive database across four disciplines, colorectal, urology, gynecology, and GI/motility, and will investigate outcomes in each area, including long term continence, quality of life, renal health, and gynecology. We have developed an international network for outcomes and education with partner colorectal centers and joint projects with these partners are ongoing. Past research experience is not needed, training in surgery with a plan to pursue pediatric surgery. Clinical opportunities include conference attendance and observerships in the operating room and the clinic. For information email [email protected]

Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements: approximately 5-6 calls/month on the General Pediatric Surgery Service
Program Length: 2 years
Location: Wilmington, Delaware
Program Directors: Loren Berman, MD and Peter Minneci, MD MHSc
Contact: [email protected] [email protected]
Source of Support: Institutional Grant
Program Description: In collaboration with the Nemours Surgical Outcomes Center, the Nemours Children’s Hospital – Delaware, Division of General Pediatric Surgery is accepting applications for two Clinical Research Fellows.  The Fellowship is a partnership between Nemours Children’s Health and the Jefferson College of Population Health (JCPH) designed to educate surgical trainees in the fundamentals of health services delivery, public health and population health. It combines clinical care, mentorship, and training with a formal education program. Year one of the fellowship includes tuition for five courses and mentorship leading to a Graduate Certificate from Jefferson College of Population Health at Thomas Jefferson University. The candidate may independently continue their work to pursue any of the following master’s degrees offered at JCPH: Master of Public Health (MPH); Master of Science (MS) in Healthcare Quality and Safety; MS in Operational Excellence; MS in Population Health; MS in Applied Health Economics and Outcomes Research; MS in Health Policy; or an MS in Health Data Science. All MS degrees require classwork and a Capstone project.

At completion of the two-year Fellowship, it is expected the resident will have gained core competency in tools and methods for comparative analysis of evidence, metrics, outcomes, and value-based care in one of the six areas of concentration. A solid educational foundation coupled with hands-on experience will prepare the fellow to independently develop and lead projects within his or her defined area of interest. It is expected that the fellow will present at national society meetings and publish in peer-reviewed journals. Clinical opportunities include division educational conferences as well as on-call opportunities in a busy freestanding children’s hospital. Applicants should have completed a minimum of an ACGME-accredited PGY 2 General Surgery Residency by start of the Fellowship. Residents should send CV with a one-page cover letter outlining their experience, interests and career goals to Dr. Loren Berman ([email protected]). Selected applicants will be asked to provide letters from their Department Chairman and Program Director.   

Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements: approximately 5-6 calls/month on the General Pediatric Surgery Service
Program Length: 2 years
Location: Wilmington, Delaware
Program Directors: Loren Berman, MD and Peter Minneci, MD MHSc
Contact: [email protected] [email protected]
Source of Support: Institutional Grant
Program Description: In collaboration with the Nemours Surgical Outcomes Center, the Nemours Children’s Hospital – Delaware, Division of General Pediatric Surgery is accepting applications for a Quality and Safety fellow. In June 2021 we were verified as a Level 1 Children’s Surgery Center by the American College of Surgeons.  As a Level 1 Center we have a large portfolio of ongoing quality improvement initiatives which the quality and safety fellow will have the opportunity to expand, further develop, and lead, according to his or her interests.  The fellow will gain hands-on experience in QI methodology and project design, supported by Nemours QI specialists and data analysts.  At Nemours we have standardized surgical M&M to identify opportunities for improvement and support loop closure, and our Quality and Safety fellow will participate in this process.

The Fellowship is a partnership between Nemours Children’s Health and the Jefferson College of Population Health (JCPH) designed to educate surgical trainees in the fundamentals of health services delivery, public health and population health. It combines clinical care, mentorship, and training with a formal education program. Year one of the fellowship includes tuition for five courses leading to a Graduate Certificate from JCPH with a concentration in Quality and Safety. The candidate may independently pursue a Master of Science (MS) in Healthcare Quality and Safety. The MS degree requires coursework and a Capstone project.

At completion of the two-year Fellowship, it is expected the resident will have gained experience using data to drive improvements and leading multi-disciplinary teams to create and sustain culture change, and will be well-equipped to lead surgical quality and safety initiatives throughout his or her career. It is expected that the fellow will present at national society meetings and publish in peer-reviewed journals, and represent Nemours as a participant in national quality collaboratives. Clinical opportunities include division educational conferences as well as on-call opportunities in a busy freestanding children’s hospital. Applicants should have completed a minimum of an ACGME-accredited PGY 2 General Surgery Residency by start of the Fellowship. Residents should send CV with a one-page cover letter outlining their experience, interests and career goals to Dr. Loren Berman ([email protected]). Selected applicants will be asked to provide letters from their Department Chairman and Program Director.   

Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements: ECMO call and 3-4 pediatric surgery fellow calls per month
Program Length: 2 years
Location: New York, NY
Program Director: William Middlesworth, MD
http://childrensnyp.org/mschony/services/pediatric-surgery.html
Source of Support: Institutional Grants
Program Description: The combined ECMO/research fellowship is designed to provide training and instruction in both clinical and basic science realms. Time is divided between the basic research interests of the divisional faculty (studying vascular biology in pediatric solid tumors, vascular malformations, and health services research projects) and the clinical care of the pediatric ECMO patients. The lab experience is under the supervision of funded investigators, focused on a variety of potential projects. This experience is complemented by participation in the weekly didactic conferences of the Division of Pediatric Surgery. The clinical component of the fellowship involves primary responsibility for the care of neonatal and pediatric ECMO patients. The fellow will care for critically ill patients in the PICU and NICU and learn the technical and physiologic aspects of advanced technology available in extracorporeal circuits. This position is ideal for general surgery residents seeking a research/clinical position in the middle of residency (after PGY2 or PGY3 year) with an interest in pursuing pediatric surgery fellowship.

Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements: 1 in 5
Program Length: 1 to 2 years
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Program Director: Benjamin Padilla, MD, Jason Fraser, MD
Program Administrator: Amy Bailey
Source of Support: Institutional Grants
Program Description: Phoenix Children’s is a rapidly growing hospital system that is invested pediatric research. The Phoenix Children’s Clinical Research Fellowship provides surgical research fellows the opportunity to perform impactful mentored research in quality, outcomes, and clinical trials throughout the scope of pediatric surgery and trauma. This includes opportunities to serve as primary investigator, as well as co-investigator, for multi-institutional research studies. Operative experience while on call for general pediatric surgery is included. There are 2 fellowships available. 

Institution Name: Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health
Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements: Approximately 1 in 8
Program Length: 2 years
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Program Director: Troy A. Markel, MD
Program Website: https://www.rileychildrens.org/departments/pediatric-surgery
Source of Support:  Institutional funding
Program Description: This opportunity is open to general surgery residents interested in a career in academic pediatric surgery. Fellows will conduct and participate in a variety of clinical research projects. Recent interests cover the broad field of pediatric surgery, including outcomes after common pediatric procedures such as appendectomy and fundoplication, and questions related to the optimal delivery of pediatric surgical- and trauma care. Fellows also have the opportunity to participate in projects from the Midwest Pediatric Surgery Consortium, an 11 hospital Midwest collaborative designed to pool data for rare pediatric surgical diseases.  Fellows will meet with their research mentor weekly to discuss progress and issues associated with their work. Lectures, group discussions, and structured readings in clinical research methodology, epidemiology, and statistics will be part of the training program. Presentations at scientific meetings will be encouraged and supported. Fellows will also have some exposure to our clinical service, including opportunities to operate and participate in the senior resident call schedule.

Institution Name: Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health
Clinical Call Required?: No
Clinical Call Requirements: 
Program Length: 2 years
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Program Director: Troy A. Markel, MD 
Program Website: None
Source of Support:  Extramural NIH grants and Institutional funding
Program Description: The Pediatric Surgery Basic and Translational Sciences Laboratory, directed by Troy Markel, is focused on the use of progenitor cells and hydrogen sulfide donor compounds for the therapy of pediatric intestinal disorders, including necrotizing enterocolitis and intestinal ischemia.  Studies focus on the paracrine release of hydrogen sulfide from stem cells as a crucial mediator in intestinal protection.  Recent collaborations with chemists at Notre Dame and large animal veterinarians at Purdue have allowed for the development of the Piglet Intensive Care Unit (PIgCU) to study hydrogen sulfide gas release from stem cells in a large animal model of necrotizing enterocolitis.  Areas of interest have a strong focus on translational research through the use of human stem cell lines, drug development, and animal models, but also through the use of intestinal tissue, blood and stool samples obtained from the operating rooms and NICU. Riley Hospital is one of 8 institutions that contribute to the Necrotizing Enterocolitis Biorepository, where thousands of patient samples are housed for research investigation.  Research fellows will participate in weekly lab meetings and mentoring sessions and have the opportunity to participate in bench experiments, data analysis, manuscript writing, and the presentation of findings at national meetings. Interested candidates should contact Troy Markel at [email protected]

Last Updated: September 2023

Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements: 1 night per week and 1 weekend per month of fellow level call (with clinical fellow available for back up at all times)
Program Length: 1 to 2 years
Location: Seattle, WA
Program Director: Patrick Javid, MD
Source of Support: Institutional Grants
Program Description: 3 research fellowship positions are available. All positions are internally funded. Our faculty members have a wide variety of research interests including global health; diversity and equity in surgery; long-term outcomes in intestinal failure including quality of life; outcomes research using multicenter datasets; clinical outcomes in CDH and pediatric ECLS; pediatric colorectal disease; and pediatric aerodigestive disorders. The 2 year fellowship allows the time to obtain an optional MPH from the University of Washington for those interested. Tuition is the responsibility of the fellow but is at a reduced rate. There is also the opportunity to work on numerous clinical projects with faculty throughout the division.

Last Updated: September 2023

Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements: 1 night per week and 1 weekend per month of fellow level call (with clinical fellow available for back up at all times)
Program Length: 2 years
Location: Seattle, WA
Program Director:  Sarah Greenberg, MD, MPH ([email protected])
Source of Support: Hospital Leadership
Program Description:  One equity-based research fellowship position is available for a Surgical Services Equity Research Fellow (SSERF). This position is integrated into the multidisciplinary research efforts of the Seattle Children’s Hospital (SCH) Department of Surgery, the equity and antiracism efforts of SCH, and the growing focus on health equity throughout the United States. The goal of this work is to help realize equity and excellence in pediatric surgical care delivery for all children with surgical needs via multidisciplinary, collaborative efforts in research, advocacy, and policy change through the domains of equity, antiracism, global surgery, and planetary health. The position is based in the Department of General and Thoracic Surgery at SCH, but may span all surgical divisions with local, regional, national and global foci. This position is internally funded with salary support provided at a PGY II or III level. It includes a robust package of support for statistics, data analytics, publications, and travel for associated research presentations and policy work. The two-year fellowship allows the time to obtain an MPH from the University of Washington for those interested. Tuition is the responsibility of the fellow but can be obtained at a reduced rate. 

Institution Name: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Clinical Call Required?: No
Clinical Call Requirements: n/a
Program Length: 1 – 2 years
Location: Memphis, TN
Program Director: Lindsay Talbot, [email protected]
Program Website: Pediatric Surgical Oncology Fellowship – St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Source of Support: Institutionally funded
Program Description: Basic and translational research in pediatric solid tumor biology and therapy

Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements: 4-5
Program Length: 1-2 years
Location: St. Louis, MO
Program Director: Shin Miyata, MD
Source of Support: Institutional Grants
Program Description: SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital of St. Louis University is offering a Research Fellowship in Pediatric Surgery, ideal for a current PGY2/PGY3 seeking research experience during their surgical residency. The position is a fully funded two-year onsite research fellowship with an established Pediatric Surgery team with a track record for academic productivity and research interests including pediatric trauma, short bowel disease and intestinal rehabilitation, pediatric social determinants of health and educational research. This fellowship program includes clinical/patient care as candidates take part of the senior trauma resident call pool, covering pediatric surgery consults and trauma activations during their shifts. The fellow will also interact with junior residents from St. Louis University who rotate on our service, and take an integral part in their education and training while here. The fellow will receive training and gain experience in: Study design and methodology, critical analyses, abstract preparation/manuscript publication/research presentation and career development training. Resources and benefits include: Personalized mentorship, access to large databases along with statistical support, administrative support, salary that commensurates with PGY level and medical benefits. Although this opening is immediately available, the start day for the position is negotiable.

Eligible candidates must hold an MD/DO degree and should have completed at least 2 years of surgical residency training (current PGY2 or PGY3). International candidates must have completed their general surgery training in their native country. All candidates must have passed their USMLE Step 1, 2, and 3. A categorical position at a home institution is preferred. Prior research experience and interest in pediatric surgery or trauma is strongly preferred.
Interested candidates should forward the following to [email protected]:

Current CV, medical school diploma, USMLE transcripts, ECFMG certificate (if applicable), TWO letters of recommendation, and ABSITE scores (if any).

Please route all communications about this position to [email protected].

Last Updated: April 2024

Clinical Call Required?: No
Clinical Call Requirements: None
Program Length: 2 years
Location: Baltimore, MD
Program Director and Email:  David Hackam, MD, PhD – Chief of Pediatric Surgery
Source of Support: NIH T32 Grant
Program Description: We are excited to announce an exciting, fully funded research fellowship in the lab of Dr. David Hackam, studying the pathogenesis of necrotizing enterocolitis. The trainee will benefit from a diverse, multi-disciplinary team, and will learn cutting edge translational scientific techniques and animal models in order to advance our understanding of this devastating disease. The trainee will also have the opportunity to perform clinical research, and to be fully immersed in the educational activities of the Division of General Pediatric Surgery at Hopkins in Baltimore, while also receiving funding from a prestigious T32 NIH grant. No prior research training or experience is necessary.

Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements: 1:4 to 1:5
Program Length: 1 to 2 years
Location: Birmingham, AL
Program Director: Robert Russell
Source of Support: Institutional Grants
Program Description: Clinical outcomes research, possibility for advanced degree (MPH, MSPH)

Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements: one 24-hour period per month
Program Length: 1 to 2 years
Location: Birmingham, AL
Program Director: Elizabeth Beierle
Source of Support: Institutional Grants, NIH Grants
Program Description: Basic science research studying tumor biology: Pediatric Solid Tumors

Last Updated: September 2023

Clinical Call Required?: No
Clinical Call Requirements:
Program Length: 1 to 2 years
Location: Sacramento, CA
Program Director: Dr. Diana Farmer
Lab manager, Chris Pivetti
https://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/surgery/research/index.html
Source of Support: Institutional Grants
Program Description: The Surgical Bioengineering Lab is co-directed by Dr. Diana Farmer, world renown fetal and pediatric surgeon. The lab conducts basic science and translational research focused on novel treatment of fetal and pediatric diseases. Specific projects include participation in the Cellular Therapy for In Utero Repair of Myelomeningocele (CuRe) clinical trial that examines the use of placental derived stem cells for the treatment of fetal myelomeningocele.  Efficacy studies of bioengineered scaffolds for fetal treatment of myelomeningocele in a sheep model. Additional projects utilize small animal models of myelomeningocele and spinal cord injury. Residents will have the opportunity to participate in small and large animal surgeries, cell culture, histologic processing, bench experiments, data analysis, manuscript writing, and the presentation of results at national meetings. In addition, residents will participate in weekly lab meetings, pediatric surgery clinical conferences, clinical research meetings, and monthly journal club.

Last Updated: September 2023

Clinical Call Required?: No
Clinical Call Requirements: None required, but opportunities may be available if desired
Program Length: 1 to 2 years
Location: San Francisco, CA
Program Director: Tippi MacKenzie, MD
Valerie Dougherty
https://mfprecision.ucsf.edu/fellowship
Source of Support: Private Grants
Program Description: One- to two-year, fully-funded research fellowship for general surgery residents, PGY2+.

The UCSF Center for Maternal-Fetal Precision Medicine fellowship will support research focused on fetal diagnosis and fetal molecular therapies. This opportunity is open to individuals who are currently in or have recently completed a residency in General Surgery or Obstetrics/Gynecology, as well as exceptional postdoctoral candidates from other fields. The Center pursues an ambitious agenda to transform the field of maternal-fetal medicine. Research activities of the Center are organized around genetics, fetal immunology, and molecular therapies.  Projects undertaken during the fellowship will depend on the interests and experience of the fellow and may range from basic to translational to clinical research. Individuals interested in the development and implementation of new fetal molecular therapies (such as stem cell or gene therapy/editing) are encouraged.

The annual deadline is June 1 for a fellowship beginning the following July.

Last Updated: September 2023

Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements: Five Nights per Month
Program Length: 2 years
Location: Oakland, CA
Program Director: Aaron Jensen
https://pedsurg.ucsf.edu/
Source of Support: Institutional Grants
Program Description: A two-year surgical research experience funded by Institutional Support

For residents interested in pediatric surgery and pediatric trauma.  This clinical research fellowship focuses on trauma outcomes, trauma quality improvement, and implementation science within the context of the national trauma system.  Research fellows will have opportunities to develop and conduct their own independent projects, participate in ongoing prospective observational trials, and collaborate with our biostatistical team to design and implement large retrospective registry studies, as well as design and participate in multi-institutional trials.  Clinical call includes operative experience on the pediatric general surgery service at our freestanding Level 1 pediatric trauma center. 

The annual deadline is October 1 for a fellowship beginning the following year.

Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements: approximately six 12 hour shifts per month, plus clinical fellow coverage
Program Length: 1-2 years
Location: Buffalo, NY
Program Director: Ben Ham MD, MS
Source of Support: Institutional Grants and Clinical/Moonlighter Call Funds
Program Description: In collaboration with the University at Buffalo, State University of New York, and John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital under Kaleida Health, the Division of Pediatric Surgery invites applications for two positions annually for a Pediatric Surgery Research Fellowship. Our program offers a rich array of opportunities spanning quality improvement initiatives, educational endeavors, and innovative projects in clinical research,  health information technology and artificial intelligence.  As a designated NSQIP-Pediatric Center, we are committed to ongoing quality enhancement initiatives, affording the selected fellow the unique chance to help spearhead and cultivate these endeavors. Additionally, other projects integrate clinical, educational and health information technology components, aimed at enhancing both resident training experiences and patient care outcomes. Moreover, we are proud recipients of grant funding allocated for groundbreaking surgical artificial intelligence studies, bolstered by support from New York State’s Empire AI Consortium.

This research fellowship program amalgamates clinical exposure, mentorship, didactic education, and comprehensive training.  During periods of the clinical Pediatric Surgery Fellow’s absence, the research fellow will assume clinical responsibilities and actively participate in leading the clinical team.  Throughout the research fellowship, the fellow will participate in all educational conferences hosted by the division. Weekly mentorship sessions with faculty and research meetings are integral components of the experience.  The fellow is expected to adeptly lead both clinical and research teams comprising residents, medical students, and auxiliary support staff. Furthermore, presentations at national and international society meetings, coupled with publication in peer-reviewed journals, is an expectation.  Applicants should have completed at least an ACGME-accredited PGY-3 General Surgery Residency upon commencement of the fellowship. Interested residents are requested to submit their curriculum vitae along with a succinct one-page cover letter delineating their pertinent experiences, interests, and career aspirations to Dr. Ben Ham ([email protected]). Selected candidates will be subsequently requested to furnish letters of recommendation from their Department Chairman and Program Director.

Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements: 1-2 calls/week
Program Length: 2 years
Location: Buffalo, NY
Program Director:  Andrew Nordin, MD
Source of Support: Institutional Foundation funding
Program Description: The John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital Department of Pediatric Surgery is accepting applicants for the Pediatric Trauma Research Fellowship. Oishei Children’s Hospital is an ACS-verified Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center, and the only children’s hospital in the Western New York region. The research fellow will lead research and projects related to pediatric trauma across the continuum of care. We have solid research infrastructure which allows the fellow the opportunity to work on institutional projects, including retrospective studies and quality improvement projects; database studies using TQIP, NYSQIP, and statewide data; and multicenter research initiatives through the New York State Pediatric Research Consortium. Additionally, the fellow will actively participate in the trauma program in the areas of quality assurance, process improvement, and regular simulations. Finally, the fellow is also able to engage in clinical care at the senior resident/fellow level, including opportunities to operate.
Qualifications: must have a minimum of 3 years’ experience in general surgery and be able to obtain a New York State medical license. 

Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements: every 4th
Program Length: 1 to 2 years
Location: Little Rock, AR
Program Director: Sid Dassinger
Program Coordinator: Cynthia McHargue

http://www.archildrens.org
Source of Support: Institutional Grants
Program Description: surgical quality implementation and outcomes; appendicitis animal models; role of access to care and social determinants of health in pediatric surgery

Institution Name: University of Connecticut, Connecticut Children’s
Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements: 3-4 times per month
Program Length: 1 year
Location: Hartford, Connecticut
Program Director: Christine Finck, MD; FACS; [email protected]
Program Website: https://www.connecticutchildrens.org/pediatricsurgery

https://www.connecticutchildrens.org/education-training/fellowships/pediatric-surgery-fellowship

Source of Support:  Position is fully supported through internal hospital funds
Program Description: 

Basic Science Research:

The research in the Finck Laboratory focuses on various pediatric and neonatal diseases that originate from congenital defects. Specifically, premature lung disease is a complex problem and the ability to engineer “lung” is challenging. The lab is focused on finding novel ways to study and treat premature lungs through 3D bioprinting, stem cell technology and extracellular vesicles.  In addition, esophageal atresia repair is plagued by lifelong esophageal dysmotility. In long gap esophageal atresia, optimal methods to bridge the gap in tissue with native tissue is lacking. The laboratory is focused on novel scaffolds to bioengineer an esophagus with optimal motility which would improve a patient’s quality of life.  

Clinical Science Research:

Clinical research opportunities are available to study surveillance patterns and quality of life in esophageal atresia patients, injury prevention in children, impact of bariatric surgery in children, and thyroid disease in children. Connecticut Children’s participates in consortiums designed to promote collaboration and evaluation of rare diseases. We are part of the Eastern Pediatric Surgery Network, NSQIP, as well as a variety of others.

Clinical Call Required: No
Clinical Call Requirements: N/A
Program Length: 2 years
Location: Nashville, TN
Program Director: Monica E. Lopez, MD, MS
Source of Support: Institutional Grants
Program Description:

The Department of Pediatric Surgery at Vanderbilt is accepting applications for a clinical research fellowship beginning July 1, 2025. Select applicants who are available immediately will be considered. This 2-year program is designed for highly motivated mid- or post-residency candidates interested in becoming successful, independent clinical investigators and future leaders in academic pediatric surgery. Fellows will develop and conduct high-quality clinical research under the guidance of experienced faculty with advanced degrees in clinical investigation. The department of pediatric surgery consist of ten faculty members whose research interests span the breadth of pediatric surgery, including surgical oncology, genomics and surgical diseases, surgical innovation, trauma, critical care, ECMO, disaster preparedness, endocrine surgery, surgical quality, and informatics.
There is an opportunity to tailor the fellow’s experience to have a specific focus on the conduct of multi-institutional clinical and translational informatics research projects. At the completion of the fellowship participants will have gained hands-on experience with local, regional, and national prospective trials, health services and outcomes research, quality improvement implementation, and value-based surgical care initiatives. Fellows will develop specific skills on study design, implementation, data analysis, scientific presentation, manuscript, and grants preparation. Prompt engineering skill development is also available. Fellows will join the research team within the Surgical Outcomes Center for Kids (SOCKs) which was established in 2015 to provide surgeon- scientists with a readily accessible research infrastructure to support the implementation, facilitation, and dissemination of clinical research. The team includes dedicated clinical research specialists for each of the pediatric surgical disciplines and provides a comprehensive array of tools and resources through the pre-research phase, study period, and in the dissemination phase. Research Fellows will also have access to numerous medical and scientific resources and opportunities for additional coursework at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital and throughout the Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

The position is open to categorical residents who have completed at least two years of an ACGME- accredited general surgery residency program by the start of the fellowship. Pre-requisites: excellent verbal and written communication skills; ability to manage multiple projects, tasks, and priorities to achieve desired goals. Artificial intelligence experience preferred but not required. Prior publications and experience with statistical software are preferred, but not required. Candidates must be eligible to work in the United States. Pay and benefits will be commensurate with NIH guidelines for post- doctoral fellows. A current curriculum vitae and a statement of interest are required. Selected candidates will be asked to provide a letter of recommendation from their current program director and/or chair.

Western Pediatric Surgery Research Consortium Scholar
1975 4th Street
San Francisco, CA 94158

Director: Sarah B Cairo, MD MPH
Director’s Email: [email protected]
Director’s Phone: (708)917-9359
Additional Contact: Christopher Tognotti
Additional Contact Email: [email protected]
Additional Contact Phone:
Available Positions Beginning Academic Year 2026: 1
Program Website: https://www.westernpedsurg.com
Current fellow: [email protected]

The Western Pediatric Surgery Research Consortium (WPSRC) was established in 2017 by the Departments of Surgery from 10 children’s hospitals in the Western United States. The purpose of the Consortium is to work collaboratively to perform clinical research on diseases and conditions that are rare, which would not be possible to perform at a single institution. The goal of WPSRC is to improve the care of patients through the development of high-quality evidence-based research that ultimately leads to advancing best practice, improving quality, and decreasing cost burden. This is a 2-year research commitment to the WPSRC housed at the University of San Francisco starting July 2026. We expect this person to fulfill a combination of clinical, research, and academic requirements during their tenure. In addition to WPSRC projects, the fellow will be expected to initiate and complete projects focusing on pediatric trauma in collaboration with the UCSF pediatric trauma research program. The fellowship will include clinical call at the Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland and a Master’s Degree. This person should have completed at least 3 years of general surgery training. Feel free to reach out if you have questions about this program.

If interested, please send a CV, cover letter, and a letter of support from your institution to Sarah Cairo, MD MPH. Applications are due by January 15, 2025.

Last Updated: September 2023

Clinical Call Required?: Yes
Clinical Call Requirements: 2-4 times per month
Program Length: 2 years
Location: Houston, TX
Program Director: KuoJen Tsao
https://med.uth.edu/pediatricsurgery
Source of Support: Institutional Grants
Program Description: The Center for Surgical Trials and Evidence-based Practice (C-STEP) is accepting applications for a 2-year clinical research fellowship. The program is established for surgical residents interested in a career in academic clinical health services research with a focus in pediatric surgery. Fellows will obtain a Master’s Degree in a Clinical Research established by the Center for Evidenced-based Medicine and Clinical Research at UTHSC. The Master’s program curriculum focuses on training clinical investigators in designing and conducting patient-oriented research of high quality. In addition to the educational foundation, fellows will work with established faculty mentors with advanced degrees in clinical research to develop expertise in the scientific research process. Dr. Tsao’s research program focuses on health services research in patient safety and quality improvement in pediatric surgery. Research is conducted through clinical trials, database/registries, and observational trials. Research fellows integrate with his clinical research team that consists of two clinical research nurses, quality improvement specialists (Lean/Six Sigma), and the hospital-based quality improvement team. Research fellows assist in leading the medical student research curriculum and actively participate in hospital-based quality improvement initiatives. Applicants should have completed the PGY-2 year minimum as a categorical resident in an ACGME-accredited general surgery residency program by the start of the fellowship. Pay and benefits are commensurate to PGY year and in accordance with NIH guidelines for post-doctoral fellows. A current curriculum vitae and a letter of recommendation from the candidate’s current program director and chairman is required.