Department of Pediatrics: Infectious Disease Fellow Education

The Division of Pediatric Infectious Disease has a long tradition of training fellows in the subspecialty. Since 1965 86 fellows have completed training in infectious diseases, 80% whom are involved in teaching and research in university-affiliated medical centers.

The purposes of the training program are to provide a background in laboratory techniques of classical microbiology, immunology and molecular biology, to provide experience in application of the scientific method to clinical and laboratory research, and to develop competence in diagnosis and management of infectious diseases. Clinical training is in the form of consultations, rounds and conferences, and outpatient Infectious Diseases and HIV Clinics.

The Division of Pediatric Infectious Disease is comprised of nine (9) active faculty members, each of whom has specific research and clinical interests:

Jeffrey S. Kahn, M.D., Ph.D. (Coronavirusus, influenza viruses, parinfluenza viruses; Emerging pathogens; Respiratory syncytial virus, human metapneumovirus; Rhabdoviral vectors and vaccines; Rhinoviruses, human parvoviruses, human polyomaviruses)

Monica Ardura, D.O. (MRSA clinical trails)

Theresa Barton, M.D.(vaccine studies, HIV/AIDS)

Michelle Gill, MD, PhD. (ontogeny of immune responses to RSV infection)

George H. McCracken, Jr., M.D. (clinical pharmacology, clinical trials)

Jeffrey McKinney, M.D. (Infections in immunocompromised hosts; zoonoses. medical education, infectious disease pathogenesis)

Pablo Sanchez, M.D. (congenital syphilis and neonatal infections)

Jane D. Siegel, M.D. (pediatric infection control, neonatal bacterial infections)

Each trainee is instructed in all relevant basic laboratory methods, including fundamentals of aerobic and anaerobic bacteriology, antibiotic susceptibility testing, antibiotic assays, serologic techniques, immunoelectrophoresis, the fluorescent antibody method, tissue culture technique and leukocyte function studies. Additionally, the fellows have ample opportunity to work with collaborators in molecular microbiology to acquire basic techniques such as PCR, microarray analyses, cloning, purification of bacterial outer membrane components (eg. endotoxin), etc. The trainee carries through one or more research protocols of his/her own design with supervision by the program directors and collaborators. This is tailored to the interests and capabilities of the individual trainee either in basic laboratory experimentation or in clinical research.

The clinical material available at Children’s Medical Center and on the neonatal service at Parkland Memorial Hospital is extensive. There are approximately 120,000 outpatient visits, 9,000 pediatric admissions and 16,000 deliveries per year. A high proportion of these have infectious disease problems; therefore, trainees have the opportunity to see many common infections and most of the rarer disorders. Infectious disease clinical rounds are conducted daily and the clinic is scheduled twice weekly. We average approximately 60 inpatient consultations monthly and 15-20 new outpatient consultations monthly.

The three-year program aims to provide individuals with sufficient background to pursue a career of independent research, teaching and managing patients with wide variety of pediatric infectious diseases.

Prerequisites include one year of internship and two years of pediatric residency. Applicants must:

Be citizens of the United States or Canada OR
Hold a permanent resident visa OR
Have passed the USLME examination and be eligible for an ECFMG-sponsored visa. In addition foreign medical graduates will be required to provide original documentation of education and licensure upon acceptance into the program.

Click Here for Fellowship Application. Print and complete the application in its entirety, then forward it and all relevant material to our office by e-mail, fax or regular mail.

Applications should be returned to:

George McCracken, M.D.
Professor of Pediatrics
5323 Harry Hines Blvd., F3. 202
Dallas, TX 75390-9063
Phone: 214-648-3439
Fax: 214-648-2961
E-mail: george.mccracken@utsouthwestern.edu