Our program seeks to develop skilled investigators and clinicians through:
- Training physicians in the basic scientific study of pediatric infectious disease
- Developing outstanding clinical skills through a wide variety of clinical experiences
- Providing mentorship for both scientific and clinical training
- 2 years of dedicated research time
Program Goals: The overall goal of this program is to train individuals for careers in academic pediatric ID who will be skilled investigators and clinical subspecialists. The usual fellowship training program consists of a three-year period; however, modifications are possible depending on the background of the applicant.
Research Training: We provide a strong research foundation upon which such a career can be based by providing a minimum of two years of laboratory training related to an ongoing research project. Fellows are free to choose from the large number of outstanding research projects at Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center, the University of Washington, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Institute, and the Seattle Biomedical Research Institute. Strong emphasis is placed on finding a research mentor who will foster the ultimate development of an independent research program.
Clinical Training: The subspecialty trainee will acquire clinical skills through didactic teaching, experience as a consultant in ID, and participation in conferences. Fellows emerge with extensive experience in management of a wide variety of infections, including bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic infections in a wide variety of clinical settings including previously healthy children, as well as surgical and immunocompromised patients.
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Under the Microscope
December 2008
Washington Global Health Alliance
Dr. Ann Melvin, (center) with clinicians and staff from Namakkal District Government Hospital HIV treatment and prevention program
The University of Washington & Seattle Children’s Hospital have a collaborative exchange with the Tamilnadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University (MGR-MU) in Chennai, India that provides research and clinical clerkships in India for UW medical students and residents, and offers training opportunities in HIV-1 specific laboratory techniques for scientists from MGR-MU. This exchange is a project of the Washington Global Health Alliance, which leverages the health care resources of Washington State to reduce global health disparities. Dr. Ann Melvin supervises this project and has been involved with the Washington Global Health Alliance’s partnership with MGR-MU for the past 5 years. She is co-director of the Seattle Children’s Hospital HIV program with Lisa Frenkel, whose lab provides HIV-1 technique training.
The primary practice site is in Namakkal, in rural India. Namakkal is a unique site for developments in HIV care: it sits at the intersection of several major highways in the state of Tamilnadu in southern India and is an area with relatively high HIV-1 seroprevalence. Members of the Department of Experimental Medicine of the MGR-MU) has established active centers for the prevention of mother-to-child HIV-1 transmission. In addition, the one of the largest antiretroviral treatment centers in India is run out of the Namakkal District Government Hospital. Dr. Mini Jacob is the project director in India.