Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program
Change the World was created by Elizabeth Ristagno, MD, MSc, Kosair Charities Fellow in Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the University of Louisville (2014 - 2017). She is now a senior associate consultant at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. The video won first place in the 2015 Pediatric Infectious Disease Society's Fellow Video Competition.
Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellows at the University of Louisville provide medical services to patients with serious or complicated infections, such as HIV, meningitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, bone and joint infections and sepsis. They provide care to children with primary immunodeficiencies and those undergoing both hematopoietic cell and solid organ transplantation. Fellows also receive specific training in the prevention of hospital-acquired infections in children and in antimicrobial stewardship and are given the opportunity to play a key role in the infection prevention program at the children's hospital.
Clinical service and teaching occurs at Norton Children’s Hospital and the pediatric infectious diseases office and multidisciplinary clinics at the Novak Center for Children's Health. Fellows evaluate and care for serious and complicated infections in neonatal and pediatric patients, including immunocompromised hosts and evaluate ~600 new inpatients annually. Outpatient visits number approximately 1800 per year, including, but not limited to children needing post-hospital care, those with congenital or acquired immune deficiencies, and infants with perinatal HIV exposure. The division compromises seven faculty physicians and one nurse practitioner.
Fellows conduct research that culminates in the publication and presentation of scholarly papers that make important contributions to the field. Research training sites include the Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Laboratory of the University of Louisville, the Norton Children's Research Institute, and the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory of Norton Healthcare. Fellows also have the opportunity to work with the Child and Adolescent Health Research Design and Support Unit as well as to earn a Masters of Public Health at the School of Public Health and Information Sciences during their three years of fellowship training. Additional learning and teaching opportunities occur through clinical experiences, didactic sessions, and multidisciplinary conferences.
The Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship at the University of Louisville is a 3-year ACGME-accredited program. Established in 1994, the program produces outstanding clinicians, educators, and scientists who make major contributions to the field of pediatric infectious diseases through clinical service, teaching, and research.
Program Aims
- Train fellows to provide expertise in the care of all children with infectious diseases, including the healthy child and the child with complex medical problems.
- Produce excellent, independent clinicians with a service niche (including but not limited to care of the immunocompromised and neonatal host, antimicrobial stewardship, healthcare epidemiology, quality improvement/patient safety, vaccine advocacy) within the field of pediatric infectious diseases.
- Train fellows to become outstanding clinician-educators.
- Facilitate for each fellow the development of a research “toolkit” in the areas of clinical research and quality improvement
Faculty
The Pediatric Infectious Diseases faculty members are all recognized as exceptional teachers, role models, and leaders in their field. Each one is board-certified in pediatrics and pediatric infectious diseases. They have a variety of research interests, including vaccine development, policy, implementation, and education; outcomes research in clinical infectious diseases; hospital infection control and epidemiology; antimicrobial stewardship; and management of infections in transplant and immunocompromised hosts.
University of Louisville Pediatric Fellowships
Visit the Pediatric Fellowships webpage to learn more about:
- How to apply for a pediatric fellowship
- Compensation & benefits for pediatric fellows
- Facilities where our fellows see patients, perform research, and learn
- What is it like to live in Louisville, Kentucky?
Year 1 Curriculum | Duration | Location |
---|---|---|
Inpatient (with call) | 16 weeks | Norton Children's Hospital |
Outpatient | 6 weeks | Novak Center |
Microbiologiy | 2 weeks | CPA Labs |
Pharmacology | 2 weeks | Norton Children's Hospital |
Research | 22 weeks | |
Vacation | 4 weeks | |
Year 2 Curriculum | Duration | Location |
Inpatient (with call) - Includes | 16 weeks | Norton Children's Hospital |
Outpatient | 6 weeks | Novak Center |
Clinical Immunology | 2 weeks | CPA Labs |
Infection Prevention & Public Health | 2 weeks | Norton Children's Hospital |
Research | 22 weeks | |
Vacation | 4 weeks | |
Year 3 Curriculum | Duration | Location |
Inpatient (with call) - Includes Transplant/Immunocompromised Host Service | 16 weeks | Norton Children's Hosptial |
Outpatient | 6 weeks | Novak Center |
Research | 26 weeks | |
Vacation | 4 weeks |
- 7 full-time pediatric ID faculty
- 1 full-time pediatric ID nurse practitioner
- 1 full-time ID/ASP pharmacist
- 1 fellow every 3 years
- 600 new inpatient consults annually
- 1800 outpatient visits annually
- 48 published papers + 35 abstracts by faculty and fellows in 2020-2021
- $1.9 million in grants and contracts for the division
- 24/7 dedicated pediatric transplant and immunocompromised infectious diseases host service
- 100% pediatric infectious diseases board pass rate on first attempt for fellows in the program
- 300-bed free-standing children’s hospital
Current Fellow
3rd Year Fellow
Kathryn Weakley, MD
Medical School: University of Louisville School of Medicine
Residency: University of Louisville, Norton Children's Hospital, Pediatrics (2019)
Past Fellows
2021
Shanna Barton, MD, MSc
Employment Post Graduation: Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University of Louisville School of Medicine
2017
Elizabeth H. Ristagno, MD, MSc
Employment Post Graduation: Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science Consultant
Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine
Program Director, Mayo Clinic Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship
Associate Program Director, Mayo Clinic Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine Residency
2014
Victoria A. Statler, MD, MSc
Employment Post Graduation: Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Pediatric Infectious Diseases
Program Director, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program, University of Louisville
Director, Pediatric Transplant and Immunocompromised Host Infectious Diseases Service
Norton Children’s and University of Louisville School of Medicine
Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program Alumni (2012 - 1994)
Robyn D. Schumucker, MD | 2009-2012 | Hospital-based practice, Parkview Health, Fort Wayne, Indiana |
Robyn Livingston, MD | 2003-2006 | Previously Associate Professor of Pediatrics, University of Missouri, Kansas City Currently Field Medical Director, Pfizer |
Andrew Campbell, MD | 2000-2003 | Executive Medical Director, Women's Health and Virology Therapeutic Area, AbbVie |
Kristina Bryant, MD | 1997-2000 | Professor of Pediatrics, University of Louisville System Pediatric Epidemiologist and Infection Control, Norton Children's Past President of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society |
Penny Heaton, MD | 1994-1997 | Previously Executive Director of the Bill and Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute Currently Global Therapeutic Area Head, Vaccines, Janssen Pharmaceuticals |
Victoria A. Statler, MD, MSc
Director, Pediatric Infectious Disease Fellowship Program
Tel. 502.852.8634
Email
Brigitte Warren
Program Coordinator
Tel. 502.629.8828
Email
Faculty
Gary S. Marshall, MD
Professor of Pediatrics
Chief, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases
Norton Children's profile
Dr. Marshall joined the University of Louisville Department of Pediatrics in 1989.
Shanna Barton, MD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Norton Children's profile
Dr. Barton joined the University of Louisville Department of Pediatrics in 2021
Daniel B. Blatt, MD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Norton Children's profile
Dr. Blatt joined the University of Louisville Department of Pediatrics in 2020.
Kristina K. Bryant, MD
Professor of Pediatrics
System Pediatric Epidemiologist and Infection Control, Norton Children's
Norton Children's profile
Dr. Bryant joined the University of Louisville Department of Pediatrics in 2000.
Julianne V. Green, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Norton Children's profile
Dr. Green joined the University of Louisville Department of Pediatrics in 2016.
Gerard P. Rabalais, MD, MHA
Professor of Pediatrics
Emeritus Department Chair, Pediatrics
Norton Children's profile
Dr. Rabalais joined the University of Louisville Department of Pediatrics in 1987.
Victoria A. Statler, MD, MSc
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Medical Director - Pediatric Transplant and Immunocompromised Host Infectious Diseases
Director, Infectious Disease Fellowship Program
Norton Children's profile
Dr. Statler joined the University of Louisville Department of Pediatrics in 2014.
Navjyot K. Vidwan, MD, MPH
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Medical Director - Antimicrobial Stewardship, Norton Children's
Norton Children's profile
Dr. Vidwan joined the University of Louisville Department of Pediatrics in 2013.