The Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care Fellowship is a one-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, and adolescents with acute cardiac disease and congenital heart problems. Areas of focus include ECMO, cardiac surgery, transplantation (including heart, lung, and heart-lung), ventricular assist devices, and echocardiography as well as general pediatric critical care.
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.
- Application and Interviews
-
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.
Requirements for application include:
- Curriculum vitae
- USMLE transcript
- Headshot
- Three letters of recommendation
- A completed application form
Submit these materials by email to Kathy Russo.
INTERVIEWS
In-person interviews typically occur from August through November. Highly qualified applicants will be contacted by our Office of Education to schedule an interview date.
AFTER ACCEPTANCE
All trainees must obtain a Pennsylvania medical license. We will contact successful candidates shortly after acceptance to begin this process.
- Goals and 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
- Cardiopulmonary anatomy and physiology, with a focus on post-operative physiology and congenital heart disease
- Advanced hemodynamic monitoring and cardiopulmonary resuscitation
- Care of patients with acute neurological conditions, multisystem organ failure, acute infection, traumatic injury, and post-surgical cardiac care
- ECMO and VAD transport
- Communication skills, including patient and family interaction and end-of-life care CICU procedures including endotracheal intubation, central venous catheterization, chest-tube placement, and temporary transvenous pacemaker placement
- All aspects of cardiac transplant, including transplant immunology, antimicrobial therapy, and both pre- and post-operative care
- Clinical Training
-
GENERAL SCHEDULE
The Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care fellowship is a 12-month program. This includes approximately six months of training in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh (CHP), as well as rotations in the PICU, cardiac catheterization and echocardiography, as appropriate.
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 12-bed unit staffed by four pediatric cardiac intensivists and admits more than 700 children each year.
CALL SCHEDULE
Pediatric Cardiac ICU trainees take call every third to fourth night while on clinical rotations.
- Contact
-
For inquiries about the Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care Fellowship program, please contact Kathy Russo, Administrative Coordinator, Cardiac ICU to Matt Bochkoris, MD