Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship Program

The Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship Program at UT Southwestern Medical Center prepares physicians to become expert clinicians, educators, scholars, quality-improvement leaders, and advocates for children.

Through progressive responsibility and graduated autonomy, fellows develop the judgment, technical skills, and leadership needed to practice confidently in any pediatric emergency medicine setting. Our fellows:

Become experts in the evaluation and management of acutely ill and injured infants, children, and adolescents
Develop the clinical judgment and procedural skills needed to lead medical resuscitations and trauma care
Become effective educators who teach and mentor medical students, residents, colleagues, and interprofessional team members
Design and lead research and quality-improvement projects that generate new knowledge and improve patient care
Develop as thoughtful leaders and strong advocates for children in North Texas and beyond

Strengths of the Program

Exceptional breadth and acuity: Fellows train primarily in one of the busiest pediatric emergency departments in the country and the only Level I pediatric trauma center in North Texas. They manage the full spectrum of pediatric emergency medicine, from bread-and-butter pediatric complaints to complex medical emergencies, acute resuscitations, and life-threatening trauma.
High-volume, hands-on clinical training: The clinical environment offers abundant opportunities to refine diagnostic reasoning, procedures, team leadership, consultation, transport communication, and emergency department flow management.
Diverse and accomplished faculty: Faculty members bring training backgrounds and professional experiences from institutions across the country. This diversity exposes fellows to different clinical approaches, teaching styles, career paths, and perspectives.
Robust research and quality-improvement opportunities: Fellows receive structured research mentorship, protected scholarly time, project oversight, and access to institutional resources through UT Southwestern and Children's Health.
Broad, multisite curriculum: Rotations across the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex provide focused experience in pediatric orthopedics, anesthesia and airway management, pediatric critical care, point-of-care ultrasound, labor and delivery, adult trauma, child abuse pediatrics, emergency medical services, medical toxicology, adult emergency medicine and procedures, transport medicine, research, and individualized electives.

Duration of Fellowship

The fellowship offers two training pathways:

Three-year program for physicians who have completed an accredited pediatrics residency
Two-year program for physicians who have completed an accredited emergency medicine residency

Number of Fellows

A typical fellowship class includes approximately five fellows per year, although class size may vary slightly by year and training pathway. The fellowship currently has 14 fellows.

Message from the Director

Jo-Ann Nesiama, M.D., M.S.

Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship Program Director

Welcome to the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship at UT Southwestern!

Thank you for your interest in our program. Our mission is to prepare physicians to become expert clinicians, educators, scholars, quality-improvement leaders, and advocates for children. Through a structure of progressive responsibility and graduated autonomy, our fellows develop the clinical judgment, technical skills, and leadership capabilities needed to practice confidently in any pediatric emergency medicine setting – not only across the United States, but internationally as well, as the skills and adaptability fostered here translate seamlessly to diverse global healthcare environments.

Throughout training, our fellows become experts in the evaluation and management of acutely ill and injured infants, children, and adolescents, while developing the clinical judgment and procedural skills necessary to lead medical resuscitations and trauma care with confidence. We place equal emphasis on cultivating effective educators – fellows learn to teach and mentor medical students, residents, colleagues, and interprofessional team members, skills that extend their impact well beyond direct patient care.

Our program also supports fellows in designing and leading research and quality-improvement projects that generate new knowledge and meaningfully improve patient outcomes. Above all, we strive to develop thoughtful leaders and strong advocates for children, both here in North Texas and beyond.

This journey is one of continuous growth: as fellows gain experience, they are given increasing autonomy, allowing them to refine their skills while always having the support and mentorship of our dedicated faculty. If you are a highly motivated applicant eager to grow within a collaborative, forward-thinking environment, I invite you to learn more about training at UT Southwestern and Children's Health. We look forward to welcoming you to our program."

Testimonials

"Training at Children's Medical Center Dallas opens doors. The breadth, volume, and acuity of the experience prepare you to feel comfortable practicing pediatric emergency medicine anywhere in the country."
Ahmed Lababidi, M.D. Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellow

"What drew me to Children's Medical Center and UT Southwestern was the kind and welcoming faculty, the robust clinical training with large volumes and high acuity, and the opportunity to work with learners. I decided to stay as faculty because I felt so well supported by the department and knew this would be a place where I could continue to grow as a physician and teacher."
Julia Thrash, M.D. Class of 2024

"I applied to UTSW for fellowship because of the large volume of patients and patient acuity. During my interview, faculty were welcoming, approachable, and made me feel at home. The training, faculty, and support staff were exceptional. I decided to stay on at UTSW as faculty because I wanted to continue caring for this volume and acuity and, most importantly, the support from everyone was great. I also wanted to be able to teach a great variety of trainees."
Nkeiruka Orajiaka, M.D., M.P.H. Class of 2025