Training and Curriculum

Our fellows are directly involved in the management of all critically ill medical and surgical patients, including supervising pediatric residents and working in a multidisciplinary environment with the pediatric surgical subspecialists. Fellows are exposed to advanced technologies available for monitoring respiratory, cardiovascular and neurological function including advanced respiratory mechanics monitoring and capnography for ventilated patients, invasive cardiac monitoring, and intracranial pressure monitoring. Highly specialized technologies are available including extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for neonatal and pediatric respiratory failure, left ventricular assist devices for cardiac failure, high frequency ventilation (oscillation and jet), inhaled nitric oxide, continuous hemofiltration, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

With the breadth of clinical and basic science research at Duke, there are extensive research opportunities available to critical care fellows and strong protected research time. In the first year, fellows are encouraged to participate in a clinical research project and are introduced to the diverse research opportunities within and outside of the Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine.

The major focus of the research experience is to learn how to design a hypothesis-driven research project, acquire the necessary technical skills to test the hypothesis, analyze the data, and present the work.

The educational component of the fellowship program incorporates bedside and didactic teaching opportunities. The formal lecture series designed specifically for the fellows incorporates a wide range of topics and formats. It includes a weekly clinical case conference to discuss interesting and complicated patients, and a twice monthly reading conference concentrated on the fundamentals of pediatric intensive care. Also incorporated in the formal lecture series on a monthly basis is an evidence-based medicine conference, research presentations, journal club, and a monthly division chief’s conference focused on respiratory physiology and mechanical ventilation.