Situated in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, the Pediatric Hospital Medicine Fellowship at Seattle Children’s and the University of Washington trains future leaders in academic pediatric hospital medicine. We offer many training opportunities, including those in research, quality improvement, hospital administration, and medical education. Our program has a strong commitment to health equity and diversity.
As the only ACGME-accredited, academic pediatric hospital medicine program in the region, we serve a broad geographic area across Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho with a diverse and large patient population. Our faculty are nationally renowned leaders and researchers in pediatric hospital medicine.
Our primary objective is to train physicians for a career in academic pediatric hospital medicine. Clinical skills are developed at Seattle Children's Hospital main campus with the option to complete community rotations in Anchorage, AK; Missoula, MT, Bellingham, WA; or Olympia, WA. Scholarly activity and research are priorities and focus areas may include quality improvement, medical education, clinical research, patient safety, and informatics. Fellows may choose to complete a master’s certificate program in public health and epidemiology during their training, or take classes related to their focus area at the University of Washington.
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We provide a two-year training program and currently accept two fellows per year.
Clinical Curriculum
Clinical training is located primarily at Seattle Children’s main campus with opportunities for training in our regional community hospitals. Our clinical curriculum consists of 32 weeks of training divided over two years. We offer training in hospital medicine, care of the medically complex child, co-management, newborn care, community medicine and stabilization of the critically ill child. Fellows will complete about half of their clinical time in year 1 and half in year 2, with 8 weeks devoted to electives.
Clinical and Health Services Research
Our program provides many opportunities for fellows interested in clinical or health services research.
- May complete a Graduate Certificate in Maternal and Child Health, Comparative Effectiveness Research, Health Economics and Outcomes Research, or Health Informatics at the University of Washington School of Public Health.
- Option to select course work at the University of Washington (e.g., global health, health care administration, etc.). Fellows can use tuition exemption for up to 6 credits each term.
- Research opportunities and mentorship in Health Equity and Diversity through Seattle Children's Center for Diversity and Health Equity (CDHE).
Career Development
The Seattle Children's Fellows’ College offers a core educational curriculum and career development services for postgraduate fellows in all pediatric medical and surgical programs at Seattle Children’s. The objectives of the Fellows’ College are to:
- Fulfill curricular requirements of the American College of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and specialty board organizations through rigorous, innovative and efficient courses, workshops and program support.
- Train future faculty ideally suited to lead the NIH Roadmap Research Teams of the Future by providing an environment that fosters critical cross-fertilization between fellows training in bench, clinical, and health services research.
- Provide career development and placement services so that graduating fellows achieve optimal career placement
Quality Improvement and Patient Safety
Seattle Children's Quality Improvement (QI) Scholars Program: Most fellows will complete this program designed to give fellows and faculty the means to successfully complete QI research projects that are publishable and add to generalizable knowledge. The program combines a mentored pediatric QI research experience and formal QI research methodology didactics and additional project resources. It is anticipated that successful applicants to this program will submit a first-authored manuscript to a peer reviewed journal based on their QI Scholars project by the end of their program participation.
Seattle Children’s Hospital’s Chief Quality and Safety Officer and Physician Director of Safety Event Analysis are both practicing pediatric hospitalists. Under their guidance, fellows will receive training in Patient Safety, including general principles of high reliability organizations, error prevention, & cause analysis and event mitigation. Additional topics may include diagnostic error, “Safety 2” (learning from what goes well), error disclosure, M&M best practice, proactive risk assessment, medication safety and reduction of Hospital-Acquired Conditions (HACs). As desired, fellows may assist in triage and investigation of possible safety events, round for safety with leaders, complete Safety Coach training, and attend various safety-focused meetings such as the hospital-wide Daily Safety Brief, Patient Safety Department event review huddle, & Patient Safety Subcommittee.
QI Works in Progress: Fellows will attend monthly presentations from trainees and faculty on on-going quality improvement research. Fellows are expected to present at least once during their fellowship.
Biomedical and Clinical Informatics
Applicants can explore clinical informatics training electives in the Department of Biomedical Informatics and Medical Education.
Medical Education
University of Washington Teaching Scholars Program: The Teaching Scholars Program (TSP) at the University of Washington is a one-year professional development program for educators in the health professions who have a passion for teaching and a desire to become academic leaders.
Center for Leadership and Innovation in Medical Education (CLIME): CLIME is the Center for Leadership and Innovation in Medical Education. Its mission is to advance and support medical education at the UW School of Medicine and throughout the WWAMI region, and to promote an integrated continuum of medical, graduate and lifelong education at all levels. CLIME offers a variety of programs focused on building a community of educators for networking and mentoring, supporting educational scholarship, and developing teaching resources.
Health Equity and Diversity
In partnership with Seattle Children's Center for Diversity and Health Equity we offer opportunities to complete equity, diversity and inclusion training and to participate in mentored research with a focus on finding solutions to improve the health outcomes of children at risk for health inequities.
Global Health
The University of Washington (UW) Global Health Certificate for Residents & Fellows is a certificate program offered to all residents and fellows in training at UW. This certificate draws on courses, seminars, and other global health training activities available at UW.
Hospital Operations, Administration, and Leadership
Fellows may choose mentors from nationally renowned hospitalist leaders at our organization, including our Chief Executive Officer Dr. Jeff Sperring, and Vice President of Quality, Dr. Paul Sharek.
- Apply through ERAS -- applications open July 3
- Application deadline -- September 1
- Interview dates: September 12, 13, and 17
- Register for the NRMP match
- Match Day December 4 at 12:00pm ET
- PHM Fellowship Eligibility & Selection Policy
Seattle Children's Hospital
Seattle Children's Hospital is both a community hospital for greater Seattle and the pediatric referral center for the Northwest providing excellent pediatric care to meet the medical, surgical and developmental needs of children in the WWAMI region. Serving as the main clinical training site for pediatric residents, this 407-bed hospital is conveniently located one and one-half miles from the University of Washington campus in an attractive, residential neighborhood of Seattle. The staff consists of University faculty and Seattle Children's full-time physicians.
Additional Information: Message to Prospective Pediatric Residents and Fellows from Dr. Walker-Harding (YouTube); Resident Tour of Seattle Children’s Hospital (YouTube).
Providence St. Peter Hospital
Seattle Children's is working with Providence St. Peter in Olympia to provide pediatric care 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as part of our pediatric hospitalist program. Pediatric hospitalists care for hospitalized patients and work with the child's regular pediatrician and other providers involved in the child's care to provide updates during the hospital stay and an overview with the child is discharged from the hospital.
UW Medical Center - Montlake (UWMC)
UWMC was ranked among the nation's top ten best general hospitals in recent U.S. News & World Report survey. Patients referred from UW Medicine sites and practitioners from WWAMI regional medical education program, a partnership between the UW School of Medicine and states of Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho that provides medical education for the five-state region.
Every day, more than 5,500 dedicated and compassionate UW Medical Center - Montlake team members bring passion and commitment to the care of our patients and their families.
As the No. 1 hospital in Seattle and Washington State since 2012 (U.S. News & World Report), UW Medical Center - Montlake is one of the world's foremost academic health centers, delivering exceptional, multidisciplinary care to a vast array of patients who come to us from across the globe.
From first of their kind, life-saving surgical procedures to routine adult, maternal and newborn medicine, we're training the next generation of medical professionals. By using the latest advances in medical technology and patient- and family-centered care, we're building a better future for our community.
At UW Medical Center - Montlake, our care is powered by research and informed by education.
Community Medical Center, Missoula
Community Medical Center is a leading healthcare organization in Western Montana with exceptional services and expertise that consistently earn us accreditation by the Joint Commission. Still, we never lose sight of the personal touch that’s been the hallmark of the care we’ve offered since 1922, the year we were founded. Nothing is more important than the trust Montanans put in us.
Alaska Native Medical Center
The Alaska Native Medical Center (ANMC) offers comprehensive medical services and acute, specialty, primary and behavioral health care to Alaska Native and American Indian people living in Alaska. ANMC is also home to one of America’s most unique health care environments – a place where the highest quality care and cutting-edge technology meets special cultural and traditional services and customer experiences.
The award-winning medical center includes a 182-bed hospital, a full range of medical specialties, primary care services and labs. The ANMC hospital houses Alaska’s first Level II Trauma Center and is also a Level II Pediatric Trauma Center. The hospital also works in close partnership with rural health facilities statewide to support a broad range of health care and related services.
Fellowship Leadership
Faculty
Elena Griego, MD
Clinical Associate Professor Associate Program Director, Pediatric Residency Program
Lauren McDaniel, MD
Assistant Professor Associate Medical Director for Care Coordination Flow MD Lead, Seattle Children's
Sahar Rooholamini, MD, MPH, FAAP
Associate Professor Assistant Dean for Recruitment and Retention, UW School of Medicine Associate Division Head
Kristina A. Toncray, MD
Clinical Professor Medical Director, Patient Safety Associate Vice Chair for Quality and Safety Associate Chief Safety Officer, Seattle Children’s
Current Fellows
 | David Mahoney Dr. David Mahoney is a native Washingtonian who is thrilled to be returning home to the Pacific Northwest. He grew up in Maple Valley, WA and pursued his undergraduate education at the University of Washington. While there he earned degrees in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology as well as a minor in Bioethics. He completed both medical school and residency at Stanford University School of Medicine and then stayed on as a stem cell hospitalist for a few years prior to fellowship. During fellowship he aspires to continue growing clinically as a pediatric hospitalist, to develop his qualitative research skills, and to further investigate how psychosocial and interpersonal dynamics within medical teams impact the quality of care provided to patients and their families. |
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| Jessica Jones Dr. Jessica Jones was born and raised in Atlanta, GA. She attended Stanford University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Human Biology. She received her Doctor of Medicine from the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine and completed her pediatric residency at Stanford University, where she worked as a specialty hospitalist for several years before deciding to pursue a PHM fellowship. As a PHM fellow, Jessica hopes to build her skills in clinical research and quality improvement with a specific focus on exploring family needs before, during, and after hospitalization.
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| Florence Lambert-Fliszar Dr. Florence Lambert-Fliszar was raised in Montreal, Canada. She attended the University of California, San Diego where she received a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry. She received her M.D. from the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont and completed her pediatric residency at the University of Washington/Seattle Children's Hospital. Now as a PHM fellow, she is exploring her interest in the mental health of hospitalized children and teens, and she is refining her skills as a clinician educator, having now completed the CLIME Teaching Scholars Program. She is investigating clinicians’ knowledge gaps and perceptions of somatic symptoms and related disorders (SSRDs) and developing a curriculum to teach residents and faculty best management practices for these patients. |
 | Rachel Welch, MD Dr. Rachel Welch was born and raised in Mentor, OH. She attended The Ohio State University where she received a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and a Minor in Global Public Health. She received her Doctor of Medicine from The Ohio State University College of Medicine and then completed her pediatric residency and chief year at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, OH. As a PHM fellow, Rachel hopes to explore her passions of global health and advocacy. Her specific academic interests include improving inpatient care for refugee and indigenous populations as well as implementing better ways to screen and intervene on social determinants of health for hospitalized children and their families. |
Alumni
 | Alaina Shine, MD Dr. Alaina Shine was born and raised in Wichita, KS. She attended the University of Missouri-Kansas City where she received a Bachelor of Science in Biology. She received her M.D. from the University of Kansas. Alaina then completed her pediatric residency at Seattle Children's and stayed to continue her training as a Pediatric Hospital Medicine fellow where she plans to further develop her skills in research and QI methodology. Her specific academic interests include decreasing low-value care and implementing quality improvement initiatives to make the hospital safer and more equitable for patients and their families. |
 | Desiree Yeboah, MD Dr. Desiree Yeboah was born and raised in the NY/NJ area. She attended Binghamton University where she majored in neuroscience and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree. She earned her M.D. from New York Medical College, and then went on to complete her pediatric residency training at Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Rhode Island. She is now pursuing a fellowship in Hospitalist Medicine at Seattle Children’s Hospital to further develop research methodology and QI skills that promote equitable healthcare. Her specific academic areas of focus include addressing communication barriers that limit equitable access to care for patients and families who speak another language other than English, and the promotion of diversity, equity, and inclusion in medical education. |
 | Courtney Gilliam, MD During Dr. Gilliam’s fellowship, her research interests focused on improving structural racism and justice in healthcare through leadership, medical education, advocacy, and scholarly work. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Hospital Medicine, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. She is also an Associate Program Director of the Pediatric Residency Program, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital |
For questions regarding the Fellowship Program, please contact: phmfellowship@seattlechildrens.org
Follow us on Twitter @SeaPHMFellows to see the latest developments with our program and faculty.
Jimmy Beck, MD, MEd
Associate Professor Program Director, Pediatric Hospital Medicine Fellowship
Email
Kelly Simily Shaw
Program Administrator, Pediatric Hospital Medicine Fellowship Seattle Children’s Hospital
Pediatric Hospital Medicine
4800 Sand Point Way NE, M/S FA.2.115, Seattle, WA 98105