Program Overview

Established in 1997, the UNMC Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program is a three-year program that builds on a strong foundation of clinical excellence, mentorship, and scholarly development.  Fellows train across both Children’s Nebraska and the University of Nebraska Medical Center/Nebraska Medicine, gaining experience in diverse inpatient and outpatient settings.

Clinical and Academic Excellence
Our program is designed to prepare fellows to become skilled, independent pediatric infectious diseases physicians.  Training emphasizes the delivery of comprehensive, compassionate, and evidence-based care, while integrating evolving knowledge in epidemiology, public health, and social determinants of health.

Fellows work closely with an interdisciplinary healthcare team across a variety of clinical environments, developing the expertise needed to manage complex infectious diseases and transition confidently into independent practice.

Robust Research Opportunities
In accordance with the American Board of Pediatrics requirements for subspecialty fellowship programs, fellows complete a scholarly project during training, with the flexibility to pursue this work alongside any faculty member affiliated with UNMC.  A wide range of research opportunities is available including:

• Basic and translational science
• Clinical trials
• Education and outcomes research

Faculty research interests span diverse areas such as animal models of central nervous system catheter infections, global health, infections in immunocompromised hosts, antimicrobial stewardship, HIV, biopreparedness and public health.

Fellows are encouraged to develop projects aligned with their individual interests and career goals.  Additional support is available through internal funding mechanisms, including departmental and institutional grants.

Clinical Services and Patient Population
Clinical training takes place at Children’s Nebraska and UNMC/Nebraska Medicine, with referrals from across Nebraska and the surrounding region.  This broad referral base ensures exposure to a wide variety of infectious diseases, including:

• Bone and joint infections, including those involving hardware
• Congenital and perinatally acquired infections
• Infections in critically ill patients
• Tuberculosis
• HIV
• Tick-borne and travel-related illnesses
• Opportunistic infections in immunocompromised hosts
• Hyperendemic fungal infections

Fellows also gain experience in related disciplines, including medical microbiology, immunology and travel medicine, further strengthening their diagnostic and clinical decision-making skills