The Division of Critical Care Medicine at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles offers post-graduate training in Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care.
This is a one year, non-ACGME accredited program intended for physicians who have successfully completed either a Pediatric Critical Care or Pediatric Cardiology fellowship.
It is the goal of this training to prepare the fellow for a career as a Cardiac Critical Care attending physician at a busy, quaternary cardiovascular intensive care unit. This program enrolled its first fellow in 2007, and currently takes 1-2 fellows annually.
Learn More About the Program
The Cardiac Critical Care fellowship involves clinical and didactic experiences to develop the fellow’s understanding of the critically ill cardiac patient. It is purposefully tailored to the fellow’s particular needs depending on the previous training the fellow has undertaken.
Fellows will spend the majority of their clinical time in the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit (CTICU) at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. The experience includes:
- 16 weeks of clinical service in the CTICU (up to 4 weeks may be done in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit based on the fellow’s prior training)
- 4 weeks of echocardiography (for those without prior cardiology training)
- 2-4 weeks of cardiac operating room and cardiac catheterization lab
- 1 month of anesthesia (for those without prior critical care training)
- 3-4 night calls per month in the CTICU
The fellow will be involved in the education of other fellows in the CTICU, and will have graded responsibility throughout the year, with the goal of running rounds and serving as an attending in the last half of the year.
Furthermore, in addition to attending the critical care medicine didactic sessions, the fellow will be responsible for teaching lecture topics in cardiac critical care. The philosophy that by teaching the fellow will learn drives this experience.
Leadership Training
We are a pioneer program in regards to a professionalism and leadership curriculum that is taught throughout the three years of our Critical Care fellowship training. The Cardiac Critical Care fellow will also be enrolled in the first year of this same curriculum. There is an emphasis on personal growth and development in order to prepare the fellows to serve as future leaders in pediatric cardiac intensive care.
Academic Opportunities
While completion of a research study is not required for this fellowship, we encourage such endeavors. Whether designing and completing a quality improvement project, or completing a well-focused, traditional research project, the fellow will be supported for such efforts. Given the brief nature of a one year program, fellows should design projects that could conceivably be completed in that time.
How to Apply
To apply to the Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care fellowship program, please e-mail the following to the fellowship director, Shilpa Shah, DO (shishah@chla.usc.edu):
- Common Application Form (available on PCICS website)
- A letter of interest or personal statement
- An up-to-date curriculum vitae (CV)
- Three letters of recommendation
- Copy of Medical Diploma
Those interested in a two or three year ACGME accredited training program in Critical Care Medicine or Cardiology should apply separately through the respective ERAS application process.
Program Fast Facts
ACGME Accredited: No
Fellows Per Year: 1-2
Application Deadline: Sept. 1 for July start date
Duration: One year Postgraduate Training
Required: Three years of Pediatric Critical Care or Cardiology Fellowship Training
Required: Eligible for CA Medical License
U.S. Citizenship Required: No
Salary Minimums:
Post Graduate Year 4: $78,531 minimum
Post Graduate Year 5: $81,677 minimum
Post Graduate Year 6: $84,712 minimum
Post Graduate Year 7: $87,652 minimum
Post Graduate Year 8: $90,952 minimum
Post Graduate Year 9+: Please contact gme@chla.usc.edu
Benefits Include: Health and dental insurance, 14 days paid vacation+ 6 protected sick days, yearly educational stipend, monthly meal stipend, housing stipend, and 401(k) matching up to 3%