Carilion Clinic-Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine Program

The Pulmonary Critical Care Medicine Fellowship at Carilion Clinic is designed to provide comprehensive training in various aspects of pulmonary and critical care medicine. The program is committed to educating fellows through innovative and diverse clinical experiences, ensuring they acquire the necessary competencies to excel in their future practices.

Curriculum Overview

The curriculum covers all six competency areas as required by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). It is repeated every 18 months, allowing fellows to deepen their knowledge and skills continuously. Fellows receive advanced training in a wide range of procedures like endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS), cryobiopsies, and various interventional pulmonary medicine techniques 1.

Didactic Sessions

Didactic learning is emphasized through a structured academic half-day held every Friday. This includes core lectures, journal clubs, morbidity and mortality (M&M) conferences, and case discussions. Additionally, fellows engage in weekly board review sessions and participate in a combined emergency department/critical care conference, tumor conferences, and pathology conferences at the Salem Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Procedural Exposure

Fellows gain significant procedural experience, which is crucial for their development. Procedures include flexible bronchoscopy, pleural procedures, managing central venous catheters, and various intubation techniques, among many others 4.

Rotations and Training Sites

The fellowship integrates diverse training sites to enhance clinical experience. Major institutions include Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, Carilion New River Valley, and the Salem VA Medical Center. Each site provides fellows with varied clinical exposure to a broad patient population in Southwest Virginia 6.

Sample Schedule

The fellowship consists of 13 four-week blocks per academic year, running from July 1 to June 30. This structured schedule ensures fellows gain adequate exposure across different specialties and clinical situations.

Research Opportunities

Research forms an integral part of the training, as fellows are encouraged to pursue both clinical and bench research projects. This focus helps fellows develop a solid understanding of the literature that informs patient care, fostering lifelong learning and inquiry into medical advancements 1.

Teaching and Academic Collaboration

The program offers numerous teaching opportunities for fellows, who work closely with residents, medical students, and physician assistant students. Collaboration with the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine enables fellows to benefit from a strong partnership that leverages basic sciences and engineering principles in medical education 3.

Competitiveness and Application Requirements

The fellowship at Carilion Clinic maintains a competitive environment. Applicants are required to have completed board eligibility or certification in Internal Medicine, along with excellent oral and written communication skills. A prerequisite is prior research experience, which adds to the candidate’s profile.

International graduates must have ECFMG certification. The program exclusively sponsors J-1 visas, which are crucial for international applicants to gain entry into the United States for training 8.

Faculty and Support Structure

The faculty comprises a diverse group of experts in pulmonary and critical care medicine, providing fellows with a wealth of knowledge and mentorship. The program supports a collaborative learning environment where fellows can thrive 2.

Board Pass Rates

The program boasts impressive board pass rates with 93% for first-time exam takers in pulmonary medicine and 90% in critical care medicine, attesting to the quality of training provided 1.