Overview

The Pediatric Anesthesiology Fellowship at the Department of Anesthesiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine offers an exceptional, immersive training experience for fellows committed to excellence in the care of infants, children, and adolescents. Situated within the nationally-ranked Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU (CHoR), fellows join a high-volume, high-complexity environment that blends top-tier clinical exposure, multidisciplinary collaboration, simulation-based education, and academic development.

Fellowship Experience

Clinical Exposure

• Fellows will rotate through a broad spectrum of pediatric anesthetic practice from routine diagnostic procedures to highly complex surgical interventions, all at CHoR’s dedicated pediatric operating rooms and procedural suites.
• You will gain hands-on experience in neonatal, infant, and older child populations, including congenital cardiac surgery, neurosurgery, transplant, pediatric trauma, and regional anesthesia for children.
• The service lines are embedded in the pediatric hospital setting, enabling consistent interaction with subspecialty teams (for example, neurology, oncology, transplant, neonatology) and fostering comprehensive perioperative care planning.

Curriculum & Training Highlights

• Simulation-based training: fellows participate in pediatric anesthesia crisis simulations, airway and vascular access drills, and anesthetic management of rare and complex pediatric conditions.
• Regional anesthesia and pain management: advanced training in pediatric regional techniques and postoperative pain control tailored to children.
• Multidisciplinary conferences and rounds: fellows attend perioperative planning meetings, subspecialty-anesthesia cross-service discussions, and learn to engage in team-based, family-centred pediatric perioperative care.
• Global health or outreach elective (optional): depending on the year, a dedicated elective may allow exposure to pediatric anesthesia in underserved or international settings.
• Scholarly and academic development: fellows are encouraged to engage in research, quality improvement, education of residents/medical students, and teaching activities. A robust mentorship structure supports professional development toward an academic or advanced clinical career.

Fellowship Environment & Support

• You will train alongside a team of dedicated pediatric anesthesiologists who are fellowship-trained and actively engaged in education, research, and clinical innovation.  
• The institutional environment is supportive, with access to the full academic resources of VCU School of Medicine, CHoR’s advanced pediatric subspecialty services, and a broad referral base including urban and rural patients.
• Fellows benefit from structured supervision early in the program, evolving into more independent practice with graduated responsibility as skills and judgement mature.
• Enrollment in regular fellow-specific didactics, journal clubs, simulation sessions, and teaching opportunities ensures a well-rounded experience.

Graduated Autonomy & Career Preparation

• By the end of the fellowship, you will be prepared to lead pediatric anesthetic cases independently and to integrate into academic, tertiary children’s hospitals or advanced private practice settings.
• Emphasis is placed on decision-making, leadership in the OR, crisis management, and multidisciplinary coordination of care.
• Graduates leave poised to contribute meaningfully in clinical, teaching and quality improvement arenas.

Why Choose CHoR & VCU for Pediatric Anesthesia Training?

National Recognition & Institutional Excellence

• The Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU has earned recognition among the top children’s hospitals in the nation. In the 2025-26 rankings by U.S. News & World Report, CHoR placed in the Top 50 for eight subspecialties:
  • Nephrology (#28)
  • Pulmonology & Lung Surgery (#36)
  • Urology (#36)
  • Cancer (#39)
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery (#40)
  • Neonatology (#43)
  • Diabetes & Endocrinology (#45)
  • Gastroenterology (#50)
• Additionally, in 2025 the hospital was named to ­Newsweek’s “America’s Best Children’s Hospitals” list, ranking #45 for cardiology and cardiac surgery and standing as the only Richmond-area pediatric hospital to be included.  
  
• On the broader health system level, VCU Health has been recognized for outstanding hospital safety, patient experience, and institutional quality.  

Diverse Patient Population and High Acuity

• CHoR serves a wide geographic area from urban to rural communities across Virginia, providing fellows with exposure to diverse patient demographics, pathologies, and socioeconomic backgrounds. The institution sees more than 80,000 families annually from 47 states.
• Fellows engage in high-acuity pediatric care including trauma, congenital surgery, transplant, high-risk neonatal anesthesia and pediatric ICU environments, ensuring breadth and depth of experience.

Strong Academic Environment & Mentorship

• The VCU Department of Anesthesiology features an active Division of Pediatric Anesthesia, with faculty committed to education, research and clinical excellence.
• VCU’s academic infrastructure supports fellows in teaching, research, and leadership opportunities — a strong foundation for future roles in academic pediatrics or subspecialty anesthesia.
  

Application Information & How to Learn More

How to Apply

VCUHS utilizes the San Francisco Match program. For more information regarding timelines and registration, please visit the SF Match website (link). This fellowship is open to board-eligible or board-certified anesthesiologists and emergency medicine physicians (who would require a two-year commitment). If this is the case, please indicate your intention in the personal statement. The completed application packet should include the following and eventually be uploaded to SF Match website:

• If applying within the SF Match cycle:                      
  • SF Match Central Application Service (CAS) application, to include the following:
    • Personal statement
    • Three letters of reference
    • One must be from a training Program Director or Chair and the others from objective physicians (with one preferably from an intensivist) who have direct personal knowledge of your skills and ethics.
• If applying outside of the SF Match cycle:
  • SOCCA Common Application Form
  • Current curriculum vitae
  • 3 letters of recommendation (including one from your Anesthesiology residency program director or chair)
  • Personal statement
  • Medical school transcript, including Dean’s Letter
  • Medical School Diploma
  • USMLE or COMLEX Scores
  • AKTs and In-Training Exam scores (if available)

Institutional Requirements for International Applicants:

• Completion of ACGME or ACGME-I certified residency in Anesthesiology
• Passing performance on Steps 1, 2, 3 
• J1 visa eligibility strongly encouraged

If you fulfill those requirements, the application packet consists of:

• SOCCA Common Application Form 
• Current curriculum vitae 
• 3 letters of recommendation (including one from your Anesthesiology residency program director or chair) 
• Personal statement 
• Medical school transcript, including Dean’s Letter (or equivalent)
• Medical School Diploma 
• USMLE Steps 1, 2, 4 scores
• AKTs and In-Training Exam scores (or equivalent)

Choosing the Pediatric Anesthesiology Fellowship at VCU positions you within a nationally-ranked children’s hospital, provides broad and deep clinical exposure, and supports your growth into a pediatric anesthesiology leader. At CHoR and VCU, you will train in a dynamic and collaborative environment dedicated to caring for children, advancing anesthetic practice, and shaping the future of pediatric perioperative medicine.