| Fellowship Type: |
Surgical Critical Care/Trauma |
| Description: |
Philosophy
The Surgical Critical Care Fellowship Program at the University of Alabama, Birmingham provides an opportunity for the fellow to acquire an in-depth knowledge of the pathophysiology of critical care, treatment of the most severely injured/critically ill patients, and advanced skill in critical care techniques. The fellowship is a balanced program committed to excellent clinical exposure, as well as the refinement of the participant's research and administrative abilities. The educational program consists of a combination of mentoring by faculty, didactic and Socratic instruction, hands-on experience, and self-education.
Overview
University Hospital is the only American College of Surgeons (ACS) verified Level I trauma center in the state of Alabama. The Trauma Service receives patients from a primary catchment area of a seven county region served by Birmingham Regional Emergency Medical Services System (BREMSS), in addition to referrals from all of Alabama and surrounding states.
The fellow will be provided an in depth knowledge of therapeutic maneuvers and diagnostic modalities to manage the polytrauma patient, as well as the failing pre- and postoperative surgical patient. This will not only include the realm of general surgery, but will also include neurosurgical and cardiothoracic patients. The fellow is exposed to modalities such as CRRT, ECMO and TEE in our ICUs, in addition to more routine invasive hemodynamic monitoring and ventilator management strategies.
The fellow has full responsibility as trauma team leader, gaining a broad range of experience in the management of blunt and penetrating trauma. The fellows become proficient in the evaluation of critically-ill and injured patients; the development and implementation of appropriate and complete diagnostic and therapeutic care plans; and providing leadership to facilitate the interaction within the entire team of caregivers and with the patients and their families.
Fellowship Program Structure
The critical care fellowship emphasizes clinical care. The trauma team evaluated just over 3700 traumas and just under 1000 burns for 2012. Inpatient admissions for trauma and burns were approximately 2300 and 500, respectively. The fellow has abundant clinical material to learn from with 56 total ICU beds (28 dedicated Trauma/Burn ICU beds, 8 Neurotrauma ICU beds, and 20 SICU beds) for our service line. In addition to a robust experience with Trauma, the SICU service provides critical care for the emergency general, elective general, ENT, OMFS, Ob/Gyn, Transplant, and Vascular patients (approximately 1500 patients/year). Approximately 25% of admitted trauma patient are penetrating trauma. Operative experience will be held within the maximum volume as stipulated by the ACGME.
Successful completion of the SCC curriculum qualifies the fellow to take the ABS Surgical Critical Care Examination. |