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The Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellowship Program at the University of Wisconsin - Madison (UW) is an American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG)-approved, three-year fellowship training program designed to provide trainees with strong clinical skills in all areas of Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) and to offer a substantiative research experience. As per ABOG requirement, half of the fellowship training period is devoted to research. Our fellowship's primary focus is to train physician-scientists by providing experience in bench research for a productive academic career. Prior bench/laboratory research experience is not necessary to apply for the fellowship.
The clinical obstetrical facilities for the UW Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology are housed at Meriter Hospital, which is the primary site for UW high-risk obstetrics. The Center for Perinatal Care has been a joint program of the UW and Meriter Hospital for almost three decades. The UW Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology has an ABOG-approved residency program with six residents at each level.
Our rotations on clinical services are in one-month blocks: Generally, these one-month rotations alternate between our out-patient prenatal diagnostic center and a clinical-service assignment which includes both in-patient and out-patient clinical experience. The clinical experience also provides at least three separate monthly elective clinical rotations which include a rotation in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, as well as in Clinical Genetics and Obstetrical Anesthesiology. During these rotations, the fellows have no other commitments, thus providing an intensive and focused clinical learning experience. Faculty supervises and works closely with the fellows on a daily basis, helping structure the rotation to meet each fellow's needs and interests. Fellows are evaluated at the end of their rotations, and they offer anonymous faculty performance reviews, as well. This arrangement fosters a strong, mutually respectful collegial relationship.
Fellows attend our weekly Perinatal Conference; a multidisciplinary clinical conference jointly-conducted by the Divisions of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Neonatology faculty. A separate fellow didactic conference series specifically focuses on maternal, fetal, and neonatal physiology which is presented by various subspecialists (UW faculty). An obstetric seminar series is presented by obstetric residents and MFM fellows on an ongoing basis. Through these conferences and seminars, in addition to a combination of specific clinical rotations and direct patient-care experiences, the fellows develop expertise in all areas of MFM.
Graduate courses for our fellows are provided through the UW Graduate School. There are courses on biostatistics and cellular and molecular biology that provide theoretical background to fellows pursuing basic research. Fellows also take a course in ethical and regulatory issues in clinical investigations.
The research experience for our fellows is generally divided into one-, two-, or three-month blocks of rotations. Fellows select one of two research tracks: Physician-scientist or clinician-scientist. The fellows in the physician-scientist track and pursuing basic research are expected to enroll in the Endocrinology-Reproductive Physiology (ERP) Graduate Program. Candidates are, through the ERP Program, able to earn a Master’s degree during the fellowship from the Graduate School. This requires a separate and direct application, and candidates are advised to access the ERP Program and the UW Graduate School websites. Fellows choosing a clinician-scientist track to pursue clinical research are encouraged to enter the Clinical Investigator Preparatory Program (CIPP), a K-30 program, or a clinician-scientist development program, Training and Education to Advance Multidisciplinary Clinical Research (TEAM), a K-12 program, both of which are NIH-sponsored training programs. A mentorship committee is developed for each fellow with compatible faculty pairing to guide them throughout the fellowship.
The Reproductive Sciences Division of the UW Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology consists of eight bench scientists and one physician-scientist. Two of the scientists are also members of the UW Primate Center. Our scientists conduct research directly relevant to perinatal biology and are available as the primary mentors for the fellows. The research training for our fellows includes developing speaking and writing skills, guidance in hypothesis generation, and study design and data analysis, in addition to performing the research itself. The experience is designed to assist the fellows in launching an independent, investigative career. Our fellows will generally select an academic career and will have the option to pursue additional graduate work at the UW towards a doctoral degree (PhD), as junior faculty in the MFM Division, after completion of the fellowship.
Contact Information:
Jenny Bright, Fellowship Coordinator
UW – Madison Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology
MFM Fellowship Program
Meriter Hospital
202 South Park Street 6-Center
Madison WI 53715
Phone: 608-417-6099
Fax: 608-257-1255
Email: jlbright@wisc.edu
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