University of Cincinnati Medical Center/College of Medicine Program

The pulmonary and critical care medicine fellowship program at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center is founded on a commitment to providing comprehensive specialty training. It aims to foster a collegial atmosphere where fellows can cultivate their clinical and academic skills. The program places a strong emphasis on flexibility, offering various tracks designed to meet the evolving needs of fellows and faculty alike, which are refined through ongoing feedback.

Training Tracks

The fellowship provides several distinct training tracks:

• Clinician Educator Track: This track focuses on teaching methodologies and educational theory, emphasizing quality improvement initiatives. Fellows engage in scholarly activities related to education and may participate in the Department of Internal Medicine’s Master Teacher Program.
• Quality Improvement Track: Under this track, fellows receive instruction in improvement science and engage in ongoing quality improvement projects while also participating in a 6-month Improvement Science course at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.
• Research Tracks: Multiple research opportunities in basic science, clinical and translational research are available. Fellows can choose to enroll in a certificate course in clinical research, which can later contribute towards a Master’s degree.
• Med/Peds Pulmonary Track: This combined fellowship with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital requires separate applications to both institutions.
• Critical Care Only Track: For graduates of internal medicine subspecialty programs, this one-year track focused exclusively on critical care is available.

This variety of tracks allows fellows to align their training with their career aspirations, be it in clinical practice, education, research, or a combination of these domains.1

Clinical Training Facilities

Clinical training takes place primarily at three key institutions: the UC Health University Hospital, the Cincinnati Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center, and the Daniel Drake Center for Post Acute Care. This triad of facilities offers a comprehensive clinical experience, encompassing a range of pulmonary and critical care practices.

Fellows in the program gain significant exposure to general outpatient pulmonary medicine through continuity clinic experiences at both the Hoxworth Clinic and the VA Chest clinic, as well as specialized clinics like pulmonary hypertension and interstitial lung disease clinics, enabling them to work closely with expert attending physicians.2

Critical Care Skills Acquisition

Extensive training in critical care occurs in the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU), catering to the most critically ill patients in the Tri-State area. Fellows develop vital skills such as advanced ventilator management, airway management, and various ICU procedures including central lines and bronchoscopy. Additionally, fellows engage with multidisciplinary teams across different specialty ICUs, enhancing their collaborative practice capabilities.2

Pulmonary Medicine Training

Fellows receive comprehensive training in pulmonary medicine through consultations and procedures on patients with a variety of pulmonary diseases. Exposure to advanced diagnostic methodologies, including endobronchial ultrasounds and pleural disease management, is emphasized, alongside opportunities to refine procedural skills in interventional pulmonary.3

Research Opportunities

Research is a crucial element of the fellowship, with fellows allocated dedicated time for scholarly activities. Opportunities abound in both foundational and clinical research particularly in rare lung diseases, contributing to significant publications and presentations at national meetings. There are also available slots for projects focused on quality improvement, which allows fellows to engage in meaningful research initiatives that enhance healthcare delivery.4

Visa Support and Application Competitiveness

The fellowship program is geared towards being friendly to both DO and IMG applicants, reflecting its commitment to inclusivity and diversity in training. The program provides visa support for eligible candidates, specifically through H-1B and J-1 visas for international medical graduates. As a highly competitive program, applicants are advised to possess strong academic credentials and relevant clinical experience to enhance their candidacy.

Application considerations may include the year of medical school graduation and the maximum number of failed STEP exams, which will be seriously evaluated to ensure the quality of the training cohort.2

Continuity Clinics

Fellows engage in general pulmonary continuity clinics across two primary sites for a total of 18 months at each, wherein they take on the role of primary pulmonologists under faculty supervision. Here, fellows encounter a spectrum of pulmonary pathologies, cultivating the necessary skills for outpatient management of diverse pulmonary conditions including COPD, asthma, and interstitial lung disease.3