Neurocritical Care Fellowship

Two people looking at an x-ray

The Neurocritical Care Fellowship is a two-year, ACGME-approved training program accredited by the United Council of Neurological Subspecialties This highly competitive program offers one position each year. Although preference will be shown to applicants with training in Neurology, candidates trained in any other specialty will be considered.

Fellows will gain in-depth medical knowledge and technical skills necessary to care for critically ill patients with neurological conditions. Areas of focus include cerebrovascular diseases; central nervous system infections; neurotrauma; neuro-oncology; refractory seizures; alterations in consciousness; and perioperative neurosurgical care; as well as general care of patients with sepsis, acute respiratory failure, and other forms of critical illness.

Most fellows undertake two years of training; however, a one-year training pathway is available to trainees who have successfully completed another critical care fellowship or those with neurosurgical training prior to applying to our program.

Application, Interviews and Match

APPLICATION

Our program participates the Neurocritical Care Society Fellowship Match via SF Match. Please visit SF Match Common Application Service for application requirements, deadlines, and the submission.

INTERVIEWS

In-person interviews typically occur from February through May. Highly qualified applicants will be contacted by our Office of Education to schedule an interview date.

AFTER ACCEPTANCE

All trainees must obtain a graduate medical training license. We will contact successful candidates shortly after the match to begin this process.

Goals and Objectives

MULTIDISCIPLINARY TRAINING IN CRITICAL CARE

Trainees will be part of our pioneering Multidisciplinary Critical Care Training Program, in which physicians from the specialties of Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Anesthesia, Surgery, and Neurology receive advanced clinical training in an integrated environment. This innovative approach enables an expansive clinical experience supported by a collaborative learning environment. Our multidisciplinary training program employs a mix of hands-on clinical experience, interactive workshops, medical simulation, and didactic education.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Trainees obtain hands-on clinical experience and advanced instruction in:

  • Management of acute cerebrovascular disease, shock, sepsis, acute respiratory failure, acute kidney injury, and other critical illness syndromes
  • Pathophysiology of critical illness, including advanced neurological monitoring, cardiopulmonary physiology, hemodynamic monitoring, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation
  • Care of patients with acute neurological conditions, multisystem organ failure, acute infection, traumatic injury, and post-surgical critical illness
  • Communication skills, including patient and family interaction, end-of-life care, and care of the geriatric patient
  • Mechanical ventilation, extra-corporeal life support, intracranial neurological monitoring, and point-of-care ultrasound
  • ICU procedures including endotracheal intubation, central venous catheterization, and chest-tube placement

SPECIAL ACTIVITIES

Unique educational activities include:

  • Hands-on simulation workshops including difficult airway management, central venous catheterization, chest tube placement, neurological devices, and point-of-care ultrasound
  • Critical Care Leadership and Professionalism Course to develop knowledge and skills necessary to conduct teaching rounds, deliver feedback, direct an ICU, understand healthcare economics, negotiate for jobs, and succeed as an academic or clinical leader
  • A three-day Critical Care Communication Course providing state-of-the-art training in end-of-life discussions with family members using trained actors
  • Weekly interactive lectures in which trainees learn from international experts in the field
  • Weekly department-wide educational conferences including Journal Club, Grand Rounds, and Morbidity & Mortality conference

 

Clinical Rotations

YEAR 1

Trainees receive eight months of critical care training with a neurological focus and four months of rotations in other specialty ICUs. The year is divided into 13, four-week blocks:
  • Cardiothoracic ICU - 1 block
  • Critical Care Outreach Service - 1 block
  • Mercy Medical Surgical ICU - 1 block
  • Mercy Medical-Neuro ICU - 1 block
  • Neuro-Anesthesia, Neurosurgical OR - 1 block
  • Neurovascular ICU - 2 blocks
  • Neurotrauma ICU - 1 block
  • Transplant ICU - 1 block
  • Stroke - 1 block
  • Trauma/Surgical ICU - 1 block
  • Electives - 2 blocks

YEAR 2

The year provides advanced clinical training in our neurological ICUs as well as numerous elective training opportunities. Second year trainees are paired with an academic mentor and complete a scholarly project in the area of quality improvement, education, or research.  Opportunities for more advanced research training are available through one of our NIH T32 awards.  The year is divided into 13, four-week blocks:
  • Electives - 8 blocks
  • ICU Electrophysiology - 1 block
  • Neuro-interventional service - 1 block
  • Neurotruama ICU - 1 block
  • Neurovascular ICU - 1 block
  • NICU Leadership (ie, work as a junior attending physician) - 1 block

TRAINING HOSPITALS

  • UPMC Presbyterian: Cardiothoracic/Surgical ICU, Neurovascular ICU, Neurotrauma ICU, Surgical Trauma ICU
  • UPMC Montefiore: Transplant ICU
  • UPMC Mercy: Mercy Medical Surgical ICU, Mercy Medical-Neuro ICU
Contact

For inquiries about the Neurocritical Care Fellowship program, please contact Abigail Biery, GME Department Manager.