Dartmouth-Hitchcock/Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital Program

Program Overview

The Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Fellowship at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center is an ACGME-accredited program that spans 36 months, designed to provide comprehensive training and supervised experience. The fellowship aims to ensure that fellows acquire the skills necessary to become competent subspecialists in both pulmonary diseases and critical care medicine. This program emphasizes both clinical excellence and rigorous academic standards, intersecting superb clinical training with a robust educational framework.

Program Mission and Goals

The mission of the fellowship is to equip graduates to deliver excellent, evidence-based care for a wide array of respiratory disorders and conditions associated with critical illnesses. This encompasses training that not only prepares fellows for clinical practice but also fosters their role in educating medical students, residents, and other healthcare professionals.

The program aims to achieve the following:

• Provide outstanding clinical training in pulmonary and critical care medicine.
• Enhance educational skills, facilitating opportunities to teach in diverse environments.
• Support fellows in pursuing individual career interests, whether in clinical practice, research, or quality improvement.
• Create a supportive and inclusive training environment focusing on well-being.

Clinical Rotations and Training

Fellows are engaged in required inpatient and outpatient rotations which cover extensive clinical management scenarios. This structure ensures that fellows accumulate a wealth of experience and can apply theoretical knowledge in practical situations.

Research Opportunities

Fellows are actively encouraged to participate in research projects throughout the fellowship. This includes opportunities for presenting findings and submitting research work for publication in peer-reviewed medical journals, fostering a culture of inquiry and scholarship.

Conferences and Didactics

The program features numerous conferences across pulmonary and critical care medicine, as well as multidisciplinary team conferences. Additional didactic sessions provide further education on relevant topics, reinforcing clinical knowledge.

Teaching Experience

Fellowship participants are required to engage in teaching activities, which occur in both bedside and classroom contexts. This dual approach facilitates practical and theoretical learning experiences for trainees.

Leadership Preventive Medicine Residency

Fellows may opt to participate in a specialized Leadership Preventive Medicine Residency track, combining two years of clinical training in pulmonary and critical care medicine with additional coursework and projects focused on health care delivery science and public health. Through this initiative, fellows gain a Master in Public Health (MPH) from the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice at Dartmouth College.

Application Process and Requirements

The application pathway requires candidates to have completed three years of accredited postgraduate education in Internal Medicine. Applicants must submit a comprehensive ERAS application, including a curriculum vitae, official medical school transcripts, board score records, personal statement, and a minimum of three letters of recommendation.

Application Timeline and Diversity Commitment

The fellowship accepts applications from August through September each year, offering two positions annually. The interview process is held virtually, ensuring equitable access for all candidates. The program is deeply committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, mirroring the missions of both Graduate Medical Education (GME) and Dartmouth Health.

Visa Sponsorship

The program offers visa support for qualified international medical graduates. Commonly sponsored visa types include J-1 and H-1B visas, facilitating the participation of IMGs in this fellowship.

Competitiveness of the Program

The Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center's Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Fellowship is competitive, attracting a diverse group of applicants, including domestically trained physicians as well as international medical graduates (IMGs). Applicants with a strong foundation in Internal Medicine and a demonstrated interest in pulmonary and critical care medicine are preferred.