University of Alabama Medical Center Program

Trauma and Surgical Critical Care Fellowship Overview

The Trauma and Surgical Critical Care Fellowship Program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) provides fellows with an extensive educational experience in critical care. The program focuses on the pathophysiology of critical injuries, advanced critical care techniques, and the management of critically ill patients. It combines hands-on experience, didactic learning, and mentoring by experienced faculty, supporting both clinical and administrative skill development within the surgical critical care domain 1.

UAB's University Hospital is noted as the only ACS-verified Level I trauma center in Alabama, serving a primary catchment area across a seven-county region. The trauma service processes over 6,000 trauma activations annually and covers a wide spectrum of trauma cases, ensuring fellows have diverse and abundant clinical material to learn from 1.

Fellowship Program Structure

The fellowship accommodates four fellows per year and is structured to emphasize clinical proficiency. Fellows take part in a significant array of trauma and surgical critical care cases, including the management of polytrauma patients and critically ill surgical patients. Each fellow assumes full responsibility as a trauma team leader, nurturing their leadership skills while managing both blunt and penetrating trauma 1.

In addition to trauma care, the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) at UAB oversees diverse patient populations, including those needing emergency and elective general surgery, ENT, OB/GYN, transplant, and vascular surgery, with about 1,500 patients treated annually 1.

Educational Opportunities

Fellows will participate in a variety of educational activities, including:

• Weekly journal club meetings with faculty
• Weekly didactic sessions covering critical care topics
• Trauma Quality Improvement conferences and morbidity and mortality rounds
• Opportunities to instruct ATLS and ASSET
• Formal training in Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE)

Additionally, resources for standardized assessments like the Multidisciplinary Critical Care Knowledge Assessment Program (MCCKAP) exam are available to ensure fellows are continually evaluating their knowledge base 2.

Research Opportunities

Although not a requirement, research is encouraged within the fellowship. Fellows can collaborate on various research initiatives, including those with the Center for Injury Science (CIS) and the Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN). Potential research topics range across trauma care and critical injuries, allowing fellows to contribute meaningfully to advancements in their field 1.

Application Process

The program accepts four fellows annually. Candidates must have graduated from an ACGME-accredited general surgery residency program, possess board certification or eligibility, and demonstrate teaching capabilities. Interviews are conducted for prospective fellows, and applications can be submitted between January 1 and June 1 through the SAFAS platform 2.

Visa Support

The program offers visa sponsorship for appropriate candidates. Common visa types sponsored include J-1 visas, facilitating international medical graduates (IMGs) to participate in the fellowship. The program is friendly toward international applicants, enhancing diversity and global perspectives within the cohort 1.

Competitiveness and Special Requirements

The Trauma and Surgical Critical Care Fellowship at UAB is regarded as highly competitive. While DO and IMG applicants are welcomed, prospective fellows must be prepared to present strong credentials in their applications. Specific admission requisites include meeting graduation timelines from prior surgery residencies with no more than one failed STEP exam 2.