Carolinas Medical Center Program

The Surgical Critical Care Fellowship at Carolinas Medical Center offers a structured and comprehensive training program designed to advance the skills and knowledge of professionals in the specialty of surgical critical care, trauma surgery, and acute care surgery. This fellowship enables participants to learn from a diverse team of faculty members, many of whom are nationally recognized experts in the field.

Where You Will Train

Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center is noted as a national leader in specialized medical care, being the largest research hospital in the region and one of five teaching hospitals in North Carolina. The fellowship program capitalizes on high patient volume and complexity, providing fellows with unique learning opportunities in an engaging and supportive environment. Graduates have consistently highlighted the balance of clinical exposure and educational support as critical to their development during the fellowship.

Curriculum Overview

The Surgical Critical Care Fellowship is a one-year program that emphasizes training for academic surgeons with focused interests in trauma and surgical critical care. The curriculum is designed to provide a collaborative, innovative, and fast-paced care environment. Core faculty members are committed to mentoring fellows, exposing them to a wide spectrum of critically ill surgical patients and involving them in numerous bedside procedures, including but not limited to tracheostomy, PEG tube placements, IVC filter placements, bronchoscopy, and critical care ultrasound.

Moreover, fellows are encouraged to participate in research opportunities, primarily involving clinical cases, database studies, and industry trials, fostering their academic growth. The Acute Care Surgery Fellowship extends this experience into a subsequent two-year program that includes rotations in trauma, emergency general surgery, hepatobiliary, vascular surgery, and cardiothoracic surgery, aligning with advanced minimally invasive surgical training.

Rotations and Clinical Experience

Fellows will primarily engage in core rotations within the Surgical Trauma Intensive Care Unit, which features a high-volume, diverse patient population. Additional rotations can be found in the Medical Intensive Care Unit, Cardiovascular Recovery Unit, and Emergency Medicine Ultrasound, with options for electives in areas such as Cardiac Critical Care, Nephrology, and Pediatric Intensive Care. The fellowship also facilitates an outpatient continuity clinic, allowing Acute Care Surgery fellows to broaden their practical management skills within the peri-operative context.

Research Opportunities

Research is a prominent aspect of the fellowship program. Fellows are encouraged to engage in various clinical, database, and industry trials to enhance their educational experience and contribute to the evolving field of surgical critical care. This opportunity for practical research application is particularly beneficial for those looking to pursue academic careers.

Application Criteria

Applications are accepted through the Surgical Critical Care and Acute Care Surgery Fellowship Application Service (SAFAS). Prospective applicants should be aware of specific timelines and submission procedures. Additionally, some special requirements may include considerations regarding the year of graduation from medical school and the maximum number of failed STEP exams.

Visa Support

The fellowship program offers visa sponsorship for international medical graduates, typically supporting J-1 and H-1B visa types. This provision ensures that qualified candidates from diverse backgrounds can participate in the fellowship, enriching the learning environment with various perspectives.

Competitiveness

The Surgical Critical Care Fellowship at Carolinas Medical Center is competitive, and while being primarily tailored to US medical graduates, it maintains a welcoming stance towards international medical graduates (IMGs) and DO candidates, encouraging a diverse applicant pool.

In conclusion, the program represents a significant opportunity for those seeking advanced training in surgical critical care and acute care surgery within a supportive, high-acuity clinical environment.