A Week-Long Departmental Scholarship Curriculum for Pediatric Subspecialty Fellows

Background Scholarly activity is a key requirement in pediatric subspecialty fellowship training. However, clear guidance on how to effectively support fellows in their scholarly endeavors remains limited. Objective This study assesses the impact of a week-long departmental scholarship curriculum designed to enhance fellows’ research competencies. Methods In 2024, a curriculum was designed and delivered to first-year pediatric subspecialty fellows over 5 days, combining group learning sessions with individualized tasks. Pre- and post-curriculum surveys assessed fellows’ confidence and knowledge across key scholarly domains. Daily session evaluations provided additional feedback. Fourteen fellows from 9 pediatric subspecialty programs participated. Results All first-year fellows ( n = 14, 100%) participated. Improvements in fellows’ confidence were observed across all domains ( P < .05). While knowledge scores increased, the gains were not statistically significant. Participants rated the overall curriculum positively, and notably, appreciated the individualized tasks and experience of presenting their developing project. Conclusions This week-long curriculum increased fellows’ confidence in their scholarly abilities, highlighting the value of a structured, departmental approach to fostering academic engagement. While knowledge improvements were modest, the overwhelmingly positive evaluations support this curriculum approach as a potential model for enhancing scholarly activity in fellowship programs. Further research is needed to explore the long-term impacts on fellows’ scholarly productivity and career development.