Conferences

You will have also an opportunity to participate in annual regional conferences, including the Perinatal Outreach Conference and Neonatology “Thruway” Conference, encompassing staff from all of the regional NICUs in upstate New York (Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Albany).

In this series, our faculty or invited guest speakers speak on relevant topics of interest or expertise on developmental biology of the fetus and neonate, research design and methods, biochemistry and pathophysiology. Senior fellows present their research at this forum at least once towards the end of their fellowship.

Monthly

We have several fellow-led conferences, the schedule for which is made by one of our third-year fellows.

This includes:

• Monthly Clinical Case Conference: Fellows present clinical cases they have encountered, often with a unique presentation or clinical question. Each fellow is mentored by a neonatology faculty member for their case conference.
• Monthly Journal Club: Fellows present a recent journal article of interest and analyze the article using established critical analysis rubricks, discussing the research question, research techniques applied and applicability to our clinical practice.
• Combined Neo-Ob Conference: In this series, one of our fellows, along with an assigned OB resident, presents a case conference encompassing both antenatal as well as postnatal aspects of care.
• Combined Neo-Surgery Conference: Commonly encountered neonatal surgical conditions are covered in this series, either as a case conference or a didactic, led by neonatology and/or pediatric surgical fellows.

These meetings are held to review ongoing research projects, help plan new research and provide a forum for fellows and faculty to present their research, ahead of regional/national conferences.

Bi-weekly

You will participate in other regular monthly conferences including QA/Mortality and Morbidity Series, monthly unit staff meetings, weekly departmental grand rounds, as well as the Department of Pediatrics Research Series.

Conferences addressing core concepts in statistical methods and research design are regularly provided through the University at Buffalo.

Initiated in 2021, the regional neonatology simulation boot camp provides 2 half day training sessions for neonatology fellows from Buffalo, Rochester and Albany. Focused especially on the incoming fellows, these scenarios mimic those commonly encountered in the NICU and in the delivery room and provide a “hands-on” experience with high-fidelity manikins. Additional immersive sessions held using standardized actors include antenatal counseling as well as difficult conversations in the NICU. This boot camp provides a forum for neonatology fellows across the thruway to get to know each other and collaborate.

These are organized twice a year, led by Deepali Handa, MD, MBA at the Behling Simulation Center. You will participate in various scenarios designed to enhance your clinical, cognitive and communication skills.

The Celebration of Scholarship is an annual research poster session where fellows, residents, medical students, and junior faculty have an opportunity to present their scholarly activity. Our fellows have regularly won awards and accolades at this forum.