Lehigh Valley Health Network Program

Lehigh Valley Health Network's Surgical Critical Care Fellowship is a one-year, RRC-approved program that emphasizes trauma care and is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. This program prepares fellows for the board examination for added qualifications in surgical critical care upon completion. The fellowship is conducted at Pennsylvania’s first designated Level I Trauma Center, providing comprehensive training in managing critically ill patients in a variety of intensive care settings.

The training environment consists of a busy trauma and surgical critical care clinical service. Fellows will be responsible for patient care in the following units: a 16-bed shock trauma intensive care unit, a 12-bed surgical intensive care unit, a 14-bed neurosurgical intensive care unit, and an 18-bed burn unit. Furthermore, fellows will engage with step-down and general ward patients during the course of their training, ensuring a well-rounded educational experience in surgical critical care 1.

Curriculum

During the fellowship, you will spend nine months in trauma, general, central nervous system, and special care units, along with one month in a burn unit. The remaining two months will be tailored to meet your professional goals, providing exposure to trauma unit operations, including triage and pre-hospital communication 4. Notably, fellows can act in a supervisory capacity while managing initial trauma care under the direct supervision of in-house trauma/critical care surgeons 5.

Research Opportunities

The fellowship offers various opportunities for clinical research through a monthly research committee that discusses ongoing projects and identifies new research topics. The trauma division holds didactic lectures and conducts mortality and morbidity reviews, supplementing departmental surgical grand rounds 6. Fellows are encouraged to participate in clinical research initiatives, which enhances their training and scholarly contributions.

Application Instructions

Applicants are required to have completed an ACGME-accredited general surgery residency prior to applying to the program. The application process proceeds through the Surgical Critical Care and Acute Care Surgery Fellowship Application Service (SAFAS), with interviews typically scheduled in July, August, and September 7.

Competitiveness

The program is known to be competitive, attracting numerous applicants from various backgrounds, including DOs and international medical graduates (IMGs). However, the program supports a diverse applicant pool and fosters an inclusive environment for all prospective fellows.

Visa Support

Lehigh Valley Health Network is capable of sponsoring visas for international medical graduates seeking to complete their surgical critical care fellowship. The program typically supports J-1 visas, which cater to non-immigrant physicians participating in graduate medical education and training programs in the United States.

Living in the Lehigh Valley

The Lehigh Valley, located approximately 60 miles north of Philadelphia and 80 miles west of New York City, is recognized for its rapid growth, favorable living conditions, and significantly lower cost of living compared to surrounding metropolitan areas. This environment not only enhances life experience during fellowship training but also provides strong community support and a vibrant demographic 3.