Selecting the right fellowship program is a pivotal step in your medical career. At Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC), our Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Fellowship offers a dynamic and enriching environment where you’ll receive top-tier clinical training while developing as a leader and educator in the field. Our program is designed to provide fellows with the skills, experience, and mentorship necessary to excel in pulmonary and critical care medicine.
Unparalleled Training Experience
All inpatient rotations take place at two premier locations:
- NGMC Gainesville (GSV): A tertiary referral center with a diverse and medically complex patient population.
- NGMC Braselton (BRS): Located 30 minutes from Gainesville, offering additional clinical exposure and hands-on training.
What Sets Our Program Apart?
1. Comprehensive & Tailored Training Tracks
Our curriculum balances core training with flexibility, allowing fellows to tailor their education based on individual career goals. Areas of focus include:
- Critical Care Medicine: MICU, MCCU, CCU, CVICU, Surgical/Trauma ICU, Neuro ICU
- Pulmonary Consultative Services: Managing a broad spectrum of lung diseases
- Advanced Pulmonary Procedures
- Specialized Clinics (PGY-6): Interstitial lung disease, pulmonary hypertension, interventional pulmonology, sleep medicine, and obstructive lung diseases
2. ICU Experience
Our ICU structure ensures a well-rounded critical care experience:
- Fellows function as junior attendings in closed-unit ICUs.
- Exposure to advanced procedures, including ECMO, LVADs, and RVADs.
- Dedicated night float system to prevent burnout and support work-life balance.
3. Hands-On Pulmonary Medicine & Procedures
Fellows gain expertise in managing diverse pulmonary conditions while mastering advanced procedural skills, including:
- Flexible Bronchoscopy
- Endobronchial Ultrasound & Robotic Bronchoscopy
- Pleural Procedures: Indwelling pleural catheter placement, thoracentesis, chest tube insertion
- Interventional Pulmonology experience: Airway stenting, tumor debulking, endobronchial valve insertion/removal
Since NGMC does not have a separate Interventional Pulmonary Fellowship, our fellows perform all pulmonary procedures, ensuring unmatched hands-on experience.
4. Longitudinal Ambulatory Pulmonary Experience
- Continuity Clinic: Manage your own patient panel one half-day per week for all three years.
- Subspecialty Clinics: Additional exposure for PGY-6 fellows in niche pulmonary fields.
5. Advanced Mechanical Circulatory Support Training
- Direct involvement in V-A and V-V ECMO patient management.
- Hands-on training in advanced heart failure management, LVAD/RVAD care, and cardiovascular critical care.
6. Customizable Elective Rotations
Fellows can personalize their learning experience through a variety of electives, including:
- Sleep Medicine
- Radiology
- Anesthesiology
- Medical & Radiation Oncology
- Cardiothoracic Surgery
- Heart Failure & Pulmonary Hypertension
- Rheumatology
- Allergy/Immunology
7. Engaging Academic & Research Environment
- Weekly Core Curriculum Conference Series: Board reviews, journal clubs, and case-based discussions.
- Protected Academic Half-Day: Fellows are relieved of clinical duties to focus on education.
- High-Fidelity Simulation Training: Procedural skills and emergency response simulations.
- Dedicated Research Time: Access to NGMC’s Research & Quality Improvement teams with faculty mentorship.
8. Supportive Mentorship & Career Development
Our faculty is deeply committed to fellows’ success, offering:
- One-on-one mentorship from experienced physicians.
- Guidance in research and scholarly activities.
- Career coaching for academic, private practice, and industry pathways.
9. Access to Cutting-Edge Technology
Stay at the forefront of pulmonary and critical care medicine with training in:
- Robotic-Assisted Bronchoscopy
- Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Management
10. Exposure to a Diverse Patient Population & Healthcare Disparities
Fellows manage patients from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds, including a large Latino community, gaining critical experience in addressing healthcare disparities.
11. Commitment to Work-Life Balance & Wellness
We recognize the demands of this specialty and prioritize fellow well-being through:
- Structured scheduling to prevent burnout.
- Access to mental health and wellness resources.
- Parental leave and family support programs.
Join Our Community of Excellence
At NGMC, we are dedicated to shaping the future of pulmonary and critical care medicine by training the next generation of leaders, educators, and innovators. Whether you aspire to excel in clinical practice, clinical research, or academic medicine, our fellowship provides the strong foundation you need to succeed – Vijay Ramalingam, MD, FCCP; Program Director
Take the next step in your career and apply.