Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program
The Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship at the University of Louisville is a 3-year ACGME-accredited program with secure funding and a history of successful graduates since 1994.
One fellow is trained every three years, allowing for focused mentorship. The program produces outstanding clinicians, educators, and scholars who make major contributions to the field of pediatric infectious diseases through clinical service, teaching, and research.
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 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.
- Norton 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 comprises seven faculty physicians and one nurse practitioner.
- Novak Center for Children's Health located at 411 E. Chestnut Street, Louisville, Kentucky.
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 and 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.
Program Goals
- Train fellows to provide expertise in caring for 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, and vaccine advocacy) within 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 recognized as exceptional teachers, role models, and leaders in their field. Each one is board-certified in pediatrics and pediatric infectious diseases. They have various 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
- 64 published papers + 73 abstracts by faculty and fellows in 2020-2023
- $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
Change the World was created by former pediatric ID fellow, Elizabeth Ristagno, MD, MSc, (2014 - 2017).
The video won first place in the 2015 Pediatric Infectious Disease Society's Fellow Video Competition.
Fellowship Alumni (1994 - 2023)
2023
Kathryn Weakley, MD, MSc
- Employment post-graduation: Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University of Louisville School of Medicine and Norton Children's
2021
Shanna Barton, MD, MSc
- Employment Post Graduation/Current: Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University of Louisville School of Medicine and Norton Children's
2017
Elizabeth H. Ristagno, MD, MSc
- Employment Post Graduation: Senior Associate Consultant, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 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
2012
Robyn D. Schumucker, MD
- Employment Post Graduation: Hospital-based practice, Parkview Health, Fort Wayne, Indiana
2006
Robyn Livingston, MD
- Employment Post Graduation: Associate Professor of Pediatrics, University of Missouri, Kansas City
- Current: Field Medical Director, Pfizer
2003
Andrew Campbell, MD
- Employment Post Graduation: Executive Medical Director, Women's Health and Virology Therapeutic Area, AbbVie
2000
Kristina Bryant, MD
- Current: Professor of Pediatrics, University of Louisville
- System Pediatric Epidemiologist and Infection Control, Norton Children's
- Associate Medical Director, Department of Public Health and Wellness, Louisville Metro Government
- Past President of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society
1997
Penny Heaton, MD
- Previous Employment: Executive Director, Bill and Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute
- Current: Global Therapeutic Area Head, Vaccines, Janssen Pharmaceuticals
Director, Pediatric Infectious Disease Fellowship Program
Tel. 502.852.8634
Email
Program Coordinator
Tel. 502.852.8634
Email
Faculty
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.
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Norton Children's profile
Dr. Barton joined the University of Louisville Department of Pediatrics in 2021
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Norton Children's profile
Dr. Blatt joined the University of Louisville Department of Pediatrics in 2020.
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
Professor of Pediatrics
Emeritus Department Chair, Pediatrics
Norton Children's profile
Dr. Rabalais joined the University of Louisville Department of Pediatrics in 1987.
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.
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.
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Dr. Weakley joined the University of Louisville Department of Pediatrics in 2023.
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