Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship Research

A primary objective of the fellowship program is to train future academic neonatologists. To this end, nearly two-thirds of the three-year training period is devoted to research activity. Most of this time is spent in blocked months during the second and third years of fellowship training.

We believe the scholarly experience should focus on the process rather than the product.  When a rigorous, hypothesis-driven or project or a project focused on critical thinking is well executed, with experienced mentorship, a high quality product will naturally follow.  Prioritizing skills development in order to promote academic faculty or careers in clinical leadership is an important focus for our program. 

Advancing discovery, honoring a legacy

The Evangelina “Evie” Whitlock Research Award in Neonatology empowers Texas Children’s Neonatology fellows to pursue meaningful research during their three-year fellowship — an opportunity that distinguishes our program as one of the most uniquely supportive in the country.

Established in 2011, the award honors the brief but powerful life of Evangelina Kaniss-Whitlock, who passed away at just nine days old in our NICU. Her memory lives on through her twin sister, Leila, her family and through this fellowship, which fuels innovation and academic growth in her name. Thanks to the Whitlock family’s continued generosity, our fellows are equipped to explore bold, original ideas that can improve outcomes for fragile newborns here and around the world.

Uncommon access to research funding

Each Neonatology fellow at Texas Children’s is eligible to apply for Evie’s Research Award. This direct access to dedicated research support is rare among fellowship programs and underscores our commitment to developing the next generation of leaders in neonatal science.

Fellows are encouraged to use their award to:

• Launch new or ongoing scholarly projects
• Present findings at prestigious national neonatology conferences
• Collaborate with leading investigators and clinicians across disciplines

Building skills for lifelong impact

The application process itself is an intentional learning experience. Fellows learn how to craft a compelling research proposal, develop a detailed budget, establish a feasible timeline, and receive feedback from domain-specific experts. These skills introduce the rigorous process of future NIH or foundation grant applications, preparing fellows for sustained academic success.

A fellowship rooted in purpose

Evie’s story reminds us why we strive for breakthroughs in neonatal care. Her parents created this award not just to remember their daughter, but to offer hope and healing to countless others through science and scholarship. Their vision has already supported dozens of fellows — and countless babies — by nurturing a culture of inquiry, compassion, and excellence.

During orientation and for the first few months of fellowship, fellows identify areas that interest them and explore opportunities for their research activities. In consultation with the program director, associate program director, and standing Scholarship Oversite Committee (SOC), fellows are encouraged to meet investigators working in their field of interest and to visit laboratories. The standing SOC consists of previously selected faculty members within the subspecialty and outside who provide oversight and review for all fellow scholarly work throughout their time in training.

Before beginning, project proposals will be reviewed for approval by the PD, APD, and standing SOC. Fellows are encouraged to select rigorous projects that will challenge them to develop transferable skills. It is our hope that these skillsets will benefit them with future pursuits in their career.

Along with the SOC, our faculty mentors have a track record of success to guide fellows through the scholarly process. Faculty mentors for our fellows meet the following requirements:

• at least 5 years clinical experience after graduating from NPM Fellowship
• completed a scholarly project and published peer-reviewed literature in the field of interest proposed by the fellow
• mentored a resident or medical student through a project from inception (concept development and IRB submission) to completion (published in peer-reviewed manuscript or accepted for poster/platform at peer-reviewed regional/national meeting)

Once a mentor is selected, the fellow and mentor identify a specific research project and a training curriculum. A standing Scholarship Oversight Committee will review the proposed project for approval.  The fellow and mentor will meet with the standing SOC once during first year and two times during second and third year of fellowship.  The Program Director, the standing SOC, and the Mentor are designated to approve the scholarly activity and resulting work product for submission to ABP upon completion of the fellowship program.

By the end of their second year, fellows are well established in their own research projects. During the third year, fellows present their data at national meetings and prepare a manuscript for publication.