Neonatal Neurocritical Care Fellowship

The Neonatal Neurocritical Care (NNCC) Fellowship at Northwestern University McGaw Medical Center is a one-year advanced training program designed for physicians specializing in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, or Child Neurology. This fellowship offers in-depth expertise in fetal neurology and managing neonates with complex neurological conditions, advanced neuromonitoring techniques, and long-term neurodevelopmental follow-up.

The Neonatal Neurocritical Care (NNCC) Fellowship at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neurology invites applications from candidates interested in this advanced training.

video: meet Fellowship Director, Andrea Pardo, MD

The Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago is a 360-bed, free-standing children’s hospital that serves the city of Chicago and beyond. It houses the 60-bed Lefkofsky Family Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, the 48-bed Regenstein Cardiac Care unit and the 64-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The Northwestern Medicine Prentice Woman's Hospital houses an 86-bed Renée Schine Crown Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. It is a national leader for pediatric subspecialty care and is consistently ranked in the U.S. News & World Report Best Children’s Hospitals Honor Roll.

Curriculum for Physician Fellow

The NNCC Fellowship provides an immersive experience in clinical care, research, and education within Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and Northwestern Medicine’s Prentice Women’s Hospital.

Fellows gain training in:

Fetal neurology through the Chicago Institute for Fetal Health
Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) management, including therapeutic hypothermia
Neonatal seizures, including continuous EEG monitoring and seizure management
Neonatal stroke, intracranial hemorrhage, and congenital brain malformation
Neuroprotective strategies for critically ill neonates
Multimodal neuromonitoring, including amplitude-integrated EEG (aEEG), continuous EEG (cEEG), and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)
Neurodevelopmental follow-up and early intervention strategies and rehabilitation

Fellows work within a multidisciplinary team, including neonatologists, pediatric neurologists, physiatrists, maternofetal medicine, neuroradiologists, geneticists, neurosurgeons, and developmental specialists to provide comprehensive care for neonates at high risk for neurological injury.

Clinical Training
Fellows participate in high-acuity Neonatal Neurocritical Care consult services across multiple clinical settings:

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) rotations, including advanced neurocritical care rounds
Fetal Neurology Consult Service through the Chicago Institute for Fetal Health
Outpatient Neonatal Neurology, Rehabilitation and Neurodevelopmental Follow-Up Clinics

Fellows gain expertise in:

Advanced neurophysiological monitoring (EEG and NIRS interpretation)
Point-of-care neuroimaging, including cranial ultrasound.
Neuroradiology techniques - MRI and CT. Management of neonatal status epilepticus and stroke.
Genetic and metabolic disorders affecting the neonatal brain.
Long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes, early diagnosis CP clinic, and family counseling.

The fellowship emphasizes family-centered care, including perinatal palliative care, parental counseling, and shared decision-making in neonatal neurocritical care.

Didactics for Fellows

Fellows participate in formal didactic training, including:

Weekly neonatal neurocritical care conferences
Multidisciplinary case discussions and journal clubs
Neuroradiology conferences
Fetal Assessment conferences
Neurobiology of disease

Research

Focused clinical research will be encouraged and there are ample opportunities and mentors within the Division of Neurology and Divison of Neonatology.

Each fellow is paired with faculty mentors for career guidance, research support, and professional development.The fellowship will include support for attendance to present research at a national meeting.

Application Process

Eligibility:
- Completion of an ACGME-accredited fellowship in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, or Child Neurology
- Commitment to pursuing a career in Neonatal Neurocritical Care

Fellowship Duration:
- 12 months (1 fellow per year)

How to Apply:
Applicants must submit:
Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Personal Statement
Three Letters of Recommendation

Application Timeline:

Feb/March- Application Cycle Open/Invitations extended
March/April- Virtual Interviews
First week of May – Offers extended

Submit applications and inquiries to:

Dr. Andrea Catalina Pardo, MD
Program Director, Neonatal Neurocritical Care Fellowship
Feinberg School of Medicine | Northwestern University
apardo@luriechildrens.org
312-227-3550

Or

Dr. Laura Vernon, MD
Associate Program Director
Feinberg School of Medicine | Northwestern University
lvernon@luriechildrens.org
312-227-3550

For additional information, please contact:
Zulaika Guzman
zguzman@luriechildrens.org

Advocacy

Discover the many ways our faculty are impacting children's health beyond the hospital.

Global Health

Each year, as many as 20 third-year pediatric residents travel to Bugando Medical Center in Mwanza, Tanzania, to participate in an educational initiative that provides exposure to the management of complex pediatric diseases in a low-resource setting. Learn more about this extraordinary opportunity.

Why Northwestern?

Millennium Park in Chicago Housestaff training through McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University provides diverse and challenging clinical experiences and world-class education located in the heart of the beautiful city of Chicago.

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