Global Health Fellowships

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) established fellowships in global health to:

  • Extend CHOP’s clinical, educational, research and advocacy programs beyond the borders of the United States
  • Train future leaders in pediatric global health
  • More effectively partner with colleagues in global settings

Learn about CHOP's Global Health fellowship opportunities: David N. Pincus Global Health Fellowship | Acute Care Global Health Fellowship | Pediatric Emergency Medicine Global Health Fellowship | Global Health Nursing Fellowship in Botswana | Global Health Tracks During Fellowship

Global health fellows work with colleagues in partner communities around the world to improve health and achieve equity in health for children. Fellows learn to practice in settings with fragmented access to pediatric care, suboptimal pediatric medical care in strained healthcare systems, a scarcity of pediatric-trained health workforce and gaps in pediatric research.

In spite of challenges, fellows work within strong partnerships and contribute to initiatives to address these challenges. Fellows will gain global health clinical, educational, research, advocacy and leadership skills, and will be equipped to practice global health in their future careers.

David N. Pincus Global Health Fellowship

The David N. Pincus Global Health Fellowship is a premier program in the Global Health Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). It extends CHOP’s clinical, educational, research and advocacy programs beyond the borders of the United States and into international partner communities. The vision of the fellowship is to train leaders in pediatric global health.

When Mr. Pincus interviewed me in 1998, he made it clear that whoever worked for him had to be willing to join him in his quest to change the world, one child at a time. I am overjoyed knowing that through the endowment of the David N. Pincus Global Health Fellowship at CHOP, part of DP remains to continue that mission. — Danielle Scott, Executive Director, Pincus Family Foundation

Established in 2008 by a generous gift from David N. Pincus, this endowed fellowship program provides opportunities for Global Health fellows to enhance their clinical, educational, research, advocacy and leadership skills in pediatric global health. The fellowship seeks outstanding candidates who not only want to provide clinical service and education in a global setting, but who are also problem solvers who will work with their mentors to design and implement projects and research studies that will benefit children in our partner communities. Accepted applicants join an educationally rich and exciting three-year, fully funded immersive academic pediatric global health fellowship and will work primarily in one of our partner countries: Botswana or the Dominican Republic (DR).

Pincus fellows have clinical, educational, research, advocacy and leadership opportunities throughout the three-year fellowship and will be supported by CHOP Global Health faculty. The fellowship actively collaborates with several partners including the Botswana-UPenn Partnership (BUP), Centro de Salud Divina Providencia (CSDP) in Consuelo, Clínica de Familia La Romana, Columbia University International Family AIDS Program (IFAP) and the University of Botswana (UB).

This three-year Global Health training model combines clinical service and teaching with at least 50% effort for scholarship, all in a global setting. The fellows’ clinical experience is focused on diseases particularly common in resource-constrained regions of the world such as malnutrition, water-related illnesses, acute respiratory disease, diarrhea, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. Tropical diseases such as dengue or various parasitic infections may also account for a significant burden of childhood diseases in partner countries. Each fellow benefits from funding, protected time and mentorship to acquire a master’s degree (e.g., MPH or MSCE through the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine). Each fellow also has the opportunity to design, implement, present and publish a research project under the mentorship of faculty members in the Department of Pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania.

Clinical service

Global Health fellows work collaboratively with in-country professional colleagues. Each fellow will have regular and ongoing pediatric clinical responsibilities. The range of clinical service includes ambulatory care in the Dominican Republic (outpatient, preventive and sick office visits, outreach and home visits) and inpatient pediatric care performed at the level of a general inpatient pediatric hospitalist in Botswana.

Fellows connect with and augment existing healthcare systems in their communities with the guidance of the fellowship faculty and in-country partners. They provide pediatric medical service in areas of modest resources while also being exposed to a broad range of interesting pathologies. In doing so, they develop and improve their clinical diagnostic skills and learn to optimize therapy using available resources.

Education and teaching

Global Health fellows actively coordinate and engage in educational activities in their community, in collaboration with other professionals. In both settings, this includes teaching opportunities with local pediatric residents, nurses and other learners. Fellows are supported by Global Health faculty at CHOP and receive mentoring from a variety of in-country professionals. Fellows are also actively involved in supervising residents and students from CHOP, the University of Pennsylvania, and other institutions who complete electives at the Global Health sites.

Fellows will have dedicated time and funding to pursue a masters-level degree by distance learning through the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Early in their first year, fellows commence coursework starting in October. Fellows who already have masters-level training (e.g., MPH) will work with the program director and faculty to jointly design a curriculum that meets their learning goals. The fellowship also provides support for additional activities (conferences, journal club, case discussions) according to the interest and motivation of the fellow.

Research

High-quality research is a valuable tool to advance global child health. Coupled with skilled, dedicated mentorship, fellows acquire the skills to design and lead research projects through intensive coursework and training through the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Early in their first year, fellows will enroll in a distance learning degree with courses starting in October. Study design, implementation, analysis and write-up are important learning objectives of the Global Health Fellowship. Fellows learn how to design global health research projects and use the principles of clinical epidemiology and public health, adapting and applying them to global child health.

Individualized research mentoring allows fellows to explore their specific research interests while considering the needs of partner sites. Fellows have access to CHOP Global Health faculty as well as faculty at the University of Pennsylvania. The CHOP Global Health Center will connect fellows with faculty mentors according to each fellow’s specific research interests. Each fellow will work closely with his or her research mentor(s) to design, plan, execute and write up a research study. The realm of each research project is flexible based upon the interests of the fellow, but is guided closely by a chosen faculty mentor and is responsive to the priorities of the relevant Global Health partner site.

We encourage you to explore these links to learn about the work of prior CHOP David N. Pincus Global Health Fellows: Lara AntkowiakMarc CallenderMaria DunnMatt Kelly, Savarra MantzorChloe Turner, Henry Welch, and Kate Westmoreland.

Fellowship locations

Fellows begin their fellowship at CHOP by spending about two weeks orienting to the program in Philadelphia, meeting with CHOP and Penn faculty and preparing for their assignment in partner countries. They then relocate to their host country for the duration of the fellowship. At least 32 of the 36 total fellowship months are spent caring for children, teaching, studying, and conducting research in the partner country, which allows for an exceptional global immersion educational experience. Fellows return to CHOP at least once midway through their fellowship to meet in person with mentors and to attend CHOP’s annual Global Health conference. Fellows also return to CHOP at the end of their second year to welcome the new class of global health fellows and share their experiences to date.

Each fellow is encouraged and funded to visit the second fellowship site during their second or third year; this visit builds rapport between fellows and further enriches their appreciation for the importance of context in Global Health as they explore the health systems in both the DR and Botswana.

The Dominican Republic

Health indicators in the DR demonstrate continued high levels of infant and under-5 child mortality, vaccine-preventable illnesses, and malnutrition. During his/her three-year fellowship, the DR-based fellow shares outpatient clinical time between the Centro de Salud Divina Providencia in the town of Consuelo (province of San Pedro de Macorís) and Clínica de Familia (partnered with Columbia University’s International Family AIDS Program) in the nearby city of La Romana. Fellows will also participate in an inpatient experience at a partner pediatric hospital, such as Hospital Infantil Dr. Robert Reid Cabral (HIRRC) in Santo Domingo. Clinical duties are accompanied by a scholarly project conducted in either Consuelo or La Romana, with close mentorship and support both in-country and remotely from CHOP.

Consuelo

In Consuelo, the fellow performs his/her primary clinical responsibilities in collaboration with CHOP’s partners at the Centro de Salud Divina Providencia. The fellow is an active pediatric provider in the community pediatric health program through Centro de Salud Divina Providencia known as Niños Primeros en Salud (NPS), caring for children under the age of 5 years who reside in eight of the lowest-income neighborhoods in Consuelo. The NPS clinic and community program focuses on preventive care, nutrition, breastfeeding, growth and development, vaccinations, anemia, as well as acute care issues, including respiratory infections, diarrhea, skin infections, malnutrition, parasitic infections, and dengue fever, among others.

Dominican pediatric residents from Hospital Infantil Dr. Robert Reid Cabral (HIRRC), the country’s main children’s hospital in Santo Domingo, and from Hospital Materno-Infantil San Lorenzo de los Mina, the country’s primary women and children’s hospital also located in Santo Domingo, rotate through Consuelo monthly for their community health rotation. This exchange provides rich opportunities for both education and collaboration between the Global Health fellow and the Dominican pediatric residents. The fellow also actively engages in community health and wellness programs (including those related to community health workers, nutrition promotion, and preventing parasitic infections) and conducts home visits in the Consuelo neighborhoods (“barrios”) with the pediatric community nurses to improve access to and provision of care to children who need it most.

La Romana

In La Romana, the fellow works at Clínica de Familia, which partners with the Dominican Ministry of Health and Columbia University’s International Family AIDS Program. Clínica de Familia is a model clinic caring for vulnerable populations in the eastern region of the DR. With a multi-disciplinary staff of over 100 people, the clinic provides comprehensive family-centered primary and HIV-specialized outpatient medical care, along with community outreach, psychosocial support services, and an annual summer camp for HIV-positive children.

The fellow is one of two pediatricians in the clinic, providing primary and HIV care for HIV-exposed and HIV-infected children, collaborating closely with a multidisciplinary team. The fellow plays an active role in co-facilitating monthly pediatric department team meetings, participating in weekly clinical education conferences (often leading sessions on relevant clinical topics or cases), mentoring rotating medical students/residents, and supporting the pediatric nutrition program. Additionally, the fellow gains experience in pediatric HIV management, multidisciplinary teamwork, and delivery of comprehensive health services in resource-limited settings.

Botswana

Botswana’s health challenges include the third highest HIV prevalence globally, prematurity, childhood diarrhea, pneumonia, and malnutrition. In this setting, the Global Health fellow works to provide clinical care and service to children at the University of Botswana’s main teaching hospital, currently Princess Marina Hospital in Gaborone, Botswana. Clinical duties are accompanied by a scholarly project with close mentorship and support both in-country and remotely from CHOP.

Princess Marina Hospital

In Botswana, the fellow delivers inpatient general pediatric clinical care as part of the CHOP program in collaboration with the Department of Paediatric and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana (UB), and the Botswana-UPenn Partnership. The Fellow serves as an adjunct faculty member for UB and at different times leads both a pediatric ward team and a neonatal team. Each team includes a variety of trainees (such as UB medical students and a UB resident) caring for children admitted to the hospital. The hospital serves as the referral hospital for the entire country and sees a high rate of prematurity, neonatal complications, pneumonia, diarrhea, HIV and AIDS-related disease, tuberculosis, and malnutrition.

The hospital is large and busy, and as a result the fellow will encounter both routine and unusual, sometimes challenging, medical cases. Morning report and teaching rounds are held each morning, Monday to Friday, to review new cases and to problem-solve with trainees and faculty on the management of ongoing cases. Monthly academic meetings include pediatric journal club and both pediatric and neonatal morbidity and mortality meetings. The fellow takes calls as a general pediatrician.

Global health faculty and mentorship

The David N. Pincus Global Health Fellowship has a diverse faculty with expertise ranging from infectious disease to general pediatrics, emergency medicine to nutrition, public health to toxicology, informatics to infection control, epidemiology and more. Faculty members maintain appointments at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. They have clinical and/or research interests in global health and are available to support the fellow’s clinical, teaching or research activities depending upon his or her needs and interests.

Together with the fellowship director, each fellow chooses a primary faculty research mentor during the first three to four months of the fellowship and will meet regularly throughout the fellowship with his/her mentor. Faculty mentors maintain regular contact with the fellow (via both in-person and other means including telephone, Skype, WhatsApp, email, etc.) and provide mentorship as needed throughout the research study. Additionally, each fellow also has a biweekly conference call with the Global Health fellowship director.

Research projects undertaken by recent Pincus fellows

Conferences and scholarship

During the fellowship, fellows will enhance their skills to share their global health work with others. Fellows’ scholarly activities will be presented at the annual CHOP Global Health Conference. Additionally, each Fellow will present their work at a national/international conference and submit at least one manuscript for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

Faculty members

Fellows have access to a wide range of faculty from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the University of Pennsylvania. These include but are not limited to:

Benefits

  • Salary Compensation: Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s standard for academic fellows is based on PGY status
  • Benefits: Full benefits package standard for academic fellows at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; vacation, medical, dental, prescription, disability insurance, travel and evacuation insurance, 403b retirement plan
  • Travel: Annual roundtrip ticket to the global health site
  • Conference attendance registration and travel benefit with the approval of the fellowship director
  • Full tuition for distance learning for master’s degree at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (or funding for research, if fellow already has a pertinent masters-level degree)

Eligibility

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s David N. Pincus Global Health Fellowship seeks motivated pediatricians to apply for a three-year fellowship. Qualified applicants will receive an invitation to a virtual interview with Global Health faculty and staff in Philadelphia. Finalists will also interview virtually with our in-country partners at each site as appropriate. Interviews will be scheduled for qualified applicants only after receipt and review of all application documents and initial approval of the recruitment committee.

Recruitment for the 2023-2026 program cycle is now open! See details below to apply.

Applicant requirements

  • Must have an MD, DO or equivalent degree.
  • Must have completed a pediatric or med-peds residency at an accredited residency program. Pediatric subspecialists are also encouraged to apply.
  • Must be United States Board Certified or Board Eligible.
  • Must hold a license to practice medicine in the state of Pennsylvania. Selected fellows will be appointed to the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in the Division of General Pediatrics. In order to obtain their faculty appointment, fellows will need to satisfy the requirements of the Division of General Pediatrics and those of the Medical Staff Affairs office at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

How to apply

Early career pediatricians interested in Global Health careers are encouraged to review the fellowship brochure (PDF) and complete their application here (REDCap Link).

Application deadline for the Botswana site has been extended to Monday, Dec. 5, 2022.

*Completed applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and successful candidates will be invited to interview on either Wednesday, Dec. 7, Thursday, Dec. 8, or Friday, Dec.  9. 

Candidates must submit the following (note that applications will only be accepted electronically):

  • A completed electronic application form (including ECFMG certificate number and visa information, if a foreign medical graduate)
  • An updated curriculum vitae (CV)
  • Three letters of recommendation from professional supervisors or faculty mentors familiar with the applicant’s recent professional work
  • An official medical school transcript
  • A one-page personal statement highlighting your professional passion, purpose for applying and career goals as they pertain to the fellowship.
  • A current United States license to practice medicine. If accepted into the fellowship, applicants will be required to become licensed in the state of Pennsylvania

Acute Care — Global Health Fellowship

This two-year non-ACGME accredited fellowship aimed at American Board of Pediatrics board-eligible and board-certified pediatricians intends to train leaders in global health. Dividing their time between Philadelphia and international sites, fellows will hone the clinical skills needed to provide acute health care in both high- and low-resource settings and pursue clinical, research, advocacy and educational opportunities locally and internationally.

In Philadelphia, the fellow will work in a busy, quaternary care emergency department where they will care for higher acuity patients as a front-line pediatrician with supervision, and as a preceptor for medical students and residents when caring for lower acuity patients. International sites will be determined by the fellow and the fellow’s mentorship committee.

At the conclusion of their fellowship, fellows are expected to have produced a mentored scholarly project that carefully considers the needs and interests of their international site. Additionally, as part of their global health curriculum, fellows will have the opportunity to take relevant coursework including a Diploma of Tropical Medicine.

For information or questions, please contact Alexandra Vinograd, MD, MSHP, DTM&H at vinograda@email.chop.edu.

Pediatric Emergency Medicine Global Health Fellowship

In this four-year program, in addition to completing all requirements for our ACGME-accredited Pediatric Emergency Medicine (PEM) fellowship, the candidate will have academic global health training integrated throughout all four years. Fellows will acquire skills in clinical emergency tropical medicine (both at home and abroad), global health research training, academic work relating to global clinical care, and additional exposure to global health learning opportunities, including a Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 

At the completion of the fellowship, candidates are eligible for both the American Board of Pediatrics PEM Certification Exam and the American Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene CTropMed® examination. If you are interested, please apply to the general PEM fellowship via ERAS in the usual manner and select "PEM-global health track." 

Learn more about the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship. For information or questions, please contact Julia Swanson at 215-590-1959 or via email at  pemedfellowship@email.chop.edu.

Global Health Nursing Fellowship in Botswana

Global Health Nursing Fellowship in Botswana - Molly Mahon CHOP NICU nurse, Molly Mahon in the neonatal unit at Princess Marina Hospital. CHOP Nurse Fellows will partner with the CHOP Global Health Nurse Fellowship Director, nurse leaders, and frontline nursing and medical staff in Botswana to help improve neonatal outcomes at Princess Marina Hospital (PMH), Botswana’s main referral hospital and Sir Ketumile Masire Teaching Hospital (SKMTH). Nurse Fellows will complete three-month rotations in Botswana, working collaboratively to achieve agreed-upon goals and objectives to improve neonatal intensive and general neonatal unit care. Nurse Fellows will participate in bedside teaching and mentoring to foster high-functioning teamwork within the neonatal unit. Nurse Fellows will be based in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and general neonatal units.

This fellowship is designed to build neonatal nursing skills in Botswana; therefore, CHOP Nurse Fellows will teach, work, and learn alongside Batswana nurse colleagues in the neonatal units at PMH and SKMTH. Nurse Fellows will be able to co-design specific projects responsive to the local neonatal care priorities in close consultation with in-country and CHOP mentors. 

Benefits

  • Salary Compensation: Nurse Fellows maintain their CHOP salaries throughout their rotation.
  • Benefits: Vacation, medical, dental, prescription, disability insurance, travel and evacuation insurance, 403 (b) retirement plan
  • Travel: Roundtrip economy airfare to Botswana
  • Local Accommodation

Eligibility

  • Must be currently employed at CHOP and be in good standing with no serious disciplinary action in progress.
  • Must hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree
  • Must have achieved Peak I or II (PEAK achievement before applying is preferred)
  • Must be employed at CHOP for a minimum of 2 years before applying
  • Must have a minimum of 2 years recent (i.e., within the past ten years of nursing practice) NICU experience
  • Must have experience working in global health, including volunteer activities (preferred)
  • Candidates will collaborate with clinical supervisors and managers to determine eligibility and elicit support

How to Apply

  1. Submit an online application. Applications for calendar year 2025 will open in the summer of 2024.
  2. Attach a personal statement (500 words max.) describing your interest in the fellowship, what you hope to learn from it, and the expertise you bring to it.
  3. Attach a copy of your most recent CV.

For more information, contact Sally Poliwoda, MPH, BSN, Clinical Program Director, Global Health Nurse Fellowship, at poliwoda@chop.edu.

Global Health Tracks during Fellowship

CHOP welcomes fellows interested in incorporating Global Health into their fellowship training. Through the Global Health Center, fellows will be linked to a Global Health faculty mentor. Fellows will work with their Global Health mentor and colleagues based in a global setting to identify a suitable project that responds to an expressed need in a low resource setting . If you are interested in learning more about the Global Health Track during fellowship at CHOP, notify your Fellowship Director early in your application process so they can include a CHOP Global Health faculty member in your interview process.

Learn how other subspecialty trainees from adolescent medicine, infectious diseases and neonatology have incorporated Global Health into their Fellowship experience.

Other requirements

To carry out its mission, it is of critical importance for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) to keep our patients, families and workforce safe and healthy and to support the health of our global community. In keeping with this, CHOP has mandated all workforce members (including trainees) on site at any CHOP location for any portion of their time be vaccinated for COVID-19 as a condition of employment.

This mandate also applies to workforce members or trainees performing work for CHOP at non-CHOP locations. Additionally, all workforce members based in or regularly scheduled to work at any New Jersey location are mandated to be both vaccinated and boosted for COVID-19, with booster timing consistent with applicable guidelines. The CHOP COVID-19 vaccine mandate is in alignment with applicable local, state and federal mandates. CHOP also requires all workforce members and trainees who work in patient care buildings or who provide patient care to receive an annual influenza vaccine. Employees may request exemption consideration for CHOP vaccine requirements for valid religious and medical reasons. Please note start dates may be delayed until candidates are fully immunized or valid exemption requests are reviewed. In addition, candidates other than those in positions with regularly scheduled hours in New Jersey, must attest to not using tobacco products.

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, national or ethnic origin, disability, protected veteran status or any other protected category. CHOP is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor seeking priority referrals for protected veterans.

CHOP is committed to building an inclusive culture where employees feel a sense of belonging, connection, and community within their workplace. We are a team dedicated to fostering an environment that allows for all to be their authentic selves. We are focused on attracting, cultivating, and retaining diverse talent who can help us deliver on our mission to be a world leader in the advancement of healthcare for children.

We strongly encourage all candidates of diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply.

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