Fellowship in Surgical Critical Care

1. MD or DO from an accredited medical school
2. Completed a General Surgery residency (ACGME-accredited)
3. Valid USMLE/COMLEX Step I and Step II CK
4. Eligible for Pennsylvania medical licensure prior to training
5. Submission of fellowship application materials, including letters of recommendation, CV, personal statement
6. Successful participation in the interview and program selection process

The Surgical Critical Care Fellowship at Reading Hospital – Tower Health is an ACGME-accredited advanced training program designed to prepare surgeons for leadership in the care of critically ill surgical patients. The fellowship includes intensive clinical experience in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) where fellows learn to manage complex postoperative care, multisystem organ dysfunction, respiratory failure, sepsis, shock states, traumatic injuries, and advanced physiologic monitoring. Training is multidisciplinary, coordinating with trauma surgery, cardiothoracic surgery, anesthesia, respiratory therapy, and allied critical care teams. Fellows develop expertise in ventilator management, invasive monitoring, hemodynamic support, renal replacement therapies, nutritional support, and procedural skills essential to critical care (e.g., central lines, chest tubes, advanced airway management). The program emphasizes evidence-based decision making, ethical standards in end-of-life care, quality improvement, and leadership in crisis situations. Fellows also engage in formal didactics, morbidity and mortality conferences, research opportunities, and interdisciplinary care conferences. Graduates of the program are prepared for board certification eligibility in Surgical Critical Care and are well-equipped for academic, hospital-based, and trauma-center practice roles.