University of Vermont Maternal Fetal Medicine Fellowship

Educational Objectives

The Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) Fellowship Program at the University of Vermont is designed to provide an in depth experience in both clinical medicine and research.

As the referral center for Vermont and upstate New York, we act as consultants to a wide variety of clinical problems. In addition, we provide comprehensive care throughout pregnancy for patients with chronic medical problems. The small size and interactive environment allows maximal exposure to established researchers in both clinical and basic science research. This also fosters a close working relationship, which focuses on the individual's goals and interests. The guide to Learning in Maternal Fetal Medicine is used as the basis of the didactic sessions provided to the fellow as well as their independent learning. The fellowship is designed to allow flexibility in order to develop individual fellows interests.

Library

The Dana Medical library, situated in the Academic Medical Center, provides free access to a host of electronic databases for literature search and retrieval, such as Medline, HealthSTAR, and CINAHL. A number of journals are available online, and links to other libraries and University facilities are available. Access to these databases is available from individual offices thru networked computers.

The library offers periodic training courses and workshops for students and faculty on the use of scientific informatic resources, and is equipped with a number of accessible computer stations. The library staff provides reference retrieval services, such as inter-library loan, for obscure or out-of-date publications and books.

The Department maintains an obstetric database containing information back to 1994 called OBNET. The database collects information on over 100 patient variables and is available to our fellows for searches and projects (after IRB approval). Multiple publications have been based on this system. Fellows have access to medical records when requested.

The departmental library also has a teaching computer with numerous learning CDs, which include PLATUPUS and Fetal echocardiology, the Cochran database, and the ACOG sonography database.

Clinical Facilities - Inpatient

The Birthing Center is located on the Medical Center Campus, Level 7 of the McClure Building of Fletcher Allen. The NICU is immediately adjacent to the Birthing Center. The suite has 8 labor/delivery/recovery rooms, 3 antepartum assessment rooms and 2 operating rooms. All rooms are fully equipped with fetal monitor stations and computer work stations for access to the PRISM electronic health record . The suite has 24-hour Anesthesia coverage and the ability for invasive monitoring.

Invasive Swan Ganz monitoring is performed in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit, which is adjacent to the main operating rooms. These patients have both an ICU and Obstetric nurse in attendance and are co-managed by the full-time anesthesia staff in the unit and the Maternal Fetal Medicine staff.

The Antepartum and postpartum units are located on Level 5 of the Shepardson Building. There are 24 double-room beds and 12 single- room beds. The unit is equipped with fetal monitors so that fetal assessments can be performed at the bedside. Inpatient fetal ultrasounds, Doppler monitoring and percutaneous umbilical blood sampling are performed in the Birthing Center.

Outpatient Clinic

The Outpatient Obstetrics clinic is located on the Medical Center Campus in the Ambulatory Care Center, East Pavilion, Level 4.

The Fetal Diagnostic unit is a 3-bed dedicated MFM ultrasound unit equipped with a GE Logic 9, and two GE Volusion 9 units. There is an addditional 2-bed ultrasound area. This unit provides both gynecologic and obstetric ultrasound. There are four sonographers on staff. The Aegis system is used for image storage and allows access to the films at the hospital site. Viewpoint is the software package used for ultrasound image assessment and reporting. 

Viewpoint reports are available within the electronic health record, PRISM. The unit offers amniocentesis, fetal cardiac scanning, Doppler evaluation, Chorionic Villas sampling and other complex ultrasound exams. The director of the unit is David Jones, M.D. Dr. Stephen Brown, M.D. is an OB/GYN geneticist available to the Fetal Diagnostic Center for patient consults when issues are identified on ultrasounds that require counseling.

The Antepartum testing unit provides NSTs and BPPs and is open 5 days per week.

The Maternal Fetal Medicine Services staffs specialty clinics 5 days per week. There is a diabetic nurse educator and dietician available during the diabetic clinic. 

Marjorie Meyer, M.D. Program Director