Eligibility and Organization

Trainee:

Any student of Indian nationality who has completed the M.D / D.N.B / DCh course in Pediatrics from a Medical Council of India or State Medical Council recognized University in India is eligible for this fellowship program. Preference would be accorded to MD / DNB passed Candidates. If such candidates are not available then a DCh qualified candidate may be selected for the course While the course tenure would be one year for MD / DNB candidates, it would be one and half years for a DCh candidate. At the time of application the trainee would have to produce – 1) A bonafide certificate from the Head of Department of Pediatrics of his / her institution where he / she has completed the post graduate training in Pediatrics, 2) Photocopies of the certificate of the post graduate degree from the University concerned, and 3) Certificate of registration with the appropriate State Medical Council or Medical council of India.

 

Any foreign student or a non-resident Indian student who wishes to apply should be a degree holder in Pediatrics post-graduate training and would have to produce a bonafide certificate from the Head of Department of Pediatrics of his / her institution where he / she has completed the post graduate training in Pediatrics, along with photocopies of the certificate of post graduate degree from the University concerned. The undergraduate and postgraduate degrees should be recognized by the Medical council of India.

 

All trainees joining the Neonatology fellowship program shall work as Full Time Residents during the period of training for one year (MD / DNB) or one and half years (DCh)

 

Institution:

The institution that wishes to take up the Fellowship program should be able to fulfill the following criteria:

1. The Institution should be in existence with a tertiary level NICU for at least five years.

2. The institution should have a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, which provides tertiary level care to newborn babies. The NICU should fulfill the following criteria:

a) At least 20 separate cradles with radiant warmers
b) Central oxygen and suction supply
c) At least two functional ventilators that can provide CPAP and conventional ventilation with methods such as SIMV / AC etc, to neonates
d) Single and double surface phototherapy units
e) Pulse oximeters
f) NIBP monitors
g) Infusion pumps, syringe pumps, drip monitors
h) Standard equipment for procedures such as lumbar tap, intercostal drain insertion, peritoneal dialysis, exchange transfusion etc
i) 24- hr service of portable X-rays
j) 24-hr service for basic laboratory investigations
k) At least 50 admissions every month
l) At least three resident doctors who have minimum MBBS qualification, working in the unit
m) At least two fulltime or honorary staff members who have completed either DM in Neonatology with at least five years of postgraduate practice or MD / DNB in Pediatrics with at least ten years of post graduate practice in level 3 NICU care
n) An ratio of one qualified (as above) teacher to one fellowship candidate is necessary
o) All teachers at the Institute should be Life members of Central IAP (They are required to furnish their Life membership number) and Life members of the IAP Neonatology Chapter. Membership forms can be requested from the chapter. The membership form for membership of IAP Neonatology Chapter along with the subscription fee is to be posted to the Secretariat of the Chapter.
p) Nursing staff and sister – in - charge specially trained and experienced in care of neonates.

 

3. The institution should have an in-house obstetric department with a turnover of at least 200 deliveries a month or

 

4. The institution should be a dedicated pediatric hospital of which the NICU is a part, and have an average turnover of at least 50 neonate admissions every month

 

5. The institution should also be providing the following services to neonates within its premises:

a) Training mothers to breastfeed, especially those babies who are the NICU graduates
b) Kangaroo Mother Care
c) Follow up outpatient services to these neonates

 

6. The institution should also be providing the following services to neonates either within its premises or have a link-up with another institute for the following services:

a) Ophthalmologic evaluation of neonates that require it
b) Auditory evaluation of neonates that require it
c) Physiotherapy evaluation of neonates that require it
d) Surgical treatment of emergency surgical situations

 

7. The institute should be registered with the local health authorities.

 

8. The cost of travel and lodging of the inspectors will be the responsibility if the applying institutes, irrespective of their enrollment or otherwise as fellowship Institutes.

 

B. a) Goal

The goal of Neonatology Fellowship program is to provide specialized training in Neonatology to produce competency in all the various fields of medical management of neonates, by obtaining specialized training in Institutions that have specialized Neonatology departments with a Tertiary Level Care Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, over a stipulated period of one year or one and half years. These specialists will be capable of providing subsequent such care of neonates in the community as well as clinical tertiary care centers. They shall recognize the health needs of the community and carry out professional obligations ethically and in keeping with the objectives of the National Health Policy.

 

B. b) Objectives

After completing the Neonatology Fellowship course the trainee will be able to -

1. Provide primary, secondary, and tertiary care to all newborn infants including intensive care of a high standard to the critically sick neonates and very low birth weight infants using advanced therapeutic and supportive modalities and skills. In this regard:

a) He / she will also be able to effectively plan therapeutic, rehabilitative, preventive & promotive measures or strategies.
b) He / she will have the ability to set up level II and level III Neonatal units independently.
c) He / she will be able to take rationale decision in the face of ethical dilemmas in perinatal –neonatal diseases.
d) He / she will demonstrate empathy & humane approach towards patients & their families & exhibit
e) He / she will exhibit communication skills of high order and demonstrate compassionate attributes in the field of Neonatology.
f) He / she will use and maintain the essential neonatal equipment and keep abreast with advances in neonatal care technology.

2. The trainee will implement a comprehensive follow up and early intervention program for the “At risk” newborn infants and plan, counsel and advice rehabilitation of the neurodevelopmentally and physically challenged infants.

3. The trainee will be able to seek and analyze new literature and information on Neonatology, update concepts, and practice evidence based Neonatology. The trainee will be able to demonstrate adequate managerial skills.

4. The trainee will participate in the community programs and at the secondary level of health system and play the assign

5. He / she would work as a productive member of the interdisciplinary team consisting of obstetricians, neonatologists, pediatric surgeons, other doctors, nurses and grassroots functionaries providing care to the pregnant mother, the fetus and newborn in any setting of health care system.

6. All fellows admitted to the IAP Neonatology Fellowship Programme should be members of Central IAP and IAP Neonatology Chapter. (See membership category details on www.iapindia.org)

7. All such students who are not the members of Central IAP at the time of admission shall be considered to have their admissions provisional till documents of IAP membership are submitted.

8. Fellows who are not members of Central IAP/IAP Neonatology Chapter shall not be considered eligible for examination.