Clinical Experiences

Ultrasound training
Hands-on ultrasound training is provided by the MFM faculty and Women’s Imaging Specialist group through all years in fellowship. Fellows become skilled in perinatal sonography and prenatal diagnostics. Fellows who desire skills in fetal echocardiography, opportunities to train with Pediatric Cardiology are available.

Genetics training
Fellows work closely with five board-certified genetic counselors and two board-certified. MFM/MGG faculty. With the support of the MFM Fellowship, Fellows have the option to enroll in the UCSF/USC Basic Training in Reproductive Medical Genetics course.

Intensive care training
Fellows rotate through the cardiovascular intensive care unit, which is the unit that accepts all critically ill obstetric patients at OHSU. Didactics on critical obstetric care management are provided by multidisciplinary faculty. Sophisticated obstetric critical care simulations are run on labor and delivery and at the state-of-the-art Mark Richardson Interprofessional Simulation Center, providing  education through interprofessional collaboration and new simulation technologies.

Procedure training
Fellows are involved in the care of obstetric patients who desire prenatal testing or interventions. They learn fetal and obstetric procedures through didactic, simulation and hands-on experience with appropriate supervision.

• Diagnostic testing: amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling
• Fetal procedures: Amnioreduction, fetal blood sampling, intrauterine transfusions, fetal shunts, and potassium chloride injections
• L&D procedures: McDonald and Shirodkar cerclage placements for cervical shortening with the MFM faculty; complex deliveries for fetal anomalies; twin-breech extractions; operative vaginal deliveries

Fetal Care and Surgery Program
Stephanie Dukhovny, M.D. (MFM/MGG), Fetal Care Program director, leads the program in conjunction with Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. The program provides coordinated care to patients with complex fetal anomalies throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington.

Andrew Chon, M.D. (MFM) and Raphael Sun, M.D. (Pediatric Surgery) are co-directors of the Fetal Surgery program to offer options for patients with complex fetal anomalies with surgical or procedural interventions.

The program provides:

• MFM consultation and advanced prenatal diagnostic imaging, including ultrasound, echocardiography and fetal MRI.
• Genetic counseling, testing, and support services for patients, siblings and families.
• In utero procedure training, including thoracentesis, vesicocentesis, thoraco-amniotic and bladder shunt placement, and intrauterine transfusions.
• Fetal surgery for neural tube defects and fetoscopic laser surgery for twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome.
• Pediatric subspecialty consultation (i.e., cardiology, general pediatric surgery, pediatric CT surgery, urology, neurology, ENT, endocrine, nephrology, hematology, GI, palliative care, etc.).
• Coordination of complex deliveries and postnatal follow-up and testing.
• Opportunity for outcomes-based fetal anomaly clinical research.
• A weekly multidisciplinary conference to review imaging and diagnostic testing and coordinate ongoing antenatal and postnatal care.

MFM/Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program
A multidisciplinary program directed by Emmanuelle Paré, M.D. (MFM), and Lidija McGrath M.D.(Cardiology), designed to provide specialized care for pregnant patients with complex congenital heart disease. The program includes:

• A weekly multidisciplinary clinic including MFM, adult congenital heart disease cardiologists, cardiac disease geneticists and anesthesiologists.
• A monthly multidisciplinary conference for case review and to coordinate antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal care.

Diabetes and Pregnancy Program
Amy M. Valent, D.O., M.C.R. (MFM) leads the comprehensive program, providing inclusive preconception, pregnancy and postpartum care for pregnant people with gestational diabetes, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, inherited or autoimmune-mediated diabetes, pre-/post-bariatric surgery, obesity, dyslipidemia and PCOS. The program offers consultative, co-management and continuity of care for patients across the state of Oregon and SW Washington.

• The DAPP team includes a perinatal dietitian, advanced practice providers and behavioral health and social support professionals.
• A weekly clinic is preceded by a journal review, education, and case review conference.
• Fellows learn how to address nutritional health, lifestyle behaviors, developmental origins of health and adult onset diseases (DOHaD) and optimizing long-term health.
• Fellows will develop confidence in using diabetes technology (i.e. insulin pumps, continuous glucose monitors, glucometers, health Apps) during pregnancy to optimize glycemic control and overall health conditions.

Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Hematology Clinic
A multidisciplinary program co-directed by Ashley E. Benson, M.D., M.A., M.S. (MFM) and Bethany Samuelson Bannow, M.D., M.C.R. (Hematology) that provides specialized, consultative care to pregnant individuals with hematologic disorders, including bleeding disorders and thrombophilias across the state of Oregon and SW Washington.

Learn more about Maternal Fetal Medicine Fellowship Clinical Training.

Educational and Scholarly opportunities

Fellowship education
Education is our program’s primary focus, as such, priority, fellows have protected time for all educational activities. Our MFM Fellowship customizes and supports our fellows’ educational goals and pursuits. Fellows have protected, structured education time ½ day every week with various approaches to learning: simulation, didactics, journal club, hands-on training, and chapter reviews.

Fellows participate in multiple, recurring learning opportunities.

• MFM division morning weekly conference
• Fetal Care Conference: multidisciplinary conference reviewing cases/imaging and developing care plans
• Ultrasound monthly conference: reviewing complex fetal anomaly cases with Fetal Radiology colleagues
• NICU/MFM quarterly conference: multidisciplinary presentation on clinical conditions that impact the pregnant individual and offspring
• MFM/ Adult Congenital Heart Disease quarterly conference: multidisciplinary presentation on cardiac conditions that complicate pregnancy
• All Ob/Gyn subspecialty quarterly seminar: opportunity for all Ob/Gyn subspecialty programs at OHSU (Urogyn, Complex Family Planning, Reproductive Endocrinology/Infertility, MFM) to learn about areas that impact all subspecialities while also facilitating a fellow community
• Journal club quarterly focused on maternal and fetal topics
• Oregon Perinatal and Neonatal Network monthly conference that involves centers from around the state of Oregon on collaborative education
• NICU/Genetic rounds: learning alongside genetic counselors, medical geneticists and MFM/MGG faculty on genetic assessments in the NICU

Fellows are supported to attend important educational and career building conferences throughout their fellowship.

• PGY5 – MFM 1^st year fellow retreat
• PGY6 – OHSU Developmental Origins of Adult Onset Diseases (DOHaD) Summer course and GoHo conference
• PGY7 – MFM Critical Care Conference

Fellowship Scholarly Activity
Fellowship is a protected time where fellows can explore new areas of research methodology and develop robust skills in the scientific process. Understanding the research process is one of the foundational pillars necessary to be an effective clinician and required for completion of the fellowship. Developing research skills critical to analytic thinking and applying these concepts for clinical decision making or investigating knowledge gaps are essential for all fellows.

MFM fellows have several resources to help them perform and complete quality thesis projects.

• Mentors: from day one, the fellows are introduced to various potential research mentors.
• Funding: fellows are encouraged to apply for departmental funding to support research projects, in addition to institutional funding opportunities.
• MFM Research Unit is a research team available to help complete clinical studies.
• Biostatistical support: biostatisticians enjoy working with fellows from the beginning with a research question through statistical interpretation.
• Opportunities for collaboration
  • Oregon Non-human Primate Center
  • Oregon Perinatal Collaborative
  • Center for Developmental Health, Knight Cardiovascular Institute
  • Moore Institute for Health & Wellness
  • Portland State University, School of Public Health

Conferences
Fellows are expected to participate in scholarly activities throughout their fellowship and submit their science to regional, national, and international conferences that maximize their career goals in networking, expertise, and reputation. The Ob/Gyn department financially supports fellows who have their science accepted to present at meetings (i.e. SMFM, Society of Reproductive Investigations, AIUM, Gordon conferences, Keystone meetings, International Federations of Placenta Association, etc.).

OHSU Career Advancing Programs

We aim to train fellows who excel in research, education, and clinical care. We support a customizable curriculum designed to provide tailored support, allowing fellows to excel and gain expertise in their chosen domains. Through diverse opportunities, we cultivate an environment where fellows can thrive and emerge as leaders in their respective fields. Below, is a range of opportunities aimed at enriching their training and development.

Human Investigations Program (HIP): The primary objective of the HIP program is to increase the number and level of competency of patient-oriented clinical investigators. The course is directed toward young investigators and fellows. Prior fellows have completed the HIP program successfully during their fellowship. There are two tracks within the HIP program, successful completion leads to either a graduate Certificate of Human Investigation or a Masters of Clinical Research awarded by OHSU.

• Certificate of Human: The university supports a free two-year course-work based program specifically directed toward creating clinician-researchers. It is an integrated clinical and translational research education curriculum
•  Master of Clinical Research (MCR): Fellows who choose to go through the 2-year HIP program can go on to add a third year to complete the three-year OHSU MCR program, which provides structured training for clinicians and scientists who desire to make clinical and translational research a prominent part of their long-term career goal

Masters in Public Health ( MPH): The OHSU-PSU School of Public Health offers six Master of Public Health Programs with concentrations in various areas of expertise. Portland State University is a national model for community engagement and academic innovation. Together, OHSU and PSU provide opportunities for trainees to be “future public health leaders and advance public health scholarship and practice in collaboration with our communities to promote health and social equity”.

Education Scholars Program: ESP is a one-year certificate program designed to prepare education leaders to be successful scholars in both the scholarship of teaching and education research. It is a great opportunity for trainees interested in career paths dedicated to scholarship in health professions education.

Mentorship

Mentorship is an essential pillar of our MFM fellowship. Prior to starting at OHSU, fellows are introduced to various faculty within the MFM division, Ob/Gyn department, and other disciplines to begin forming relationships.

Scholarship Advisory Committee
The Scholarship Advisory Committee is curated for each fellow. The committee members consist of OHSU and potentially external mentors that can provide guidance and advocate for the fellow in the areas of research, clinical acumen, professional growth, and career development. The committee meets twice a year to review fellow progress, identify opportunities, and address any barriers to success.

Fellow Support
Group fellowship meetings are held monthly with Drs. Valent and Benson to provide opportunities to share experiences, provide feedback, review program updates, and discuss fellowship-related issues. Fellows individually meet with program leadership monthly to check in.

Although fellows achieve autonomy in the provision of outpatient and inpatient clinical care and fetal ultrasound, MFM faculty are always readily available for additional support, questions, and teaching. MFM faculty provides additional mentorship to facilitate and support fellow research during project development, recruitment, statistical analysis, publication, and thesis preparation.

Many support systems are available through the institution and Graduate Medical Education. Fellows are encouraged to take advantage of these programs. Learn more

Application information

To apply online please visit the ERAS website.

All required residency education must be completed in an ACGME-accredited residency program or in an RCPSC-accredited or CFPC-accredited program located in Canada for entry into ACGME-accredited fellowship programs.

CREOG scores are not required.

A complete application must include:

• ERAS application
• CV
• Official transcripts
• MSPE (Dean's letter)
• Personal statement
• Photo
• USMLE/COMLEX
• ECFMG (if visa sponsorship is required)
• 3 Letters of recommendation (1 must be from Director of your OBGYN Residency Program)

Important dates:

• April 28, 2024: Deadline for applications to be included in the first notification
• May 20, 2024: Single notification date for interviews
• May 28, 2024: Initial deadline to accept or decline interviews

2024  Interview dates: 

• Wednesday, June 26^th
• Monday, July 1^st
• Friday, July 12^th

* All interviews are virtual. 

For fellow applicants that interview with our program, we offer an in-person second look opportunity at the end of the summer after the program rank list is submitted. Dates will be released on interview day.

Questions?

To contact the fellowship program, please emailmfmfellowship@ohsu.edu