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Career Pathways

The training goal of our division is to provide mentorship and guidance for each fellow to develop a career path that best fits his or her interests and aspirations. The University of Iowa Pulmonary/Critical Care Division has developed four career paths: Master Clinician Pathway; Medical Education Pathway; Clinical Investigator Pathway and Basic Research Pathway. The different career paths are designed to produce physicians who will have the skills and training to become leaders in their field of expertise - in academic medicine or in the community. The common threads throughout each path are the pursuit of excellence and contribution to scholarship (broadly defined). Fellows will identify a career path at the end of their first year and then work with their individual mentors and the program leadership to develop an individualized comprehensive curriculum. It is important to recognize that these pathways are not “silos” – there may be crossover or hybridization between them – depending on the goals and aspirations of each fellow.

Master Clinician Pathway

The goal of the Master Clinician Pathway is to develop the skills and knowledge to provide specialized patient care at the highest level – and to be a “go to” clinical leader at the national and/or local level. Master Clinicians should also be educators and may also participate in clinical research. Requirements (final requirements determined by each fellow’s mentoring committee) for this pathway include:

  1. Completion of common core requirements
  2. Two (or more) additional months of clinical service in both the second and third year of fellowship. This would usually involve more general training in the second year and more specialized training in the third year. The potential clinical services are diverse and include – ICU training in the SICU, CVICU or Burn Unit, RSCU, Anesthesia, consultative services both within and outside the Division/Department, Sleep Medicine Training, echocardiography, right heart catheterization, etc.
  3. Chest Radiology Training.
  4. Completion of the FACE program.
  5. Additional subspecialty clinic experience – as determined by the specific interests of the fellow.
  6. Completion of the University of Iowa Department of Internal Medicine Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Fellows curriculum – with development and completion of a Patient Safety/QI project.
  7. Scholarly Activity: examples - completion of a book chapter, review article, case report or manuscript of a QI/PS project.
  8. Involvement in case conferences, lectures, etc - as determined by the specific interests of the fellow.
  9. Attendance at a national meeting - ATS, ACCP, etc – in each of the second and third years.
  10. Mentoring committee review meetings every six months during the second and third years.

Medical Education Pathway

The goal of the Medical Education Pathway is to prepare the fellow for an academic career in medical education. This pathway also recognizes that clinical expertise plays a foundational role in clinical education. Requirements (final requirements determined by each fellow’s mentoring committee) for this pathway include:

  1. Completion of common core requirements.
  2. Completion of the Masters or Certificate Program in Medical Education (tuition supported by the division)
  3. Completion of a Patient Safety/Quality Improvement project – potentially centered on education.
  4. Participation in medical student, resident and peer education
  5. Scholarly activity:
    • Development of an educational portfolio with a series of presentations to a diversity of audiences (lay persons, medical students, residents, peer) on an area of clinical interest – with a minimum of 8 self-authored presentations
    • Development of a new curriculum project – for example, educational modules for students and/or residents on the pulmonary consultation service.
    • Dissemination of research/curriculum development is highly recommended: e.g. publication in a peer-reviewed medical education journal (Journal of Graduate Medical Education for example) or presentation at an education meeting (AAMC for example).
  6. Attendance at a meeting focused on medical education – PCCM Program Director Meeting, AAMC or ACGME regional/national meetings.
  7. Mentoring committee review meetings every six months during the second and third years.

Clinical Research Pathway

The goal of the Clinical Research pathway is to develop the skills and expertise for a successful academic career in Clinical Research.

  1. Completion of common core requirements
  2. Completion of a Master’s degree, Certificate Program or selected coursework in Clinical and Translational Science, Public Health or other graduate program (tuition supported by the division).
  3. Identification of a research project/mentor(s) – 18 months of clinical research during second and third years of fellowship (minus time devoted to COC and subspecialty clinics and sleep medicine/exercise testing requirements).
  4. Scholarly activity:
    • Development of a research proposal – with submission to the IRB if appropriate
    • Presentation/publication of research
    • Apply for peer-reviewed funding – if appropriate, depending on the research project.
  5. Attend a workshop on scientific writing and presentation
  6. Attendance at 1 (or more) IRB meetings
  7. Presentation of research yearly at the divisional Research Conference
  8. Mentoring committee review meetings every six months during the second and third years.
  9. Option for a 4th and 5th year of research experience supported by the training grant.

Basic Science Research Pathway

The goal of the Basic Science Research pathway is to develop the skills and expertise for a successful academic career in Basic Science Research

  1. Completion of common core requirements.
  2. Identification of a research project/mentor(s) – 18 months of basic research during second and third years of fellowship (minus time devoted to COC and subspecialty clinics and sleep medicine/exercise testing requirements).
    • Development of a research proposal – with submission to the IRB and/or Animal Care Committee if appropriate
    • Presentation (nationally)/publication of research findings
    • Apply for peer-reviewed funding
  3. Attend a workshop(s) on scientific/grant writing and presentation.
  4. Option for a 4th and 5th year of research experience supported by the training grant.
  5. Presentation of research yearly at the divisional Research Conference
  6. Mentoring committee review meetings every six months during the second and third years.