Surgical Critical Care, Trauma & Burn

About the Program

• Surgical Critical Care (SCC): ACGME accredited program for 24 years with 100% Board pass rate under the Department of Surgery at Stroger Hospital.
• Trauma/Burn Fellowship: High-acuity, non-ACGME-accredited program within the Department of Trauma and Burn.
• Two-Year Combined Fellowship: A robust program split between the Departments of Surgery and Trauma, providing comprehensive training.

The programs provide advanced training, academic excellence, and leadership opportunities for managing critically injured patients.

Cook County Health Department of Surgery
Surgical Critical Care Fellowship at John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital

• About Stroger Hospital
  • Renowned urban public hospital with over 100 years of high-quality medical training.
  • Historically significant: By the 1960s, nearly half of U.S. physicians had trained here.
  • Offers hands-on experience managing advanced surgical diseases in a diverse, complex patient population.
• Cook County Health Division of Surgical Critical Care
  • Staffed by board-certified trauma/critical care surgeons, critical care anaesthesiologists, pharmacists, dietitians, and seasoned nurses.
  • SICU Overview:
    • 4-bed unit with 600+ admissions annually.
    • Manages acute and chronic surgical conditions alongside complex comorbidities.
    • Admits patients from:
      • General Surgery (40%),
      • Cardiothoracic (25%),
      • Vascular (25%),
      • ENT (5%),
      • Plastics (2%),
      • Urology (2%),
      • Orthopaedics, Obstetrics-Gynecology (1%)
• Fellow Leadership & Education
  • Fellows lead resident and medical student teams, providing bedside critical care.
  • Daily evidence-based education shared between Attendings and Fellows.
• Key Highlights
  • Fellows are given graduated autonomy
  • High-acuity Cardiothoracic population requiring advanced cardiac support:
    • Swan-Ganz catheters, aortic balloon pumps, Impella, and ECMO.
• Close collaboration with a dedicated Cardiothoracic Surgical Fellow for optimal patient care.
• Operative experience
  • During the first year, the Fellows will have the unique opportunity to join the cardiothoracic surgery service for exposure, cannulation, and VATS/robotic thoracic cases.

Cook County Health Department of Trauma & Burn

• First Comprehensive Trauma Center in the U.S., founded in 1966.
• Only Freestanding Trauma Department in the country, allowing a singular focus on trauma care while working closely with Surgery and Emergency Medicine.
• Scope of Care:
  • Pre-hospital care, initial resuscitation, complex surgical management, critical care, convalescence, and psychosocial recovery
• Key Highlights:
  • 5,500 trauma admissions annually
  • 1,000 burn evaluations annually with 400+ burn admissions
  • 30% penetrating trauma cases
• Facilities:
  • 15-bed trauma resuscitation area
  • 12-bed closed trauma ICU
  • 6-bed burn ICU
  • 14-bed closed burn wound unit
  • Dedicated trauma and burn clinics