Fellows are required to attend a variety of programs and sub-specialty conferences in order to supplement knowledge gained during clinical rotations. These educational activities include:
Core Lecture Series
These presentations are given by faculty with expertise in a particular area of critical care medicine. Lunch is provided for the fellows. Topics are chosen so that fellows are exposed to the many different aspects of critical care medicine throughout the year.
Journal Club
This weekly meeting is led by the fellows and supervised by the faculty. In addition to providing an opportunity to review the latest developments in critical care medicine, this serves to teach trainees how to appropriately locate, appraise and assimilate evidence in order to enhance the quality of their care. In addition, this provides a forum to learn about the basics of statistical analysis and research design.
ICU Morbidity & Mortality (M&M) Conferences
These conferences are held monthly for the various ICUs. Cases are selected for fellows to review and present. This process allows them an opportunity to reflect on the care provided to patients and attempt to devise strategies that could be implemented in order to improve the outcomes of patients.
Departmental M&M / Grand Round Conferences
The Department of Anesthesiology holds this weekly meeting on Thursday mornings. Fellows are encouraged to attend these events, especially when the topic is relevant to critical care medicine.
Medical Student Presentations
Medical students in the SICU are all required to give a presentation during their rotation. These lectures provide an opportunity both for the fellow to learn, educate and provide feedback.
Quality Improvement Meetings
These unit-specific meetings focus on the challenging task of successfully implementing changes in practice patterns in order to improve the quality of care provided in our ICUs.
Critical Care Steering Committee Meetings
This committee is responsible for general adult ICU policies from an institutional level.
CVICU Faculty Lecture Series
The faculty attending in the CVICU provide a Monday and Friday lecture to trainees. These cover a variety of critical care topics and complement the material presented at the Core Lecture Series.
CVICU Fellow Lecture Series
Once per week, a fellow assigned to the CVICU delivers a lecture to the residents and interns on a critical care medicine topic. This not only provides an opportunity for the fellow to develop their knowledge of critical care medicine, but also allows them to improve their presentation and teaching skills.
Multidisciplinary Critical Care Knowledge Assessment Program (MCCKAP)
In order to ensure that trainees are meeting all of the objectives of our program, every spring, the fellows take this four-hour, multiple-choice, proctored examination. Results of this test are used by the program director and faculty to guide teaching during the final months of the fellowship. It is also a valuable resource for the fellows as they prepare for the American Board of Anesthesiology Critical Care Medicine Certification exam.
