Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care Medicine Fellowship

Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care Medicine Fellowship

Program overview

The Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care Medicine Fellowship is a one-year advanced fellowship available to applicants who are board certified in Pediatrics and board eligible/certified in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Pediatric Cardiology, Pediatric Anesthesiology or Neonatology. The Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) is one of the largest in the world dedicated to the treatment of children with critical cardiac disease. The goal of this program is to prepare individuals for a career and future leadership in Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care. We currently offer 4 training positions per year.

This clinical fellowship provides exposure to the following areas:

  • Preoperative and postoperative management of congenital heart disease
  • Acute and chronic circulatory failure
  • Life-threatening arrhythmias, pulmonary hypertension
  • Acute and chronic respiratory failure
  • Heart or lung transplantation
  • Ventricular assist devices
  • Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
  • Critical illness involving non-cardiac organ systems

Fellows will be trained by a diverse group of cardiac intensivists with backgrounds in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Pediatric Cardiology, Pediatric Anesthesiology and Neonatology. Learn more about our Division of Cardiac Critical Care Medicine.

The history, expertise and compassion that make Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia unique are also what makes it the best place for medical trainees.

Program leadership

Rotation schedule

All fellows (regardless of training background):

  • Approximately Five – Six (5-6) months Cardiac ICU
    • Two (2) weeks as direct patient care provider
    • Remainder of time supervisory fellow/pre-attending
  • Four (4) weeks cardiothoracic surgery/cardiac anesthesia/perfusion
  • Four (4) weeks’ vacation

Fellows with prior Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Anesthesiology or Neonatology training:

  • Four (4) weeks echocardiography
  • Four (4) weeks catheterization
  • Four (4) weeks cardiac morphology
  • Two (2) weeks heart failure / transplant medicine
  • Two (2) weeks electrophysiology
  • One (1) to two (2) weeks elective (e.g. research, academic focus, palliative care, adult congenital heart disease, advanced imaging, pulmonary hypertension, additional time in above rotations)

Fellows with prior pediatric cardiology training:

  • Four (4) weeks airway skills/ventilator management
  • Four (4) weeks pediatric ICU
  • Two (2) weeks neurocritical care
  • Two (2) weeks palliative care
  • One (1) week sedation
  • Four (4) weeks elective (e.g. research, academic focus, vascular access, additional time in above rotations)

Conference schedule

Daily: 

  • CICU Multidisciplinary Rounds 
  • Attending AM Signout

Weekly:

  • Senior Fellow Didactics
  • Surgical Conference
  • Professor Rounds
  • CICU Chronic Care Rounds
  • CICU Quality Improvement
  • CICU Multidisciplinary Rounds
  • CICU Thrombosis Rounds
  • CICU Patient Management Rounds
  • CICU Noon Conference (Case Conference, Journal Club, Research, Airway Review, Neurocritical Care, Ethics)

Monthly:

  • Cardiac Center Clinical Care Conference / M&M
  • Cardiac Center Cardiac Arrest Prevention, Education, Resuscitation and Research Reviews

Additional learning opportunities:

  • CICU Senior Fellow Simulation – Fall and Spring
  • CHOP Ultrasound Course – Fall and Spring
  • Vital Talks communication workshop
  • National conferences: CHOP Cardiology, Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Society, CHOP Morphology, NeoHeart, World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology & Cardiac Surgery

Other details

  • All fellows will have a designated faculty member mentor for the duration of their training.
  • Fellows will have the opportunity to participate in an academic project within research, quality improvement and education.
  • Training duration can be extended up to 2 years per individual fellow's goals.

Salary and other benefits

  • Salary will be provided at a PGY7 level or above as determined by the office of GME.   
  • All fellows will receive a professional expenses stipend as well as an annual training stipend.

How to apply

  • We are a participant in the San Francisco (SF) Match and additional information regarding timelines can be found here.
  • Please complete a common application.
  • A completed application, CV, personal statement plus one (1) letter of recommendation will be required prior to an offer for interview.
  • Two (2) additional letters of recommendation will be required at the time of the interview.
  • There are no specific application deadlines and acceptance is offered on a rolling basis. Typically, interviews are offered between August and November of the preceding year and final decisions are made in December.
  • Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the United States and obtaining a PA medical license. Applicants requiring visa support will need additional approval by the office of the GME. 

Please submit all the requisite materials via email to Jodi Chen, MD, Program Director, at chenjo@chop.edu, and Carmen Girona, fellowship coordinator, at girona@chop.edu.

Contact information

For more information, please contact Jodi Chen, chenjo@chop.edu with any additional questions.

Other requirements

To carry out its mission, it is of critical importance for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) to keep our patients, families and workforce safe and healthy and to support the health of our global community. In keeping with this, CHOP has mandated all workforce members (including trainees) on site at any CHOP location for any portion of their time be vaccinated for COVID-19 as a condition of employment.

This mandate also applies to workforce members or trainees performing work for CHOP at non-CHOP locations. Additionally, all workforce members based in or regularly scheduled to work at any New Jersey location are mandated to be both vaccinated and boosted for COVID-19, with booster timing consistent with applicable guidelines. The CHOP COVID-19 vaccine mandate is in alignment with applicable local, state and federal mandates. CHOP also requires all workforce members and trainees who work in patient care buildings or who provide patient care to receive an annual influenza vaccine. Employees may request exemption consideration for CHOP vaccine requirements for valid religious and medical reasons. Please note start dates may be delayed until candidates are fully immunized or valid exemption requests are reviewed. In addition, candidates other than those in positions with regularly scheduled hours in New Jersey, must attest to not using tobacco products.

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, national or ethnic origin, disability, protected veteran status or any other protected category. CHOP is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor seeking priority referrals for protected veterans.

CHOP is committed to building an inclusive culture where employees feel a sense of belonging, connection, and community within their workplace. We are a team dedicated to fostering an environment that allows for all to be their authentic selves. We are focused on attracting, cultivating, and retaining diverse talent who can help us deliver on our mission to be a world leader in the advancement of healthcare for children.

We strongly encourage all candidates of diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply.