The Unit

Description

The goals of the program are to teach the clinical knowledge and technical skills of surgical critical care that will enable each fellow to become a confident critical care practitioner, administrator, and educator. Clinical training is provided at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center-Presbyterian, the Pittsburgh VA Healthcare System, Western Pennsylvania Hospital, Magee-Women’s Hospital, and Childrens’ Hospital of Pittsburgh. These intensive care units provide a broad spectrum of experiences.
In addition to this extensive clinical experience, the fellowship’s educational program includes an in-depth critical care lecture and workshop series, self-paced educational modules, rotation-based educational materials and conferences, research conferences, quality improvement conferences, journal clubs, and grand rounds. Computer-assisted, full-scale patient simulation (Winter Institute for Simulation Education and Research – www.wiser.pitt.edu) is used extensively. The curriculum includes discussions of medical education techniques, scientific methods, and administration.

Research Activities

During the 1-year surgical critical care fellowship, fellows are required to write a review of a recent peer-reviewed paper. This review is published online. The didactic curriculum includes research methodology and evidence-based medicine discussions. Clinical projects are also available.

Fellowship Program

Clinical Responsibilities

The surgical critical care fellowship includes rotations in Trauma, Surgical, Neurotrauma, Cardiothoracic, and Abdominal Organ Transplantation intensive care units. Several elective rotations, including Neurovascular, Burn Care, Obstetrics/Gynecology and Pediatrics, are also available. At least 3 months of the fellowship year involve operative experiences on the Trauma/Acute Care Surgery service. This service has >4000 trauma admissions/year and a busy elective and emergency general surgery practice. Fellows are expected to take on a leadership role and are afforded increased autonomy as they progress through the fellowship.

Research Opportunities

During a 1 year clinical fellowship. it is difficult to obtain significant research experiences. Fellows may have an opportunity to participate in a broad range of clinical projects within the Trauma Division of the Department of Surgery as well as the Department of Critical Care Medicine.

Teaching Responsibilities

Fellows are expected to teach and supervise junior residents and medical students in the ICU and on the trauma service.

Certifications

ACLS and ATLS certification is expected.

Salary

$48,000

Applicant Requirements

Residents who have completed at least 3 years of residency in general surgery, neurosurgery, urology, and obstetrics and gynecology can apply for the 1-year surgical critical care fellowship.

Contact

Samuel A. Tisherman, MD

638 Scaife Hall
Pittsburgh , PA 15261
USA

Phone: 412-647-8410
Fax: 412-802-3308

Email:

URL: www.surg.upmc.edu

Jul 23, 2007