Neonatal Nutrition Fellowship Curriculum

Program content will be individualized for the neonatal nutrition fellow based on interests, needs, and abilities.

A core block of nutrition training presents neonatal nutrition principles and their clinical application. The training is presented in the neonatal intensive care units and the Level 2 nurseries of Texas Children's Hospital and Ben Taub Hospital. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission and the Early Childhood Intervention Program provide training on high-risk infants in the home setting.

Each fellow gains experience in the nurseries by making their own nutritional assessment rounds, bedside rounds with the neonatal nutritionist to discuss nutrition principles and problems demonstrated by the intensive care patients, and daily neonatal attending rounds with the neonatologist, house staff, and neonatal nurse practitioners.

Fellows participate in rounds with the Neonatal Nutrition Team every Tuesday and Thursday.

Six weeks into the fellowship, each fellow selects a special project. This project on the nutrition management of high-risk neonates is completed while the fellow is at Baylor College of Medicine.

A computer-driven neonatal nutrition database is available to aid nutrition fellows in nutritional assessment of neonates, preparation of case studies, and the development of special projects.

Fellows prepare several oral presentations and neonatal case studies on selected patients from the NICU. Written case studies on premature infants also are completed. These case studies emphasize hospital nutrition support as well as follow-up care for infants post-discharge.

Each fellow gives an in-service research presentation to members of the Neonatology team.

At the TCPA Community Cares Programs (Medical Home Clinics), the fellows observe the nutritional problems of infants and children. Good health practices and the prevention of obesity are discussed. Graduates of the NICU can attend these clinics.

Activities on the prevention, assessment and treatment of child and adult obesity will be done in conjunction with the Baylor Pediatric Faculty. Fellows will attend the interdisciplinary classes/clinics for children and lectures on pediatric obesity.

MCH public policy and advocacy training will be conduced via discussions and legislative activities.

MCH public policy and advocacy training will be conduced via discussions and legislative activities.

Fellows also have access to:

• Weekly seminars on newborn medicine
• Case conferences and neonatal research
• Perinatal center conference
• A monthly neonatal journal club

In addition, the USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center has weekly nutrition research seminars, and pediatric grand rounds are presented weekly at Texas Children's Hospital.