The Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Division at Brigham and Women's Hospital works in joint collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center to provide a competitive Fellowship Training Program in Pulmonary Medicine. The aim of the training program is to prepare physicians for a broad range of possible careers including those in basic research, clinical research, education and clinical practice.
For more information, please check out the official website for the Harvard Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship Training Program.
Brigham and Women's Hospital Staff:
Patricia Kritek, M.D.
Co-Director, Fellowship Training Program
T: 617-525-8031
E-mail: pkritek@partners.org
Nancy Beattie
Fellowship & Credentialing Coordinator
T: 617-732-4853
E-mail: nbeattie@partners.org
Curriculum At-A-Glance:
Year One
During the first year, each fellow spends six to seven months performing pulmonary consultation under the direct supervision of an attending physician. This time is divided among the three teaching institutions. The program’s intent is to provide a well-rounded clinical experience where original thought and autonomy are encouraged, but with appropriate practical and didactic support.
Each fellow will also spend 2-3 months of time divided between the Respiratory Acute Care Unit at MGH and the medical ICUs of the BIDMC, BWH and the MGH. The RACU is a unit focused on aggressive efforts to liberate patients from mechanical ventilation. Although the majority of the time spent in the intensive care units occurs in the second year of fellowship, there is early exposure to the issues of critical care medicine through first year rotations in the MICU.
Another two to three months of the first year are spent without in-patient clinical responsibilities. During one of these blocks, fellows devote time to the learning of pulmonary physiology and exercise testing while working in the MGH pulmonary function lab. During a second block, fellows rotate through multiple BIDMC and BWH outpatient clinics in sleep medicine, general pulmonary medicine, cystic fibrosis, asthma management and lung transplantation. These sessions offer a broad exposure to ambulatory patients with acute and chronic respiratory illness. Fellows see outpatients in a continuity clinic throughout fellowship. In the clinic, the fellow is supervised by a dedicated attending physician who examines each patient in conjunction with the fellow and provides guidance and consultation.
Year Two
The second year of fellowship revolves around education in critical care medicine. A majority of critical care training is accomplished in the medical intensive care units of BIDMC and MGH. In addition, each fellow will rotate through the Surgical Intensive Care Units at BWH.
In addition, each fellow will spend two to three months of time divided between the lung transplantation services at BWH and MGH. Fellows will become familiar with organ procurement and transplantation, immunosuppressive regimens and issues of infection and rejection seen in the transplant population. This time also provides a unique opportunity to see the most severe forms of pulmonary disease, as patients are evaluated for and managed while awaiting possible transplantation.
The clinical responsibilities are more limited during the second year allowing each fellow time for either elective or research time. Fellows are encouraged to investigate possible laboratories for future research. If an individual has already developed a specific research plan, he or she may begin research in earnest during this time. For the fellow who is more focused on clinical training, it is a time for elective rotations.
Year Three & Four
The entire third year and subsequent fellowship years are spent conducting research under the supervision of a faculty mentor. Fellows who wish to pursue an academic career will have the opportunity to work in a Harvard Medical School laboratory of their choice. There are ample possibilities for trainees whose interest lies in clinical research and clinical practice as well. Once again, the strength of the program is the myriad of opportunities available to the fellow amidst the four main training hospitals as well as the Harvard affiliated institutions.
Application Process At-A-Glance:
Applicants are required to complete a written application and to provide letters of reference from three of their mentors, including the Medical Residency Program Director. The application process is now coordinated through the ERAS program. The Harvard fellowship participates in the NRMP fellowship match. Applicants who are deemed competitive for the program will be invited to attend one of our interview days.
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