Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine
What does a Pediatric Pulmonologist do?
What are the career opportunities?
What Board, if any, certifies a Pediatric Pulmonologist?
What is the lifestyle of a Pediatric Pulmonologist?
What is the compensation of a Pediatric Pulmonologist?
How do I become a Pediatric Pulmonologist?
Where do I find out about available programs?
When do I apply?
Why should I choose to become a Pediatric Pulmonologist?
Faculty Contacts
Proposed Electives
What does a Pediatric Pulmonologist do?
A Pediatric Pulmonologist provides comprehensive evaluation and management for children with respiratory disorders, including chronic/recurrent cough or wheezing, asthma, pneumonia, pleural effusions, apnea, sleep-disordered breathing, hypoventilation syndromes, chronic lung disease, chronic respiratory failure, congenital lung malformations, lung transplantation and interstitial lung disease. Many pulmonologists specialize in the care of patients with cystic fibrosis. Pediatric lung disease specialists may also specialize in sleep medicine. By virtue of training, experience, and curiosity, the pediatric pulmonologist is intimately involved in research, teaching, and public policy/advocacy. Pediatric pulmonology procedures include flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy, bronchoalveolar lavage, transbronchial and mucosal biopsies, and interpretation of pulmonary function studies and polysomnograms.
What are the career opportunities?
Currently there are more positions available for Pediatric Pulmonologists than there are Pediatric Pulmonologists. These include jobs in academic institutions, private practices, research institutes, and government and private agencies. Opportunities for leadership roles abound in cystic fibrosis, chronic ventilation, asthma, pulmonary physiology, pathology, and pharmacology, sleep medicine, medical education, research and the pharmaceutical industry, to name a few.
What Board, if any, certifies a Pediatric Pulmonologist?
The American Board of Pediatrics offers sub-board certification in Pediatric Pulmonology. The candidate must be board certified in Pediatrics to qualify for certification in Pediatric Pulmonology, and, with a few exceptions, complete a three- year fellowship in an accredited program.
What is the lifestyle of a Pediatric Pulmonologist?
For those who work within an academic setting, duties are divided between patient care, teaching, research, and administration. The specific allocation of time depends on the interests of the Pediatric Pulmonologist and the needs of the institution. Some pulmonologists maintain a general clinical practice, while others develop a niche in caring for a subset of patients (e.g. patients with cystic fibrosis, chronic respiratory failure, asthma, interstitial lung disease, or sleep-disordered breathing). Because of the chronic nature of many pulmonary disorders, the Pulmonologist has an opportunity to develop longstanding relationships with patients and their families. In general, most pediatric pulmonologists participate in both inpatient and outpatient care of patients as well as perform flexible bronchoscopies during their clinical time. Pediatric pulmonology clinical service does not typically require in hospital overnight call. Night and weekend call are taken at home. Most academic pediatric pulmonary divisions are group practices. There are a small number of private practice opportunities for pediatric pulmonologists. Some of these practices may have hospital affiliations as part of their practice.
What is the compensation of a Pediatric Pulmonologist?
The median salary for pediatric pulmonologists lies in the middle tier for pediatric subspecialists. Compensation will vary, depending on the location and type of practice.
How do I become a Pediatric Pulmonologist?
Qualification for training in pediatric pulmonology requires a medical degree from a certified school of medicine or osteopathy and board certification in Pediatrics. Most pediatric pulmonology fellowship training programs participate in ERAS Fellowships and the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) Match.
Where do I find out about available programs?
The following web sites will provide the names of accredited pediatric pulmonology fellowship training programs: Freida, Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), and ERAS Fellowships.
Pediatric Pulmonology fellowships utilize ERAS for the application and most now participate in the NRMP Pediatric Specialties Fall match. Applicants can begin to populate their ERAS application early in July, and programs can begin to review interested applicants shortly thereafter. Most interviews occur during the months of July through October. Rank lists are typically due in November/December with the match date occurring 2 weeks later. Note that applicants match 7 months prior to their start date so the majority of applicants are in their 3nd year of residency when they apply and interview.
Why should I choose to become a Pediatric Pulmonologist?
Practitioners often cite the mix of acute and chronic disease, ability to form relationships with patients and families, and the integration of physiology with basic science principles in the approach to disease management as reasons for choosing pediatric pulmonology as a specialty. Others have been drawn by an interest in a particular disease (i.e. cystic fibrosis, asthma) or intervention (mechanical ventilation, bronchoscopy). The Pediatric Pulmonologist is in demand from every specialty, because so many illnesses ultimately result in respiratory involvement. Many have chosen pediatric pulmonology because of a desire to improve the lives of children with specific illnesses such as cystic fibrosis, asthma, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, or chronic respiratory failure due to neuromuscular diseases, to name a few.
For more information about Pediatric Pulmonology, visit these websites:
Freida
ACGME
ERAS Fellowships
American Thoracic Society
American College of Chest Physicians
American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Pediatric Pulmonary
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
List of relevant subspecialty journals
Pediatric Pulmonology
Chest
American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonology
ATS Scholar
Faculty Contacts
These individuals have offered to be available to medical students/residents to discuss their particular subspecialty. Questions could include the choice of subspecialty, lifestyle, job opportunities and the fellowship application process. This is not meant to be a long term mentorship relationship.
Eric Austin
Vanderbilt
Vivek Balasubramaniam
University of Wisconsin
Suzanne Beck
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Anita Bhandari
Connecticut Children’s Medical Center
860-545-9440
John Mark
(650) 723-8325
Rajeev Bhatia
Akron Children’s Hospital
330-543-8885
Steve Boas
Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine
847-998-3434
Debra Boyer
Boston Children’s Hospital
(617) 355-6105
Lee Brooks
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Rebekah Brown
Vanderbilt
Ted Carter
University of Arizona College of Medicine
Terrence
Carver Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics
816-234-3033
Chris Cielo
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
J. Michael Collaco
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
410-955-2035
Nadir Demirel
University of Minnesota
612-625-4475
Angela O. Delecaris
Indiana University School of Medicine
317-948-9956
William Gershan
University of Minnesota
612-626-2916
Roni Grad
University of Arizona College of Medicine
520-626-7780
Jane Gross
808-561-6331
Don Hayes
Nationwide Children’s
Robert Heinle
Jefferson Medical College/duPont Hospital for Children Pediatric Pulmonary Fellowship
302-651-6400
Kensho Iwanga
University of California, San Francisco
415-502-2532
Maureen Josephson
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Binal Kancherla
Baylor College of Medicine/ Texas Children’s Hospital
Julie Katkin
Baylor College of Medicine/ Texas Children’s Hospital
832-822-3300
Mikhail Kazachkov
NYU School of Medicine
646-501-0536
Sophia Konstantinopoulou
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Benjamin Kopp
Nationwide Children’s
614-722-3656
Tassos Koumbouralis
Children’s National Medical Center
Terri A. Laguna
University of Minnesota
(612)-626-2916
Thomas Lahiri
University of Vermont College of Medicine
Dan Lesser
UCSD-RCHSD Pediatric Respiratory Medicine
Oscar Mayer
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Susie Millard
DeVos Children’s Hospital
616-808-7015
Paul Moore
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
615-343-7617
Ronald Morton
University of Louisville
502-852-3772
Neal Nakra
St Josephs Hospital Medical Center
973-754-2630
Diane Neddenriep
Pediatric Pulmonary Associates
520-327-1787
Ben Nelson
MassGeneral Hospital for Children
Mary Nevin
Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine
312-227-6262 (Laura Busse – Administrative Assistant)
Christopher Oermann
University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Medicine
816-234-3033 (main)
Howard Panitch
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Joseph Piccione
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Clement Ren
University of Rochester
585-275-2464
C. Maria Riva
MUSC 843-876-5660
Michael Rock
University of Wisconsin
Kristie Ross
“Case Western Reserve Rainbow Babies Hospital, Cleveland”
Ronald Rubenstein
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Bruce Rubin
Virginia Commonwealth University
Iman Sami
Children’s National Medical Center
Michael Schechter
Virginia Commonwealth University
804-828-5916
Shahid Sheikh
Nationwide Children’s
614-722-3463
Andrew Sokolow
Vanderbilt
Ignacio Tapia
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
James Tutor
University of Tennessee Health Science Center
901-287-5222
Miles Weinberger
University of Iowa
319-356-3485
Lisa Young
Vanderbilt
Edith Zemanick
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
720-777-5426
Proposed Electives for a Resident Entering Pulmonary Medicine
Below is a list of suggested (not mandatory) rotations that a resident could consider if they are planning to apply in this particular subspecialty. This is not meant to be an all-inclusive curriculum, but rather a list to create a program that fits a resident’s individual needs.
- Infectious Diseases
- Gastroenterology
- Allergy/Immunology
- Respiratory Care rotation
- Cardiology
- Pediatric intensive care
- ENT
- Pathology (with emphasis on lung pathology)
- Radiology
- Anesthesia
- Asthma elective, if available
- Sleep
Pediatric Subspecialties: the need is huge, the careers are stimulating, and the rewards are amazing.
To access a recording of the 1 hour CoPS Pediatric Subspecialties Webinar Series on 7/19/21 featuring a panel discussion about careers in Pediatric Pulmonology, please use this link.