Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program

Discover the St. Jude Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program, one of the largest and busiest clinical research training programs in North America.

On this page:

About the program
Eligibility
Ideal applicant
How to apply
Curriculum overview
Meet the people
Program contact information

About the program

The Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program, jointly administered by the St. Jude Department of Infectious Diseases and the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, is one of the largest and busiest training programs in North America. In addition to robust clinical programs targeting traditional pediatric infectious diseases, we are national leaders in the care of immunocompromised patients.

This three-year Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)–accredited fellowship provides comprehensive clinical training and scholarly tracks in clinical, translational, improvement, implementation and basic sciences. Fellows receive highly individualized training that includes intensive mentoring, didactic and pragmatic education in the principles and practice of scientific investigation, and the opportunity to obtain advanced degrees in related sciences. As a fellow, you will contribute to research projects spanning departments, institutions and the globe.

Eligibility

We offer a unique training environment and seek applicants who:

Have successfully passed one of the following exams:
- The United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE®) Steps 1, 2, and 3
- The Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination of the United States (COMLEX-USA) Levels 1, 2, and 3
- The Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Parts I and II
Have completed a pediatrics or internal medicine–pediatrics residency program accredited by one of the following:
- ACGME
- ACGME International
- Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada

An exception to the residency program requirement may be made for an exceptionally qualified applicant, as defined by the ACGME. The St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and University of Tennessee Graduate Medical Education Committees and/or a subcommittee of these must review and approve the applications of exceptionally qualified candidates.

All international medical graduates must have Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) certification to enter the fellowship program and be eligible for a J-1 visa.

Ideal applicant

The ideal applicant to our program should:

Seek to pursue a career in academic pediatric infectious diseases
Demonstrate excellence in the clinical care of children
Demonstrate the following qualities: adaptability, solid clinical reasoning, collegiality, and independent motivation to succeed
Show proven research ability or a strong potential for success in clinical or laboratory research

Applicants with a strong interest in a career working with immunocompromised children and adolescents will find this program especially valuable; however, the program provides excellent foundational training in all aspects of pediatric infectious diseases.

How to apply

St. Jude accepts up to three fellows each year for training in Pediatric Infectious Diseases. Applications are accepted during the fall match through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS®).

Applications must include:

Candidate’s personal statement
Medical school transcripts
Curriculum vitae (CV)
USMLE transcripts
Three original letters of recommendation (submitted directly from the referee)
ECFMG certification (if applicable)

Curriculum overview

The Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship is tailored to meet the needs and goals of each trainee.

St. Jude and the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center are nationally recognized for their care of immunocompromised children and adolescents. The Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program offers exemplary foundational training in the myriad facets of pediatric infectious diseases, while also offering enhanced and thorough instruction in diagnosing and treating this unique patient population. Fellows participate in a minimum of 54 weeks of clinical rotations over three years — approximately half at Le Bonheur and half at St. Jude. During their time at St. Jude, fellows will spend a minimum of six weeks on the HIV service (four in the first year and two in the third year) and four weeks each on the Le Bonheur and St. Jude transplant services in the second or third year.

Because infectious diseases physicians often have many subspecialty roles during their careers, electives are available at St. Jude and Le Bonheur in:

Antimicrobial stewardship
Infection prevention
Global pediatric medicine
Solid organ transplant
And more, depending on interests and career goals

Our training program strongly emphasizes research, aiming to produce highly trained physician-scientists and researchers. When not on clinical rotations, fellows attend one half-day longitudinal clinic and spend the remainder of the time on research. They can pursue individualized career development pathways in basic or clinical/translational sciences, quality improvement/implementation science, or medical education. Personal mentors and a Scholarship Oversight Committee oversee all aspects of fellows’ education.

Fellows can engage further with field experts and their peers during institutional meetings and seminars, including:

Clinical and research conferences
Board review
Journal club
Systems-based conferences
National meetings held at St. Jude, such as:
- The annual St. Jude–Pediatric Infectious Diseases Research Conference
- The Pediatric Transplant ID Symposium
- The Global Infectious Diseases Symposium
Research week: a week-long intensive course covering the principles of study design and clinical trials, biostatistics, and epidemiology

Meet the people

Our faculty comprises national and international leaders in myriad facets of pediatric infectious diseases research and clinical care. Their goal is to help clinicians with a passion for infectious diseases become the next generation of leaders in the field.

Our fellows are a passionate, driven group with diverse professional and personal goals. They distinguished themselves long before they arrived on campus, and they will graduate from the program with the experience and expertise needed to support their aims.

Meet the people