Curriculum Highlights

The fellowship curriculum is organized around core ICU experiences, supplemented by targeted electives that reflect the strengths of the institution and the interests of individual fellows.

Core Rotations

  • ICU Days – Medical Critical Care (HCA Houston Healthcare Northwest)
    The backbone of the fellowship. Fellows manage a wide range of medical, neurologic, neurosurgical, and perioperative ICU patients within the integrated Medical Critical Care Department, working closely with multidisciplinary teams and progressively assuming more responsibility.
  • ICU Nights – Medical Critical Care (Northwest)
    Dedicated night rotations provide concentrated exposure to cross‑coverage, triage, and resuscitation of critically ill patients, with attending backup. Fellows refine independent decision‑making, communication, and crisis management skills.
  • Cardiovascular ICU – HCA Houston Healthcare Medical Center
    Dedicated CVICU rotations expose fellows to advanced cardiac critical care, including cardiogenic shock, complex coronary and structural heart disease, VA/VV ECMO, Impella, and the evolving LVAD and transplant program.
  • Trauma ICU – HCA Houston Healthcare Northwest
    Trauma ICU rotations immerse fellows in the care of injured patients at a trauma center progressing toward Level I designation, with experience in initial resuscitation, operative and non‑operative management, and post‑operative critical care.

Elective Rotations

Electives allow fellows to tailor training to their career goals. Options may include:

  • Additional Cardiovascular ICU
  • Echocardiography / Point‑of‑Care Ultrasound
  • Nutrition in Critical Illness
  • Radiology and Advanced Imaging in the ICU
  • Research / Quality Improvement
  • Additional Trauma ICU or other ICU‑based experiences

Elective time can be used to deepen subspecialty expertise, pursue advanced imaging and echo skills, or develop focused scholarly projects with faculty mentors.

Sample Rotation Structure

Individual schedules are tailored to training needs, but all fellows complete a balanced mix of core ICU rotations, nights, and electives over two years.

Year One – Foundational Year (Sample Distribution per Fellow)

The first year focuses on building a strong foundation in integrated medical critical care, trauma, and advanced cardiac critical care, while introducing ICU nights and elective experiences.

Sample distribution (per fellow):

  • 7 months – ICU Days – Medical Critical Care (Northwest)
  • 2 months – ICU Nights – Medical Critical Care (Northwest)
  • 1 month – Cardiovascular ICU – HCA Houston Healthcare Medical Center
  • 1 month – Trauma ICU – HCA Houston Healthcare Northwest
  • 1 month – Elective (e.g., Echo, Nutrition, Radiology, Research, or additional Trauma/CVICU)

Fellows in this year build core ICU skills, become familiar with institutional systems, develop procedural competence, and begin to engage in scholarship and elective interests.

Year Two – Advanced Responsibility and Tailored Training (Sample Distribution per Fellow)

The second year emphasizes senior responsibility, subspecialty depth, and scholarly development, while maintaining exposure to core ICU environments.

Sample distribution (per fellow):

  • 5 months – ICU Days – Medical Critical Care (Northwest)
    • Senior fellow role with leadership in rounds, teaching, and unit management
  • 1–2 months – ICU Nights – Medical Critical Care (Northwest)
    • Senior night coverage with increased autonomy and supervisory responsibilities
  • 1 month – Cardiovascular ICU – HCA Houston Healthcare Medical Center
  • 1 month – Trauma ICU – HCA Houston Healthcare Northwest
  • 3–4 months – Electives and Research / QI
    • Options include additional CVICU, Trauma ICU, Echocardiography/POCUS, Nutrition, Radiology, and dedicated Research/QI months

Across the two years, each fellow completes:

  • Extensive integrated ICU day coverage
  • Robust ICU night experience
  • At least two dedicated CVICU rotations and two trauma ICU rotations
  • Multiple elective blocks for advanced echo, imaging, nutrition, and research/QI

This structure ensures graduates are well‑prepared for independent practice in a wide range of critical care settings.