Observership Experience

Introduction

The Iowa Neonatal Hemodynamics Observership Experience is a 3-day educational program that was created to expose interested individuals to the field of neonatal hemodynamics and share the expertise and best practices developed at one of the premier hemodynamics training institutions in the world.

Attendees will have the opportunity to observe clinical hemodynamics consults in the NICU and will receive didactics daily from the Iowa hemodynamics staff and fellows (see objectives below). They will learn about hemodynamics program building, differentiating hemodynamics from cardiac POCUS, and participate in our daily internal TnEcho Review sessions lead by Dr. Patrick McNamara. They will also have the opportunity to participate in open Q&A sessions with hemodynamics faculty and fellows.

Observership Objectives

1

Learn how a comprehensive Neonatal Hemodynamics program is incorporated into a level 4 NICU
2

Understand and delineate the scope of Hemodynamics vs cardiac POCUS assessments
3

Directly observe clinical Neonatal Hemodynamics consults; including scanning, measurements, interpretation, and clinical advice.
4

Directly observe and participate in the TnECHO daily review (cases with echo-based discussion)
5

Become exposed to the complexity of neonatal cardiovascular physiology in various disease states and common Hemodynamics consultation requests including:

     a. Patent ductus arteriosus
             i. Screening and echo assessment
            ii. Management approach

     b. Acute vs chronic pulmonary hypertension
            i. Echo assessment
           ii. Management and hemodynamics of both states
          iii. Screening approach for chronic pulmonary hypertension

     c. Hypotension and shock

    d. Miscellaneous - depending on staff availability and observer interest:
         Systolic dysfunction, screening of HIE undergoing TH, LV diastolic dysfunction, post-ligation cardiac syndrome, etc.
6

Participate in one of the team’s academic activities (e.g., Lab meeting, Combined Cardiology Neonatal Hemodynamics Rounds or International Zoom Review)

Target Audience

All individuals interested in learning more about neonatal hemodynamics are welcome, however the teaching level is geared toward neonatology and cardiology fellows and faculty.
 

  • Faculty interested in building a hemodynamics program at their home institution may particularly find the observership experience useful.

  • Prospective applicants to the Neonatology Hemodynamics Fellowship are encouraged to attend.

 

Dates Offered

2025

Each observership experience includes 3 days (Tuesday-Thursday) which run from ~8:30am-5:00pm.

  • February 11th-13th | Session full! Please contact megan-hudak@uiowa.edu to be added to the waitlist.
     
  • May 13th-15th  |  Session full! Please contact megan-hudak@uiowa.edu to be added to the waitlist.
     
  • August 26th-28th | Session full! Please contact megan-hudak@uiowa.edu to be added to the waitlist.
       
  • December 2nd-4th | Session full! Please contact megan-hudak@uiowa.edu to be added to the waitlist.

2026

Each observership experience includes 3 days (Tuesday-Thursday) which run from ~8:30am-5:00pm.

  • February 17th-19th    
     
  • May 12th-14th

How Do I Apply?

Application Requirements

Please email megan-hudak@uiowa.edu including the dates you would be available (listed above) for the Observership Experience.  If you'd like more information but are not yet ready to apply please reach out and we will get you in touch with a member of the hemodynamics team to address further questions. 

Dates are first-come, first-served and applications are reviewed on a rolling basis in order to help you select and reserve a slot that works for you. 

Application requirements include:

  • CV

  • Observership Experience Application

  • Confidentiality Agreement

  • Observership Experience Fee

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a fee for this experience?

Observership Experience Fees
Program Time Frame   Description      Faculty Fee  Allied Health Professionals Trainee Fee
Observership Experience  3 days Observing only. 
No patient contact.		 $400 $250 $0

Payments are made via check or credit card.  There is a 3% surcharge for credit card payments.

Refund Policy:
- Payments can be transferred between dates as space allows
- If a refund is approved, credit card surcharges incurred during the initial payment will not be included in the refund

Will I be able to perform echo’s and practice measuring during this experience?

You will directly observe the hemodynamics fellows perform clinical echos and observe their measurements (and receive a didactic lecture on hemodynamic echo measurements) but will not have any hands on experience in this program.

How many observers will participate in each experience?

We typically accept up to 6 observers per session. We have found a small group setting provides the best experience and learning opportunities for attendees.

How long should I plan to be at the hospital each day?

The daily schedule varies slightly, but generally plan to be at the hospital between 8-8:30am through 4-5pm. You will receive a detailed itinerary on the first day of your observership experience, which will begin at 8:30am with provided coffee and bagels.

Can I attend multiple observership experiences?

Yes, pending space availability.

I am not available for the dates lists, are there other opportunities available?

We have 4-5 experiences yearly, if you don’t see current dates that work for you please reach out to 
megan-hudak@uiowa.edu and we can place you on a waiting list to hear from us once we have the next academic years’ dates scheduled.

Where should I stay & what are my transportation options?

Transportation and housing are at the cost of the observer