Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellowship
About the Program
VCU has a long history of providing care to complex pregnancies in the state of Virginia. An MFM Fellowship existed in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, but fellowship training has remained dormant for almost 30 years. The rebirth of our fellowship program is an acknowledgement of the quantity and complexity of care rendered by our division, and the need to train MFM Fellows to provide this type of quality care for our patients here in Virginia and throughout the country.
Medical College of Virginia Hospitals (MCVH), the flagship hospital of Virginia Commonwealth University Health System (VCUHS), is an 815-bed hospital that provides primary through quaternary care to Central, Southern, and Eastern regions of Virginia which include a diverse patient population drawing from both rural and urban regions of the Commonwealth.
Over 2,700 babies are delivered at MCVH per year. MCVH is a referral center for maternal and neonatal care due to its ability to provide immediate interdisciplinary medical and surgical care 24 hours per day for the most complex and critically ill pregnant women and fetuses. MCVH also provides Level IV NICU services for the most critically ill neonates. There is a long-standing Ob/Gyn Residency program, first accredited in 1955, with 6 residents per year that work with over 24 Faculty members in the Department. There are five Faculty in Maternal-Fetal Medicine (https://obgyn.vcu.edu/specialties/division-of-maternal-fetal-medicine/) to supervise and mentor MFM fellows.
Our Mission
The VCU Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellowship will train physicians capable of providing excellent clinical care for the most complex pregnancies; who will be leaders locally, regionally, and nationally; who will be educators of students, residents, clinicians, and the faculty in academic settings; and who will leave Fellowship capable of pursuing academic and research goals that enhance the care of pregnant women.
Message from our Program Director
![[VCUSOM MftD] - Message from our Program Director](/media/obgyn/faculty/rmramus.jpg)
Curriculum
The MFM fellowship three-year program provides comprehensive training that starts with a broad base of clinical exposure and didactics, which then transitions into an emphasis on research into fields relevant to our specialty. Fellows take on graduated levels of responsibility throughout the three years, with an emphasis on developing autonomy but within a team approach to supervision at all times. Our philosophy is to make the fellowship flexible to meet the needs and interests of the fellow so that they can meet their individualized career goals.
During the first year of fellowship, fellows will develop clinical and research foundations. There is protected time (fellow will be excused from clinical duties) to complete graduate studies in medical research and study design by taking Graduate Research Methods I and II (BIOS 543 and BIOS 544) at VCU. Information for these courses can be found at on the VCU Bulletin.
- Labor and Delivery: 1 month
- Ultrasound: 3 months
- Research: 4 months
- Genetics: 1 months
- Elective: 1 months
- MFM Clinic: 1 month
- MFM Service: 2 months
- Labor and Delivery: 1 months
- MFM Clinic: 1 month
- Medical Respiratory ICU: 1 month
- Research: 4 months
- Genetics: 1 month
- MFM Service: 3 months
- Elective: 1 month
- Research: 4 months
- Elective: 4 months
- MFM Service: 4 months
Our philosophy is to create a program that is flexible to meet the interests and career goals of each fellow. To accomplish this goal, fellows are encouraged to spend time on elective rotations of their choice including:
- Fetal Echocardiography
- Clinical Genetics
- Adult Congenital Heart Disease
- Surgical Trauma Critical Care
- Infectious Disease
- Endocrinology
- Neonatal ICU
- OB Anesthesiology
- Perinatal Pathology
- Family Planning
Additional electives can be arranged at the fellow’s request, with the program director’s approval.
Our approach to comprehensive, well-rounded fellowship training includes the following:
Fellows will participate in approximately two hours of MFM fellowship-specific didactics per week. This includes a core curriculum designed to cover all topics as outlined in the ACGME Guideline to Learning in Maternal Fetal Medicine, journal club, and chapter reviews from relevant textbooks. Fellows will also attend other departmental lectures including weekly Grand Rounds and case-based learning conferences.
MFM fellows are responsible for presenting complex fetal patients at our interdisciplinary NICU conferences where they develop a deeper understanding of prenatal diagnostic considerations and their implications for the newborn.
Fellows also present complex maternal patients at the interdisciplinary Complex Maternal Care conferences which occurs once monthly and on an as needed basis. Here, they will learn to coordinate care with multiple subspecialists and develop delivery plans in collaboration with nursing, anesthesiology, cardiology, intensivists, and other members of the medical team to ensure optimal maternal outcomes. This will provide additional medical knowledge as well as provide the fellows with experience in leading interdisciplinary teams.
Fellows will be provided with faculty mentorship and four months of protected time per year to pursue research interests. During Research months, the fellow will have one half day per week assigned to clinical duties. The fellow will be expected to complete a research thesis adequate to submit for American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology certification as a Maternal Fetal Medicine subspecialist.
During the first year (PGY-5) of fellowship, fellows will have protected time (excused from clinical obligations) to complete graduate coursework at VCU in research and study design by taking Graduate Research Methods I and II (BIOS 543 and 544). Course information can be found on the VCU Bulletin.
Mentorship and research infrastructure is available at VCU for the Maternal Fetal Medicine fellow. The VCU Center for Clinical and Translational Research (CCTR) provides research support services for fellows, in addition to mentorship by MFM faculty. CCTR provides biostatisticians to assist the trainee-investigator in study design, grant writing, database management, and statistical analysis. There is access to a wide variety of databases including National Inpatient Sample, Vermont Oxford Network, and National Surgical Quality Improvement Program for observational research studies. Two laboratories also collaborate closely with our department and are available for basic science research. MFM fellows will also have the opportunity to collaborate with the Children’s Hospital Research Institute.
Fellows will be required to participate in the VCU Health System Perinatal Practice Committee (PCC). This is an interdisciplinary committee with representatives from L&D nursing, OBGYNs, midwives, OB Anesthesiology, Neonatology, Perinatal Pharmacy, and MFM faculty. This committee is led by the MFM Division and is charged with identifying obstetric practices that could be implemented or revised to improve obstetric care provided at VCUHS.
Fellows will also be required to participate in VCHUS Obstetrics Quality Assurance Committee (OBQA). This committee reviews all obstetric cases that have been identified as opportunities to improve outcomes.
To maintain competency as an obstetrician gynecologist, Maternal Fetal Medicine fellows will spend one night per month doing in-house labor and delivery call. Gynecology back-up and Maternal Fetal Medicine faculty supervision will be available during these overnight call duties.
Salary and Benefits
The VCU School of Medicine is proud to offer competitive salaries for housestaff, with cost-of-living adjustments each year.
- PGY-5: $70,722
- PGY-6: $73,176
- PGY-7: $75,865
Benefits for fellows include the following:
- Three weeks paid vacation
- Medical and dental insurance
- Confidential stress and counseling resources
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
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Instituted quarterly Health Equity Grand Rounds
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Initiated use of the Inequity Inbox Tool for reporting of microaggressions
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Supported inception of student interest group for Black Maternal Health
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Partnered with community organizations to bridge historically damaged relationships between the health system and the birthing community
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Remain continuously open to patient, resident, staff feedback on improving the culture and practice of DEI in our everyday practice of care
Training Opportunities
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The Office of Health Equity launched multi-part series examining health disparities and how racism and other social determinants of health directly impact the quality of and access to healthcare. Faculty and trainees may enroll at no cost and earn credit towards DEI digital badge.
Read more about the School of Medicine’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion
Read about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Excellence at ACOG
How to Apply
The VCU Department of OB/GYN participates in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), and prospective residents can apply using the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) offered by the Association of American Medical Colleges.
All applicants must have completed an ACGME-accredited residency training program.
Requirements
- Completed ERAS application submitted to the VCU School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine
- Official medical school transcripts
- Letter from your residency program director confirming successful completion of training or that you are currently in training with no academic concerns or deficiencies
- Letter of recommendation from the chair of your institution’s OB/GYN department
- At least two letters of recommendation from faculty who have worked closely with you in residency
International applicants must also provide documentation of at least three months direct patient care activity in the U.S. or Canada within the last four years.
Interviews
We conduct fellow interviews from according to ERAS guidelines. The Department of OB/GYN is currently conducting all interviews virtually, but this may change (and we will notify you if it does). Because the number of interviews will be limited, we encourage you to complete the application process as early as possible.
Department Activities
Department Activities
