Thoracic Surgery Fellowship

Between 10 to 20 percent of the fellow’s time will be spent in outpatient clinic. Fellows will have the opportunity to evaluate pre and postoperative patients with attending physicians. The program will also provide hours of simulation with fellows having access to the Minimally Invasive Surgical Training & Education Center, located on the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine campus.

Additionally, fellows are encouraged to have one peer-reviewed publication accepted per year. A quality project is also required over the course of the two-year program. The quality project may also count as the publication if it is accepted for publication. Fellows are encouraged to identify a faculty member as a mentor and set up frequent meetings to review goals and expectations, as well as adequate progression during the training program.

Fellows should expect to fulfill level 1 and 2 competencies for medical knowledge, patient care and technical skills of the ACGME Thoracic Surgery Milestones for Esophagus; Lung/Airway; Chest Wall/Mediastinum and Critical Care.

The following pathologies are very frequent and fellows should be competent in managing them upon completion of the first year:

• Lung Cancer: Clinic presentation and diagnosis, staging and managing strategies according to stage, preoperative evaluation including contraindications for surgery and postoperative care including complications.
• Pulmonary Nodules: Differential diagnosis and managing strategies according to clinical presentation.
• Pleural Effusions: Differential diagnosis and managing strategies for benign and malignant pleural effusion according to clinical presentation.
• Pneumothorax: Managing strategies for 1ary, 2ary and iatrogenic.

Fellows should expect to fulfill level 1, 2, 3 and 4 competencies for medical knowledge, patient care and technical skills of the ACGME Thoracic Surgery Milestones for Esophagus; Lung/Airway; Chest Wall/Mediastinum and Critical Care.

Because the type and volume of cases is variable, residents are responsible to utilize journal club and interesting case presentations to demonstrate their competency in medical knowledge about pathology that they did not frequently encounter during their sixth-month rotation, but that is essential for a cardiothoracic surgeon to understand. Fellows are also responsible for keeping each other apprised of unusual cases occurring in other rotations, so that they can all learn from each person’s experience.

Fellows should expect to fulfill level 1 and 2 competencies for medical knowledge of the ACGME Thoracic Surgery Milestones for Congenital Heart Disease.

Fellows will perform various procedures with children and adult congenital patients at conclusion of the first year with some assistance (attending surgeon as first assistant providing verbal instruction when needed).

Fellows should expect to fulfill level 1, 2, 3 and 4 competencies for medical knowledge of the ACGME Thoracic Surgery Milestones for Congenital Heart Disease.

Fellows will perform various procedures with infants, children and adult congenital patients at conclusion of the second year with minor assistance (attending surgeon as first assistant providing verbal instruction infrequently).

There will be full participation by fellows in 20 congenital heart surgery cases that have been signed off by the attending; fellows will attend a combination of 20 weekly cath conferences and/or sign out rounds; achieve level 3 or greater milestones by year one and level 4 or greater by year two and complete the Thoracic Surgery Directors Association congenital curriculum and quizzes and Joint Council on Thoracic Surgery Education congenital readings and quizzes.

Fellows should expect to fulfill level 1 and 2 competencies for medical knowledge, patient care and technical skills of the ACGME Thoracic Surgery Milestones for lschemic Heart Disease; Cardiopulmonary Bypass; Myocardial Protection and Temporary Circulatory Support; Valvular Disease; Great Vessel Disease; End Stage Cardiopulmonary Disease and Critical Care.

Fellows will perform various procedures at the conclusion of the first year with some assistance (attending surgeon as first assistant providing verbal instruction when needed).

Fellows should expect to fulfill level 1, 2, 3 and 4 competencies for medical knowledge, patient care and technical skills of the ACGME Thoracic Surgery Milestones for lschemic Heart Disease; Cardiopulmonary Bypass; Myocardial Protection and Temporary Circulatory Support; Valvular Disease; Great Vessel Disease; End Stage Cardiopulmonary Disease and Critical Care.

Fellows will perform various procedures at the conclusion of the second year with minimal assistance (attending surgeon providing first assistance with rare verbal instruction).