Curriculum
CLINICAL TRAINING
Outpatient high risk patient clinic is currently conducted at the Pasadena Regional Maternal Child Health Clinic one day a week and the University Health Clinic/ Galveston 2 half days a week. One faculty and one fellow attend each clinic. Prenatal care and management plans are discussed and reviewed and a high risk patient list is maintained. The most complicated patients on this list are discussed each Wednesday with faculty at the Perinatal Care Conference using an evidence-based approach to reach a consensus for a care plan. Fellows are responsible for maintaining both high risk Maternal and Fetal lists.
Outpatient ultrasound clinic. We have an active prenatal diagnosis and fetal therapy service with state-of-the-art ultrasound machines, including 3D and 4D capabilities. The unit has been continuously accredited by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine since the inception of the accreditation system. We are also in the process of becoming Fetal Echo certified. The primary locations for training fellows in ultrasound are the Galveston University Health clinic and the Pearland Regional Maternal Child Health clinic. The other regional clinic cites are available as needed. A curriculum has been established that starts fellow ultrasound education with one-on-one, hands-on training with a sonographer. All ultrasound examinations are stored using an electronic archiving system with the capacity for saving and retrieving still images and real-time loops. Images obtained by fellows are reviewed by a senior sonographer for components of a basic and targeted exam as well as fetal echocardiography.
As images are approved and basic skills are assessed and approved the fellows advance to detailed ultrasound examinations. At the end of training fellows are expected to perform a complete detailed exam with proficiency. In addition, the fellows, counsel patients and participate in reading ultrasound images with the faculty.
During the core ultrasound curriculum, only one fellow is present during any ultrasound clinic which ensures one-on-one teaching with faculty and sonographers. The fellows have five (5) months of ultrasound. In addition to core training, additional hands-on training at the Pearland location has been developed. The Pearland site provides the fellows time for hands-on training with one sonographer and a faculty in a slower paced clinic. This ultrasound training is in addition to the five (5) month blocks mentioned above.
Required Courses
Fellows will be required to take "Applied Statistical Methods.” Fellows must apply to graduate school as a special non-degreed seeking student. Course is graded and fellows will be required to obtain a grade of "B" or better.
Statistics are graduate level courses offered through the School of Biomedical Sciences. Course selection will be determined by the fellow's needs. Courses necessary to provide fund of knowledge to pursue their research project will be required. Additional courses (particularly clinical investigation) will be encouraged as time permits to supplement the required courses.
Resources