Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship

Core Clinical Rotations

Pulmonary Critical Care Fellowship — Core Rotations

Multidisciplinary ICU – Saint Michael’s Medical Center

The primary goals of the multidisciplinary ICU rotation are to develop fellows’ expertise in managing a broad range of critically ill patients, fostering effective teamwork, and mastering essential diagnostic and procedural skills. Fellows will gain proficiency in airway management, mechanical ventilation, hemodynamic monitoring, and procedures such as central line placement, thoracentesis, and bronchoscopy. Additional emphasis is placed on leadership, communication, and the ethical considerations inherent in critical care.

CTICU / ICU – Saint Mary’s General Hospital

The cardiothoracic ICU (CTICU) rotation trains fellows to manage critically ill patients with cardiac, thoracic, and vascular surgical conditions, both pre- and post-operatively. Fellows will develop expertise in advanced hemodynamic monitoring, mechanical ventilation, the use of vasoactive agents, and post-operative care. They will work closely with cardiac surgery, anesthesiology, and perfusion teams. Fellows also gain proficiency in performing and interpreting specialized procedures, including pulmonary artery catheterization, temporary pacing, intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) management, and cardioversion, among others.

Inpatient Pulmonary Consult Service

During this rotation, fellows gain expertise in diagnosing and managing a wide range of pulmonary diseases, including obstructive lung disease, pulmonary infections, malignancies, interstitial lung disease, and respiratory failure. The curriculum emphasizes the development of procedural competence in bronchoscopy, thoracentesis, and chest tube insertion. Fellows also receive training in critical care management, with a strong foundation in mechanical ventilation, long-term weaning strategies, and the comprehensive care of critically ill patients. Effective communication and teamwork within the hospital environment are key components of this rotation.

Pulmonary Ambulatory Care Rotation

This outpatient rotation focuses on helping fellows develop the ability to independently manage a broad spectrum of pulmonary conditions in the ambulatory setting. Fellows gain experience with outpatient-relevant procedures and learn to navigate the complexities of the healthcare system as it relates to pulmonary disease management. Additional goals include strengthening communication skills, enhancing patient education strategies, and practicing evidence-based medicine in an outpatient environment.

Neurocritical Care – Westchester Medical Center

The neurocritical care rotation equips fellows with the skills needed to manage critically ill patients with neurological and neurosurgical conditions. Key objectives include recognizing and managing acute neurological emergencies, understanding the impact of systemic complications on neurological outcomes, and mastering relevant diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Fellows gain experience caring for patients with stroke, traumatic brain injury, subarachnoid hemorrhage, status epilepticus, and other neurological critical illnesses. They also receive hands-on training in procedures such as external ventricular drain (EVD) management, continuous EEG interpretation, and transcranial Doppler (TCD) monitoring.

Surgical ICU / Trauma – Westchester Medical Center

The Surgical / Trauma ICU rotation develops fellows’ proficiency in managing critically ill surgical and trauma patients. Fellows learn to diagnose, treat, and stabilize life-threatening conditions while gaining a deep understanding of the pathophysiology of critical illness. Procedural skills specific to the SICU environment are emphasized. Fellows also learn to lead and coordinate multidisciplinary SICU teams, while gaining insight into ethical decision-making and resource allocation in critical care. This rotation provides extensive exposure to trauma-related injuries, post-operative complications, and severe organ-specific critical illnesses.

Elective Rotations

Pulmonary Critical Care Fellowship — Electives

• Airway / Anesthesia
• Pulmonary Hypertension – Morristown Medical Center
• Sleep Medicine – JFK Medical Center
• Interventional Pulmonary – JFK Medical Center
• Research
• Quality Improvement
• Other electives as requested

Conferences & Didactics

Pulmonary Critical Care Fellowship Didactics

Weekly Case Presentations

Biweekly, we will review interesting pulmonary or critical care cases as well as their imaging findings from at any of our Fellowship training sites. The goal is to enhance fellows’ ability to interpret chest imaging (Chest XR, CT scans, Echocardiography, V/Q Studies, etc.), with a particular focus on ICU and pulmonary contexts, while also strengthening their clinical-radiographic correlation skills. This training aims to prepare them not only for the ABIM board examinations but also for real-world diagnostic decision-making in complex clinical scenarios.

Pulmonary & Critical Care lecture series

The Academic Lecture Series is a core component of the fellowship educational curriculum, designed to provide fellows with a comprehensive foundation in pulmonary and critical care medicine. The series emphasizes evidence-based knowledge, clinical reasoning, and preparation for board certification, while fostering academic development and lifelong learning.

Weekly board review

The Pulmonary and Critical Care Board Review program is designed to prepare fellows for success on the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) subspecialty examinations in pulmonary disease and Critical Care Medicine. The goal is to reinforce core concepts, review high-yield board content, and foster a structured and collaborative learning environment.

Monthly Journal Club

The objective is to develop critical appraisal skills for evaluating new research, ensuring fellows stay updated on key evidence that impacts pulmonary and critical care practice. This initiative also emphasizes practicing the presentation of findings and leading scholarly discussions, fostering evidence-based decision-making in daily patient care.

Research meetings

The Research Meeting serves as a dedicated forum to foster scholarly activity among fellows and faculty, provide updates on ongoing research projects, and facilitate constructive feedback and mentorship. It also plays a key role in tracking milestones for fellow research requirements, such as quality improvement projects, abstracts, and manuscripts. Additionally, the meeting enhances participants’ skills in study design, statistics, and scientific communication, supporting their growth as clinician-researchers.

Morbidity & Mortality conferences

The Critical Care Morbidity and Mortality Conference is a structured, multidisciplinary forum held monthly to analyze adverse outcomes, unexpected complications, and complex cases encountered on pulmonary inpatient service or the intensive care unit. The primary objectives are to enhance patient safety, promote a culture of transparency and continuous improvement, and support fellow education in clinical reasoning, systems-based practice, and quality improvement.

ICU Quality Improvement Committee

The ICU Quality Improvement (QI) Committee meets monthly to systematically evaluate and enhance the quality, safety, and efficiency of care delivered in the intensive care unit. The committee’s work is grounded in data-driven performance analysis, multidisciplinary collaboration, and evidence-based interventions aimed at improving patient outcomes and operational excellence.

Fellows’ Grand Rounds

Fellows’ Grand Rounds is a yearly academic forum designed to enhance the scholarly development of pulmonary and critical care fellows through formal presentations on topics of clinical, research, or systems-based relevance. The conference serves as a platform for fellows to deepen their expertise, strengthen public speaking and teaching skills, and contribute to the educational mission of the division.

Multidisciplinary Pulmonary Tumor Board

Tumor Board Rounds provide Pulmonary and Critical Care fellows with direct exposure to the multidisciplinary management of thoracic malignancies. These sessions aim to integrate radiologic, pathologic, surgical, oncologic, and palliative care perspectives in the comprehensive care of patients with cancer-related pulmonary disease. Participation supports core ACGME competencies and milestone progression.

Procedural Highlights

• Bronchoscopy — basic and advanced including EBUS and Robotic Navigational Bronchoscopy
• Critical Care Echocardiography and POCUS examination
• Thoracic Imaging