Training and internship opportunities
Educating and providing consultation to the various disciplines serving the child/family in the hospital and community is an essential part of the team's focus. As part of our efforts to improve the field of child abuse pediatrics we offer many training opportunities for medical students, physicians, social workers, and other professionals whose work involves children and families.
Current training opportunities:
Fourth year medical students
Medical students at Northwestern University can elect to do a one month rotation in Child Abuse and Neglect during their fourth year. The goal of this elective is for the student to increase his or her knowledge and skills to identify and treat abused and neglected children within the context of the behavioral, developmental, and psychological maturation of the child.
Fourth year medical students from outside institutions can also apply to our elective as visiting students. For more information on this opportunity please contact Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine's Visiting Student Programs directly at visitingstudents@northwestern.edu.
Pediatric residents
Pediatric residents spend 2 weeks during their third year doing a rotation in Child Abuse. This training includes, but is not limited to:
- Participating in the assessment and clinical care of children referred for an evaluation by the Protective Service Team
- Learning about the roles and responsibilities of the other professionals and agencies involved in the protection of children, e.g. the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), States Attorney's Office, Office of the Public Guardian, and Juvenile Court
- Learning about providing testimony by observing child abuse pediatricians testifying in juvenile and criminal court and other legal proceedings
- Observing Child Death Review Team meetings at the Medical Examiner's Office
- Participating in national teleconference presentations of medical cases
- Participating in journal club meetings held with other child abuse pediatricians in Chicago
- Learning how to effectively obtain a psycho-social history and evaulate injuries and clincal presentations concerning for abuse (in both inpatient and outpatient settings)
Child maltreatment fellowship (ongoing)
The child maltreatment fellowship at Children's Memorial provides focused training in all areas of child abuse and neglect. The large volume of patients treated at the hospital truly provides an optimal learning experience. Fellows also spend 1 or more months performing sexual abuse evaluations at the Chicago Children's Advocacy Center.
In addition to patient care, fellows learn how to provide effective court testimony, assist in education medical personnel, and learn how to advocate for policy that will improve care and treatment of maltreated children. Independent research is encouraged and mentored. Upon completion of the fellowship, the physician will be a medical expert who is knowledgeable and competent in all areas of child abuse and neglect.
Along with the experiences at Children's Memorial Hospital, interested fellows may select to concurrently pursue a Master's in Public Health at Northwestern University. A generous tuition support program will be provided for accepted candidates. The fellowship is directed at training physicians who will pursue careers in academic settings.
Beginning in July 2010, the Child Abuse Pediatrics Fellowship will be a three-year training program as required by the American Board of Pediatrics.
If you are interested in applying, please contact Emalee Flaherty, MD, at e-flaherty@northwestern.edu or 773.880.4322
Social work internships
More information on internship opportunities for graduate students of social work will be available soon.
Internships
If you are interested in in policy issues regarding child abuse, or would like to participate in child abuse research, please contact Dr. Emalee Flaherty at e-flaherty@northwestern.edu.