The Place
The pediatric pulmonology fellowship program at Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH), located in Little Rock, is a private, non-profit, freestanding children’s hospital with 336 beds. Established in 1910, the hospital underwent rapid growth in the 1980s and is now one of the largest children’s hospitals in the nation. The hospital serves as the major pediatric teaching affiliate for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
The hospital is one of two freestanding pediatric hospitals within the Arkansas Children’s Health System and serves as a referral center for areas of southern Missouri, eastern Oklahoma, northern Louisiana, and northeast Texas. Nationally renowned programs such as the pediatric cardiovascular surgery program and the ECMO program attract patients from other areas of the country as well.
The hospital is the base for the pediatric residency program of UAMS, which currently has 69 pediatric and 19 medicine-pediatrics residents enrolled in the program. Fellows in pulmonology play a key role in educating pediatric house staff in the care of ill children and adolescents. Other UAMS COM fellowship programs at Arkansas Children’s Hospital include Pediatric Critical Care, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Child Neurology, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Pediatric Anesthesiology, Pediatric Cardiology, Developmental/Behavioral Pediatrics, Neonatal/Perinatal, Pediatric Endocrinology, Pediatric Radiology, Pediatric Otolaryngology, and Pediatric Infectious Diseases.
The PICU is a 25-bed unit with approximately 1,200 admissions per year. In addition, the hospital has a separate 23-bed cardiovascular intensive care unit, a four-bed ECMO unit, a 14-bed burn unit, an eight-bed intermediate step-down unit, and an 86-bed NICU.
The hospital operates a neonatal and pediatric transport service which uses two helicopters, three vans, and has a variety of fixed-winged aircraft available.
Mission Statement
Our fellowship program strives to prepare fellows to:
- Provide excellent clinical care of, advocate for, and improve the quality and safety of care provided to children with pulmonary and sleep disorders;
- Educate pediatricians, residents, medical students, other healthcare professionals, the general public, families and patients regarding issues related to pediatric pulmonary health and disease;
- Participate in and lead transitional, clinical, educational, and/or quality improvement (QI) research efforts to advance the field of pediatric pulmonology;
- Pass the Pulmonology sub-board of the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) and successfully participate in the ABP Maintenance of Certification Program.
Features of Our Pulmonary Program
- Ranked by US News and World Report in the top 50 Pediatric Pulmonology programs in the US
- Nationally recognized and accredited Cystic Fibrosis Center
- Center for Respiratory Technology-Dependent Children (long-term ventilation)
- National BPD Collaborative – participating clinical and research center
- Nationally accredited Pediatric Sleep Disorders Center
- Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) Center (accreditation pending)
- Cure SMA designated Treatment Center
- Strong Respiratory Care Services Department including education
- Fully equipped Pulmonary Function Testing Center(s)
- Flexible Airway Endoscopy Program
- Multi-disciplinary Asthma Program (Pulmonary & Allergy/Immunology)
- Multi-disciplinary Pulmonary Hypertension Program (Pulmonary & Cardiology)
- Multi-disciplinary Fontan Clinic (Pulmonary & Cardiology)
- Multi-disciplinary Muscular Dystrophy Program (Pulmonary & Neurology)
- Multi-disciplinary Spinal Muscular Atropy (SMA) Program (Pulmonary & Neurology)
- Multi-disciplinary Sickle Cell Program (Pulmonary & Hematology)
- Multi-disciplinary Thoracic Insufficiency Program (Pulmonary & Orthopedics)
Pediatric Pulmonary Centers
The Pediatric Pulmonology Section is responsible for and/or participates in pivotal Pediatric Centers of Excellence at Arkansas Children’s Hospital:
- Cystic Fibrosis Center
- Center for Respiratory Technology Dependent Children
- Pediatric Sleep Disorders Center
- Asthma Center
