Anesthesiology Critical Care Medicine Fellowship

The core program is centered in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) and the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) at UCI Medical Center, the only Level I trauma center in Orange County. UCI Health treats approximately 4,329 trauma patients annually, which is more than half of Orange County’s traumas.

ACCM fellows will be spending:

• Three to four blocks in the CVICU (12-beds)
• Three to four blocks in the SICU (24-beds)
• One to three blocks in other intensive care units (Burn ICU, Medical ICU, Neuro ICU)
• One block in echocardiography to learn TTE and TEE
• Two blocks of clinical electives

Clinical electives include: infectious disease, nephrology, radiology, cardiology, pulmonology or palliative care. Elective rotations may consist of research blocks where the ACCM fellow will have the opportunity to participate in cutting-edge research. Electives can be tailored towards the individual needs that will best prepare for the fellow’s career path into entering the academic or private practice.

ACCM fellows will participate in weekly didactics that consists of:

• High-yield ICU lectures
• Ultrasound sessions
• Problem-Based Learning Discussions (PBLDs)
• Morbidity and Mortality (M&M) reviews
• Journal Club
• Grand rounds
• Interesting case discussions

Formal educational sessions are constructed to provide an overview of core critical care topics throughout the year with lectures that are prepared by clinicians from a variety of specialties. Ultrasound sessions will cover a full body evaluation of the critical care patient. ACCM fellows will prepare and present monthly presentations according to the curriculum and present at a grand rounds session.

Cardiovascular ICU (CVICU)
The CVICU will give the ACCM fellow the opportunity to manage post-cardiac surgical patients undergoing a variety of procedures, including bypass and valve procedures, aortic dissection repairs. Fellows will also manage patients on veno-venous and veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenators (ECMO). In the CVICU, the ACCM fellow will be responsible for all aspects of patient care and management while working closely with the faculty intensivist who provides 24-hour in-house coverage to the high-acuity cardiac patients.

Surgical ICU (SICU)
The SICU provides care to a diverse patient population including trauma and complex post-surgical patients. The ACCM fellow along with trauma critical care fellows from the UCI Department of Surgery are responsible for running the SICU clinical service. Fellows will conduct clinical rounds, coordinate and supervise all aspects of patient care with members of the primary surgical services and ensure that the ICU team functions as an efficient unit. While on service, the ACCM fellow will evaluate all admissions, provide care for unstable patients and assist in performing a variety of bedside procedures (such as arterial lines, central lines, hemodialysis catheters, bronchoscopy, thoracentesis, tube thoracostomy, tracheostomy, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy). The ACCM fellow will also lead the weekly multidisciplinary SICU rounds to manage bed flow and provide clinical instructions regarding the disposition of critically ill patients.

Burn ICU
The UCI Health Regional Burn Center is one of the few burn centers in the nation to be verified by the American College of Surgeons and the American Burn Association. The Burn ICU serves the only comprehensive Regional Burn Center in Orange County. The burn team provides care for patients through advanced surgical techniques, innovative synthetic skin treatments and continuous expert care.

Neuro ICU
The UCI Health Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit is a highly specialized unit where critically ill patients with brain and spine disorders receive state-of-the-art intensive medical and surgical management. UCI neuro-intensivists provide state-of-the-art specialized intensive care around the clock to patients with neurological and neurosurgical conditions, ranging from seizure disorders and strokes to traumatic brain injury and aneurysms.

Medical ICU (MICU)
The UCI Health pulmonologists provide and manage care of patients in the Medical ICU. The Pulmonary and Critical Care Services delivers state-of-the-art care to patients with complex clinical diagnoses including those with advanced respiratory disease, pneumonia and pulmonary hypertension.