Program Overview

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Medical College of Wisconsin Critical Care Medicine Fellowship

The Critical Care Medicine Program at the Medical College of Wisconsin is a two-year program designed to achieve competence in the basic and clinical aspects of critical care medicine.

Welcome from the Program Director

The program strives to provide a fantastic clinical and educational experience, enabling fellows to competently handle critical illness and injury. The program's emphasis is on creating master physiologists, critical thinkers, expert diagnosticians, and incredible teachers.

About the Fellowship

The ACGME-accredited program in Critical Care Medicine is open to graduates of internal medicine residency programs. The fellowship is two years in length, and fellows are expected to sit for the ABIM Critical Care Medicine boards at the completion of training. The two primary training sites are Froedtert Hospital and the Zablocki VA Medical Center.

• Critical Care: The program has a closed, 26-bed primary Medical Intensive Care Unit Service at Froedtert Hospital and an 18-bed closed Medical Intensive Care Unit at the VA Medical Center.
• Extensive procedural experience is assured through simulation and direct bedside supervision.
• Strong emphasis is placed on proficiency in the use of bedside point of care ultrasound (POCUS) for use in diagnostic and clinical decision making.

Didactics

• Core Series: Core sessions focusing on common disorders encountered in critical care, ventilator management, hemodynamics, and critical care echocardiography.
• Friday Conference: A dedicated educational conference built around a three-year curriculum in Pulmonary and sleep medicine, Critical Care, and board review.
• Advanced Critical Care Physiology: Monthly sessions on various physiology topics, including cardiopulmonary interactions and cerebral blood flow regulation.
• Echocardiography: Dedicated 2-week rotations in critical care ultrasound and critical care echo (CCE).
• Journal Club: Critical appraisal of key literature with faculty mentorship.
• Morbidity and Mortality: Monthly presentation of cases highlighting patient safety issues and opportunities for continuous quality improvement.

Teaching

Fellows are expected to play an active role in teaching and training students and house staff. The program has a fellows-as-teachers curriculum to provide clinical teaching skills and ICU team leadership.

Research

Fellows are encouraged to participate in investigative projects and are expected to become associated with research being done in Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine. Dedicated research blocks are provided during the second and third year of training.

• Research in Progress: A monthly conference for fellows and faculty to update the division on currently running trials and ask questions.
• Research Support: The division has a dedicated cadre of outstanding research coordinators, and fellows can be supported in protocol development, IRB submission, and data collection.

Procedures

Fellows have opportunities to enhance their procedural skills, including:

• Endotracheal intubation
• Central venous access
• Arterial catheters
• Thoracentesis
• Paracentesis
• Bronchoscopy

Rotations and Sample Schedules

• Year 1 Critical Care Medicine: Core ICU rotations at Froedtert and Zablocki VA, additional required ICU rotations, and at least one month of protected research time.
• Year 2 Critical Care Medicine: Building expertise in medical critical care, completing additional required rotations, and rotating through various electives.

Elective Rotations

Electives include:

• Subspecialty radiology
• VA procedure and bronchoscopy service
• Internal medicine subspecialty consults
• Pediatric and/or neonatal ICU
• Transplant ICU
• ICU administration and leadership
• Critical care nutrition
• Respiratory services
• Palliative medicine

Frequently Asked Questions

• When will you start reviewing applications? After ERAS opens, mid-July.
• When will you stop reviewing applications? By mid-September.
• When do you interview candidates? In the months of September and October.
• How many fellowship spots are available? 1-2 positions per year.
• Do you accept applications outside of ERAS? No.