Fellow Block Schedule

 PGY 4PGY 5PGY 6
Week 1AnesthesiaElectiveElective
Week 2AnesthesiaElectiveElective
Week 3CV/CardiologyCVICUCVICU
Week 4CV/CardiologyCVICUCVICU
Week 5CVICUCVICUCVICU
Week 6CVICUCVICUCVICU
Week 7CVICUPICUPICU
Week 8CVICUPICUPICU
Week 9PICUPICUPICU
Week 10PICUPICUPICU
Week 11PICUPICUPICU
Week 12PICUPICUPICU
Week 13PICUPICUPICU
Week 14PICUPICUResearch*
Week 15PICUResearch*Research*
Week 16PICUResearch*Research*
Week 17PICUResearch*Research*
Week 18PICUResearch*Research*
Week 19PICUResearch*Research*
Week 20Research*Research*Research*
Week 21Research*Research*Research*
Week 22Research*Research*Research*
Week 23Research*Research*Research*
Week 24Research*Research*Research*
Week 25Research*Research*Research*
Week 26Research*Research*Research*

*Fellows receive four weeks of Paid Time Off per year, which can only be taken during research blocks.

Curriculum by Year

First Year (PGY 4)

The first year of the fellowship is dedicated to fellows getting comfortable with the transition from resident to fellow, understanding the workflow of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU), and obtaining a good knowledge base in cardiopulmonary failure and resuscitation, shock, oxygen delivery, and management of oxygenation and ventilation. In addition to the normal rotations in the PICU and the separate CVICU, first-year fellows rotate with Anesthesia and CV/Cardiology to develop important procedural skills.

Fellows spend four weeks with the Anesthesia service. They gain experience in airway management skills, focusing on appropriate airway positioning to maintain patient airways, bag-valve-mask ventilation, and intubation skills. They also work with central venous cannulation and arterial lines.

Fellows spend four weeks with the Pediatric Cardiologists. They spend time in the cardiac catheterization laboratory to develop expertise in waveform analysis and hemodynamic data.

Fellows spend eight weeks in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit. They assist in the medical management of pre-operative patients under the supervision of cardiac intensivists. They assist in the medical management of post-operative patients under the supervision of cardiac intensivists and with input from pediatric cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons.

Fellows spend 24 weeks in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. They have primary responsibility for the care of a sub-group of patients while under the supervision of a pediatric intensivist. Fellows can be assigned to any one of three teams.

Fellows receive protected time to progress toward completing their required scholarly activity. They may take call in either the PICU or CVICU while assigned to a research rotation. They can only take Paid Time Off, in one-week blocks, during research rotations.

Second Year (PGY 5)

During their second year of fellowship, fellows will begin to take on additional leadership and teaching roles as well as continue to grow in their medical knowledge. They have four weeks of elective time.

Fellows are free to spend their four weeks elective time as they see fit. Often, they will split their elective time into one-week blocks, splitting their time between various subspecialties. Potential electives include spending time with the PICC team, doing an away rotation at the nearby burn center, or rotating with any of the subspecialty groups at Phoenix Children’s.

Fellows spend eight weeks in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit. They assist in the medical management of pre-operative patients under the supervision of cardiac intensivists. They assist in the medical management of post-operative patients under the supervision of cardiac intensivists and with input from pediatric cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons.

Fellows spend 16 weeks in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. They have primary responsibility for the care of a sub-group of patients while under the supervision of a pediatric intensivist. They can be assigned to any one of three teams.

Fellows receive protected time to progress toward completing their required scholarly activity. They may take call in either the PICU or CVICU while assigned to a research rotation. They can only take Paid Time Off, in one-week blocks, during research rotations.

Third Year (PGY 6)

During their third year of fellowship, fellows lead rounds and care conferences. If attending physicians are not present, they should seek feedback from other attendees. Fellows continue to build on knowledge and skills and continue to study the board examination. They staff all admissions with the residents and students followed by attending physicians once plans are in place. Fellows manage the unit and prepare for independent practice.

Fellows are free to spend their four weeks elective time as they see fit. Often, they will split their elective time into one-week blocks, splitting their time between various subspecialties. Potential electives include spending time with the PICC team, doing an away rotation at the nearby burn center, or rotating with any of the subspecialty groups at Phoenix Children’s.

Fellows spend eight weeks in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit. They assist in the medical management of pre-operative patients under the supervision of cardiac intensivists. They assist in the medical management of post-operative patients under the supervision of cardiac intensivists and with input from pediatric cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons.

Fellows spend twelve weeks in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. They have primary responsibility for the care of a sub-group of patients while under the supervision of a pediatric intensivist. They can be assigned to any one of three teams.

Fellows receive protected time to progress toward completing their required scholarly activity. They may take call in either the PICU or CVICU while assigned to a research rotation. They can only take Paid Time Off, in one-week blocks, during research rotations.