Conferences

Core Curriculum

Topics that are central to the training of a combined intensivist/pulmonologist are presented each week. In preparation for the board exams and for clinical duty our goal is to review, in detail, every subject that is listed on the ABIM blueprint for both specialties. We have various speakers from within our department as well as guest speakers from radiology, pathology, thoracic surgery, nephrology, allergy, sleep medicine, and anesthesiology. Due to the emergence of COVID19, lectures are simultaneously cast as a teleconference as well.

Research Conference

From introduction to interpreting statistics to how to initiate an IRB approved study, the fellow is educated on how to approach and expand the scholarly aspect of their career. Speakers from our institutional review board, various faculty engaged in clinical and bench research, and special guest speakers teach our fellows how start and improve their projects. We are thankful for the guidance of our former Editor-in-Chief of CHEST, Dr. Richard Irwin, for leading us through our discussions.

Ultrasound Curriculum

Integrated into the year long syllabus are didactic lectures and hands-on laboratory sessions for point of care ultrasound. This tool has become essential in our daily rounds for diagnosis and intervention and Umass has made it a pillar of our training. Our ultrasound certified providers, some of whom serve as official educators for the American College of Chest Physicians, work intimately with our fellows. In recent years our fellows themselves have been experts and senior fellows have started their own curriculum for the internal medicine residency.

Critical Care Conference

A multidisciplinary and collegial approach to review core topics and the latest evidence in critical care medicine is the purpose of this weekly discussion. Our senior fellows as well as critical care faculty from anesthesiology, surgery, nephrology, and pulmonary medicine present case studies, M&M conferences, topic reviews, evidence based medicine, and recent landmark research studies. This is an opportunity for our fellows to develop broader relationships within the field of critical care and to learn different approaches to problem solving in the ICU.

Pulmonary Conference

Our fellows lead this interactive weekly conference and present to the entire pulmonary, allergy, and critical care department. Traditionally, a fellow takes a deep dive into an interesting case stimulating the audience to use all their clinical skills to arrive at a list of differential diagnoses as well as a management plan for the patient. Guest speakers from thoracic surgery, radiology, or pathology may add their expertise and often their insightful comments to the discussion.

Interstitial Lung Disease Conference

Management of diffuse parenchymal lung disease often requires a multidisciplinary approach. We engage our colleagues from radiology, rheumatology, and pathology to review difficult as well as interesting cases from our daily workflow. Our fellows have the privilege of working alongside our ILD experts and learning the fundamentals and intricacies of interpreting chest radiology. Fellows and attendings from various specialties are invited to present cases. Decision making in diagnosis and treatment is a principal goal for the fellow.

Thoracic Oncology Board

Also known commonly as tumor board, our fellows rotating with the interventional pulmonary medicine service review their weekly cases with a large group of providers from pulmonary medicine, radiology, pathology, oncology(medical and radiation), as well as thoracic surgery. There is a multidisciplinary approach to the management of patients with suspicion for malignancy, known cancer, pulmonary nodules, and concernin