Welcome from the Fellowship Program Director
Penelope Dennehy, MD
Thank you for your interest in the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship training program at Brown University and Hasbro Children’s Hospital. There is no pediatric subspecialty that is as exciting, covers the full range of pediatrics and provides as many diverse career choices and opportunities for discovery as infectious diseases!
Our trainees go on to pursue a wide variety of careers within pediatric infectious diseases. Recent graduates have selected such diverse paths as academic medicine, hospitalist medicine focusing on health outcomes, public health and epidemiology.
Our clinical training program provides a rich experience with both an active inpatient consult service and busy outpatient general pediatric infectious disease and pediatric HIV clinics. As the only children’s hospital in southeastern New England we have a wide catchment area and serve a population with racial, ethnic, and socio-economic diversity, including a large group of recent refugees/immigrants and non-native-English speakers. As a result, we have no shortage of interesting cases and learning opportunities.
The Pediatric ID faculty at Brown are deeply committed to mentorship and to the development of the next generation of Pediatric ID physicians. Our faculty are nationally and internationally recognized and have a wide range of clinical and research interests, including:
- Epidemiology of Tuberculosis in the Developing World
- Epidemiology of Viral Respiratory and Gastrointestinal Infections
- Global Health
- HIV Education and Care
- Infection Control/Antimicrobial Stewardship
- Parasitology
- Vaccinology
- Virology
We have a long history of collaboration with other Divisions and Departments at Brown including the Brown University Program in Public Health, and the Brown Global Health Initiative. We also have strong ties with the Rhode Island Department of Health. Recent fellows have enjoyed training in public health at the RI Department of Health, and in laboratories in other Divisions such as Adult Infectious Diseases.
No matter what combination of clinical care, research (whether basic, translational, clinical, epidemiologic, or global health), infection control, or antimicrobial stewardship you ultimately choose for your career, we are well equipped to provide you with the critical skills and tools to pursue a productive and enjoyable career in pediatric infectious diseases. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any questions you may have. I look forward to hearing from you!
Dr. Dennehy
our program
Our division as sponsored fellowship training in pediatric infectious disease beginning in 1976. The goals of this program are the acquisition of clinical experience and expertise in pediatric infectious diseases, fostering of skills as an educator, and development of competence to subsequently undertake independent investigation demonstrated by meaningful accomplishment in research during fellowship.
Our fellowship program is 3 years in duration and approved by the ACGME. In addition to the three-year fellowship, the program also offers a four-year combined Pediatric and Adult Infectious Disease fellowship training program in combination with the Rhode Island Hospital (RIH) Adult Infectious Diseases fellowship training program. Fellows in the combined program spend two years in training in the Division of Pediatric Infectious Disease and two years training in Adult infectious disease. This combined program is approved by the RIH Graduate Medical Executive Committee and is recognized by the American Board of Pediatric and the American Board of Internal Medicine. It is not an ACGME-recognized combined program.
The first year is primarily clinical, focusing on the development of clinical skills and competence in the subspecialty including participation in diagnostic microbiology, transplant ID, and infection control electives. In the second year, development of investigative capabilities is paramount and the fellow is expected to pursue one or more research projects in depth. The majority of the third year is devoted most of their time to research. All fellows have the opportunity to participate in monthly pediatric infectious disease conferences.
Research opportunities include laboratory, epidemiological, and clinical studies in infectious diseases and related disciplines in the various departments at Brown-affiliated hospitals. Brown faculty are currently working on projects in Peru, Ukraine, Haiti, Cambodia, the Philippines, and Kenya. Med/Peds combined infectious diseases fellowship training is available.
Learn more about joining the house staff at Hasbro Children’s Hospital and Rhode Island Hospital