Cardiothoracic Surgical PA Fellowship (CTPA)
Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship for Physician Assistant (CTPA)
Program Description & History
Established in 2000, the fellowship program is a 12-month didactic and clinical training program for licensed, board-certified PAs who wish to specialize in cardiothoracic surgery. It expands upon the basic training of the PA in diagnosis and management of conditions common to cardiothoracic patients. The PA fellow participates in all phases of care of the Cardiothoracic surgical patient with emphasis on assisting in the operating room and endoscopic vein harvest. The program is designed to provide the graduate physician assistant with opportunity to obtain advanced training in cardiothoracic surgery.
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 C. 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.
Fellowship Objectives
Upon completion, the PA will have an in-depth understanding of the various subspecialties within cardiothoracic surgery, including: Coronary Artery Disease, Aortic Valve Disease, Mitral Valve Disease, Aortic Aneurysm, Congenital Heart Disease in Adults, Esophageal Disease and Carcinoma, and Lung Carcinoma. The graduate will have had extensive experience in the triage, evaluation, treatment and management of cardiothoracic problems in each of these areas. The graduate will have developed into an independent first-assistant in the operating room.
To date, our graduate fellows have a 100% placement rate in CT surgery at leading facilities across the country. Starting salaries have been commensurate with other PAs having several years of experience in cardiothoracic surgery.
Program Length
12 months with start date adjustable for candidates availability.
Openings
We have 1 surgical fellowship position per 12 month period.
Curriculum
The didactic and clinical portions of the program are integrated.
Clinical training includes intensive care unit orientation and rotation, daily patient rounds in the ICU and step-down units, training in invasive procedures, surgical skills lab, and progressive levels of involvement in cardiac and thoracic surgical cases. Various techniques of conduit harvest (open and endoscopic saphenous vein harvest, radial artery and arm vein harvest) will be mastered. Additional skills include cannulation and repair of femoral vessels and placement of chest tubes, invasive monitoring lines and intra-aortic balloon pumps.
The goal is to advance all fellows to the level of independent first assistant in the operating room. Fellows will experience call duty with service PAs for surgical emergencies and weekend rounds with attending staff.
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 License upon acceptance into the program and undergo a pre-employment background check. Current ACLS certification is required.
Selection Criteria
Fellows will be selected on the basis of the following:
- Work and Life Experience (Surgical experience is not required, but some prior exposure to cardiothoracic surgery is considered important.)
- Education / Academic Records
- Letters of Recommendation
- Personal Statement
- Communication / Interpersonal Skills
- Completion & Submission of all Application Components
- Personal Interview (Applicants will be screened for a limited number of interview slots based on materials submitted.)
Credentials Awarded
Upon successful completion of the fellowship program, the PA fellow is awarded a certificate of training signed by the Chairman of the Department of Surgery, the Head of Cardiac & Thoracic Surgery, and the program directors. The THMIAA PA Fellowship in Cardiothoracic Surgery is approved for the maximum CME credit (50 hours) by the American Academy of Physician Assistants.
Compensation
$77,854 per year
Other Fees/Expenses/Tuition: $250 monthly stipend for on campus food at cafeteria; 1 paid conference per year, surgical loupes and white coats.
Benefits
Family Health Insurance, Malpractice Insurance. Ten days paid vacation. The fellow will also be provided with surgical loupes, lab coats and reference materials.
Housing
Arranged individually by each fellow. The Medical Center is located in a suburban residential area with many apartment complexes nearby.
Calendar of Events
Application Deadlines: 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
This Information is current as of May 2023 but is subject to change. For updated information please contact person listed below.
For More Information
Scott A. Rogers, MPAS, PA-C
734-712-2680
Email: Scott.Rogers@trinity-health.org