Craniofacial Medicine Fellowship

The Division of Craniofacial Medicine in the University of Washington Department of Pediatrics is accepting applications for subspecialty clinical and research training in craniofacial medicine.

Drawing on the clinical and research expertise of our group and the broader university community, we will offer a variety of training opportunities ranging from one year clinical fellowships to three year fellowships with training in molecular biology, developmental biology, epidemiology, bioethics, clinical and outcomes research, molecular genetics, and public health sciences, among other disciplines. The goal of our fellowship program is to train pediatric providers to become members of cleft and craniofacial teams while providing the scientific training necessary to become successful independent investigators for those who want to pursue academic careers.

Length of Training

One fellowship will be offered annually. This could either be a one-year clinical fellowship or a three-year program that would also include scientific training.

Teaching Staff

There are four academic faculty members in the craniofacial program: Drs. Michael Cunningham, Carrie Heike, Anne Hing and Charlotte Lewis. The fellow will also be exposed to the experiences of the entire Craniofacial Center interdisciplinary team.

Facilities

The program is based at the Craniofacial Center at Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center in Seattle. Research opportunities will be available at either the University of Washington or the new Seattle Children’s Hospital Research Institute.

Training Opportunities

The Craniofacial Medicine Fellowship is the first training program of its kind offered to pediatric residents. Fellows will have the opportunity to learn skills at one of the largest craniofacial centers in the United States with over 40 team members. The goal of our fellowship program is to train pediatric providers to become members of cleft and craniofacial teams and provide scientific training for those who wish to pursue academic careers. The craniofacial fellow will be responsible for the diagnosis and management of the craniofacial patient in coordination with surgeons, other craniofacial team members, and the primary care provider.

In year one (see calendar below), training will focus on attaining the clinical skills needed to provide diagnoses, counseling (prenatal and postnatal), and management of children with craniofacial conditions including: cleft lip/palate, craniofacial microsomia, craniosynostosis, and plagiocephaly. The craniofacial fellow will attend the weekly Craniofacial Team Clinic and the weekly Pediatric Intake/Prenatal (Preadoptive) Clinic. For three two-month clinic blocks the fellow will attend the following subspecialty clinics: Plagiocephaly, Dental, Sleep Medicine, Craniofacial Genetics, Chromosome 22q11 Deletion, Hearing Loss, Microtia, and Vascular Malformation. There will also be two three-month rotations on the inpatient craniofacial service. The first rotation includes participation in: clinical feeding, VFSS, VPI, and audiology evaluations, and the second rotation includes postsurgical care rounds. The fellow will be invited to present cases at weekly Craniofacial Team and monthly Genetics Case Conferences.

Calendar Year One

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Clinic Rotation #1 • CF • Plagio • Dental • Sleep		Inpatient Rotation #1 • Clinical feeding • VFSS • VPI • Audiology			Clinic Rotation #2 • CF • CFG • 22q11 • Prenatal		Inpatient Rotation #2 • CF surgery • CF peds			Clinic Rotation #3 • CF • HL • Microtia • Vascular

Abbreviations: CF – Craniofacial; Plagio – Plagiocephaly; VFSS – Videofluoroscopic Swallowing Study; VPI – Velopharangeal Insufficiency Study; CFG – Craniofacial Genetics; 22q11 – Chromosome 22q11 Deletion; HL – Hearing Loss; Vascular – Vascular Malformation

In years two and three, we will offer research training opportunities in molecular biology, developmental biology, epidemiology, bioethics, clinical and outcomes research, molecular genetics, and public health sciences. The fellow will have the option of pursuing a master of public health degree at the University of Washington. Presentation of research findings and attendance at one national meeting annually is required. Fellows will also be invited to present research data at the monthly Craniofacial Research Conferences.

Although the goal of our three-year fellowship program is to train pediatric providers to become craniofacial team members and successful independent investigators, a one-year clinical program is available to provide clinical geneticists or general academic pediatricians with the skills necessary to become critical craniofacial team members.

Participant’s Supervisory and Patient Care Responsibilities

As a pediatric fellow at the University of Washington, the participant will be involved in the clinical supervision and teaching of medical students and craniofacial residents.

Didactic Components

Didactic courses, available at the UW or through the CHRMC Fellows’ College, include: Biostatistics, Clinical and Lab Research Methodology, Preparation of Applications for Funding, Critical Literature Review, Biomedical Research Integrity, Teaching Skills, and Human Subjects’ Protection. In addition to the Fellows’ College coursework, there are two lecture series (see below) dedicated entirely to Craniofacial Medicine topics.

Orthodontic Lecture Series: 584	Resident Noon Conferences
Coordination, Burden of Care, Care Management	Cleft Lip and Palate Management
Diversity and Care Management	Cleft Syndromes
Speech Assessment and Management of VPI	Management of Robin Sequence
Obturator Management	Craniofacial Syndromes
Otolaryngology Assessment and Management	Plagiocephaly
Genetic Assessment of Craniofacial Anomalies	Craniosynostosis
Embryology of Craniofacial Malformation Syndromes
Presurgical Molding
Osteodistraction in the Management of Craniofacial Anomalies
Soft Tissue Surgeries in the Cleft Lip and Palate Patient
Introduction to Ethical Decisions in a Craniofacial Clinic

Program Director

Anne V. Hing, MD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Program Coordinator

Jerrie Bishop
Craniofacial Medicine
Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center
4800 Sand Point Way NE, Mailstop W7847
Seattle, WA 98105
Phone: 206.987.4572
Fax: 206.987.3064
Email: jerrie.bishop@seattlechildrens.org

Prerequisite Training/Selection Criteria

1. A medical degree or ECFMG certificate
2. Completion of a pediatric or genetics residency

The salary for this position is commensurate with institutional guidelines relative to the educational level of the individual involved.

Application

Individuals who wish to apply for this program should forward the following to the attention of Jerrie Bishop:

1. A formal letter of application addressed to Dr. Anne Hing c/o Jerrie Bishop
2. An updated copy of your Curriculum Vitae
3. A personal statement outlining your relevant experiences and career goals
4. A letter from your residency program director
5. Two letters of reference from faculty or professional staff

Application Deadline

March 1, 2008

Related Links

Division of Craniofacial Medicine, University of Washington Department of Pediatrics

Craniofacial at Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center