Training & Curriculum

Fellows will spend the majority of their time in the 24-bed, adult cardiac surgery intensive care unit (CSICU) which serves as the home unit. The CSICU at Cedars-Sinai is a state-of-the-art ICU treating all patients undergoing adult cardiac surgery. These include all heart transplants, lung transplants, mechanical circulatory support (both temporary and durable devices), all patients requiring VA and VV ECMO support as well as other routine cardiothoracic cases such as CABG, valve surgeries, minimally invasive/robotic procedures, aortic surgeries and thoracic operations.

Fellows will work with a dedicated team of intensivists, advanced practice providers and residents, and are expected to function at the level of a junior attending by the second half of training. Call responsibilities are predominantly in the CSICU and involve both in-house night and weekend coverage. Fellows have the opportunity to train and complete the National Board of Echocardiography critical care examination, and the basic or advanced transesophageal echocardiography examination.

The 52-week curriculum is divided into blocks in the CSICU, SICU (mandatory rotation), echocardiography, research, electives (optional rotations) and vacation.

• 5.5 weeks—CSICU
• 8 weeks—SICU
• 2 weeks—NSICU
• 4 weeks—MICU
• 2 weeks—CCU
• 2 weeks—PICU/NICU
• 4 weeks—Elective rotations (Options include infectious disease, nephrology, radiology and electrophysiology. Other rotations can also be arranged based on interest.)
• 4 weeks—ECHO/POCUS
• 4 weeks—Research*
• 4 weeks—Vacation

By the end of training, fellows are expected to:

1. Run rounds independently and function as a junior attending.
2. Present peer-reviewed scholarship [paper, presentation??] at one (or more) national/international conference with a draft submitted for publication prior to graduation. Fellows can choose projects and begin working with faculty soon after the match.
3. Take critical care medicine boards (American Board of Anesthesiology).