Lakeland Regional Health Program

Surgical Critical Care Fellowship Program at Lakeland Regional Health

The Surgical Critical Care Fellowship Program at Lakeland Regional Health is dedicated to educating, mentoring, and developing surgical critical care physicians. This one-year ACGME-accredited fellowship aims to produce proficient surgical critical care intensivists equipped to deliver compassionate, efficient, and evidence-based medical care. The primary clinical site for this fellowship is the Lakeland Regional Medical Center, which boasts 910 beds and serves a diverse patient population.

The program emphasizes a comprehensive training approach that combines practical surgical critical care experiences with a robust didactic curriculum. Fellows will engage with various clinical rotations and will be mentored by ABS/AOBS certified faculty members with diverse backgrounds and expertise.

Program Features

Curriculum

The curriculum is structured to provide fellows with in-depth education in surgical critical care through a combination of clinical experiences and educational activities. Key components of the curriculum include:

• Trauma Intensive Care Unit: 3 months in an 18-bed unit primarily focused on the care of critical trauma and surgical patients.
• Medical Intensive Care Unit: 2 months in a 32-bed unit dedicated to critically ill medical patients.
• Surgical Intensive Care Unit: 3 months focused on the care of surgical critical care patients.
• Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit: 3 months serving both critical surgical and medical patients with neurologic conditions.
• Trauma Service: 1 month of mentored experience in operative and non-operative treatment of acutely injured patients.
• Elective ICU Rotations: 4 months tailored to individual career goals of the fellows.

Didactics

The educational component includes weekly didactic sessions, surgical critical care journal clubs, and participation in morbidity and mortality conferences, where discussions aim at improving patient care through critical analysis of clinical outcomes.

Unique Aspects of the Program

The Lakeland Regional Health Surgical Critical Care Fellowship is unique for its community-focused approach, aiming to cultivate future leaders in community hospital settings. Highlights of the program include:

• Exceptional clinical exposure due to the high volume of cases and a diverse patient population.
• A Level II Trauma Center providing comprehensive trauma services.
• A faculty dedicated to mentorship and teaching, ensuring a close relationship between fellows and attendings.
• A supportive environment that fosters independence and leadership skills, enabling fellows to assume roles akin to attending physicians.

Training Sites

All clinical activities for the Surgical Critical Care Fellowship are conducted at the Lakeland Regional Medical Center, which offers numerous resources and amenities that facilitate a rich learning experience. The medical center has received accolades from numerous publications recognizing its commitment to quality healthcare.

Competitiveness of the Program

The program is considered competitive, attracting a wide range of applicants from various medical backgrounds, including both DO and MD graduates, as well as International Medical Graduates (IMGs) who meet the eligibility criteria. Previous experience in surgical or critical care settings will be an advantage for applicants.

Visa Support

It is important to note that the program currently does not sponsor or take over sponsorship of employment visas. All applicants must have authorization to work in the United States prior to applying.

Application Requirements

Applicants to the Surgical Critical Care Fellowship must submit a comprehensive application through the Surgical Critical Care and Acute Care Fellowship Application Service (SAFAS) along with other required documents:

• Curriculum Vitae
• Medical School Transcript
• Personal Statement
• Three Letters of Recommendation
• USMLE Scores

Fellows will be selected through the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) after interviews that typically begin in May and continue through July.