Academic General Pediatrics Fellowship

This monthly series, both in person and via Web-Ex, covers a host of research topics throughout the year, in the domains of research methodology/study design and career development, meeting requirements American Board of Pediatrics Core Knowledge in Scholarly Activity. Seminars from previous years have been archived and are available on demand.

Download 2023-2024 Series Schedule

The Nationwide Children’s Hospital Primary Care Research Network (PCRN) is a consortium of pediatric primary care practices focused on improving child health and family outcomes through high-quality research in primary care settings on common conditions and services in those settings. Our long-term goal is to improve the health of children seen in primary care settings. All projects are transdisciplinary and include representatives from the primary care practices with patient and family engagement.

The Primary Care Network is comprised of 14 practices in Nationwide Children’s Division of Primary Care, >125,000 children and adolescents with >90% enrolled in Medicaid and members of Partners for Kids.

Population Management

Health Neighborhoods Health Families (HNHF)

• Nationwide Children’s Hospital recognizes that neighborhood, safety, educational opportunities and health care accessibility all affect health and well-being.
• HNHF was initiated over ten years ago through recognition that all these factors affect communities' overall health.
• This initiative is composed of faith-based organizations, community development organizations, youth-serving non-profits and local public schools.
• It seeks to create positive health outcomes in the community.
• HNHF targets five impact areas: Education, Workforce Development, Safe and Accessible Neighborhoods, Affordable Housing, and Health and Wellness.
• HNHF provides opportunities for Academic General Pediatric fellows to explore the impact of this innovative community programming on child health.

Partners for Kids: (PFK)

• Nationwide Children’s is a major thought leader regarding pediatric accountable care organizations.
• Partners For Kids (PFK) is one of the largest pediatric accountable care organizations in the country (333,000 children, 34 counties in Ohio)
• PFK allows Nationwide Children’s Hospital and more than 1,000 health care providers to provide high quality care to patients covered by Medicaid at a lower cost for the hospital.
• PFK provides high value, high quality care through physician incentives, care coordination, and illness prevention.
• PFK provides opportunities for Academic General Pediatric fellows to learn about accountable care organizations and to study the impact of population management on child health outcomes.

• Clinical Research: Fellows will complete at least one major hypothesis-driven scholarly project.
• Quality-Improvement Project: Fellows will participate in the implementation and evaluation of at least one quality-improvement project.
• Educational Excellence: Fellows may elect to teach medical students or residents and participate in curriculum development and evaluation.
• Clinical Care: Fellows provide care in a community-based primary care practice serving under-served communities for, on average, three sessions per week.

The fellowship program is within the Division of Primary Care Pediatrics, which is the administrative home of Nationwide Children’s Hospital Primary Care Network (PCN). The PCN is comprised of pediatric primary care centers across Columbus, Ohio and two mobile units that deliver outreach care in Columbus and across rural Appalachian Ohio. The Division includes more than 75 faculty members committed to providing care for under-served populations, educating medical students and pediatric residents and advocating for families and children. There are over 65,000 patients in the network, with more than 200,000 visits per year. Patients come from both rural and urban communities and a wide range of racial and ethnic groups.

Nationwide Children's and the Academic General Pediatrics Fellowship view diversity as the uniqueness each of us contributes to achieving our shared mission and goals. We recognize and value different perspectives, characteristics, experiences and attributes of each individual in creating an environment where we thrive on and benefit from our differences.

Download Our Diversity Brochure

• Judith Groner, MD
  Program Director

• Alex R. Kemper, MD, MPH, MS
• Alex Rakowsky, MD
• Jack Kopachek, MD
• Sara Bode, MD
• Amrik Khalsa, MD, MS
• Laura Hart, MD, MPH
• Deena Chisolm, PhD
• Kelly Kelleher, MD, MPH
• Ihuoma Eneli, MD
• Ashley Fernandes, MD, PhD
• Sarah Denny, MD
• Leah Utset, MD

Alex Kemper MD, MPH, MS

• Cost-effectiveness of primary care services
• Assessment of benefits and harms of preventive services

Judith Groner, MD

• Pediatric tobacco issues (secondhand smoke exposure, electronic cigarettes, related health disparities)

Laura Hart, MD, MPH 

• Transition to adult health care, particularly for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities”

Alexander Rakowsky, MD

• Medical education research especially focusing on teaching residents
• Research regarding literacy development in toddlers and younger children, with specific interest in working with non-English speaking immigrant families

Sarah Denny, MD

• Injury prevention in the primary care setting
• Resident advocacy education

Leah Utset, MD

• Primary Care Research Network (Medical Director)
• Sleep disorders and sleep hygiene in children and a dolescents
• Social Medial use for parenting information

Research education and training are vital to the mission of Nationwide Children's Hospital and The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital. As a top-ten free-standing pediatric research center and an academic affiliate of The Ohio State University, The Research Institute has an outstanding faculty, dedicated to training and mentoring the next generation of scientists in pediatric research.

Video: Learn More

Research at Nationwide Children's Hospital

Advocacy

Advocacy training fosters and encourages interest in child advocacy by early involvement and exposure to its many aspects such as addressing social determinants of health, community collaboration, health finance, health policy and legislative advocacy.

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Explore Our Passion for Advocacy

Fellowship candidates will be expected to graduate or have graduated from an ACGME accredited Pediatrics or Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Program and to be pediatric board eligible or certified.

The program participates in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) Fall match.

Download the Common Application Here

For instructions on how to apply, please review this link on the Academic Pediatric Association’s website.

• Register with the Pediatric Fall Specialties NRMP Match
• Complete the APA Common Fellowship Application form
• Letters of Recommendation:
  • You will need three letters of recommendation
  • If you are a current resident, one letter must be from your current program director
  • Make sure each individual receives a confidential reference report. A report must be submitted alongside each letter of recommendation.
  • Letter writers should submit their letters of recommendation along with a confidential reference report via email directly to the fellowship program director.

Applicants must email the below application materials directly to each fellowship program:

• Curriculum vitae (CV)
• Personal statement

Fellows training in graduate medical education and dental education programs sponsored by Nationwide Children’s Hospital are employees of the hospital and as such are eligible the same benefits that other full time staff receive – with the exception of paid time off.

Learn More About Salary & Benefits

For more information, please contact:

Judith Groner, MD
Program Director
Judith.Groner@NationwideChildrens.org

Allison Smith
Program Coordinator
Allison.Smith@NationwideChildrens.org
(614) 722-6794