Two members of the UM Department of Interventional Pulmonology pose with medical instruments in a surgical lab.

Our fellows acquire competency in Interventional Pulmonology with expertise to act as independent consultants and expert providers of complex and advanced interventional procedures.

The fellowship combines robust didactic instruction with extensive clinical experience in the management of patients requiring advanced diagnostic and therapeutic airway and pleural procedures.

During the 12-month training program, fellows develop proficiency in procedures for the management of non-malignant airway, malignant airway, pleural, mediastinal and parenchymal lung diseases.

Fellows will achieve proficiency in:

  • Management of central airway obstruction (malignant and non-malignant)
  • Safe and effective use of ablative modalities in the airway
  • Use of minimally invasive modalities in the diagnosis, staging and treatment of lung cancer
  • Use of advanced diagnostic techniques in tissue sampling for diffuse parenchymal lung disease
  • Bronchoscopic placement of devices for specific disease states
  • Percutaneous tracheostomy
  • Use of medical pleuroscopy in diagnostic and therapeutic applications for pleural diseases
  • Management of complications related to pulmonary procedures

The program emphasizes the multi-disciplinary care of patients that is carefully constructed, timely and coordinated among many team members. Fellows will acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to manage patients with diverse and challenging disease states unique to the field.

Training Sites

Fellows will train at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) and have a continuity clinic at the UMMC–Midtown Campus.

UMMC includes the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, UM Children’s Hospital and the NCI-designated UM Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center. The training environment is robust with a diverse patient population.

Curriculum

The well-rounded 12-month curriculum includes a one-month rotation with thoracic surgery and one month dedicated to academic research activities.

These robust experiences further enhance the training of the IP fellow and foster collaboration with physician colleagues.

The typical weekly schedule is below.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

8 am to 12 pm: IP Clinic at UMMC–Midtown

7 am to 6 pm: UMMC Inpatient Consults and Procedures 7 am to 6 pm: UMMC Inpatient Consults and Procedures 7 am to 6 pm: UMMC OR Procedures
7 am to 6 pm: UMMC Inpatient Consults and Procedures
12 pm to 6 pm: UMMC Inpatient Consults and Procedures Optional: UMMC–Midtown Procedures      

Clinical training is supplemented with high-yield educational activities, including:

  • IP fellows' boot camp in July 
  • AIPPD Career Development course in December 
  • Advanced IP fellows’ course in February 
  • Monthly AABIP webinars
  • Online AABIP/AIPPD IP fellow curriculum
  • Hands-on cadaver labs with visiting professors, hosted by our program twice per year
  • National and international conferences, including AABIP, CHEST and ATS

Conferences

Mondays

  • 12 pm—PCCSM Division Conference
  • 4 pm—Multidisciplinary Thoracic Oncology Tumor Board
  • 5:30 pm—Multi-institutional IP Conference

Wednesdays

  • 7 am—Multi-institutional IP Conference
  • 12 pm—Multidisciplinary Complex Airway Conference (monthly)

Research

The Interventional Pulmonology fellow will participate in active clinical research endeavors. Fellows will have protected time to perform clinical and translational research in areas of mutual interest with faculty and are expected to present an abstract at a national meeting.

The fellow will foster and further the overall mission of the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine.

Special Features

  • Dedicated thoracic radiologists
  • Availability of rapid on-site cytology
  • Access to simulation centers and a cadaver lab