Surgical Critical Care Fellowships

The Department of Surgery at the University of Louisville is proud to offer an ACGME-accredited Surgical Critical Care Fellowship. It is the goal of our program to produce a well-rounded surgeon with clinical competence in the care of critically ill patients.

Boasting extensive clinical experience from a broad and diverse population base, the University of Louisville Hospital is the Level-I Trauma Center that services Kentucky and Southern Indiana. While a majority of the training is completed at the University of Louisville Hospital, fellows are given the opportunity to pursue elective rotations at UofL Health – Jewish Hospital (cardiovascular ICU and transplant critical care) and Norton Children's Hospital (pediatric critical care). All sites are within a 5-minute walk from the University of Louisville Hospital.

Watch the videos below providing more details about the experience of being part of the UofL Trauma and Surgical Critical Care Fellowship Program.

Trauma & Critical Care Fellowship Program Goals

The goal of the University of Louisville Surgical Critical Care Fellowship Program is to produce a well-rounded surgeon with clinical competence in the care of critically ill patients. At the completion of the fellowship, the trainee will have factual knowledge and technical skills with respect to preoperative, evaluation, operative management, and postoperative care of patients with critical illness.

Training will include techniques for both life-saving and diagnostic procedures, not only their performance, but the correct interpretation within the scope of the critical illness. Trainees will be competent in the interpretation of radiographic studies to include head, chest and abdominal and pelvic CT scan, abdominal ultrasound , and vascular angiographic studies. Fellows will be knowledgeable in the application of monitoring techniques applicable to surgical critical care and be aware of the indications and contra-indications to these approaches.

It is anticipated that upon completion of the fellowship in surgical critical care, that fellows will be prepared to play an active role in the socioeconomic, political climate, and unit administration that has impact on the care that they are able to provide to patients. They will also develop the presentation skills that will allow them to deliver an effective medical presentation and effective communication of complex diseases processes among other healthcare providers.

Medical Knowledge Goals

This includes knowledge of the anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pharmacological, and clinical management of diseases that pertain to critical illness. The trainee will have a thorough understanding of the diagnosis, medical and surgical treatment of patients with critical illness.

Didactic/Teaching Objectives

The objective of the Surgical Critical Care Program is to provide additional experience for trainees whose career plan includes a major focus in critical care. The objective is for the fellow to obtain in-depth knowledge in the following aspects of critical care:

• Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation
• Physiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, neurological, endocrine/metabolic, musculoskeletal, immune and infectious disorders
• Metabolic, nutritional, and endocrine effects of critical care illness
• Hematological and coagulation disorders
• Critical obstetrical and gynecological disorders
• Trauma, thermal, and electrical burns
• Monitoring and invasive instrumentation
• Critical pediatric disorders
• Pharmacological kinetics / dynamics of drug metabolism and excretion in the ICU
• Ethical and legal aspects of critical care
• Principles and methods of ICU administration
• Biostatisics and experimental design

Patient Care Goals

Competence will be attained in the evaluation and treatment of patients with critical illness. This includes knowledge regarding the molecular basis of such disease. The trainee will become familiar with the indications of adjuvant therapy and with the compliations associated with these treatments. Understanding of the role of both medical therapy and surgery in the treatment of patients with critical illness will be a major goal of the fellowship. This includes proficiency in procedures performed in patients with critical illness to include invasive hemodynamic monitoring, management of the airway, bronchoscopy, GI endoscopy, ventilator management, and other life saving procedures.

Trauma & Surgical Critical Care Fellowship Experience

University of Louisville Hospital

Under the supervision of the full-time faculty, the fellow will evaluate and treat patients with the full spectrum of critical illness. The evaluation of the patients takes place primarily in the surgical intensive care units and the burn unit of University of Louisville Hospital. Frequently, surgical patients are also housed in the MICU, CCU & Neuro-ICU, allowing for additional patient exposure and experience in these areas as well. The fellow will also have the opportunity to participate with the organ donor intensivist program and actively manage the pre-donation patient in conjunction with the local organ procurement organization (KODA).

The varied patient demographic differences that are reflected in these venues provide the fellow with a rich and vast experience.

2020 ULH Trauma Annual Report

UofL Health - Jewish Hospital

The goal for the fellow will be to have the opportunity to spend 1-2 months of their training at Jewish Hospital. This includes two primary surgical services for rotation opportunities. 1) The goal for the CVICU Service is to gain knowledge, technical skills, and decision-making capabilities required to manage critically ill patients, with special emphasis on the management of patients after major cardiovascular and thoracic surgery. This includes gaining additional training in airway and ventilator management, in invasive and noninvasive hemodynamic monitoring, and in the use of intra-aortic balloon pumps, ventricular assist devices, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenators. Fellows are responsible for participating in rounds, for facilitating triaging and transfers to the floor, for aiding communication with the surgical and consulting teams, and for assisting with the day’s clinical work. 2) The goal for the fellow during their time on the Transplant Service is to become competent in the management of transplant patients, and become familiar with the associated disease spectrum seen in this unique patient population. Fellows interact with elective and emergency transplant surgical patients. The population consists of patients requiring kidney, liver, and pancreas transplants, organ procurement and dialysis access procedures. Experience will also be gained in the acute/elective general surgical care of transplant patients. The fellow will participate in organ retrieval. Fellows are expected to attend transplant didactics and to assist in the coordination of multi-specialty ICU care of patients.

Norton Children's Hospital Critical Care Unit Rotation ~ Elective Rotation

The critical care fellow will have the opportunity to spend 1 month of their training at Norton Children's Hospital, located within a 5-minute walk of the University of Louisville Hospital. The goal of this experience is for fellows interested in pediatric critical care to become competent in the management of pediatric surgical patients and to develop the skills necessary to professionally relate to the parents and families of these children. The fellow will interact with both elective and emergency general surgical patients at Norton Children's Hospital. This patient population will consist of patients requiring acute and elective surgical care such as those with pediatric disorders, peritonitis, skin and soft tissue infections, cancer, burns, trauma, and hernias.

Trauma & Surgical Critical Care Fellowship
Stipend Amounts (2021-2022)

Practice liability insurance

Malpractice coverage is provided by U of L, VAMC, and/or private affiliated hospitals under terms of your contract.

Medical/Hospitalization Insurance

Single and family coverage is available to all residents and begins the first day of the academic year.

Life and Accident Insurance

Each fellow receives, free of charge, life insurance for the value of twice the annual salary. Workers' compensation, accidental death and dismemberment insurance are also provided.

Private, fully furnished, office space.

Discounts on U of L athletic events/season tickets.

Use of:

• U of L Swimming Pools
• Fitness Centers
• Bass Rudd Tennis Center

Trauma & Surgical Critical Care Fellowship Application & Interview Process

Application Procedure

Applications must be submitted using SAFAS at https://safas.smapply.io/.
Applications are accepted March 1 – May 1 of each year. We strongly encourage early application.

A completed application consists of the following:

• Application / CV
• USMLE Scores
• 3 letters of Recommendation
• Current Photo
• Personal Statement

Interview Process

The Surgical Critical Care Program in Department of Surgery at the University of Louisville participates in the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) developed by the Association of American Medical Colleges in the recruitment of all extramural fellows.

Candidates are required to have completed 5-years of General Surgery training in an ACGME accredited program, and must be American Board of Surgery eligible.

The Surgical Critical Care Review Committee will screen all applicants based on their accomplishments, and invitations will be issued via email. Upon receipt of the invitation, please contact Samantha Oliver, Fellowship Coordinator via the email sent to arrange your interview according to the following schedule.

• Interview Dates
• April 26, 2022
• May 10, 2022
• May 24, 2022
• June 7, 2022

Interviews will be conducted virtually and typically begin at 8:30am EST.

Dr. Nicholas Nash, Program Director, will give an overview of the program. Candidates will then have half-hour interviews with trauma faculty as well as an opportunity to communicate with current fellows about individual questions regarding the program.

A ranking meeting is held each June - July. Each applicant's folder is thoroughly reviewed and discussed by the faculty. Applicants are ranked in the order agreed upon by the faculty. After the rank order list is generated, it is entered electronically and submitted to the NRMP by the August deadline.

Trauma & Surgical Critical Care Faculty

Please click on a physician's name to view their information.

Nicholas Nash, M.D., Program Director, Surgical Critical Care Fellowship
Jason W. Smith, M.D., Ph.D. Berel L. Abrams, M.D. Chair in Surgery at University of Louisville Department of Surgery Director, Division of General Surgery Associate Program Director, Surgical Critical Care Fellowship
Matthew V. Benns, M.D.	Matthew C. Bozeman M.D.
William G. Cheadle, M.D.	Jamie Coleman, M.D.
Glen A. Franklin, M.D.	Brian G. Harbrecht, M.D. Hiram C. Polk Jr., M.D Chair in Surgery
Kieth R. Miller, M.D.	Samuel Pera, M.D.

Trauma & Surgical Critical Care Fellowship
Alumni (1996–2022)

Trauma & Surgical Critical Care Fellowship Contact Information

For additional information or assistance with applications, please contact:

Samantha Oliver, Critical Care Fellowship Coordinator
University of Louisville
Department of Surgery
550 South Jackson Street
Louisville, Kentucky 40202
(502) 852-6191
sngear01@louisville.edu

Or Dr. Nick Nash, Fellowship Program Director
University of Louisville
Department of Surgery
550 South Jackson Street
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 852-6191
nanash01@louisville.edu

Or Dr. Jason Smith, Associate Fellowship Program Director
University of Louisville
Department of Surgery
550 South Jackson Street
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 562-5619
jasonw.smith@louisville.edu