Fellowship Curriculum

Our curriculum is meticulously designed to provide a blended approach to training, integrating clinical practice and research throughout the three years. This comprehensive structure is designed to reflect life as a critical care physician in an academic center and safeguards against long stretches of clinical service to avoid burnout.

In the first year, fellows will have dedicated time to explore their academic interests and connect with faculty across the University system that align with those interests. This initial phase is crucial for building a strong research mentorship team tailored to your needs, allowing fellows to follow their passion, not be plugged into a system that does not fit.

To meet and exceed ACGME requirements, our curriculum includes a blend of lectures, simulation exercises, clinical experiences, and a broad, department-wide fellowship curriculum. This multi-faceted approach puts learners in a wide variety of learning environments to harness their individual strengths to maximize their capabilities as future leaders in critical care.

Our clinical rotations are designed with the end in mind – to mirror our faculty schedules and amplify longitudinal time spent with faculty during clinical service. This alignment prepares fellows for the demands and expectations of professional practice after their training is complete.

There are ample opportunities for fellows to engage in educational activities within our residency and medical school programs. These teaching experiences not only enhance their own learning but contribute to the development of future medical professionals.

Our clinical training takes place in a busy 28-bed unit that includes an integrated Pediatric Burn Center, providing comprehensive burn care with our Burn Team. With over 1200 admissions last year, our unit census is growing to serve the needs of a wide-ranging patient population that requires comprehensive, specialized care.

Our fellowship program offers exceptional clinical training in a state-of-the-art facility serving as the tertiary care center for the state and beyond. Our center has been distinguished with the Platinum ELSO Award as a Center of Excellence for Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) – exemplifying our commitment to delivering advanced, high-quality care.

Our faculty are not only experienced educators but award winning, having been recognized by the residency as the best rotation in the program for the last 3 years. Their dedication to teaching at the bedside and mentorship translates exponentially to our fellows who receive the guidance and support needed to balance service and education to excel in their training and future career.

Join our program and train under the guidance of distinguished leaders in critical care that have a unique training background, in an environment that combines clinical excellence, commitment to education, and individualized research.

Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital is the region’s only dedicated children’s hospital and the largest pediatric referral center in the state, offering fellows exposure to a broad and complex patient population. Opened in 2020, this 250-bed, state-of-the-art facility is home to 27 pediatric subspecialties, with multiple programs ranked among the Top 50 nationally.

Within the PICU, fellows care for high-acuity patients referred from across the state and region, managing complex medical and surgical conditions alongside multidisciplinary teams. This environment provides consistent exposure to critically ill children with diverse and rare pathologies, fostering the development of advanced clinical skills, decision-making, and confidence in managing the full spectrum of pediatric critical illness.

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) is a cornerstone of advanced care in our PICU, providing fellows with exceptional exposure to the management of critically ill infants and children requiring extracorporeal life support. As a Platinum ELSO Award Center of Excellence, MUSC Children's Health is recognized internationally for excellence in ECMO care.

Fellows work closely with a dedicated multidisciplinary ECMO team to gain hands-on experience in patient management, cannulation planning, troubleshooting, and complex decision-making. Through progressive responsibility and bedside teaching, fellows develop the clinical expertise and confidence to manage patients supported with ECMO and graduate well prepared for independent practice in pediatric critical care.

Research Training

Our fellowship provides a supportive and individualized approach to research training, helping fellows translate their clinical interests into meaningful scholarly work. Early in training, fellows meet with program leadership to explore their interests and develop a focused research question, while identifying potential mentors within the division, Department of Pediatrics, the broader institution, and beyond.

We emphasize a collaborative mentorship model, offering guidance and feedback throughout the early discovery phase to help fellows build a mentorship team aligned with their goals. Fellows also have access to advanced education, including the NIH Clinical Research Course and a wide range of MUSC-specific resources. Supported by faculty engaged in diverse and active research programs, fellows are well-positioned to develop skills in scholarship and academic growth.