Interventional Pulmonology Fellowship

​Program Description

Applicants for the Interventional Pulmonology Fellowship program must have completed a three-year training program in pulmonary and critical care medicine and be eligible or certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine.

All applications must be received through the AIPPD application System. This ensures consistency of documentation and makes review even and fair. We participate in the NRMP. Our NRMP number is -----

Applicants must come from ACGME-certified, U.S. pulmonary and critical care fellowship programs.

Applicants are invited to interview based on review of the following criteria:

• Letters of recommendation
• Research experience (including publications)
• Personal statement
• Additional degrees (including PhD and MPH degrees)
• USMLE/COMLEX scores
• Awards and honors (including selection for chief residency, AOA)

Applications are reviewed by a selection team comprised of the program directorm, assistant program directors, and key PSCCM faculty. Fellows who have worked with or helped entertain applicants are invited to submit comments.

Joint IP fellowship at Colorado University (CU) and National Jewish Health (NJH) offers a unique learning experience under multiple board certified IP specialists in two very different environments.

Fellows will spend approximately 50% of their IP fellowship training at the NJH. At the NJH, fellows will rotate with two board-certified IP physicians in clinics, dedicated IP suite, operating rooms and in-patient service.  CU program is based in an academic/university hospital with a 24 hour in house surgical and medical sub specialty support. A dedicated hybrid (bronchoscopy suite and an operating room) IP suite at the CU provides a unique opportunity to perform wide range of bronchoscopic and minimally invasive surgical procedures in the same room. Currently our IP program accepts one fellow per year. We participates in IPFAS and NRMP for the IP fellowship application processes and our IP fellowship is accredited by AABIP/AIPPD.

The primary goal of the fellowship training program in Interventional Pulmonology (IP) is to provide our traineeswith a one year, comprehensive graduate medical education experience in a learning environment which offers the knowledge, skills and professionalism required to develop into a proficient specialist in IP.IP fellows are assigned responsibilities that are commensurate with their level of training, and receive appropriate supervision from faculty attending physicians in all aspects of patient care. 

The fellowship training focuses on closely supervised patient evaluation and management, largely based on inpatient, outpatient and procedural experience. The year consists of two to three half day clinics, two to three half days of bronchoscopic and pleural procedures and daily rounds on two to three inpatients. Trainee call is athome call defined as a call taken from outside the assigned institution. 

• The fellow will achieve the ability to evaluate patients independently from Interventional Pulmonology perspective by means of comprehensive history and physical examination and supervised ordering of diagnostic tests. 
• The fellow will demonstrate the ability to formulate a clinical assessment and treatment plan under the close supervision of an attending physician. 
• The fellow is expected to complete all medical records in a timely fashion, and is expected to comply with all necessary documentation that is designed to track the activities of the program, including procedure documentation. 
• The fellow will learn and develop, with supervision, clinical and procedural skills that are essential for the practice of interventional pulmonology: 
  • Difficult airway management 
  • Management of massive hemoptysis
  • Management of obstructed airway
  • Lung cancer diagnosis and staging
  • Management of complex pleural effusion
  • Diagnostic bronchoscopy with lung, mediastinal lymph node, and airway biopsy and lavage
  • Advanced diagnostic bronchoscopy with tools such endobronchial ultrasound, navigational, and radial ultrasound
  • Therapeutic bronchoscopy with flexible and rigid bronchosco
  • Tumor ablation with modalities such as laser and electrocautery
  • Airway stent placement, metal and silicone
  • Airway stent removal
  • Foreign body removal
  • Endobronchial valve placement 
  • Airway Thermoplasty
  • Percutaneous tracheostomy
  • Pleural procedures including:
  • In-dwelling pleural catheter placement
  • Pleurodesis
  • Medical Pleuroscopy
  • ​Management of pneumothorax (needle insertion and drainage systems chest tubes and drainage systems.​

The fellow will teach medical residents clinical medicine relevant to their patients.

The fellow will provide comprehensive patient care in the outpatient setting through 2-3 half days a week of continuity clinic supervised by an attending physicians.

The fellow will actively participate in the all required core conference series lectures, Thoric Oncology Tumor Board, Thoracic Oncology Multidisciplinary Clinic, and Lung Cancer Screening /Nodule Clinic. 

At the conclusion of training, the fellow must be able to evaluate, propose treatment plans, and perform procedures for patients with a broad range of problems in Interventional Pulmonary independently.

At the UCH, the fellows will rotate with the IP fellowship program director as well as with cardiothoracic surgery, medical oncology, and ENT surgery.

The IP fellow is expected to demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills in all interactions with colleagues, ancillary personnel, and patients. 

Fellows’ Scholarly Activities

UCH must provide an opportunity for fellows to participate in research or other scholarly activities, including:

A research project (with faculty mentorship); or,

• ​Participation with the faculty in the initiation or conduct of clinical trials within the department; or,
• Participation in quality assurance/quality improvement or process improvement projects; or,
• Submit and present original investigation or case reports at regional, national, or international meetings; or,
• Submit original investigation in the field of IP for publication in a peer-reviewed journal 

Organization of IP Fellowship:

July 1-7: Orientation with PCCM fellows

July 17-19: Boot Camp

Dec 15-30: CT surgery rotation

Oct 10-25: ENT surgery rotation​

Weekly and Daily Schedule:

Didactic / Conference Schedule:

Fridays 8-9am:

First Friday of the month: Case Conference / didactic lecture by the faculty- NJH

Second Friday of the month: M & M- TBD

Third Friday of the month: Journal Club- TBD

Fourth Friday of the month:  Didactic lecture by the faculty- CU- RC2 9th floor

Wednesday: 12-1pm

Medical Grand Rounds UCD

Thursday: 7.30-8.30am

PCCM Grand Rounds- NJH


How to apply for UC-NJH IP fellowship program

Please submit your appliaction to IPFAS: IPFAS application system

We also participate in the NRMP: NRMP website​

• ​Three letters of recommendations
• A personal statement
• Your updated CV
• USMLE scores
• Copy of your IM and pulmonary board certificates (critical care or any other board certification if available)