Pediatric Surgical Fellowship
Program Overview
Train with some of the region’s very best pediatric general surgeons — in a two-year, pediatric surgical fellowship training program at ÎÚÑ»ÊÓƵ Children’s Hospital, Delaware. Our hospital’s Division of Pediatric Surgery is offering this program in affiliation with .
The goal of the fellowship is to give individuals who have completed an accredited general surgery residency advanced knowledge and training in the management and surgical treatment of newborns, infants and children.
Our Fellowship Program
This fellowship will help you prepare for certification by the American Board of Surgery, and is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
The Pediatric Surgery Fellowship aims to:
- Train a well-rounded, empathetic, safe pediatric surgeon who is confident managing all aspects of the surgical care of children.Ìý
- Steward our fellow in quality improvement projects and methodology, and provide research opportunities.
- Provide a rigorous didactic curriculum for our fellow utilizing 360 degree feedback.
- Cultivate opportunities for our fellow to educate residents and students.
- Encourage our fellow to collaborate across specialties.
- Develop our fellow’s presentation skills during M&M conferences and multi-disciplinary educational meetings.
The program features the full participation of all nine of the pediatric surgical division’s full-time faculty members. Each of these physicians will contribute greatly to your education. Your training will include operating room and outpatient clinic experience, as well as bedside evaluation of children. You’ll also play a role in the organization of formal teaching conferences, held weekly. Formal rotations will be spent on Pediatric Urology, PICU and Neonatology during the first 12 months. The last year will be spent entirely on the Pediatric Surgical Service.
The majority of your inpatient consultative time will take place at ÎÚÑ»ÊÓƵ Children’s Hospital, Delaware, a freestanding children’s hospital in Wilmington, Del. The hospital:
- Is nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report in eight pediatric specialties
- Recently opened expansion with 260 beds
- Performs more than 2,800 inpatient and 9,300 outpatient surgical procedures each year in our operating rooms
- Has an on-site delivery center for newborns with complex congenital anomalies
- Receives more than 50,000 annual visits in our Emergency DepartmentÌý(ED)
- Is accredited by The American College of Surgeons as a Level One Pediatric Trauma Center
- Is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF)
- Curriculum
- Salary & Benefits
- Location & Living
- Faculty & Participants
Rotations
Your educational rotations during the first year of the fellowship will include:
- The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit — a recently renovated, Level III, 14 single-patient room facility (expandable to 18, if needed).
- Pediatric Urology — recently, we were the first children’s hospital in the Philadelphia and Delaware area to offer the most advanced version of the da Vinci® robotic-assisted surgical system (the da Vinci® Si™).
- The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
The entire 12 months of the second year of the program is spent on the Pediatric Surgical Service. During this time, you’ll be encouraged to take on more teaching assistant cases in the operating room, and help instruct medical students, general surgery residents, pediatric residents, nurses and nonclinical staff on a daily basis.
Opportunities for education include:
- daily walk rounds
- card rounds
- attending rounds
- time spent reviewing films or laboratory studies
- time in the OR suite before, during and after cases
- educational conferences
Expectations
As you progress through the program, we’ll give you increasing levels of freedom and responsibility. Your responsibilities for the educational conferences will be rotated over the 24 months of the program, so that you can get exposure to the breadth of care for pediatric surgical patients.
Your work, as well as the didactic and clinical education elements of the program, will be continuously reviewed by the program director, who will ensure that the program maintains the highest quality — and you get the most benefit.
Salary & Benefits
Salary
- PGY 6: $87,505
- PGY 7: $91,005
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Benefits
- Medical
- Dental
- Prescription drug coverage
- Malpractice coverage provided by the participating hospitals for all house officers/fellows
- Surgical library provided by the department
Training at ÎÚÑ»ÊÓƵ in Delaware Valley
ÎÚÑ»ÊÓƵ Children’s Hospital, Delaware, sits on a scenic, 300-acre estate in Wilmington’s Brandywine Valley. It’s the largest pediatric training site in our system, big enough to offer nearly every specialty, yet close-knit enough that faculty know their learners well. From the start, you’ll notice a culture built on collaboration, mentorship, and curiosity.
Hospital & Training Environment
Most of your training takes place at our children’s hospital in Wilmington, a nationally recognized destination for complex pediatric care. It’s the state’s only Level I Pediatric Trauma Center and home to a Level IV NICU, so you’ll see the full range of high-acuity cases. Families come from across the region, giving you exposure to diverse conditions and hands-on learning in a true referral hub. Take a video tour of the hospital now.Ìý
Along with ÎÚÑ»ÊÓƵ, you may also spend time at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia and other partner hospitals. These rotations bring variety in community pediatrics, rehabilitation care, and patient populations you won’t see every day in Wilmington.Ìý
Living in Wilmington & Delaware Valley
Wilmington is easy to settle into. It’s affordable, manageable in size, and just a short train ride from Philadelphia. Baltimore and Washington, D.C. are also close by. Need fresh air? The Brandywine Valley has trails, rivers, and historic gardens. Want more energy? Philly has food, arts, and sports at a world-class level. Here, you get the best of both worlds.Ìý
Research Opportunities
Research is part of daily life here. Some trainees work in the lab, others join clinical trials, and many focus on quality improvement. Supported by faculty mentors and dedicated resources, trainees may also present at national meetings or publish in peer-reviewed journals.Ìý
Resident & Fellow Life
Training here isn’t only about rotations and research. It’s also about having the space and support to enjoy the journey.
Community & CultureÌý|ÌýColleagues quickly become friends. Alumni talk about the camaraderie, the sense that you’re part of something bigger, and the ease of finding mentors who genuinely care.
Wellness & Support |ÌýWellness is built into the experience. From apps and peer networks to professional counseling, resources are there when you need them. There's also a free 24/7 gym on campus and regular wellness programming.
Everyday Perks |ÌýFree parking. Meals at noon conference. On-site child care center. Call rooms and quiet spaces when you need rest. These make a difference in the rhythm of daily training.
Train With Recognized Leaders
If you’re looking for a rewarding program built on academic excellence and family-centered care, ÎÚÑ»ÊÓƵ Children's offers outstanding medical, surgical, pharmacy, nursing, therapy and psychology programs. Train with faculty who are respected leaders in their fields, a patient care model that stands apart and access to groundbreaking research.Ìý
- Leadership
- Faculty
- Participants & Alumni
Meet Our Clinical Leadership
Our Leadership
Loren Berman, MD
Program Director, Pediatric Surgery Fellowship Program
Division of Pediatric Surgery, ÎÚÑ»ÊÓƵ Children’s Hospital, Delaware; Associate Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University.
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Matt M. Boelig, MD
Associate Program Director, Pediatric Surgery Fellowship Program
Division of Pediatric Surgery, ÎÚÑ»ÊÓƵ Children’s Hospital, Delaware; Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University
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Nina D. Tarabicos-Dowd, BS
Program Coordinator, Pediatric Surgery Fellowship Program
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Meet Our Program Faculty
Our Faculty
Division of Pediatric Surgery, ÎÚÑ»ÊÓƵ Children’s Hospital, Delaware; Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University
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Katherine Deans, MD
Surgeon in Chief, Department of Surgery, ÎÚÑ»ÊÓƵ Children’s Hospital, Delaware; Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University
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Chief, Division of Solid Organ Transplantation, ÎÚÑ»ÊÓƵ Children’s Hospital, Delaware; Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University
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Division of Pediatric Surgery, ÎÚÑ»ÊÓƵ Children’s Hospital, Delaware; Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University
Chair, Division of Pediatric Surgery, ÎÚÑ»ÊÓƵ Children’s Hospital, Delaware
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Chief, Division of Pediatric Surgery, ÎÚÑ»ÊÓƵ Children’s Hospital, Delaware;ÌýProfessor of Surgery and Pediatrics, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University
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Surgical Director of Operating Rooms, ÎÚÑ»ÊÓƵ Children’s Hospital, Delaware; Clinical Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University
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Advanced Nurse Practitioners
Molly Haislip, APRN
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Danielle Jaszczyszyn, CPNP
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Lauren Porter, CPNP
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Kelly Pruden, CPNP
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Meet Our Participants
Current ParticipantsÌý
- ÌýHeather Hartman, MDÌý– 2024-2026
Alumni
- Jo Cooke-Barber, MDÌý– 2022-2024
- Erin A. Teeple, MD – 2014-2016
- Michael R. Phillips, MD – 2016-2018
- Allison F. Linden, MD, MPH – 2018-2020
- Mubina A. Isani, MDÌý– 2020-2022
Apply Today
Application Requirements
Deadline: Dec. 31, 2024
Training Begins: Aug. 1, 2026
The Thomas Jefferson University Hospital/ÎÚÑ»ÊÓƵ Children’s Hospital, Delaware Pediatric Surgical Fellowship Program (Program Code 4450944001) participates in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). Completed applications are to be submitted through Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) by mid-December in order for interviews to be scheduled beginning in January.
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2. ERAS-generated curriculum vitae (CV)
3. Medical school transcript
4. Copy of medical school diploma
5. Completion of an approved general surgery residency program
6. Eligibility to take qualifying examination in general surgery
7. Three letters of recommendation, one of which must be from your program director
8. Personal statement
9. ABSITE scores from your surgical residency training
10. United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) board scores
11. List of publications
12. Current Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) certificate
Qualified candidates will be contacted to schedule an interview on specified dates beginning in January. Incomplete applications will not be considered. On the day of the interview, applicants will attend a department conference and will meet individually with faculty and current trainees. The interviews will conclude by mid-afternoon. Specific issues may be addressed with the program coordinator at (302) 651-5999.
Questions About Applying?
Loren Berman, MD
Program Director
(302) 651-5888
loren.berman@nemours.org
Nina D. Tarabicos-Dowd, BS
Program Coordinator
(302) 651-5159
nina.dowd@nemours.org