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Department of Pediatrics

Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics Fellowship

Department of Pediatrics / Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics Fellowship / Program Details / Curriculum

Curriculum

Fellows receive extensive training in Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics (DBP) at Golisano Children’s Hospital and develop expertise in clinical diagnosis and management of a variety of developmental conditions and associated behavioral support needs in infants, children, and youth. Our alumni cite the depth and breadth of our clinical training and close mentorship of faculty as strengths of our program.

Program Goals

  • Provide fellows with comprehensive knowledge and skills to become leaders in the field of developmental-behavioral pediatrics
  • Offer training specific to autism spectrum and related diagnoses
  • Establish expertise in interdisciplinary service and research
  • Emphasize the importance of patient and family-centered care, including being attentive and responsive to cultural and linguistic diversity
  • Give fellows a solid grounding in public health knowledge and policy related to developmental-behavioral issues
  • Develop fellows’ advocacy skills on behalf of individuals and populations
  • Enhance fellows’ research skills and guide their scholarly activities
  • Nurture habits of life-long learning and scientific inquiry

Year 1

In their first year of the DBP Fellowship, fellows concentrate on gaining outpatient clinical skills, beginning to develop their scholarly activity project, and developing disability-focused leadership and advocacy skills through our UR LEND program.

Clinical

Fellows dedicate four half-days per week to outpatient clinic.

  • Under direct supervision, fellows see a mixture of new patients for diagnosis and follow-up patients for long-term treatment, allowing for longitudinal care. Early in training, caseloads are lighter to allow extra time for learning; clinical pace increases over the course of training with advancing skills.
  • Fellows will see patients in our infant and toddler development clinic, gaining experience in the administration of the Bayley Infant Neurodevelopmental Screener (BINS).
  • Fellows are trained in the administration of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule – 2 (ADOS-2), modules Toddler and 1 – 3, with a structured approach for gaining competence in each module over the course of the academic year.
  • Fellows will receive training on evaluation, diagnosis, and management of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD).
  • Fellows learn foundational skills in Behavior Management to support children and families during clinical care.

Throughout all three years of the DBP Fellowship, fellows attend educational activities, including the weekly DBP Fellow Seminar, which are didactic sessions based on the content specifications of the DBP Boards and taught by faculty from across the Medical Center. Fellows also lead DBP-focused educational teaching sessions for medical students and residents.

Research

Fellows explore their specific areas of interest and select their Scholarship Oversight Committee (SOC). They initiate their scholarly activity project and research design with the assistance of our DBP research mentor, with whom they meet regularly. Fellows complete the CITI program online course, “Medical Resident and Fellows: Basic Principles of Research” by end of their first year. Fellows have the option of attending a weekly research seminar in conjunction with the General Academic Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine fellows.

Quality Improvement

Fellows begin to develop a quality improvement project that aligns with their scholarly activity or divisional QI goals.

Year 2

During their second year in the DBP Fellowship, fellows concentrate on improving clinical and teaching skills, while carrying out the scholarly activity project and QI projects. Fellows participate in school-based developmental and behavioral care in collaboration with our Community Consultation Program (CCP).

Clinical

Fellows dedicate three half-days per week to outpatient clinic, with additional time in specialty rotations.

  • They continue with two half-days per week seeing new and follow up patients in the Developmental Disabilities Clinic.
  • One half-day is dedicated to Interdisciplinary Physical Disabilities Clinic.
  • Specialty rotations include Upstate Spina Bifida Clinic in Syracuse, NY, UR Child Neurology Clinic, DBP Feeding Clinic, and UR Pediatric Sleep Medicine Clinic.
  • Fellows are added to the DBP call schedule. They take 1 week of call every other month, with DBP Faculty support.

Research

  • Fellows implement their research project including data collection and analysis with the goal of submitting an abstract to the Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics annual meeting or the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting by the end of the second year.
  • Fellows continue to meet regularly with DBP research mentor.

Quality Improvement

Fellows continue to develop and implement their QI project. Fellows can consider submitting their QI project for presentation at a national meeting.

Year 3

In the final year of the DBP Fellowship, fellows are given more autonomy to refine their clinical skills and achieve competency as an attending, hone their teaching skills and complete their scholarly activity project.

Clinical

Fellows dedicate three half-days per week to outpatient clinic, with additional time spent in select specialty rotations.

  • They continue with two half-days per week seeing new and follow up patients in the Developmental Disabilities Clinic.
  • One half-day is dedicated to Interdisciplinary Physical Disabilities Clinic.
  • Fellows continue seeing patient in the Upstate Spina Bifida Clinic in Syracuse, NY.
  • Fellows spend time doing consultations with the Inpatient Intensive Behavior Team and will spend time with our DBP outpatient Community and Home Intervention Response Program (CHIRP).
  • Fellows are added to the DBP call schedule. They take 1 week of call every other month, with DBP Faculty support.

Research

Fellows continue to meet regularly with the DBP research mentor. With the guidance of their scholarship oversight committee, each fellow completes a research project and prepares a manuscript for submission to a peer-reviewed journal. Fellows present their research at the Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics annual meeting or the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting.

Quality Improvement

Fellows complete their QI project and consider submitting their QI project for presentation at a national meeting. QI projects will be entered into University database.