Curriculum

The Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine Fellowship at Sutter Roseville is a three-year program designed to develop highly skilled, compassionate, and academically grounded pulmonologists and intensivists. Each year of training builds on the prior to progressively foster clinical excellence, procedural independence, and scholarly growth. Fellows also gain structured exposure to advanced programs, including extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and interventional pulmonology, through dedicated faculty teaching and supervised clinical experience.

Year-by-Year Structure

First Year (PGY-4)

The first year emphasizes immersive clinical training. Fellows rotate through the Medical ICU, Neuro ICU, and inpatient Pulmonary Consult service, gaining broad exposure to critically ill patients and complex pulmonary pathology. Outpatient experience is woven in through a weekly half-day continuity clinic with dedicated core faculty. Foundational procedural training begins early, including bronchoscopy, airway management, chest tubes, and bedside ultrasound. The year concludes with a protected research block to help fellows initiate their scholarly projects.

Second Year (PGY-5)

The second year builds on this foundation with increasing responsibility in the Medical, Surgical, Neuro, and Cardiac ICUs, as well as additional pulmonary consult rotations. Fellows continue their continuity clinic and advance procedural proficiency. Expanded protected research time supports the development and dissemination of scholarly work, with opportunities to present projects at regional and national meetings.

Third Year (PGY-6)

The final year prioritizes advanced electives and protected research time, allowing fellows to focus on areas of academic interest or subspecialty development. Fellows assume greater autonomy in the Medical, Surgical, Neuro, and Cardiac ICUs and serve as mentors and teachers for residents, students, and junior fellows. Training culminates in scholarly output and leadership skills that prepare graduates for careers in academic or community practice.

Continuity Clinic

All fellows participate in a weekly half-day pulmonary continuity clinic throughout the program, supervised by core outpatient faculty. Fellows follow their own panel of patients, reinforcing longitudinal care, outpatient diagnostics, and subspecialty clinic exposure.

Research and Scholarship

Fellows are introduced to research during their first year and receive protected time each year to develop scholarly projects. They work under mentorship to design and implement original investigations, with a goal of submitting work for national presentation and publication.