Educational Curriculum

 Sample 3-Year Curriculum

Year 1

The block rotations in the first year of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) fellowship training are focused on the development of clinical skills in the ICU, advanced airway management, and an introduction to the principles of research design and performance. Clinical rotations typically include two months in the PICU, one month in the Pediatric Burn ICU at Shriners Hospitals for Children- Boston next door to Massachusetts General Hospital, one month in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at Children’s Hospital Boston, and one month in Anesthesia. Fellows also gain experience providing procedural sedation to infants and children undergoing painful procedures or studies requiring no movement.

The first-year fellow is expected to participate in regularly scheduled teaching conferences, morbidity and mortality conference, journal club, mock codes and fellow-run didactic teaching for pediatric residents and medical students on basic pediatric critical care topics.

With respect to scholarly activity, the first-year fellow is scheduled for approximately four months of dedicated research time during which he/she explores various research opportunities and begins laying the foundation for a scholarly project under the guidance of a research mentor.

Year 1: PICU x 2 months, CICU x 1 month, Shriners x 1 months, OR x 1 month, auxiliary fellow* x 1.5 months , vacation x 1 month, research x 4.5 months

*auxiliary fellow – procedural sedation, teaching (didactic and simulation-based), daytime PICU back-up assistance with procedures and travel

Year 2

The second-year curriculum continues to provide clinical experience, including two months in the PICU, one month in the burn ICU and one month in the CICU. The second-year fellow is expected to display progressively independent thought and management skills during these service months. The remainder of the year is dedicated to research, with continued participation in weekly teaching conferences and continued contributions to the teaching of pediatric residents and medical students in pediatric critical care medicine.

Year 2: PICU x 2 months, CICU x 1 month, auxiliary fellow x 2.5 months, vacation x 1 month, research x 5.5 months

Year 3

The third-year curriculum continues to focus more on research and teaching, though it also provides clinical experience, including one to two months in the PICU, and one month in the CICU. The third-year fellow is expected to take responsibility for leading work rounds and team meetings and to take on a greater proportion of formal teaching in rounds and lectures. The remaining six to seven months are dedicated to research, during which time the fellow is expected to complete his/her research project and often present his/her findings at a national conference.

Year 3: PICU x 2 months, CICU x1 month, auxiliary fellow x 1.5 months, vacation x 1 month, research x 6.5 months

Call Schedule

Call is divided among fellows who are on their auxiliary and research blocks, as well as the fellow on service in the PICU.  When on service, fellows are never on call during the week to avoid being post call on a weekday.  When on service at Shriners Hospital For Children, fellows will take no overnight call there.  They may be asked to take 1-2 calls on Friday/ Saturday in the MGH PICU.  Generally speaking, the call schedule is built to try and account for everyone's requests and commitments.  

1st year: 5-7 calls a month

2nd year: 4-6 calls a month

3rd year: 2-4 calls a month

CICU Schedule

When rotating in the CICU, there is a templated block schedule that you receive from senior fellows.  You will be asked to rank the tracks in order of preference.  In your month there, you will work stretches of days or night float with a weekend 24 hour shift or two mixed in.