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Cardiothoracic Critical Care Fellowship


Cardiothoracic Critical Care Residency CTCC

Cardiothoracic Critical Care Fellowship for Physician Assistant (CTCC)

Program Description & History

The postgraduate fellowship program for PAs interested in Cardiothoracic Critical Care (CTCC) is a newer fellowship program developed to train PAs in all phases of care of the cardiothoracic surgical patient.

Faculty

Vice Chair, Department of Surgery: Manak Sood, MD 
Medical Director: Andrew L. Pruitt, MD 
Program Director: Scott A. Rogers, MPAS, PA-C 
Education Coordinator: David Holmes, MS, PA-C

Institutional Affiliations

Trinity Health Michigan Ann Arbor Hospital is a 548-bed, award-winning academic teaching hospital and tertiary care center providing specialized care not typically available at community hospitals. Located near Ann Arbor, Michigan, it is one of several large teaching institutions in the suburban Detroit area, participating in the education of PA students, medical students and physician fellows.

THMIAA is a premiere center for cardiac surgery, having been designated as a 3-star program based on STS outcomes in 2014 (top decile for the country), as well as a Truven Health Analytics Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospital in 2015.

The SICU admits approximately 700 postoperative cardiac and thoracic surgery patients each year, with a range of surgeries including coronary artery bypass (conventional and off-pump robotic revascularizations); ascending/descending aortic replacement; complex valve repair & replacement (including the Ross Procedure and robotic mitral valve repair); and complex thoracic procedures (such as esophagectomy, minimally invasive pulmonary resections, robotic excision of mediastinal masses, and advanced airway management).

The high acuity and fast pace of the SICU provides current fellows with a rich learning environment. Intense training in patient management, procedural skills, and service leadership skills, will be abundant. The fellow will also develop administrative skills as they will attend service delivery committee and educational meetings. The program utilizes all forms of learning, ranging from textbooks, self-driven internet based didactic modules, critical care medicine webinars, monthly journal club, M&M conferences, fellow quality improvement projects, and simulation-based training for procedural and code skills, including emergent bedside resternotomy for postoperative arrest in the post-op cardiac surgery patient population.

These innovative approaches to cardiothoracic surgery education, coupled with the advanced proficiency of the THMI cardiothoracic surgery service will provide an excellent foundation for PAs interested in excelling in cardiothoracic critical care management.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must be graduates of an ARC-PA accredited physician assistant program and be eligible for (or have passed) the NCCPA board exam. Fellows must obtain a Michigan PA license upon acceptance into the program and undergo a pre-employment background check.

Curriculum

The program will be 12 months in length, admitting one PA fellow every year. The fellow will attend 3-5 hours per week of didactic sessions, including lectures, conferences, grand rounds, lunch & learn, and journal club. Clinical training will be concurrent with the didactic sessions, and will include simulation-based training; suturing clinic; intensive care orientation for the Surgical ICU; and daily multidisciplinary patients rounds in the SICU and progressive care units with other advanced practice professionals (PAs & NPs), respiratory therapists, clinical nutritionists, clinical pharmacists, nurses, and physicians. There will also be opportunities for observing and participating in operative procedures to aid understanding of the anatomy and physiology of cardiothoracic disease states and responses to surgical interventions.

Program Length

12 months with start date adjustable for candidates availability.

Financial Information

Salary/Stipend: $77,854 per year 
Other Fees/Expenses/Tuition: $250 monthly stipend for on campus food at cafeteria; 1 paid conference per year.

Benefits: flexible benefits program including personal & family health plan, dental & vision plans, professional liability

Equipment: some text books and access to reference sources (medical library, computer/internet access) are all provided by the program

Travel: interview-related expenses are the responsibility of each candidate

Housing: relocation and housing costs are the responsibility of each PA fellow

Program Calendar

July-Sept Start Depending on Graduation Date 
Application Deadline: March 1st 
Interview Notification: March 15th 
Interview Dates: Last week in March to first week in April 
Selection Notification: Mid-April 
Commitment to Program: May 1st

Application Components

Completed Application Form (available from Program Office or Web Site) 
Application Fee ($25, Non-Refundable) 
Passport or Similar-Sized Photo (to aid interview identification) 
Personal Statement – 1 page in length, expressing career goals and source of interest in cardiothoracic critical care 
Curriculum Vitae 
3 Letters of Recommendation: For recent graduates or current students, 1 must be from Program Faculty. (If not a recent graduate, 1 letter must be from current or recent employer.) 
Official PA Program Transcripts

Selection Criteria

Fellows will be selected on the basis of the following:

  1. Work and Life Experience (Surgical experience is not required, but some prior exposure to cardiothoracic surgery is considered important.)
  2. Education / Academic Records
  3. Letters of Recommendation
  4. Personal Statement
  5. Communication / Interpersonal Skills
  6. Completion & Submission of all Application Components
  7. Personal Interview (Applicants will be screened for a limited number of interview slots based on materials submitted.)

Credential Awarded

Upon completion of the fellowship program, the PA fellow is awarded a certificate of training signed by department and program directors.

The THMI PA Fellowship in Cardiothoracic Surgery Critical Care provides 50 Category I CME Credit approved by the ACCME.

Notice

Information provided in this listing is current as of May 2023 and is subject to change. To verify information contact Scott A. Rogers, Program Director, via e-mail at Scott.Rogers@trinity-health.org