About the Division

Our fellowship-trained neonatal specialists bring compassion and expertise to the Level IV neonatal intensive care unit, or NICU, at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU. Comprehensive training includes neonatal ECMO, hypothermia management through our ARCTIC program, neonatal neurodevelopmental follow-up and air and ground neonatal transport education. Our family-centered, developmentally appropriate approach provides care for premature and critically ill newborns that is among the most comprehensive in Virginia, and robust training for the next generation of neonatologists.

Our 40-bed NICU features 32 single rooms, four twin-patient rooms, a sibling playroom, two negative pressure rooms, an operative/ECMO suite, a palliative care suite and a parent lounge. The comprehensive team of physicians, neonatal nurses, nurse practitioners, respiratory specialists and other health care providers are equipped to treat newborns with conditions such as:

  • Prematurity
  • Congenital anomalies in the heart, brain, kidneys and other organs
  • Respiratory distress and inefficiency
  • Cardiovascular diseases
  • Gastrointestinal disease
  • Infectious disease, including congenital infections
  • Neurological diseases
  • Heart lung bypass
  • Hypothermia treatment for hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy

Education

Medical Students

Medical students often join us on inpatient and outpatient rotations during their M3 clerkship and M4 acting internship. When students express a particular interest in pediatric gastroenterology, we are happy to provide additional support and connect them with enhanced educational opportunities.

Read about electives for medical students

Residents

Pediatric residents spend one four-week block in the NICU each year, with opportunities for additional exposure through elective rotations. Our program is designed for individualization, and our dedicated faculty provide robust training and additional support for residents interested in pursuing neonatal medicine as a subspecialty.

Learn about our residency

Fellows

Our three-year, ACGME-accredited neonatal-perinatal medicine fellowship is one of only two programs of its kind in Virginia. Fellows gain experience in clinical care, research and teaching, and complete the program equipped to excel in the highest level NICUs, caring for the most critically ill infants and their families.

Learn about our neonatal-perinatal medicine fellowship

NICU Shadowing

VCU pre-medical graduate students and medical students have the opportunity to observe a typical work day for a neonatologist and gain exposure to the healthcare environment of the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The program encourages students to explore careers in healthcare or medicine and begin to consider areas of focus in healthcare.

Learn more about NICU shadowing

Jack's Summer Scholars

In our competitive, collaborative summer program, premedical undergraduate and medical students are exposed to clinical mentorship and research opportunities within neonatal medicine.

Apply here

Research

The Division of Neonatal Medicine has an active clinical trials program with research in the following areas:

  • Necrotizing enterocolitis
  • Central line associated blood stream infections
  • Microbiome and probiotics
  • Innovative use of growth factors to ensure health retinal growth
  • Interventional pulmonary care, including neutrally adjusted ventilation assist, or NAVA
Explore our pediatric research

Faculty

Adel Abdallah, M.D.

Adel Abdallah, M.D.

Neonatal Medicine

Adel Abdallah, M.D.

Adel Abdallah, M.D.

Neonatal Medicine

Pediatrics

Assistant Clinical Professor

Adel Abdallah, M.D. at CHoR

Mark Astoria, M.D.

Mark Astoria, M.D.

Neonatal Medicine

Mark Astoria, M.D.

Mark Astoria, M.D.

Neonatal Medicine

Pediatrics

Assistant Professor

Mark Astoria, M.D. at CHoR

Meredith Campbell, M.D.

Meredith Campbell, M.D.

Neonatal Medicine

Meredith Campbell, M.D.

Meredith Campbell, M.D.

Neonatal Medicine

Pediatrics

Assistant Professor

View Faculty Expertise Profile

Meredith Campbell, M.D. at CHoR

Nayef Chahin, M.D.

Nayef Chahin, M.D.

Neonatal Medicine

Nayef Chahin, M.D.

Nayef Chahin, M.D.

Neonatal Medicine

Pediatrics

Assistant Professor
Assistant Program Director, Pediatrics Residency

Nayef Chahin, M.D. at CHoR

Jenny Fox, M.D.

Jenny Fox, M.D.

Neonatal Medicine

Jenny Fox, M.D.

Jenny Fox, M.D.

Neonatal Medicine

Pediatrics

Read More

Karen Hendricks-Muñoz, M.D., M.P.H.

Karen Hendricks-Muñoz, M.D., M.P.H.

Vice Chair, DEI and Faculty Development

Karen Hendricks-Muñoz, M.D., M.P.H.

Karen Hendricks-Muñoz, M.D., M.P.H.

Vice Chair, DEI and Faculty Development

Pediatrics

Professor

View Faculty Expertise Profile

Karen Hendricks-Muñoz, M.D., M.P.H. at CHoR

Joseph Khoury, M.D.

Joseph Khoury, M.D.

Neonatal Medicine

Joseph Khoury, M.D.

Joseph Khoury, M.D.

Neonatal Medicine

Pediatrics

Associate Professor

View Faculty Expertise Profile

Joseph Khoury, M.D. at CHoR

Pankaj Kumar, M.D.

Pankaj Kumar, M.D.

Neonatal Medicine

Pankaj Kumar, M.D.

Pankaj Kumar, M.D.

Neonatal Medicine

Pediatrics

Mankaj Kumar, M.D. at CHoR

Tazuddin Mohammed, M.D.

Tazuddin Mohammed, M.D.

Neonatal Medicine, Neonatal Continuing Care

Tazuddin Mohammed, M.D.

Tazuddin Mohammed, M.D.

Neonatal Medicine, Neonatal Continuing Care

Pediatrics

Assistant Professor

View Faculty Expertise Profile

Tazuddin Mohammed, M.D. at CHoR

Russell Moores Jr., M.D.

Russell Moores Jr., M.D.

Program Director, Pediatrics Fellowship

Russell Moores Jr., M.D.

Russell Moores Jr., M.D.

Program Director, Pediatrics Fellowship

Pediatrics

Professor

View Faculty Expertise Profile

Russell Moores, M.D. at CHoR

Srikumar Nair, M.D.

Srikumar Nair, M.D.

Srikumar Nair, M.D.

Srikumar Nair, M.D.

Pediatrics

Henry Rozycki, M.D.

Henry Rozycki, M.D.

Vice Chair, Research

Henry Rozycki, M.D.

Henry Rozycki, M.D.

Vice Chair, Research

Henry Rozycki, M.D.

Professor

View Faculty Expertise Profile

Henry Rozycki, M.D.at CHoR

Miheret Yitayew, M.D., M.P.H.

Miheret Yitayew, M.D., M.P.H.

Neonatal Medicine

Miheret Yitayew, M.D., M.P.H.

Miheret Yitayew, M.D., M.P.H.

Neonatal Medicine

Pediatrics