Rochester General Hospital Program

The Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship Program at Rochester Regional Health is designed to train future leaders in the field of pulmonary and critical care medicine. This program primarily serves patients at Rochester General Hospital, the flagship hospital within a health system spanning five hospitals across 14 counties in Western New York State.

One of the main goals of the program is to create clinically proficient physicians in pulmonary and critical care who are well-prepared to practice in diverse environments. The curriculum is carefully structured, with a broad range of rotations providing fellows with extensive experience in managing pulmonary diseases and a variety of critical illnesses.

Clinical Training

Fellows experience a rich clinical training landscape, participating in more than 350 bronchoscopies, including 150 endobronchial ultrasounds (EBUS) and 75 navigational bronchoscopies per year. In critical care training, substantial exposure to bedside ultrasound is provided, complete with a stipend and time allocated to attend a national ultrasound course. Airway management training is a significant aspect, as fellows work alongside anesthesiologists during their first year and critical care physicians throughout the program.

Procedural Skills Development

Fellows gain hands-on experience with a wide array of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) procedures, including but not limited to Blakemore tubes, emergent transvenous pacers, central lines, pulmonary artery catheters, arterial lines, and chest tubes. This procedural training is complemented with dedicated time and mentorship to support clinical research interests, and fellows participate in regular conferences with thoracic surgeons, chest radiologists, and pathologists.

Mission and Objectives

The program aims to foster a compassionate and knowledgeable clinician capable of enhancing patient care through education, wellness promotion, and research. The specific goals of the fellowship include:

• Developing proficiency across all domains of clinical competency, enabling fellows to take personal responsibility for caring for critically ill patients.
• Embracing the graded responsibility concept in patient care, allowing fellows to demonstrate growth and independence in clinical practice.
• Establishing a solid foundation for lifelong professional growth.
• Learning to collaborate within multidisciplinary teams to optimize patient care.
• Understanding the importance of sensitivity and caring for the diverse healthcare needs of society.

Application Process

Applicants are required to apply through the ERAS system and must have completed an internal medicine residency within the United States. Essential application requirements include:

• Curriculum Vitae
• Letters of Recommendation
• USMLE scores
• Medical School Transcripts
• Personal Statement

Visa Support

The program offers visa support for international medical graduates (IMGs) and can sponsor J-1 visas for those eligible.

Competitiveness and Friendliness

Rochester General Hospital’s Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship is known to be competitive, yet it maintains a welcoming stance to both DO and IMG candidates, encouraged by its diverse faculty and staff.

Benefits and Compensation

The fellowship provides ample benefits, including:

• Medical and dental insurance options
• Life insurance coverage
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance
• Child care services for employees
• A tax-deferred annuity plan
• Paid vacation and holidays with competitive salaries:

(salary + stipend):

• $79,000 for PGY-4
• $83,000 for PGY-5
• $86,000 for PGY-6

Community and Lifestyle

Residing in the Greater Rochester area, fellows enjoy a unique blend of urban arts, culture, and dining experiences, alongside suburban, rural, and lakeside communities, offering a rich quality of life both professionally and personally.