Pediatric Craniofacial Surgery Fellowship

Texas Children's Hospital

Dr. Monson in the clinic at Texas Children's

About the Program

The Pediatric Craniofacial Surgery Fellowship Program at Baylor College of Medicine is a one-year non-ACGME accredited program, approved by the Texas Medical Board. The fellowship program, started in 2012, is primarily at Texas Children’s Hospital in the Texas Medical Center and the largest children’s hospital in North America.

Our Craniofacial Surgery Fellowship is fully accredited by the American Society of Craniofacial Surgery. Thus, fellowship graduates are eligible to sit for and received their CAQ in Craniofacial Surgery.

Fellows in our program have the opportunity to work with world renown Plastic and Craniofacial surgeons. The Pediatric Plastic Surgery division at TCH is the largest in the country, with 10 plastic surgery attendings, 2 Craniofacial orthodontists, one oral surgeon, 2 speech therapists and the rest of the multidisciplinary teams.

The TCH Austin campus serves as an additional training site fellows may take advantage of during their fellowship time. The Austin campus includes time with Dr. Richard Hopper performing specialized, complex craniofacial surgeries that complement what fellows are exposed to at the Main TCH campus.

The scope of practice that our fellows are exposed to during their fellowship runs the spectrum of pediatric plastic surgery and craniofacial surgery. Their exposure will be comprehensive and robust during their year with us, making them highly marketable upon graduation. Multidisciplinary Cleft and Craniofacial clinics and teams compromise the majority of the work our fellows engage in, with weekly clinics and hundreds of patients visits a year. The Plastics Surgery Division at TCH covers the entire spectrum of cleft care, from prenatal consultation to finishing Cleft Septorhinoplasty. The weekly multidisciplinary Craniofacial clinic includes members from our top-rated Neurosurgery Program, including both intra and extra cranial surgeries weekly. Neurosurgeons dedicated to the mindful and compassionate treatment of patients with complex craniofacial conditions make our team one of the best in the world.

Besides Cleft and Craniofacial Care, our fellows will be exposed to the multitude of Pediatric Plastic Surgery that we encounter every day at the largest children’s hospital in the world. This includes oncologic reconstruction, microtia reconstruction, complex pediatric hand, Brachial Plexus injuries, craniofacial trauma, and complex pediatric trauma. We work closely with all the world renown specialists at TCH, providing a level of education second to none and making your year with us a rewarding and educational experience.

A weekly didactic lecture series provides the fellowship with a structured curriculum by core fellowship faculty. Invited speakers from other affiliated specialties, including but not limited to genetics, otolaryngology, ophthalmology, neurosurgery, speech pathology and orthodontists, provide our program with the multidisciplinary educational necessary for any great fellowship experience. A monthly Craniofacial Conference allows multidisciplinary interaction of complex and challenging cases, stimulating an active learning environment.

The training program offers ample opportunity to conduct research focused on clinical outcomes in cleft and craniosynostosis, including research on Patient-Reported Outcome (PRO) and Quality of Life (QOL) metrics for cleft patients as well as novel morphometrics to evaluate outcomes in craniosynostosis reconstruction. During their fellowship year, our fellows will help contribute to multiple manuscripts as well as have the ability to attend and present at local, regional, national, and international meetings. The fellow has the opportunity to attend instructional courses and travel nationally and internationally throughout their year.

Pediatric Plastic Surgery Subspecialties

The volume of cleft and craniofacial operations is among the highest in North America. The program exposes the fellowship trainee to all aspects of Pediatric Plastic Surgery Subspecialty including:

Cleft lip and palate (from infancy to adulthood)
Craniosynostosis
Craniofacial syndromes
Dentofacial deformity
Orthognathic surgery
Vascular anomalies
Congenital hand
Facial paralysis
Brachial plexus
Peripheral nerve
Microtia Reconstruction
Complex Pediatric Trauma
Pediatric microsurgery

Admissions

The program accepts applications of residents who anticipate completion of residency program. Applications are processed through SF Match; no other applications are accepted. All applicants are expected to participate in the Craniofacial Surgery Match. The Division of Plastic Surgery conducts one formal interview session each year, and one position is filled.

A minimum of three references from faculty members, proof of plastic surgery in-service exam scores, current CV, and current photograph are required.

International graduates must meet the requirements of the Graduate Medical Education Office at Baylor College of Medicine, established by the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners and the Immigration Services. They also should contact the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates for further information. Baylor College of Medicine requires international graduates to meet the terms for a physician-in-training, as outlined by the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners, and have the documents necessary for a J-1 visa.

The interview process is an important factor in the final selection, and also gives candidates the opportunity to visit Baylor College of Medicine and meet with the faculty and residents.

Curriculum

Regularly scheduled didactic conferences are held once a week on Mondays at Texas Children’s Hospital, 7:30–9 a.m. These conferences will require mandatory attendance by all trainees on the Plastic Surgery rotation at the time.

Conferences include the Multi-disciplinary Indications Conference, 7:30 – 8 a.m., and formal didactic presentations by Pediatric Plastic Surgery Faculty and Craniofacial Team Professionals, 8-9 a.m.

The Multi-disciplinary Indications Conference provides an opportunity for all members of our multi-disciplinary Cleft and Craniofacial team to come together and review the upcoming clinic and operative schedules/cases for the week, to discuss any complex patients, and maintain the day-to-day functions of the division.

July/August