Program Director's message
Thank you for your interest in our program. The Pulmonary Disease Critical Care Medicine fellowship includes rotations at a single 600-bed tertiary care center. You’ll learn from experts who are on the leading edge of pulmonary and critical care medicine in a region with remarkable breadth of pathology.
You'll receive the tools needed to become a well-rounded specialist capable of managing even the most complex pulmonary and critically ill patients. The program offers significant clinical volume to support your training, along with ample elective time to pursue areas of interest.
As a fellow, you’ll be closely involved with resident education - an essential skill for your future career. Through dedicated mentorship, you’ll strengthen your research skills and gain experience presenting at national meetings and publishing in peer-reviewed journals.
We accept three fellows each year for a total of nine fellows. We hope you’ll visit and see firsthand what the program offers.
Samantha Pelletier, MD
Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine Fellowship Program Director
WellSpan York Hospital
Our Pulmonary Critical Care fellowship program provides you with all the tools to become a well-rounded specialist.
You’ll have exposure to basic Pulmonology and Critical Care procedures, including:
Pulmonary Diseases
- Asthma
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD)
- Pulmonary Hypertension
- Lung Cancer
- Sleep Disorders and Sleep Apnea
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Occupational and Environmental Lung Diseases
- Infectious diseases of the pulmonary system
- Pleural and mediastinal diseases
Pulmonary Physiology
- Pulmonary function testing
- Cardiopulmonary exercise testing
- Right heart catheterization
Critical Care Medicine
- Sepsis and Septic Shock
- Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)
- Mechanical Ventilation and Non-Invasive Ventilation
- Hemodynamic Monitoring
- Shock and Resuscitation
- Organ Support and Replacement Therapies
- Nutrition in Critical Care
- ECMO for pulmonary and cardiac rescue
- E-CPR
Procedures and Interventions
- Bronchoscopy and Advanced Bronchoscopic Techniques
- Thoracentesis
- Chest Tube Placement
- Endobronchial Ultrasound (EBUS)
- Percutaneous Tracheostomy
- Navigational bronchoscopy with Ion robotic support
- Intubation
- Central and arterial line placement
- Placement and management of ECMO support
Sleep Medicine
- Polysomnography Interpretation
- Management of Sleep Disorders
Research and Evidence-Based Medicine
- Clinical Research Methods
- Critical Appraisal of Medical Literature
- Quality Improvement Projects
Ethics and Communication
- End-of-Life Care and Palliative Care
- Family and Patient Communication in ICU Settings
Conferences
- Pulmonary case conference
- Pulmonary grand rounds
- Multidisciplinary lung nodule conference
- Sleep medicine conference
- Journal club
- You’ll also develop teaching skills as the program serves as a rotation site for medical students and residents. Research mentorship is a core component of the curriculum, preparing you to present nationally and publish in peer-reviewed journals.
Our fellows also learn to be teachers, as we're a rotation site for medical students and we have residents who round on the various Pulmonary and ICU services. Honing research skills through mentorship is another vital part of the curriculum, preparing you to present at national meetings and publish in peer-reviewed journals.
Location
The fellowship is based at WellSpan York Hospital, with outpatient experience at the WellSpan Freedom Way Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine location in York, Pennsylvania. All inpatient rotations take place at the hospital, and all outpatient experience occurs at the Freedom Way location.
Founded in 1880, WellSpan York Hospital has grown into a regional leader in advanced specialty care. The hospital is a Level I trauma center, a comprehensive stroke center and home to a robust ECMO program with Extracorporeal Life Support Organization gold-level distinction.
Continuing medical education (CME)
The Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine is committed to ongoing education that supports improved patient care across WellSpan-affiliated practices. Educational offerings include Grand Rounds, case conferences, live courses and on-demand learning through Cloud CME.
You can register for a Cloud CME account to access or attend any medical education event offered through WellSpan Health’s Office of Continuing Medical Education.
Schedule
Example schedule:
PGY4
4 months MICU
2 months pulmonary consults
2 weeks anesthesia
2 weeks pulmonary physiology labs
1 month advanced respiratory care
1 month MICU night rotation
2 months elective/research/vacation
PGY5
3 months MICU
1 month Neuro ICU
1 month MICU nights
1 month advanced bronchoscopy
1 month SICU
1 month pulmonary consults
3 months research/elective/vacation
PGY6
2 month open heart ICU
1 month trauma ICU
1 month advanced bronchoscopy
1 month advanced respiratory care/palliative care
1 month MICU nights
4 months research/elective
