Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Program
The principal goals of the Stanford Critical Care Medicine (CCM) Fellowship program are:
- To develop and refine the multiple skills needed for successful evaluation and management of complex and critically ill patients
- To gain familiarity and competence in the management of post-operative cardiothoracic and other surgical patients
- To become proficient in the critical reading and interpretation of medical literature relevant to Critical Care Medicine
- To gain experience and expertise in an area of research in Critical Care Medicine
Research and Clinical Experience
The CCM fellowship combines research and clinical experience for fellows in both the 12-month and the 24-month fellowships. Clinical fellowship activities include rotations in the Stanford University Medical Center and the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System Intensive Care Units (ICUs). The ICUs at both medical centers are run as closed ICUs for the majority of patients who are under the fellow's supervision. Surgical as well as medical patients are managed by the CCM ICU service. Our CCM faculty is composed of members of the Departments of Anesthesia and Internal Medicine (Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine).
The clinical activities and responsibilities of the CCM fellows focus on the supervision and teaching of ICU Service residents, and the development of an evaluation and management plan for new patients, as well as patients for whom ICU consultation is requested from other services. Critical Care Medicine fellows are required to see and participate in the initial evaluation and management of all patients admitted to, or evaluated in consultation by, the ICU service. With the exception of the first month on the ICU service (where fellows have in-hospital call), evening and weekend call may be taken from home. Progressive independence during the fellowship provides senior fellows increasing opportunity to direct patient care and teaching. In the latter part of the training year, fellows serve a period as a junior attending on the service and are responsible for directing all patient care and teaching activities.
Educational activities include a weekly critical care seminar series, a monthly journal club, and a series of topical lectures throughout the rotations at each medical center. Fellows are expected to develop proficiency in the preparation and presentation of lectures on relevant subjects in CCM.
During those 4-5 months where fellows are not on the clinical ICU service, each fellow is expected to participate in an area of research related to critical care. The varied interests of the faculty afford the fellow exposure to a wide variety of investigative skills.
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