The Chief of the Division of Critical Care is Dr. Robert N. Sladen, who is Medical Director of the Cardiothoracic and Surgical Intensive Care Units and Medical Director of Respiratory Therapy at Columbia University Medical Center. Dr. Sladen is a Fellow of the American College of Critical Care Medicine (FCCM) and a Past-President of the Society of Critical Care Anesthesiologists (SOCCA).
The Critical Care Division consists of a group of dedicated critical care anesthesiology faculty, including Dr. Sladen (Chief), and Drs. Tricia Brentjens, Matthew Coleman, Brigid Flynn, Sumeet Goswami, Desmond Jordan, Steven Miller, Vivek Moitra, Joseph Rumley, Peter Salgo, Julia Sobol, Gebhard Wagener, Staffan Wahlander, Brian Woods and Hannah Wunsch.
The Division provides Medical Direction for the Milstein and Heart Center Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Units (CTICU, 27 beds) and Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU, 16 beds). at Columbia University Medical Center. Together, the units admit about 2200 patients a year, and provide postoperative care for patients undergoing transplantation (heart, lung, liver and pancreas), ventricular assist device insertion, CABG and valvular surgery, major thoracic surgery, major vascular surgery and a wide variety of general and subspecialty surgical procedures. The units are closed: all orders must be written by the ICU team, but there is close collaboration with the Surgery, Cardiology, Pulmonary Medicine and Transplant services involved. Strong emphasis is given to the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to critical care involving colleagues from other services, nurses and paramedical personnel.
The Division is responsible for the training of Anesthesiology Critical Care Medicine (ACCM) Fellows, residents in anesthesiology and surgery, and medical students on the CTICU-SICU subinternship. The teaching experience embraces all aspects of critical care, including placement and management of invasive hemodynamic monitors, invasive and non-invasive ultrasound, ventilator management, renal replacement therapy, use of drug infusion techniques, nutritional support, infectious disease control and medical ethics.
Anesthesiology residents spend a minimum of four months in critical care during their PGY-1 through PGY-4 years. As PGY-1, 2 or 3 residents they work under the direct supervision of the Critical Care Fellows and ICU Attendings. Residents help to supervise and teach medical students on the ICU subinternship.
In the SICU, PGY-1 and PGY-2 anesthesiology residents work together with PGY-1 residents in surgery. The emphasis is on the fundamentals of critical care, acute pain management, nutritional support and management of sepsis. The patient mix includes liver and pancreas transplantation, thoracic, vascular, general and subspecialty surgery.
In the CTICU, PGY-2 and PGY-3 anesthesiology residents work together with PGY-2 surgery residents and physician assistants. The emphasis is on hemodynamic and ventilatory management and postoperative care after cardiac surgery, including heart and lung transplantation, insertion of ventricular assist devices, valve replacement and on- and off-bypass revascularization.
PGY-4 residents work as Junior Fellows and together with the ACCM Fellows supervise and teach PGY-1 through PGY-3 residents, and share the call coverage with the ICU Fellows.
Residents may apply for the ACGME accredited Anesthesiology Critical Care Medicine (ACCM) Fellowship for their CA-4 year. The Fellowship is accredited by the American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA) to achieve eligibility for ABA certification in Critical Care Medicine.
Critical Care Educational Activities for Residents
ICU Teaching Conference (ICU 101): Every Monday, Tuesday, Friday 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Venue: SICU Conference Room, Milstein Hospital 4th Floor
This Conference is coordinated by Dr. Brian Woods. Three days a week a one-hour tutorial is presented to the ICU residents, medical students, physician assistants and nurse practitioners. It provides didactic coverage of the ICU Core Curriculum to supplement rounds and bedside teaching by the ICU Faculty, Fellows, pharmacists and nutritionists.
Critical Care Grand Rounds (CCGR): Every Thursday 3:00 - 4:00 p.m., September through June.
Venue: Heart Center, 1st Floor, Conference Rooms 1 & 2
Critical Care Grand Rounds is a conference open to all staff at Columbia University Medical Center with an interest in critical care medicine. The audience includes faculty and house staff, nursing staff, therapists, pharmacists and medical students. Columbia University Faculty and Visiting Professors who are experts in critical care and related fields, present lectures.
Faculty
Tricia Brentjens, MD
Matthew Coleman, MD
Brigid Flynn, MD
Sumeet Goswami, MD
Desmond Jordan, MD
Steven E. Miller, MD
Vivek Moitra, MD
Joseph Rumley, MD
Peter Salgo, MD
Robert Sladen, MD, FCCM (Chief of Division)
Julia Sobol, MD
Gebhard Wagener, MD
Staffan Wahlander, MD
Brian Woods, MD
Hannah Wunsch, MD, M.Sc.
Critical Care Fellows 2010-2011
Insung Chung, MD
Adam Evans, MD
May Hua, MD
Navraj Kahlon, MD
Shreyajit Kumar, MD
Lloyd Meeks, MD
Katherine Palmieri, MD
Jennifer Sandadi, MD
Critical Care Fellows 2011-2012
Martin Chen, MD
Nishant Gandhi, DO
Elrond Teo, MBBS
Mabel Chung, MD
Julia Weinkauf, MD
Elaine Yang, MD
Olof Viktorsdottir, MD
Horia Rus, MD
For further information, contact:
Ms. Anke Freude
Division Administrative Assistant
Phone: 212-305-8633
Email: af2409@columbia.edu
