Medical College of Wisconsin Pediatrics Adolescent Medicine Fellowship Program

The first year of training for subspecialty fellows will focus primarily on the development of clinical skills. Subspecialty fellows provide ambulatory care in multiple settings, including the Children’s Wisconsin Subspecialty Adolescent Medicine Clinic, Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, Midtown Clinic (primary care for AYA), the Juvenile Detention Center and College Health. They also complete focused electives such as Child Advocacy, Toxicology, Sports Medicine and Psychiatry. Additionally, fellows provide inpatient care as part of our consult service at Children’s Wisconsin and provide subspecialty guidance to providers in the community via phone.

Fellows will participate in clinical conferences, including formal didactics, resident teaching and journal clubs. Our program participates in FAMLI, a multi-institute fellow curriculum strategically designed to broaden trainees’ clinical competencies and align with objectives for the Adolescent Medicine Boards.

The MCW Joint Fellowship Curriculum is an interdisciplinary 3-year curriculum that connects Adolescent Medicine fellows with their colleagues across pediatrics to further develop their skills in the six core competencies of Medical Knowledge, Professionalism, Systems-based Practice, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, Patient care, and Practice-based Learning and Improvement.

First year fellows are encouraged to participate in the Quality Improvement and Safety Elective to support development of a QI project early in their training.

During their first year, subspecialty fellows will begin to develop their research projects and identify members of their Scholarly Oversight Committees. The goal is that subspecialty fellows will have developed a well-defined research question by the end of their first year. They will have the option of presenting a poster on their research design at the annual Pediatric Fellowship Poster Session in April.

Second-year fellows continue to advance their clinical training while expanding their research focus. In addition to ambulatory clinics and consult service, fellows will continue to explore additional electives. Fellows on consult service take a larger role in running rounds and mentoring pediatric and med-peds residents. Additional time in the second year is devoted to scholarly pursuits. By the end of this year fellows should have completed data collection and preliminary analysis, so the third year can be dedicated to drafting and publishing.

The third-year fellow continues to advance their autonomy and supervisory skills, both clinically and through the education of other trainees. They continue to advance their scholarly activity through presentations and publications.

The Joint Fellowship Curriculum (JFC) at the Medical College of Wisconsin is a series of longitudinal educational experiences designed to cover topics required for all pediatric fellows. While specialty-specific education is covered within each section, the JFC endeavors to cover the remainder of topics that are common to all fellowship trainees. Fellows not only gain insight on these topics from campus-wide experts, but also do so in a collaborative learning environment with their same level fellow peers from across the pediatric enterprise. Fellows meet colleagues from across different pediatric subspecialties and collaborate on this endeavor.

Learn about our curriculum

Each week an Adolescent Medicine fellow’s time is divided between scholarly activities, clinical duties, and performing consultations on the inpatient service.

Scholarly Activities
Scholarly time should be used to develop and complete a clinical research activity and quality improvement initiative. As fellows progress through the program, additional scholarly time will be allotted in increasing increments to facilitate completion of the fellow’s scholarly project and QI endeavors.

Fellows are strongly encouraged to attend and/or present at local and national conferences such as the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine (SAHM), the North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology (NASPAG), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS), and the International Conference on Eating Disorders (ICED).

Taking Call
Typically, fellows take call for the Adolescent specialty clinics and as part of our in-patient consult service at Children’s Wisconsin in 1-week blocks on a rotating basis. Common consultation requests include the management of Eating Disorders, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, Sexually Transmitted Infections, Abnormal Uterine Bleeding, Contraceptive Counseling and Initiation, and Fertility Preservation, among others.

Receiving Feedback
Fellows are encouraged to seek feedback on a regular basis from faculty. The Clinical Competency Committee provides formal constructive feedback semi-annually with respect to their achievement of the ACGME milestones. Fellows are encouraged to provide feedback about the program at these sessions as well. Our department is committed to creating learning opportunities that optimize our fellows’ professional growth.

Opportunities to Teach and Learn
In addition to clinical responsibilities, all fellows will have the opportunity to refine their teaching skills as they work with learners at all levels of medical training. Fellows regularly lead didactics for the residents and lead journal clubs and case reports for our interdisciplinary section. Fellows also assist with providing noon conferences and assistance in board preparation to the Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals residents. In addition to Adolescent-specific conferences, fellows are expected to attend weekly Pediatric Grand Rounds and Professor Rounds. Additional research, Quality Improvement and educational conferences are strongly encouraged.

"I’m extremely grateful for my training at MCW! I graduated well-prepared to take care of teens."
Kelly Curran, 2014 Graduate
Chief of Adolescent Medicine at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

"I chose to do fellowship at MCW because it was close to home, has 4 seasons (for the most part) and the culture. I get to not only work with a diverse team but a very diverse patient population which is what I have always wanted since medical school. MCW is a big advocate for education and research development and it gives me the support I need to get them off the ground."
Sinduja Lakkunarajah, 2022 Graduate

"MCW is close to home for me, but ultimately I chose to come here for the second-to-none GYN experience and excellent community-based training opportunities. Neither of these disappointed! I also found natural, meaningful partnerships across other divisions like heme/onc, endocrine, and hospital medicine- people are excited to work with adolescent medicine here, and this has really filled my cup. I have also found Children’s Wisconsin to be the perfect blend of safety net hospital and major tertiary care center.

I’m a big Milwaukee fan. In summer and fall, it’s perfect. I swim in, paddle in, or run along Lake Michigan almost every day and frequent farmers markets/beer gardens/regular outdoor music events. When it’s not so nice out, I love the winter hikes, cross country skiing, intimate concert venues, restaurants, breweries, and coffee shops. We also have great museums and the Bucks/Giannis! Lastly, I love to travel; you can’t beat living <10 minutes from the Milwaukee airport and about an hour from O’Hare!"
Elizabeth Hovel, Current Third Year Fellow

Our talented, experienced and supportive faculty are excited to train you and work alongside you during your fellowship.

Meet Our Team

Sinduja (Sindu) Lakkunarajah | 2022
Marshfield Clinic (Marshfield, WI)

Alexandria Holliday | 2021
Advocate Children’s Medical Group (Evergreen, IL)

Raj Kiran Chawla | 2020
Children’s Wisconsin Teen Health Clinic (Greenfield, WI)

Mary Guillot | 2019
Mt. Sinai Adolescent Health Center (NY)

Keisha Adams | 2018
USF Health, South Tampa (FL)

Tasneem Alaqzam | 2017
Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare (Dhahran, Saudi Arabia)

About the Medical College of Wisconsin
With a history dating back to 1893, the Medical College of Wisconsin is dedicated to leadership and excellence in education, patient care, research and community engagement. More than 1,400 students are enrolled in MCW’s medical school and graduate school programs in Milwaukee, Green Bay and Central Wisconsin. MCW’s School of Pharmacy opened in 2017. A major national research center, MCW is the largest research institution in the Milwaukee metro area and second largest in Wisconsin. In the last ten years, faculty received more than $1.5 billion in external support for research, teaching, training and related purposes. This total includes highly competitive research and training awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Annually, MCW faculty direct or collaborate on more than 3,100 research studies, including clinical trials. Additionally, more than 1,600 physicians provide care in virtually every specialty of medicine for more than 4.0 million patients annually.

About Children’s Wisconsin
Children’s Wisconsin is the region’s only independent health care system dedicated solely to the health and well-being of children. The hospital, with locations in Milwaukee and Neenah, Wisconsin, is recognized as one of the leading pediatric health care centers in the United States. It is ranked in nine specialty areas in U.S. News & World Report’s 2019-20 Best Children’s Hospitals report. Children’s provides primary care, specialty care, urgent care, emergency care, community health services, foster and adoption services, child and family counseling, child advocacy services and family resource centers. In 2019, Children’s invested more than $130 million in the community to improve the health status of children through medical care, advocacy, education and pediatric medical research. Children’s achieves its mission in part through donations from individuals, corporations and foundations and is proud to be a member of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

At MCW and within the Department of Pediatrics, we have several programs and resources focused on fostering a diverse and inclusive environment. Our departmental and institutional focus is confronting negative perceptions and welcoming our community. Below is just a sampling of the efforts across our institutions to embed the principles of diversity and inclusion into our culture.

• DOP Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council | Our Diversity Council, led by Dr. Mike Levas, the DOP Vice Chair for Diversity and Inclusion, and comprised of faculty, staff, administration, and trainees, is focused on connecting with partners across our system and within the community to ensure the DOP is a diverse, equitable and inclusive employer.
• DOP Fellowship and Residency Diversity and Inclusion Committees | In a city filled with its own diversity and rich cultural history, our fellows and residents recognize the importance of addressing diversity, health equity, and inclusion within our programs. As such, the program is proud to recognize the presence and work of its Committee for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
• DOP Unconscious Bias Training | The AAMC has partnered with Cook Ross, Inc., a leading consulting firm, to create training focused on the science behind unconscious bias to help academic medical staff and faculty mitigate disparities. Seven members of our team have earned a certification as unconscious bias trainers through Cook Ross. These trainers have translated what they’ve learned into a two-hour training for our faculty and staff. By learning how to identify and confront unconscious bias, it is possible to mitigate the impact and promote respect for all groups.
• Trauma-Informed Workplace Training | This committee has undertaken actions including a department-wide survey and the creation of four online training modules sharing the principles of trauma-informed approach and how to recognize signs and symptoms of trauma in ourselves and others. This group started as part of Fostering Futures, a state-wide initiative aimed at infusing a trauma-informed approach into all the systems and organizations that touch the lives of Wisconsin citizens with the goal of expanding across the state to make Wisconsin the first trauma-informed state in the nation.
• Office of Diversity and Inclusion | Established in March 2016, the MCW Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) partners within MCW and with community partners to foster and drive inclusion excellence as an effective, empowering enabler of MCW mission and strategic goals.
• Spring Festival of Cultures | The annual Spring Festival of Cultures encourages an increased awareness and celebration of the visible and non-visible identities among our MCW community. This three-day event is an opportunity to promote the fostering of diversity, inclusion and unity at MCW.
• President’s Diversity and Inclusion Award | MCW’s President's Diversity and Inclusion Award recognizes the accomplishments of faculty, staff, students, residents, trainees, and community members in contributing to diversity and inclusion through exemplary leadership.
• Institute for Health & Humanity | The Institute for Health & Humanity is focused on researching the root causes of health disparities in our communities, and advancing the best ideas to foster health equity throughout the world. We target populations with abnormally high rates of disease and injury – urban and rural alike – and then we find out why. Partnering with community health collaborators who live and work closest to the most vulnerable populations, we are making an impact on reducing those disparities, one community at a time.
• GMF-MCW Partnership | Through their overall partnership, MCW and GMF will bring complementary expertise on a range of strategies to invest in the health, equity and economic well-being of people across Milwaukee, beginning with the neighborhoods adjacent to the new development. Guided by community priorities and data, the GMF-MCW Partnership will be a catalyst for additional investment and community impact. Together, the partners will:
  • Engage resident and community partnerships
  • Improve social determinants of health
  • Catalyze change that leverages resources and investment

Learn about MCW's Office of Diversity and Inclusion

Milwaukee is one of the Midwest’s best-kept secrets and a prime location for the Medical College of Wisconsin’s main campus. A one-of-a-kind city with a vibrant and diverse culture, this charming, yet metropolitan must-see is just 90 minutes north of Chicago and nestled on the coast of Lake Michigan. Whether you’re catching a show at Summerfest, the world’s largest music festival, immersing yourself in the old world charm of the Historic Third Ward or taking in the sights and sounds of one of the many cafés, beer gardens or restaurants that line the city’s riverbank and shoreline, Milwaukee never disappoints. Find out why MCW students, faculty and employees take pride in calling Milwaukee home.

Learn about housing and rental options.

More about Milwaukee

Fellows are employed by the Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals (MCWAH).

See MCWAH Benefits, Conditions & Terms of Employment for information regarding vacations, leaves, insurance, stipends and professional liability.

Our 3-year fellowship program is ACGME accredited and begins on July 1 each year. We accept one fellow each year through the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). Applicants must have completed a US-accredited residency program. Applications from prospective applicants are accepted from July through October via the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). We will access your application and contact you to make interview arrangements.

Complete applications should include the following:

• ERAS application form
• At least 3 letters of reference including Program Director letter
• Medical Student Performance Evaluation/Dean's Letter
• Curriculum Vitae
• Personal statement
• MD Applicants: USMLE scores - Steps 1, 2, and 3 or
• DO Applicants: COMLEX scores – Levels 1, 2 and 3
• ECFMG certificate for foreign medical school graduates (see visa information below)

Our program currently accepts the following visas:

• Permanent Resident Visa
• Visitor Exchange Visa sponsored by ECFMG (J-1)
• For additional visa information please visit MCW’s office of Graduate Medical Education.

Apply on ERAS