Essentials of Neonatal–Perinatal Medicine Fellowship: careers in Neonatal–Perinatal Medicine

Abstract

The clinical and academic landscape of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine (NPM) is evolving. Career opportunities for neonatologists have been impacted by shifts in compensation and staffing needs in both academic and private settings. The workforce in NPM is changing with respect to age and gender. Recruiting candidates from backgrounds underrepresented in medicine is a priority. Developing flexible positions and ensuring equitable salaries is critically important. Professional niches including administration, education, research, and quality improvement provide many opportunities for scholarly pursuit. Challenges exist in recruiting, mentoring, funding, and retaining physician-scientists in NPM. Creative solutions are necessary to balance the needs of the NPM workforce with the growing numbers, locations, and complexity of patients. Addressing these challenges requires a multi-faceted approach including adapting educational curricula, supporting trainees in finding their niche, identifying novel ways to address work/life integration, and attracting candidates with both diverse backgrounds and academic interests.