Curriculum

Our program combines high-acuity clinical immersion in a Level IV NICU with a structured, case-based didactic curriculum and dedicated faculty mentorship. Residents gain hands-on experience managing complex neonatal conditions while developing strong procedural skills, clinical judgment, and confidence in independent decision-making.

Didactic Curriculum

Introductory Lecture Series:

An introductory block of lectures (60 hours) given by attendings, APPs, pharmacists, dieticians, respiratory therapists. The lecture series provides a foundation in neonatal physiology and pathophysiology.

Weekly educational opportunities throughout the year including:

  • Neonatal Grand Rounds
  • Pediatric Grand Rounds
  • Neonatal Journal Club
  • Fetal-Infant Mortality Conference
  • Maternal-Fetal Medicine Conference
  • Pathology Conference
  • In Situ NICU Simulations
  • Weekly reading assignments are given throughout the residency year

Clinical Curriculum

Clinical Rotations:

  • NICU (9 months)
  • Pediatric surgery (2 weeks)
  • Pediatric radiology (2 weeks)
  • Pediatric cardiology (2 weeks)
  • Maternal-fetal medicine (2 weeks)
  • Newborn nursery (2 weeks)
  • Nursing rotation (1 week)

Procedural skills:

Procedures are taught with a mix of simulation and clinical experiences.

  • Intubations
  • Umbilical Lines
  • Lumbar Punctures
  • Chest Tubes
  • Peripheral Arterial Lines
  • Thoracentesis
  • Paracentesis
  • Ventricular Reservoir Taps
  • Point of Care Ultrasound

On-call Requirement:

The resident will take in-house calls, five days per month.

Competency 

Evaluations:

  • PA residents are evaluated by an attending physician at the completion of each clinical rotation
  • Six month and yearly evaluations of the residents are completed by the program director

Exams:

  • Exams are given after each off-service rotation and cover the reading assignments of each specialty
  • Six month and end-of-year exams are also given to assure progression of knowledge

Facilities

Golisano Children's at UK

The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at UK Golisano Children's is a 70-bed, level IV facility that provides care to critically ill newborns from all across central and eastern Kentucky.  With close to 1,000 infants admitted each year for medical and/or surgical reasons, and approximately 100 of those infants weighing less than 1,000 grams, the NICU cares for all neonates from the simplest to the most complex.  Services provided include conventional and high-frequency ventilation, nitric oxide therapy, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), and pre- and post-operative surgical care.  KCH also has many pediatric sub-specialties available for consultation including:  cardiology, pulmonology, infectious disease, hematology, neurology, pediatric surgery, neurosurgery, ENT, plastic surgery, gastroenterology, radiology, ophthalmology, nephrology, and endocrinology. 

NICU Graduate Clinic

The division of neonatology also operates an outpatient NICU Graduate Clinic, which provides developmental follow-up for at-risk infants.  Babies are seen here for physical, neurological and developmental assessments, as well as post-hospital management of on-going medical problems.  The clinic also provides evaluation services for infants at-risk for disabilities and/or in need of early intervention.  The clinic is staffed by an attending neonatologist, a physical therapist, dietician, psychologist and social services personnel.