Fellowship

About the Program

Inova L.J. Murphy Children’s Hospital (ILJMCH) is a 226-bed children's hospital on the Inova Fairfax Hospital campus, which is affiliated with the University of Virginia School of Medicine. It serves as the primary children's hospital for region, and its pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) is the only one dedicated to critically ill children in Northern Virginia.

Fellows will rotate through ILMCH’s 18-bed PICU and 8-bed pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (PCICU), which are separate from the 22-bed pediatric intermediate care unit (PIMCU). Additionally, fellows will rotate through MedStar Georgetown University Hospital’s PICU for solid organ transplant experience.

Fellows will directly participate in managing more than 1,200 annual PICU admissions; provide guidance on over 400 annual consultations with outside hospitals to facilitate the admission of critically ill children; oversee the critical care transport of more than 360 critically ill children; offer critical care consultations for any child admitted to the children’s hospital; and manage the care of children admitted to the PICU and/or PCICU following planned surgeries.

Fellows will also actively engage in multidisciplinary patient care alongside specialists in trauma surgery, general surgery, head and neck surgery, cardiothoracic surgery, neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, cardiology, pulmonology, neurology, endocrinology, and other fields.

Ongoing Research

Participation in the PROSPECT trial studying the role of prone positioning and high frequency oscillator ventilation in the treatment of ARDS.
Participation in the TITRE trial studying the use of indication-driven transfusion of red blood cells in ECMO compared to center-specific hemoglobin goals.
Participation in ASCEND trial studying the long-term neurological developmental impacts of placing a pediatric patient on ECMO.
A comparison of bivalirudin to unfractionated heparin for the anticoagulation of patients on ECMO
Developing pediatric normal values for hs-troponin and pro-NT-BNP
Utilization of online learning modules to assist resident learning and understanding of critical care concepts

Simulation

Fellows will participate in high-fidelity simulation sessions at the state-of-the-art simulation center at the Inova Fairfax campus. Click here for more information.

How to Apply

Applicants are encouraged to apply through myERAS and the National Resident Matching Program. Applicants are encouraged to look at further requirements from Inova’s Graduate Medical Education office’s website.

Meet the Physicians

Name: William Stotz, MD

Medical Education: University of Virginia School of Medicine

Residence: Emory University School of Medicine

Fellowship: Johns Hopkins Children’s Center

Joined Inova: January 2004

Clinical interests: Traumatic brain injury, trauma, and anesthesia

Hobbies: Skiing, Boston sports, and Civil War history

Name: Julia Ashworth, MD

Medical Education: University of Connecticut School of Medicine

Residence: John’s Hopkins Hospital

Fellowship: John’s Hopkins Hospital

Joined Inova: December 2020

Clinical interests: Medical education, simulation, and cardiac arrest

Hobbies: Hiking, reading, traveling, and baking

Name: Cynthia Gibson, MD

Medical Education: National Naval Medical Center

Residence: Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children

Fellowship: Children’s National Medical Center

Joined Inova: Fall 2007

Clinical interests: Clinical Excellence (quality and process improvement), Epic order set revision, and documentation integrity

Hobbies: runDisney, biking, walking, antique collecting, reading, music and scuba diving

Name: Michael Miller, MD

Medical Education: New York Medical College

Residence: Stephen & Alexandra Cohen Children’s Hospital, Northwell Health

Fellowship: Stephen & Alexandra Cohen Children’s Hospital, Northwell Health

Joined Inova:

Research interests: Related to medical education

Clinical interests: Acute respiratory failure, sepsis, trauma, and diabetic ketoacidosis

Hobbies: Skiing and family time

Name: Aashish Abraham MD

Medical Education: George Washington University School of Medicine

Residence: Pennsylvania State University Milton S. Hershey Children’s Hospital

Fellowship: Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital

Joined Inova: August 2023

Research interests: Utilization of augmented and virtual realities in medical education and MIS-C

Clinical interests: Use of extended realities to education families and staff, pediatric ARDS, and abdominal hypertension

Hobbies: Brazilian jiu jitsu, road-cycling, and writing

Name: Peter Grundl, MD

Medical Education: Medical College of Wisconsin

Residence: Children’s Hospital of Buffalo

Fellowship: Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh

Joined Inova: January 1996

Research interests: Traumatic brain injury

Clinical interests: Use of extended realities to education families and staff, pediatric ARDS, and abdominal hypertension

Hobbies: Traveling

Name: Rana Sharara-Chami, MD

Medical Education: American University of Beirut

Residence: North Caroline Children’s Hospital, Chapel Hill

Fellowship: Boston Children’s Hospital

Joined Inova: August 2021

Research interests: the PROSPECT and TITRE studies (international, multi-center randomized clinical trials), PICU sedation protocolization, and mucolytic stewardship

Clinical interests: Sepsis and septic shock, and sedation and delirium

Hobbies: Traveling, running, skiing, cycling, or hiking

Name: Swati Agarwal, MD

Medical Education: Duke University School of Medicine

Residence: North Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford University

Fellowship: Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford University

Joined Inova: September 2007

Research interests: Quality and safety

Clinical interests: “zen-tensivist” (less is more), resident and medical student education, critical care transport, MSET oversight, and organ donation

Hobbies: Ultimate frisbee, volunteer medical international travel, cheering Washington Spirit and Duke basketball