The trauma surgeons also provide coverage of the intensive care unit, which has total capacity of 52 beds, in collaboration with intensivists from the Departments of Emergency Medicine, Anesthesiology and Critical Care, and the Division of Pulmonary/Critical Care in the Department of Surgery. The intensive care unit serves as the key educational pillar for the Surgical Critical Care fellowship.
The Surgical Critical Care fellowship, under the leadership of Program Director Dr. Jordan Estroff and Associate Program Director Dr. Susan Kartiko, trains surgeons in advanced critical care and acute care surgery. The surgical critical care fellowship takes a holistic approach to teaching critical care by exposing the fellow to all types of surgical patients, including those in need of transplant, ECMO, neurosurgical intervention, multi-system trauma, and other advanced needs.
The Center for Trauma and Critical Care (CTACC) also offers an advanced practitioner residency program. Dr. Estroff oversees this program, which accepts two applicants per year. Students in this pathway will spend six months on the trauma / acute care surgery service and 6 months in the intensive care unit. They graduate with a solid foundation of knowledge and experience regarding all aspects of critical care medicine, including ECMO, as well as how to evaluate, resuscitate, and support patients on the trauma / acute care surgical service.