About Our Program
The Division of Public Health Pediatrics trains clinicians of the next generation to provide high-quality care and thoughtful clinical evaluations for children who are suspected victims of child maltreatment. You will learn how to work with families and children who may have been neglected, physically or sexually abused, or subjected to child abuse in a medical setting. We encourage our fellowship trainees to pursue clinical, quality, safety, and basic science research and we support and foster their interests in education, advocacy, maltreatment prevention and community outreach.
The Child Abuse Pediatrics Therapy is an ACGME accredited three-year fellowship. Completion of the program prepares the candidate to sit for the Child Abuse Pediatrics board examination. One fellowship position is open per academic year and the program accepts applications July through Oct. 15. To foster a deeper understanding of the many implications of childhood maltreatment and adversity to the pediatric population, obtaining a Master’s degree is strongly encouraged in the course of training, and is facilitated by the program.
Fellows evaluate patients when there is a concern for abuse or neglect and participate in the subset of medical assessments of sexually abused children. Fellows also serve as expert witnesses when these victims' cases come to trial. Our fellows have exposure to the other aspects of a child abuse investigation and evaluation performed by multiple disciplines, such as forensic interviewing, therapy services, Child Protective Services investigators and directors, and law enforcement officials, as well as a role in multidisciplinary team meetings.
As a child abuse pediatrics fellow, the depth and breadth of clinical exposure builds a solid and thorough foundation in the recognition and treatment of all types of child maltreatment.
Admissions and Benefits
Thank you for your interest in our fellowship program.
Applications are accepted through ERAS. We participate in the Spring Subspecialty Match of the year prior to July entry into our program.
For information on how to apply to the Child Abuse Pediatrics Fellowship, please contact our program coordinator Victoria Ford at 832-822-1935 or email vrford@texaschildrens.org.
Information about stipends and benefits is available on the Graduate Medical Education website.
Maintaining your physical and emotional wellness is a prerequisite to professional success. Our fellows have access to a number of programs to support their well-being. View wellness resources.
Curriculum
We have a structured didactics curriculum to cover the Child Abuse Pediatrics Board Specifications in order to ensure each fellow is well equipped for future practice and successful board certification. CAP didactics include lectures, small group discussions, case discussions, M&Ms, journal clubs, and guest lecturers. The fellowship program also includes mock trial and court preparation experience.
Fellows College is a Department of Pediatrics program offered to all pediatrics subspecialty training programs. The sessions consist of a combination of didactic and experiential learning exercises that cover the ACGME and ABP core program requirements, as well as practical career development topics such as employment contracts, negotiation skills, and career promotion tracks. These sessions include both orientation and monthly learning activities. Child abuse fellows are provided dedicated time to attend these events.
Friday noon hour is protected for fellows to virtually attend scheduled child abuse specific lectures on a national web-based platform with other child abuse fellows from across the country.
In addition to the clinical rotations with the Child Protection Team across both inpatient and outpatient settings, the fellowship curriculum includes scheduled blocks our pediatric neuroradiologists, the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences (medical examiner’s office) and the Harris County District Attorney’s office.
With all pediatric subspecialties represented at Texas Children’s and our division’s community relationships, we can tailor an elective rotation to fit your specific interests and career goals
Clinical Sites
The patient population at our clinical sites - including Texas Children’s Hospital, The Children’s Assessment Center, and the Institute of Forensic Sciences - is large and varied, and trainees have robust exposure to all areas of clinical assessment of child maltreatment: physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect and medical child abuse. Fellows obtain a deep reservoir of clinical experience by the time of their graduation.
Approximately 2,500 suspected victims of abuse and neglect are evaluated annually at Texas Children's and The Children's Assessment Center in Houston.
Texas Children's is one of the largest pediatric hospitals in the nation with more than 4.3 million patient encounters annually. It is consistently ranked among the top five children's hospitals in U.S. News & World Report.
The Children's Assessment Center provides a professional, compassionate and coordinated approach to the treatment of sexually abused children and their families in the greater Houston community. Additional community and Houston medical center partners include the Institute of Forensic Sciences and the Houston District Attorney's Office, where fellows rotate to develop further understanding of the forensic aspects of this subspecialty.
Community Programs, Prevention and Research
The Child Protection Team is the clinical arm of the Division of Public Health Pediatrics. The Division also includes a robust portfolio on community programs and research projects that designed to prevent and mitigate adverse childhood experiences and to promote safe, stable, and nurturing parent-child relationships. To learn more about our community programs, prevention, and research, click here.
Faculty
The Division of Public Health Pediatrics has 6 CAP attendings and 2 Foster Care attendings who serve as teachers and mentors, helping our fellows reach their full potential.