Creighton University School of Medicine Program

Creighton University School of Medicine offers a fellowship in Surgical Critical Care (SCC) located in Phoenix, Arizona. This ACGME-accredited 1-year program accepts two fellows annually at Valleywise Health Medical Center. A parallel Burn-Surgical Critical Care fellowship is also available at the Arizona Burn Center. Candidates for these fellowships are typically completing or have completed an ACGME-accredited General Surgery Residency.1

Each fellowship aims to develop future academic leaders in critical care and trauma through intensive clinical, educational, administrative, and research experiences. This is accomplished through two busy urban academic medical centers in Phoenix, providing fellows with a comprehensive training environment that covers multiple clinical disciplines.1

Curriculum

The SCC fellowship features a robust curriculum which provides hands-on training across various critical care settings. Each fellow will undergo significant didactic learning complemented by self-directed study under the mentorship of board-certified faculty in surgery, internal medicine, anesthesiology, and pulmonary care. The curriculum is structured around two options:

• Surgical Critical Care Fellowship - This entails four core rotations over one year, including:

• Surgical ICU (SICU) - 4 to 5 months
• Burn ICU (BICU) - 2 months
• Ultrasound - 1 month
• Mayo Clinic - Phoenix Medical-Surgical ICU - 3 months
• Elective rotation - 1 month, which can include thoracic surgery, ACS surgery, trauma surgery, hepatobiliary surgery, or burn surgery.

• Burn-Surgical Critical Care Fellowship - This option includes:

• Burn ICU (BICU) - 7 months
• Surgical ICU (SICU) - 2 months
• Ultrasound - 1 month
• Mayo Clinic - Phoenix Medical-Surgical ICU - 2 months

Upon completion, fellows may sit for the American Board of Surgery’s Surgical Critical Care Certifying Examination.3

Clinical Sites and Affiliations

The program primarily takes place at Valleywise Health, a large acute care facility in downtown Phoenix renowned for its Level I Trauma Center and a comprehensive Burn Center. Additionally, fellows gain experience through rotations at the Mayo Clinic Hospital in Arizona, which specializes in treating complex critical illnesses and provides exposure to advanced medical services, including a multidisciplinary Critical Care Unit.2

Research and Educational Opportunities

Fellows benefit from ongoing research collaborations between the Department of Surgery at Valleywise Health and the surgical critical care faculty at the Mayo Clinic. This includes a formalized structure for training in quality improvement, mentoring, and hands-on research leading toward manuscript preparation and publication opportunities.6

Application Process

To apply for either SCC or Burn-Surgical Critical Care fellowship, candidates must meet specific criteria, including:

• Completion or graduation from an ACGME-accredited surgical residency program.

The application requirements for SCC include submission via the SAFAS platform, a letter of interest, a CV, three letters of recommendation, ABSITE and USMLE scores, as well as a medical school transcript. For applicants who meet the requirements, individual interviews will be conducted, where candidates will meet with faculty members and tour the facilities.5

Competitiveness and Visa Support

The program is considered competitive, particularly for candidates with strong academic records from reputable surgical residency programs. Both DO and international medical graduate (IMG) applicants are welcomed, and the program is supportive of obtaining the necessary visa types for those individuals who require sponsorship, including J-1 and H-1B visa classifications.4

Special Application Requirements

The program adheres to strict guidelines for selection, with no more than two failed step exams typically accepted, although each application is considered on an individual basis. Furthermore, candidates are evaluated on their overall qualifications and preparedness for the rigors of fellowship training.4