Section of Neonatology

Welcome to the Section of Neonatology in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and Arkansas Children’s Hospital! The Section of Neonatology provides comprehensive, state-of-the-art clinical care for newborns while teaching physicians and conducting research in areas that will expand health care for Arkansas’ tiniest patients. The Section of Neonatology is diverse with a strong track record of educating the next generation of fellows and residents in our large Level III delivery NICU at UAMS and Arkansas’ only comprehensive Level IV NICU at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Our research portfolio focuses on clinical trials, many focused on the respiratory system. The section is committed to being a pioneer in clinical care, education, and research to improve care for newborns in Arkansas and the nation.

Our passion is to ensure every newborn in Arkansas has an equal chance at the best outcome possible. We are a regional leader in evidence-based neonatal medicine using principles of family-centered care, enhanced partnerships with community providers, telemedicine, and quality collaboratives. We have established alliance partnerships in Level 1 and Level 2 delivery hospitals in Arkansas through the Arkansas Children’s Hospital Nursery Alliance to standardize and improve care for all newborns in Arkansas. The Nursery Alliance launched a TeleNICU project to reach every newborn closer to home and provide consultation and resuscitation guidance through the Arkansas Children’s Hospital Level 4 NICU. We are a founding member of the Children’s Hospital Neonatal Collaborative. The Children’s Hospital Neonatal Collaborative focuses on improving outcomes for NICU patients through sharing data, benchmarking, and focusing initiatives to move towards safer, quality care. We are also part of the Vermont Oxford Network (VON) and participate in Vermont Oxford Network-sponsored quality work. Last, we are also actively involved in the Arkansas Maternal Perinatal Quality Outcomes Committee, which oversees the NICU levels of care in Arkansas.

Our research program benefits from being Arkansas’s only Level 4 NICU and a partner with the state’s only comprehensive fetal care program.  We have almost 160 neonatal beds between our two NICUs. Having this number and variety of patients allows for a research program positioned for engagement in multicentered trials. Research areas include respiratory care, BPD, nutrition, neonatal abstinence, and acute kidney injury.

Living in Little Rock carries the unique advantage of having one of the largest pediatric hospitals in the country in a city that is livable, accessible, and with amenities usually found only in larger cities. I am proud to call Little Rock home! Little Rock is a diverse community with opportunities for outdoor activities, access to performing arts, an art museum, live music, and nightlife opportunities. The family-friendly community has plenty to offer children, including a variety of education opportunities.

The Section of Neonatology provides comprehensive, state of the art clinical care for newborns while teaching trainees and conducting research in areas that will benefit the health care of Arkansas’ smallest patients and beyond. Please look around our website and get to know us. Explore our research opportunities to learn about the most recent clinical trials and research supported by a robust research infrastructure at the UAMS Translational Research Institute and the Arkansas Children’s Research Institute. If you are looking for a fellowship opportunity, watch our introductory video to gain insight into our fellowship training program. If you are a neonatologist, pediatrician, neonatal nurse practitioner, physician assistant or fellowship applicant passionate about providing family-centered, team-based care with a passion for academic medicine, please reach out for employment opportunities!

Ashley Ross, M.D.
Professor of Pediatrics
Section Chief of Neonatology