Specialty Designation
Fellowship
Specialty Code
149
Type
Specialty
Specialty Description

Pulmonary/critical care medicine encompasses a wide variety of patient care opportunities and offers a large spectrum of practice opportunities. The majority of pulmonary/critical care specialists enjoy a practice that provides care for both inpatients and outpatients.

Completing training
34
With known plans
30
Pursuing more training
24
Practicing in the US
4
Group practice
2
In same specialty
4
In same state as program
1
Academician
2
Full-time
2
Academic year
2022
Number of accredited programs
20
Length of accredited training
2
Minimum number of prior years required
3
Offers graduate year 1 positions, available immediately upon medical school completion
No
Average number of PY1 interviews
17.20
Percent of programs requiring Step 1 score for interview
85.00
Percent of programs requiring Level 1 score (for DOs) for interview
50.00
Total number of active residents/fellows
59.00
Average number of residents/fellows
2.90
Average percent female
31.40
Average percent international medical graduates
85.70
Average percent DOs
5.60
Average number of full-time physician faculty
8.80
Average number of part-time physician faculty
0.90
Average percent female full-time physician faculty
24.60
Average ratio of full-time physician faculty to resident/fellow
4.50
Average hours on duty per week
59.20
Average maximum consecutive hours on duty
15.40
Average days off duty per week
1.60
Average percent of training in hospital outpatient clinics
26.60
Average percent of training in non-hospital ambulatory care community settings
9.60
Average number of days of vacation
20.10
Average resident/fellow compensation
71074.52
Parent Specialties
Specialty Overview

What does a pulmonary/critical care specialist do?

Pulmonary/critical care medicine encompasses a wide variety of patient care opportunities and offers a large spectrum of practice opportunities. The majority of pulmonary/critical care specialists enjoy a practice that provides care for both inpatients and outpatients.

Inpatient care involves critically ill patients with multiorgan system disease and requires the ability to synthesize large amounts of data (labs, test results, etc.) while also coordinating care with other disciplines, as caring for the critically ill is an interdisciplinary endeavor. While the majority of pulmonary/critical care practitioners work in general intensive care unit (ICU) settings, providing care for a wide variety of patients, some specialists choose to specialize even further and work primarily in neurological units, cardiac units, etc. More commonly, specialists alternate time caring for patients in the ICU with caring for inpatients with pulmonary diseases and also providing longitudinal care for a population of clinic patients with pulmonary disorders. Thus there are many options to tailor one’s practice to fit a desired work-life balance.

Some specialists transition from caring for ICU patients to doing more outpatient work as they progress in their careers. There is also the opportunity to further specialize in the outpatient arena, with some specialists focusing on asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sarcoidosis, interstitial lung disease, pulmonary hypertension, lung cancer and lung transplantation.

Pulmonary/critical care specialists enjoy performing procedures such as bronchoscopy, chest tube insertion, intubation, thoracentesis and central line placement. Interventional pulmonology is a growing field, with providers performing bronchoscopic removal of tumors via laser and other modalities, percutaneous tracheotomy placement in the ICU, and advanced pleural procedures such as insertion of pleural catheters to drain malignant effusions.

Association

 

Thumbnail

American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST)
2595 Patriot Blvd.
Glenview, IL 60026
(224) 521-9800
chestnet.org

 

American Thoracic Society 
25 Broadway
New York, NY 10004
Phone: (212) 315-8600
Email: [email protected]
https://www.thoracic.org/

Grad Year
2022