Overview of Program
The Pediatric Emergency Medicine, or PEM, Fellowship at the University of Florida in Gainesville offers fellows from both pediatrics and emergency medicine backgrounds a rigorous and diverse training experience. Upon completion of the 3-year PEM Fellowship (2 years if coming from Emergency Medicine), our graduates will be Pediatric Emergency physicians who excel in the management of the acutely ill and injured child and have the foundation necessary to become accomplished teachers, scholarly investigators, and skilled administrators. The Pediatric Emergency Department team has a vision of championing superior, compassionate, emergency care to all children and families in times of crisis and the PEM Fellows graduating from our program will embody these traits as they continue their journey.
UF Health Children’s hospital is the only quaternary-care academic pediatric center in North Florida which provides a robust clinical experience to the PEM fellows. This is supplemented with hands-on courses, such as the airway workshop and rare procedure workshops, in addition to an extensive simulation curriculum at our dedicated simulation center: UF Center for Experiential Learning and Simulation, as well as external rotations through affiliated departments such as the Pediatric Critical Care, Congenital Heart Center and Intensive Care Unit, Sports Medicine, to name a few.
Mission and Vision
Our pediatric emergency medicine fellowship program focuses on the delivery of extraordinary clinical care with an emphasis on academics and research in an effort to prepare graduates to care for children in both academic or community environments upon their graduation. Not only will our fellows graduate with the clinical experiences and knowledge base to care for pediatric emergency patients, but also the research, teaching, and administrative skills necessary to thrive in whatever environment they choose to practice in after graduation.
Goals and Purpose
Clinical
- Demonstrate expert, evidence-based approach care of pediatric patients presenting to the emergency department with both common and life-threatening disease processes
- Demonstrate competence in emergency medicine procedures
- Demonstrate the skills necessary to prioritize and manage the emergency care of multiple patients
Research
- Acquire skills and knowledge to become an effective investigator and utilize research to improve patient care
- Complete an individual scholarly activity project
- Generate a written work product in accordance with the criteria for scholarly activity of the American Board of Pediatrics
Teaching
- Acquire the skills and knowledge to become an effective educator
- Create pediatric emergency medicine curriculum
- Contribute to educational conferences at the local, regional, state and national levels
- Educate medical students, residents, nurses and consultants in the clinical environment
Administrative
- Develop familiarity with the administrative issues affecting the practice of pediatric emergency medicine
- Participate in quality improvement project
- Develop knowledge of risk management, policy making and day-to-day operations of a pediatric emergency medicine department
Why Us?
UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital is the #1 Children’s Hospital in Florida (U.S. News & World Report) and is in the top 5 children’s Hospital in the Southeast. With 208 beds, separate Pediatric Medical and Pediatric Cardiac ICU (Intensive Care Unit) as well as a Neonatal ICU, the children’s hospital is home to more than 20 pediatric specialties. In addition, UF Health Shands Hospital is ranked in more adult and pediatric specialties combined than any other hospital in the state. With a designated Level I Trauma Center, Burn Center, Comprehensive Stroke Center and STEMI Receiving Center, UF Health is among the Top 5 in acuity for U.S. academic institutions.
With our diverse faculty, our PEM fellows will have dedicated resources to foment their scholarly aspirations and discover where their strengths lie. They will have multiple avenues for teaching, research, and advocacy. As a PEM fellow at UF, they will directly experience a full spectrum of pediatric disease processes from low acuity ear infections to medically complex post cardiac surgery to trauma alerts.
Faculty Publications
Eligibility
This program accepted two fellows for its inaugural class beginning in the 2022 academic year. There is an additional position open to accept another fellow for the 2023 academic year. Residency training in General Pediatrics or Emergency Medicine must be from an ACGME accredited program and completed by the time of matriculation. Applicants must be board-eligible or board certified. This program does not accept J-1 Visa applicants at this time. Once a letter of offer is extended, employment will be contingent on a positive result from a criminal background screening and procurement/maintenance of a Florida Medical License.
Key Curriculum Themes
- Pediatric Cardiac ICU
- Toxicology
- Pediatric and Adult Trauma
- Sports Medicine
- Ultrasound
- Comprehensive Simulation Training with option for certification
- EMS: ground and flight
- Global Health Medicine
Salary and Benefits
2022-2023 Housestaff Annual Stipends
PGY 4 – $64,577.00
PGY 5 – $67,271.00
PGY 6 – $70,060.00
PGY 7+ – $72,682.00
Benefits
Generous stipend for academic enhancement and conference attendance/presentations.
GatorBites meal program.
Four weeks of paid vacation.
Fellows are employed by the University of Florida College of Medicine and are considered to be PGY4-7+ housestaff for salary and benefit purposes. Please see the Housestaff Benefits webpage for more information on insurance, retirement plan, leave policy, malpractice insurance, and additional services included.
Moonlighting opportunities within the UF Health system for both Pediatric and Emergency Medicine trained physicians as OBS Providers in the Pediatric ED (once primary boards are passed) for additional income. Emergency Medicine trained physicians may moonlight at the two freestanding EDs (Springhill and Kanapaha), as well. All moonlighting shifts are covered by malpractice insurance and sovereign immunity.
Application Process
This fellowship program participates in the NRMP Match. Applications should be submitted through ERAS (ACGME ID: 1141111001). Applications should include three letters of recommendation (one from the resident program director if currently a resident), the applicant’s CV and a personal statement (not to exceed one page). Any questions regarding applying should be directed to our fellowship program coordinator below.
Applications may only be submitted between August 1, 2022, and October 31, 2022; and Match Day will happen on November 30, 2022.
Program Faculty & Staff
Program Director
Tricia B Swan M.D., M.Ed., FAAP, FACEP
Associate Program Director
Maritza Plaza-Verduin M.D., FAAP
Other PEM Faculty
Colleen K Gutman M.D.
Carolyn K Holland M.D., M.Ed., FACEP, FAAP
Judy K Lucas M.D.
Candice A Norman M.D.
Mary D Patterson M.D., M.Ed.
Sakina Sojar M.D.
Cristina M Zeretzke-Bien M.D., FAAP, FAAEM, FACEP
Fellowship Program Coordinator
Zach Frey
Current Fellows
- 2022-2025
Joon Choi D.O., FAAP