The Incubator: Rupa's Fellows Friday

What happens when a neonatology fellow decides that respectful care can't stop with the mother, it has to include the newborn too? On this episode of Rupa's Fellows Friday, Rupa talks with Dr. Henna Shaikh, a third-year neonatology fellow at Seattle Children's Hospital and the University of Washington, about her path through a CHOP Global Health Fellowship, a hospitalist year, and two years living and working in the Dominican Republic. Dr. Shaikh describes her research in Nepal on respectful maternal and newborn care, born from a difficult moment she witnessed in a delivery room years earlier, and what mothers actually said mattered when she asked them directly. She also shares how that work, and the mentorship behind it, led her to pursue a third fellowship in palliative care. A candid conversation about mentorship, global health, and building a career around dignity in care.

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As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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In this episode, Rupa talks with Dr. Hailey Evans, a third-year fellow at Harvard's Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship Program, transitioning to a neonatology faculty role at Yale. Hailey shares findings from her qualitative study of 41 neonatologists on death and non-death loss in the NICU — covering themes like emotional connection, weight of responsibility, and unsupportive workplace culture around debriefs and M&Ms. She also discusses the moral distress curriculum she built for fellows, why mentorship matters, and her advice for pursuing a research niche that feels too unconventional. A candid look at the emotional toll of neonatology, and how to carry it better.

Support the show

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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In this episode of Fellows Friday, Rupa welcomes Giulia Lima, a third-year neonatal perinatal medicine fellow at Harvard and incoming Assistant Professor at the University of Miami. Giulia walks us through her fellowship research journey, from a large epidemiological study of premature infants with congenital heart disease through the Children's Hospital Neonatal Consortium, to her Marshall Klaus Award-winning work on optimal surgical timing. The centerpiece of the conversation is her machine learning model designed to predict hemodynamically significant PDA using continuous physiological data, including heart rate variability and diastolic blood pressure trends, without relying on echocardiography. Giulia also reflects on the power of mentorship and her vision for integrating artificial intelligence into real-time clinical decision-making in the NICU.

Support the show

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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What does dexamethasone actually do to the preterm heart over time? In this episode of Rupa's Fellows Friday, Srirupa sits down with Phoenix Plessas-Azurduy, doctoral candidate at McGill University and researcher at the NeoCardioLab under Dr. Gabriel Altit. Phoenix shares her work on NORDIC-SPEC, a prospective longitudinal study using serial echocardiography to characterize the cardiovascular effects of dexamethasone in preterm infants. Her preliminary findings show a progressive reduction in PDA size and increasing ductal closure rates over time within a conservative management context. The conversation also covers mentorship, the value of cold emails, and what it looks like to build a research career from the ground up.

Support the show

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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In this episode, Dr. Callie Marshall, a third-year neonatology fellow at Washington University, shares her journey through medical school and fellowship, highlighting her research on racial variations in neonatal care. She discusses her mentorship experience, emphasizing the importance of finding a mentor who aligns with one's interests and values. Dr. Marshall elaborates on her research project that investigates the accuracy of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in assessing oxygen levels in black infants, revealing significant findings that contribute to the understanding of health disparities in neonatal care.

Support the show

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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In this conversation, Dr. Samer Bou Karroum emphasizes the significance of early planning and preparation in shaping one's career and future. He discusses how contemplating future paths can provide clarity and direction, even if the future remains uncertain. The insights shared highlight the importance of laying a solid foundation to build upon for future success.

Support the show

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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In this episode, Dr. Meghan Rowe discusses her journey as a POCUS fellow at the University of Washington and Seattle Children's Hospital. She shares her experiences with a quality improvement project aimed at improving surfactant administration for neonates with respiratory distress syndrome. The conversation covers the importance of mentorship, the challenges of implementing new practices, and the perspectives of nursing staff and parents. Dr. Rowe emphasizes the significance of training and collaboration in enhancing neonatal care through point-of-care ultrasound.

Support the show

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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In this episode of Rupa’s Fellows Friday, Chaitra discusses her research on hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), where her primary focus has been on the potential role of microRNA profiling in predicting outcomes for affected infants, describing both the promise of this approach and the practical challenges she faced, such as patient consent and laboratory limitations. Dr. Manjunath emphasizes the critical role of mentorship and collaboration in advancing neonatal research. Beyond her scientific work, she shares a growing interest in healthcare price transparency, motivated by her own personal experiences navigating the medical system. She highlights disparities in access and cost of care and advocates for better patient awareness of healthcare options.

Support the show

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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In this episode, Dr. Andrew Beverstock discusses his research on urinary sodium and its relationship with growth in preterm neonates. He shares insights into the importance of sodium for neonatal growth, the methodology of his study, and the unexpected results that challenge existing literature. The conversation also touches on his diverse medical training, mentorship experiences, and his involvement in medical education and point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). Dr. Beverstock emphasizes the significance of careful population selection in research and outlines his future research directions.

Support the show

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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In this episode, Dr. Sidney Zven shares his unique journey from a civil engineering career to becoming a neonatology fellow at Walter Reed Military Medical Center. He discusses his experiences with food insecurity among military families, particularly focusing on WIC enrollment challenges and the impact of stigma and misinformation. Dr. Zven highlights his mentorship experience while working on a grant to address these issues and the importance of engaging stakeholders in community health initiatives. He also provides insights into his neonatology fellowship training and his aspirations for the future in military medicine.

Support the show

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

Enjoy!