Clinical Training
The program is based on a structured curriculum with defined goals and objectives. The subspecialty educational program in pulmonary and critical care medicine is organized to provide training and experience at a sufficient level for the postdoctoral fellow to acquire the proficiency of a specialist in both disciplines. Our curriculum is informed by ACGME requirements.
MaineHealth Maine Medical Center (MHMMC) is a major referral center for patients with pulmonary disease and critical illness in northern New England. There are ample opportunities for clinical exposure to critical care medicine, neurocritical care medicine, interstitial lung disease, pulmonary vascular disease, lung cancer, mycobacterial disease, pleural disease, cystic fibrosis, sleep medicine and airways diseases. Subspecialty clinics are currently held in cystic fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension, mycobacterial diseases and sleep medicine.
The Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine participates in the supervision of a multidisciplinary 76-bed critical care unit. In addition to pulmonary and critical care medicine physicians, fellows work with the surgical and trauma critical care physicians, neurocritical care physicians, thoracic and general surgeons anesthesiologists. The critical care unit is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and is supported by more than 120 critical care nurses. Professionals in the fields of nutrition, speech pathology, rehabilitation medicine, respiratory therapy and Ph.D. pharmacologists provide specialized consultation in critical care.
The Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Division (PCCM) is responsible for providing services in the Pulmonary Function Laboratory, Tuberculosis Clinic, Cardiopulmonary Exercise Laboratory and Respiratory Therapy. Flexible and advanced bronchoscopy (EBUS, robot) chest thoracoscopy, ultrasound guided thoracentesis are performed routinely.
The fellowship provides clinical experience in a wide variety of pulmonary diseases and critical illnesses. Clinical rotations are established in the inpatient care units and ambulatory care facilities in order to allow management of clinical problems on an inpatient and outpatient basis. Ample exposure is provided to pulmonary and critical care medicine procedures, specialty laboratories and the full spectrum of diagnostic studies.
All PCCM fellows spend monthly sessions at the The Hannaford Center for Safety, Innovation and Simulation. We also hold our Introduction to Bronchoscopy course here for our incoming fellows. We have an Ultrasound (US) curriculum and regularly scheduled bedside US rounds.
Board Certification
Upon successful completion of the fellowship, (including twenty-four months of clinical responsibilities of which twelve months are specifically devoted to critical care medicine), fellows are eligible to take the American Board of Internal Medicine subspecialty certification examination in pulmonary diseases and in critical care medicine.