The Pediatric Hospital Medicine Fellowship program at SSM Health/Saint Louis University School of Medicine is a two-year program designed to train highly qualified pediatricians to be successful academic pediatric hospitalists and work with fellows to develop skills that will allow them to become future leaders in both the clinical and non-clinical realms present within the field of Pediatric Hospital Medicine. Fellows will contribute to the diverse and rich learning environment both within the PHM division and the Department of Pediatrics.
From the Program Director
Welcome, and thank you for your interest in our training program!
As the newest fellowship training program in the Department of Pediatrics, we are thrilled to provide interested pediatricians an opportunity to further develop the skills required to become a successful academic pediatric hospitalist. I hope that on this page you will learn more about our program, faculty, facility, and all there is to offer here at SSM Health/SLU. Our fellows will be integrated into our tight-knit, though ever-growing, group of pediatric hospitalists to provide patient-centered, quality, and efficient clinical care while working closely with experienced mentors to broaden the skills needed to achieve the aims of the program and individual fellows.
With the dynamics of inpatient care ever-changing, our program will provide a breadth of clinical care activities and locations so that graduating fellows can practice in a variety of locations and situations effectively. Understanding the variety of clinical and non-clinical opportunities within PHM, we work closely with our fellows to utilize the individualized and scholarship portions of the training program to foster experiences that align with the fellow’s future goals and training needs. We look forward to hearing from you and learning more about you, and please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions as you consider whether we are the right fit for the next chapter of your career.
Sincerely,
Andrew Ellis, M.D. FAAP
Program Director, Pediatric Hospital Medicine
andrew.ellis@ssmhealth.com
Diversity and Inclusion
The Pediatric Hospital Medicine Fellowship at SSM Health/Saint Louis University School of Medicine, along with the Department of Pediatrics, is committed to building a diverse and inclusive training program and actively embraces trainees with diverse backgrounds including, but not limited to, ethnicity, race, religion, region or area of origin, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, and socio-economic background. We believe that maintaining this diversity allows us to better serve our diverse patient and trainee populations. We pride ourselves on creating a safe and inclusive work environment where all members are respected and welcomed. We also seek to provide opportunities for trainees to learn more and actively participate in ongoing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion activities. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at SSM Health/Saint Louis University School of Medicine
Mission
The Pediatric Hospital Medicine Fellowship at SSM Health/Saint Louis University School of Medicine will train highly motivated and qualified pediatricians for successful careers in pediatric hospital medicine. Fellowship graduates will provide excellent, patient/family-centered, efficient, and evidence-based clinical care across the spectrum of care settings present in pediatric hospital medicine, and will be future leaders in scholarly activity, patient safety, medical education, advocacy, and community relations. This mission aligns with that of SSM Health/Saint Louis University School of Medicine to achieve excellence in clinical, research, education, and community engagement activities.
Aims
Graduating fellows will achieve excellence in the clinical, scholarly, educational, and community engagement domains through:
- Clinical care experience across the spectrum of care settings present in the current landscape of pediatric hospital medicine
- Completion of a scholarly project in an area of interest, including design, implementation, analysis, and presentation/publication at the national or regional level
- Dedicated opportunities for skill advancement in quality improvement, patient safety and clinical research
- Direct observation and feedback of education provided to other health care professionals
- Close collaboration locally with leaders in medical education to further skills in education innovation, curriculum design, simulation, feedback, and adult learning theory
- Active incorporation into local and institutional communities vital to the practice of Pediatric Hospital Medicine
Curriculum
Our program is a two-year training program (104 weeks), designed to provide fellows with a broad clinical experience while allowing for individualized and goal-directed learning opportunities. Completion of a publication-worthy scholarly project or a thesis/dissertation for an advanced degree is expected at the completion of training, satisfying requirements of the training program and board-eligibility in pediatric hospital medicine for the American Board of Pediatrics. Fellows will provide educational experiences within the Division of Hospital Medicine and Department of Pediatrics to medical students, residents, fellows and faculty, and will receive further training in medical education through a variety of learning experiences. Fellows participate in a longitudinal lecture series both within the Division and Department to further their knowledge and skills during the program.
| Core Clinical Experience | 32 weeks |
|---|---|
| Inpatient Academic Medicine | 18 weeks |
| Pediatric Procedural Sedation | 6 weeks |
| Community Hospitalist | 4 weeks |
| Newborn Nursery | 4 weeks |
| Individualized Curriculum | 33 weeks |
| Direct Admission Control |
4 weeks |
| PICU | 2 weeks |
| Electives or additional core curriculum (above) | 27 weeks |
| Scholarly Time |
32 weeks |
| Orientation |
1 week |
| Vacation |
6 weeks (3 weeks/year) |
Program Core Faculty
Andrew Ellis, M.D. FAAP
Program Director, Pediatric Hospital Medicine
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Andrew Ellis, M.D., originally from Arvada, Colorado, is a graduate of Saint Louis University School of Medicine, after which he completed his residency in pediatrics and fellowship in pediatric hospital medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine and Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. Board-certified in pediatric hospital medicine, Ellis joined SSM Health Cardinal Glennon and SLU School of Medicine in 2022 after practicing as a community hospitalist in St. Louis for several years. In addition to being the program director, he serves as medical director of medical/surgical units and chair of the Clinical Practice Guidelines Committee. His clinical and academic interests include value-based care, diagnostic reasoning, clinical efficiency, quality improvement, and patient communication. In his free time, he is an avid golfer, Denver Broncos/St. Louis Cardinals/Colorado Buffaloes fan, and enjoys all of the activities St. Louis has to offer with his wife and two young children.
Samantha Hanna, M.D. M.P.H.
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Samantha Hanna, M.D., is a board-certified Pediatric Hospitalist who has been with SSM Health and Saint Louis University School of Medicine since 2021 and is Core Faculty for the PHM Fellowship Program. She completed medical school at West Virginia University, her Master of Public Health at Brown University, pediatric residency at Vanderbilt University, and pediatric hospital medicine fellowship at University of Alabama-Birmingham/Children’s of Alabama. In addition, she has completed training/certification in quality improvement from the University of Cincinnati. Her interests include utilizing a team-based approach to provide comprehensive and patient/family-centered care, advocacy, quality improvement, and patient safety.
Kayla Heller, M.D. M.H.P.E.
Program Director, Pediatric Residency Program
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Kayla Heller, M.D., is a board-certified pediatric hospitalist with extensive clinical and educational experience prior to returning to SSM Health and Saint Louis University School of Medicine in 2023 and is core faculty for the PHM Fellowship Program. She completed medical school as well as her Master of Health Professions Education at University of Missouri School of Medicine, and residency in pediatrics at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City. In addition to her role as program director for the pediatric residency program at SSM Health/SLU School of Medicine and expertise in medical education and innovative educational strategies, her interests include management of acutely ill children, simulation, inpatient behavioral health, and patient/family-centered care.
Jennifer Hoefert, M.D.
Associate Program Director, Pediatric Residency Program
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Jennifer Hoefert, M.D., is a board-certified pediatric hospitalist who has been with SSM Health and Saint Louis University School of Medicine since 2020 and is core faculty for the PHM Fellowship Program. She completed medical school at Rush Medical College, and pediatric residency at the University of Louisville, where she also received a certificate in global health. She then completed the Pediatric Hospital Medicine Fellowship at the University of Alabama-Birmingham/Children’s of Alabama and received a Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Quality and Safety from the UAB School of Health Professions. She serves as associate program director for the pediatric residency program at SSM Health/SLU School of Medicine. Her interests include medical education, global health and healthcare disparities, quality improvement, and high-value care.
Elyse Shaw Ellis, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Elyse Shaw Ellis is a pediatric hospitalist who has been with SSM Health since 2019 and Saint Louis University School of Medicine since 2021 and is core faculty for the PHM Fellowship Program. She completed medical school at Saint Louis University School of Medicine and pediatric residency as well as a chief resident year at Riley Hospital for Children/Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis. She completed one year of pediatric cardiology fellowship at SLU School of Medicine before pivoting to a career in pediatric hospital medicine. Her interests include medical education, resident mentorship, and quality improvement. Outside of work, she enjoys running, crossword puzzles, going to Target, and spending time with her spouse and two children.
About SSM Health Cardinal Glennon
SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital opened in 1956 as the nation’s first free-standing, not-for-profit Catholic children’s hospital, and became the primary pediatric training facility for the Saint Louis University School of Medicine. Licensed for 195 beds, including 21 PICU beds and 65 NICU beds, SSM Health Cardinal Glennon provides a full range of pediatric services serving the pediatric needs of the Greater St. Louis area as well as the eastern half of Missouri and southern half of Illinois. Recognized by the US News and World Report as a 2023-2024 Best Children’s Hospital with five pediatric subspecialties ranked in the top 50. A brand-new, state-of-the-art facility slated to open in 2027 was announced in 2023.