We are the nation’s first and foremost stand-alone department of critical care medicine. From our historical roots in anesthesia, we have grown into a multidisciplinary department that is a research and clinical powerhouse with globally acclaimed investigators who focus their endeavors on:
- Sepsis and septic shock
- Resuscitation research
- Brain injury
- Organ dysfunction, support and recovery
- Health services research, health policy, e-research and medical ethics
Our clinical enterprise sees faculty and staff deliver care to critically ill and acutely injured adult and pediatric patients at 16 intensive care units across six UPMC hospitals.
Each year we train over 40 clinical fellows to be outstanding intensivist physicians. Each trainee completes a broad critical care curriculum that includes hands-on care, didactic education, leadership training, and cutting-edge use of simulation and web-enabled learning.
Use this website to find out more about what we do and to learn about the groundbreaking thought leaders from the University of Pittsburgh who shaped our profession.
A Message from the Chair
Welcome to the Department of Critical Care Medicine here at the University of Pittsburgh and the UPMC Health System. We are a group of clinicians, teachers and scientists dedicated to improving the outcomes of patients who fall critically ill, and all those who care for them.
Our history is long, dating back to the efforts and vision of Peter Safar, who in the 1960s was one of the founders of the field of critical care medicine and the first leader of our program. Today, I have the immense privilege to lead a wonderful team advancing our mission on numerous fronts.
We provide the highest quality clinical care to many thousands of adult and pediatric patients and their families each year across multiple intensive care units in the UPMC Health System. We are constantly striving to improve critical care delivery, adopting the latest medical advances and providing care with compassion and respect.
We also run a nationally-recognized training program which is among the oldest and largest in the world, every year bringing in new trainees to create the next generation of dedicated intensive care professionals.
And, we embrace a desire to constantly improve patient outcomes through cutting-edge research. Our scientific programs span the breadth of modern science, from laboratory-based programs investigating the fundamental cellular and biological mechanisms of acute illness to clinical research at the bedside, developing and testing novel therapies to increase survival and improve the long-term emotional well-being of our patients and their families.
We believe that these different missions are best achieved under one roof, leveraging the wisdom and input of multiple clinical, educational and scientific perspectives. We strive to provide an environment where all those engaged with us can find meaning and fulfillment in their work.
Please come in and look around our website. Feel free to contact us. Welcome!
Derek Angus, MD, MPH, FRCP
Distinguished Professor and Mitchell P. Fink Endowed Chair, Critical Care Medicine
In the 1960s and 1970s Pittsburgh was a perfect storm of bright minds with new ideas on how to support the critically ill patient. The genius and drive of those medical pioneers gave the world CPR and helped shape the field we now call critical care medicine.
The Department of Critical Care Medicine values the richness of a diverse community of trainees, staff, physicians and investigators.
Our fellowship alumni are an elite group of critical care professionals working across the United States and around the globe.