About the program
Inova’s L.J. Murphy Children’s Hospital in Fairfax is where the 14-bed PICU and an 8-bed PCICU, associated with the University of Virginia School of Medicine, offer the highest level of care for nearly 600,000 children in Northern Virginia. The pediatric critical care service admits more than 1,200 children per year, managing problems of traumatic injury, neurology, endocrinology, otorhinolaryngology, cardiology, infectious diseases, pulmonology and others. The unit also offers advanced life support, such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).
For residents
The pediatric residency program at Inova L.J. Murphy Children’s Hospital offers resources on their website: inovapeds.com (login required).
All residents who come to the PICU receive a document with objectives and orientation material.
Articles for review (chosen from the most frequently requested topics):
- Analgesia and sedation
- ECMO (Fine-Goulden, M., and Lillie, J.)
- Ventilators: vent basics
- Acid-base disorders
Meet the physicians
Name: William Stotz, MD
Medical Education:
University of Virginia School of Medicine
Residency: Emory University School of Medicine
Fellowship: Johns Hopkins Children’s Center
Joined Inova: January 2004
Clinical interests: Traumatic brain injury, trauma, and anesthesia
Extracurricular interests: Skiing, Boston sports, and Civil War history
Name: Julia Ashworth, MD
Medical Education: University of Connecticut School of Medicine
Residency: John’s Hopkins Hospital
Fellowship: John’s Hopkins Hospital
Joined Inova: December 2020
Clinical interests: Medical education, simulation, and cardiac arrest
Extracurricular interests: Hiking, reading, traveling, and baking
Name: Cynthia Gibson, MD
Medical Education: National Naval Medical Center
Residency: 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
Extracurricular interests: runDisney, biking, walking, antique collecting, reading, music and scuba diving
Name: Michael Miller, MD
Medical Education: New York Medical College
Residency: Stephen & Alexandra Cohen Children’s Hospital, Northwell Health
Fellowship: Stephen & Alexandra Cohen Children’s Hospital, Northwell Health
Joined Inova: 2017
Research interests: Related to medical education
Clinical interests: Acute respiratory failure, sepsis, trauma, and diabetic ketoacidosis
Extracurricular interests: Skiing and family time
Name: Aashish Abraham, MD
Medical Education: George Washington University School of Medicine
Residency 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
Extracurricular interests: Brazilian jiu jitsu, road-cycling, and writing
Name: Peter Grundl, MD
Medical Education: Medical College of Wisconsin
Residency: Children’s Hospital of Buffalo
Fellowship: Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
Joined Inova: January 1996
Research and clinical interests: Traumatic brain injury
Extracurricular interests: Traveling
Name: Rana Sharara-Chami, MD
Medical Education: American University of Beirut
Residency: 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
Extracurricular interests: Traveling, running, skiing, cycling, or hiking
Name: Swati Agarwal, MD
Medical Education:Duke University School of Medicine
Residency: 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
Extracurricular interests: Ultimate frisbee, volunteer medical international travel, cheering Washington Spirit and Duke basketball
Name: Mariam Gabrial, MD
Medical Education: Weill Cornell Medical College
Residency: University of Buffalo Jacob’s School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Fellowship: University of Michigan Health System
Joined Inova: August 2021
Research interests: Anticoagulation on ECMO, VV ECMO for ARDS; site PI for TITRE Study, co-investigator for ASCEND Study
Clinical interests: ARDS on ECMO, anticoagulation on ECMO; PICU ECMO lead; Medical Education (Co-Director, PICU Clerkship for UVA)
Extracurricular interests: Hiking with husband and dog, and exploring new restaurants
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