The Fellowship clinical experience is based at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center and the University of Maryland Medical Center. The goal of the Fellowship is to produce academic leaders in the areas of critical care, trauma, and acute care surgery. Under the guidance of a strong faculty, Fellows will gain a wide exposure to critically ill trauma and surgical patients, and will master the cutting edge techniques of critical care management, including new methods of mechanical ventilation and extracorporeal support of failing organs.

The Surgical Critical Care Fellowship is a one-year program involving patient care, education, and research. The program includes the following rotations: two months of trauma surgery as Trauma Team leader, two months in the MultiTrauma Critical Care Unit, and two months in the NeuroTrauma Critical Care Unit at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center; two months in the Surgical ICU, one month in the Cardiac Surgery ICU, and one month in Acute Care and Emergency Surgery at the University of Maryland Medical Center; one month in Critical Care Echocardiography training; and one month of elective. Electives are available in trauma radiology, trauma anesthesiology, trauma infectious diseases, soft tissue surgery, interventional radiology, pediatric, medical, neurocare, and burn ICU.

Fellows become proficient in the evaluation of critically ill and injured patients; the initiation of appropriate and complete diagnostic and treatment plans; the development and implementation of patient care plans; and providing leadership. The Fellow has full responsibility as trauma team leader, gaining a broad range of experience in the management of blunt and penetrating trauma. Administratively, the Fellows are expected to grasp the art and science of trauma team administration and to achieve a working understanding of the major issues in trauma care, such as resource allocation, costs and ethical dilemmas. Upon the completion of this one-year Fellowship, Fellows will have acquired the necessary knowledge and experience to be eligible to sit for the certifying examination for Added Qualifications in Surgical Critical Care given by the American Board of Surgery.

Fellows may opt to remain for the second-year Acute Care Surgery Fellowship with the goal of a developmental maturation process to an independent Acute Care Surgeon.  ACS Fellows will have Instructor in Surgery status, starting with an initial two months of side-by-side Faculty mentorship, progressing to more independent Attending-level responsibilities on the Acute Care and Emergency Surgery service, Trauma teams, and Soft Tissue Surgery service.  Other required rotations include Vascular Surgery, Thoracic Surgery, Hepatobiliary/Transplant Surgery, electives, and research.  Elective options include Trauma Plastic Surgery, Trauma Neurosurgery, Trauma Orthopedic Surgery, Surgical Endoscopy, and more.