The Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care Fellowship is a one- or two-year advanced training program for physicians interested in becoming leaders in the field of pediatric cardiac critical care. The program is non-ACGME accredited. Candidates must have completed a fellowship in anesthesiology, cardiology, neonatology, pediatric cardiology, or pediatric critical care medicine.
Trainees will gain in-depth clinical knowledge and technical skills necessary to care for critically ill infants, children, adolescents, and adults with acute cardiac disease and congenital heart problems. Areas of focus include pre-and post-operative management, mechanical circulatory support (ECMO/VAD), cardiac surgery, transplantation (including heart, lung, heart-lung, and heart-liver), utilization and interpretation of cardiac diagnostic testing, and implementation of quality improvement initiatives.
Educational opportunities are tailored to suit the needs and interests of each trainee. The program is highly integrated with other fellowships including pediatric cardiology, critical care medicine, neonatology, and anesthesiology to provide a broad range of interdisciplinary training, as well as research opportunities from the basic sciences to translational and clinical research.
- Mission Statement
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The Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care Fellowship at UPMC is committed to providing superior clinical and academic training that delivers the highest quality care to critically ill and injured patients across the UPMC Health System, and that develops tomorrow’s leaders in Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care. Our multidisciplinary and collaborative approach to research, education, patient safety, and quality is integral to this training and enhances the program’s ability to improve and innovate in each of these areas. We seek to select and retain a diverse group of highly qualified candidates and foster their academic career advancement through broad clinical experience, scholarship, leadership opportunities, structured professional development, and robust mentorship.
- Application, Interviews, and Match
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Interested candidates should apply directly to the Department of Critical Care Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. Qualified candidates with H1B visas will be considered, however, this program does not support applicants with J1 visas.
The programs in the US and Canada have collaborated to create a common application and application cycle (see more information here). Prior to accessing the form, we ask that you please complete the registration portal questionnaire found here. You will then be given a link directly to the application.
The application timeline is as follows (may be different from year to year):
June: Registration on the PCICS website will open and a common application form will be available.
June - July: Applicants assemble their application materials, including recommendations.
July: Programs Directors will accept completed applications for review. Applicants should email materials to each program individually.
July - October: Programs will review applications and host interview days.
October: Offer Day 1. Programs will offer positions to candidates by email starting at 9 am PST / Noon EST. Candidates should provide commitment within 24 hours. After initial offers, no additional offers will be made until Day 2.
October: Offer Day 2. Programs may offer remaining positions to candidates starting at 9 am PST / Noon EST. Offers may be made by email, phone, etc. After initial contact, programs will continue to reach out to candidates to fill positions.
November: Position list. The remaining training positions will be posted to the PCICS website.
Application requirements include the following:
- Registration Questionnaire
- Common application form
- Curriculum vitae
- Three letters of recommendation. One letter should be from the director of your most recent/current fellowship training program or from the medical director at the institution you are currently practicing.
- Personal statement
- Copy of medical diploma
All application materials must be submitted to each program individually. Individual programs may request additional supplemental information from applicants. Interviews will be arranged by the individual programs. Please do not contact PCICS regarding the status of your application.
In addition, we ask that you include
- USMLE transcript
- Headshot
Submit these materials by email to Vickie Johnson and Matt Bochkoris, MD.
- Clinical Experience / Rotation Schedule
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TRAINING SITES
CHP is located in the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Lawrenceville, less than two miles from the University of Pittsburgh’s Oakland complex. The CICU is comprised of a 12-bed unit, as well as a 21-bed acuity adaptable unit staffed by pediatric cardiac intensivists. We have over 400 admissions and approximately 200-300 cardiopulmonary bypass cases a year. The CICU fellow’s clinical rotations are individualized based on their prior training, with rotations in anesthesia, cardiac catheterization, echocardiography, electrophysiology, and pediatric critical care.
- Research, Scholarly Activities, & Educational Highlights
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Weekly CCM educational conferences, including a structured core CCM educational curriculum, journal club, grand rounds, and morbidity & mortality conference, ECMO, CRRT, and other clinical and research conferences
Weekly cardiology conferences, including structured core CCM educational curriculum, journal club, echocardiography/advanced imaging, cardiac catheterization, quality improvement, and multi-disciplinary surgical conference
CICU focused educational conferences, including a structured core curriculum lecture series, journal club, infection prevention, quality improvement, morbidity and mortality, and patient care discussions.
Special seminars focused on cardiac anatomy/physiology, POCUS, and simulation.
- Contact
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For inquiries about the Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care Fellowship program, please contact:
Vickie Johnson: Administrative Coordinator, Pediatric Critical Care
Matt Bochkoris, MD: Program Director, Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care Fellowship
Rod Ghassemzadeh, MD: Associate Program Director, Pediatric Critical Care Fellowship