The Division of Surgical Subspecialties in the Department of Surgery and Perioperative Care serves as the academic home for pediatric surgical faculty. The division is committed to delivering compassionate, expert care for children requiring surgical interventions both in Austin and the neighboring area.
Division of Pediatric Surgery
Educational Programs
The division’s educational programs are committed to the education and training of future health care leaders by exposing them to the pediatric surgical setting.
Undergraduate Medical Education
Students spend eight weeks of their second year learning about the care of the surgical patient through a combination of hands-on patient care, interactive instruction and simulation-based training workshops. The first four weeks of the clerkship are spent with the Division of Acute Care Surgery, while the second four weeks are spent with a team chosen by the students based on interests, one option being in pediatric surgery. Kimberly Brown, M.D., FACS, serves as the clerkship director alongside associate clerkship director Jayson Aydelotte, M.D., FACS
The division’s service provides an undergraduate medical education elective rotation that includes two-week experiences in the second and fourth years dedicated to career exploration in pediatric surgery. Tory Meyer, M.D., directs the elective.
Fourth-year medical students from Liaison on Committee on Medical Education- or American Osteopathic Association-accredited institutions are eligible to apply for the pediatric surgery elective. See information for visiting students, which includes a list of all available acting internships.
Graduate Medical Education
The division works with the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship — a program that puts fellows’ career aspirations first, leading to successful pediatric emergency medicine physicians and a fruitful fellowship. All fellows receive independent and supervised training, and are supported to explore and gain experience in research, clinical training, teaching and advocacy. Colburn Allen, M.D., directs the program.
Pediatric Clinical Programs
The division is committed to the comprehensive care of children in the Austin community by offering pediatric clinical care in all major surgical specialties.
To ensure the best care for patients, the division collaborates with the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, which is home to pediatric cardiothoracic surgeons, as well as the Texas Center for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease.
The division serves the children of the Austin community by providing excellent surgical care for a variety of non-emergent surgical conditions.
Division faculty members care for children needing trauma care at the area’s only Level 1 pediatric trauma center at Dell Children’s Medical Center. The division partners with the Department of Pediatrics to offer emergency care for children in the Austin community.
Division faculty members provide assessment and intervention for acute hand and upper extremity injuries as well as congenital hand deformities.
Faculty members within the division offer pediatric care of the ear, nose and throat.
Faculty within the division partner with the Department of Ophthalmology to provide surgical intervention for pediatric ophthalmology cases in the Austin area.
Faculty within the division partner with Department of Neurosurgery faculty to provide excellent pediatric care for children confronting neurological conditions.
The division partners with the Division of Orthopaedics to provide specialty care to pediatric patients with conditions related to bones, joints, tendons, ligaments and muscles.
Faculty members within the division provide treatment to children and adolescents with congenital malformations or traumatic injuries.
The division is responsible for medical and surgical treatment of the full spectrum of disorders of the urinary system and genital tract for children in the Austin community.
Research
The Dell Children’s Trauma and Injury Research Center conducts a wide range of trauma-related research, including the investigation of both clinical and societal issues related to injury, trauma and surgery. Dell Medical School faculty support medical students in all types of research, including third-year research experiences. The Dell Children’s Trauma and Injury Research Center is led by division faculty member Karla Lawson, Ph.D., MPH.
Additionally, a number of residents and fellows receive mentorship in research conducted through the center. If you are interested in pediatric trauma, surgical care of children, adverse childhood experiences or pediatric societal risk and resiliency, please connect with the center.
Events
The division hosts quarterly pediatric trauma grand rounds as well as weekly congenital heart grand rounds, entitled Fraser Grand Rounds, in coalition with the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery.
In addition, the division supports the Department of Surgery and Perioperative Care’s faculty development and continuing medical education offerings.