Our program is a one-year, ACGME accredited fellowship in pediatric epilepsy beginning on July 1 annually. The program offers extensive training in all aspects of clinical pediatric epilepsy.
ACGME accredited
Top ranked hospital
Comprehensive Training
Program structure
- Continuity clinic: Fellows participate in a weekly half-day continuity clinic.
- Rotations: Fellows rotate through the outpatient EEG laboratory, epilepsy monitoring unit (EMU), and adult epilepsy.
- Electives: A one-month elective in a relevant area to pediatric epilepsy and a one-week selective in subspecialty clinics at the Pediatric Epilepsy Center.
Training goals
- Gain expertise in the clinical management of pediatric epilepsy.
- Evaluate children for epilepsy surgery and neurostimulation.
- Interpret EEG-video monitoring in the EMU and critically ill neonates and children.
- Learn to interpret stereo EEG.
Faculty and resources
Fellows will interact with the pediatric epilepsy faculty, including 11 pediatric epileptologists, a pediatric neurosurgeon and two pediatric neuropsychologists. The center also has two nurse practitioners and a dietitian.
Primary clinical site
St. Louis Children’s Hospital, a 390-bed tertiary and quaternary pediatric hospital, serves as the primary clinical site. It includes:
- A 41-bed pediatric intensive care unit
- A 125-bed newborn intensive care unit
- Level IV accreditation by the National Association of Epilepsy Centers
Advanced treatments and technologies
- Imaging: Advanced imaging including PET and SPECT scans.
- Surgery: Epilepsy surgery using open procedures and laser ablation.
- Therapies: Dietary therapy, neurostimulation (vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) and responsive neurostimulation (RNS)).
- Clinical trials: Participation in clinical trials.
This fellowship offers a robust training environment designed to develop expertise in pediatric epilepsy management and treatment, ensuring fellows are well-prepared for their future careers.
Current fellows

Nicholas DeKorver, MD

Esra Pehlivan, MD

Ahmadi Saumel, MD, PhD
Past fellows
Year | Name |
---|---|
2024 | Emily Walsh, MD |
2021 | Regina Triplett, MD |
2021 | Kimberly Wiltrout, MD |
2020 | Oleg Lobanov, MD |
2019 | Robert Rudock, MD |
2018 | Jennifer Griffith, MD |
Application process
Two positions are available each year for a one-year Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) – accredited Pediatric Epilepsy Fellowship. Preference is given to graduates of United States pediatric neurology training programs who are board-eligible in pediatric neurology by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and who wish to obtain training that qualifies them to sit for the ABPN exam in epilepsy. Highly qualified international graduates of pediatric neurology training programs are encouraged to apply, though they must have certification from the Educational Commission of Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG).
Interested applicants must complete the following:
- Completed ERAS application
- Current CV
- A personal statement (indicating their interest in Pediatric Epilepsy)
- USMLE scores (Step 3 must be completed, prior to beginning your fellowship training)
- Three letters of recommendation, with at least one from a faculty member from the applicant’s primary residency program.
The Clinical Competency and Program Evaluation Committees will review all applications prior to extending an interview offer to qualified candidates. These committees and other faculty will review all interviewed candidates prior to submitting our rank list via NRMP.
Contact us
Liu Lin Thio, MD, PhD
c/o Karen Dietz
Phone: 314-747-0532
Email: kdietz@wustl.edu
U.S. mail
Division of Pediatric & Developmental Neurology
Washington University School of Medicine
660 S. Euclid Ave.
Campus Box 8111
St. Louis, MO 63110