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Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship Program

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Program Introduction

Temple University Hospital’s three-year Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship is recognized as one of the most rigorous, diverse, and prestigious training programs in the nation. At Temple, we are committed to our tripartite mission of patient care, research, and education, ensuring that our fellows are comprehensively prepared to excel in their careers.  

Key Highlights of Our Fellowship Program:

  • Dedicated Faculty: With over 39 faculty members, our program is led by passionate educators and highly respected clinicians who are committed to mentoring the next generation of pulmonary specialists.
  • Protected Time for Scholarship: We prioritize uninterrupted time for scholarly pursuits, research, and writing, supported by a strategic reduction in clinical hours and an increase in the number of fellows to ensure balance.
  • Pride in Tradition: Our faculty take great pride in being part of Temple, upholding the hospital’s 125-year legacy of advancing healthcare through research, education, and exceptional clinical care.
  • Large and Diverse Fellowship: As one of the nation's largest pulmonary and critical care training programs, we currently have 30 fellows who benefit from exposure to a large, diverse, and complex patient population.
  • Advanced Patient Care: Fellows gain significant experience with advanced lung disease patients, including both medical and surgical treatment options.
  • High-Volume Procedures: Our fellows engage in extensive procedural training, with over 1,500 interventional pulmonary procedures, 7,000 pulmonary function tests, and 2,500 sleep studies annually.
  • Top-Ranked Lung Transplant Program: Our lung transplant program ranks among the top five in the nation by volume, offering fellows unmatched experience in transplantation.
  • Advanced Lung Disease and Transplant Track: Our optional track, open to fellows beginning in their mid-second year, provides immersive clinical training at one of the largest lung transplant centers in the nation, with dedicated exposure to transplant evaluations, peri-transplant management, organ procurement, and post-transplant care.
  • Cutting-Edge Technology: We are at the forefront of life-saving technologies, including extracorporeal life support (ECLS), advanced bronchoscopy, and Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS).
  • Robust Clinical Trials Program: Our program is one of the most active and wellfunded in the country, with a strong focus on COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary vascular disease, and asthma.
  • Research: Our fellows pursue dedicated scholarly work in pulmonary and critical care, with protected time and faculty mentorship to support research in areas including COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary vascular disease, asthma, and sarcoidosis, among other diseases.
  • Simulation: Our fellows train in a state-of-the-art simulation center, with hands-on curriculum covering airway emergencies, ventilator management, bronchoscopy, resuscitation, and point-of-care ultrasound.

 

Message From the Program Director

Maria Elena Vega-Sanchez, MD

Maria Elena Vega-Sanchez, MD

Thank you for your interest in the Temple University Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Fellowship Program. Our mission is to train outstanding pulmonary and critical care physicians who cultivate clinical excellence, intellectual curiosity, and a lifelong commitment to learning, scholarship, and compassionate patient care. To achieve this mission, we provide fellows with exceptional clinical training, a comprehensive educational curriculum, and extensive opportunities for research and academic development.

Temple University Hospital is part of the Department of Thoracic Medicine and Surgery and serves as a large academic national referral center in North Philadelphia, caring for a diverse patient population with a broad spectrum of pulmonary and critical care illnesses. Fellows also rotate at our Jeanes Hospital campus, where they gain valuable experience in a busy community-based practice. This combination provides a unique opportunity to learn how high-quality care is delivered across both tertiary academic and community hospital settings.

A defining strength of our program is the breadth and complexity of the patients we care for. Fellows are involved in the management of patients with advanced and complex pulmonary and critical care diseases across a wide range of inpatient and outpatient settings. Temple is home to one of the leading lung transplant centers in the nation and one of the busiest transplant programs on the East Coast. Our fellowship offers a dedicated Advanced Lung Disease and Lung Transplant track, providing fellows with exceptional exposure to transplant medicine and advanced therapies. Our trainees are active participants in all aspects of transplant and advanced lung disease care, preparing them to become future leaders in the field.

We are also proud to offer cutting-edge therapies and technologies that distinguish Temple as a leader in pulmonary and critical care medicine. Our fellows train in a thriving ECMO program and receive extensive education in point-of-care ultrasound and advanced critical care procedures.

The best part of our program is our people. We foster a collegial, supportive, and inclusive environment where fellows are valued as both trainees and colleagues. Our faculty are committed to mentorship and fellow education, and we encourage fellows to become self-directed learners while providing the guidance and support needed to succeed.

It is a privilege to lead this program and to help train the next generation of pulmonary and critical care physicians. Our fellows' success is our success, and we are committed to helping each trainee achieve their individual career goals. We hope the information on our website is helpful as you begin the application process, and we thank you again for your interest in Temple University.