Surgical Critical Care Fellowship

The UCI Surgical Critical Care Fellowship program aims to develop excellent leaders, trauma surgeons and surgical intensivists in both academic and clinical arenas.

In 1994, the UCI School of Medicine Surgical Critical Care Fellowship was the first in California to be accredited by the ACGME. In 2006, the program expanded to two one-year positions and again recently expanded to three fellows.

Outstanding faculty members provide clinical training, didactic education and mentorship to our fellows. Clinical and bench research are strongly encouraged. The fellowship is centered on two major services, with six months spent on each.

Curriculum Overview

The surgical intensive care unit rotation is based in UCI Douglas Hospital’s 24-bed surgical intensive care unit. Leading-edge management strategies for ventilation, sepsis and nutrition are emphasized. The trauma ICU rotation manages all trauma and emergency surgery patients. Fellows will improve skills in all components of resuscitation and operative management through graduated independent leadership of the service. The entire division faculty participates in a defined educational program that includes readings, didactic lectures and one-on-one collaboration with every patient.

A small group of medical students gather around a table as they meet together to discuss patient cases. They are each dressed professionally and have files scattered between them for reference.

Education & Core Conferences

Fellows have protected time to attend core conferences each Monday and Thursday.

Weekly conferences consist of:

  • Ultrasound didactic conference: Monday, 12 to 1 p.m.
  • Surgical critical care lecture series/trauma case conference: Wednesday, 2 to 3:30 p.m.
  • Morbidity & Mortality Conference (M&M): Thursday, 7 to 8 a.m.
  • Department Grand Rounds: Thursday, 8 to 9 a.m.
A photo of a doctor and her colleagues clapping their hands after successful presentation in board room.

Fellow applications are accepted entirely through SAFAS, and matches are determined via the NRMP process. No phone calls please.

Applicants must have received three years of general surgery training. Strong preference is given to candidates who have completed their surgical training and are board-certified surgeons. Candidates must have a California license by the start of the academic year.

Applicants from international medical schools must be ECFMG-certified at the time of application. DO applicants must have completed USMLE Steps 1 and 2. 
 

Application Requirements

SAFAS application

CV

Personal Statement

Three letters of recommendation

USMLE transcript

ABSITE transcript

Applications for the interview season will be reviewed in April with invitations sent in May for interview dates held in summer. Matched applicants will begin their fellowship the following August. All interviews will be held virtually.

Prospective applicants may contact our fellowship coordinator with any questions.

Adrienne Cosentino
acosenti@hs.uci.edu

“There is no one-year surgical critical care fellowship that gives you the kind of balance between critical care, trauma and emergency general surgery — and properly prepares you for all three — like UCI. The camaraderie among the residents and the faculty makes for a superb work environment and an ideal learning environment. When I left, I was completely prepared to jump into a busy academic surgical job, and my career took off immediately. I genuinely think this is the best fellowship of its kind in the country.” -Former Surgical Critical Care Fellow