Application Process

The IP program consists of multidisciplinary teams providing care for a wide range of patients. The program is located at the University of Minnesota Medical Center (UMMC) in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis and Saint Paul). UMMC is a tertiary referral center, not only for Minnesota, but also neighboring states such as Iowa, Wisconsin, North and South Dakotas. It also serves international patients as part of Minnesota International Medicine (MIM). Our IP program provides multidisciplinary, integrated patient care. The team of providers has regular meetings with different disciplines, sharing a single clinic (Masonic Cancer Center in the main University campus) and performing some procedures jointly. The program meetings occur twice a week for case discussions with Thoracic Surgery, Chest Radiology, Interventional Radiology, Medical and Radiation Oncology. Therefore, the IP fellow will gain multifaceted experience during the training. 

The fellow is expected to regularly attend and present in the following multidisciplinary meetings: 
  • ILD meeting, every other Monday at noon, attended by ILD pulmonologists, Interventional Pulmonology and Chest Radiology
  • Pulmonary tumor board, every Tuesday at noon, attended by Thoracic Surgery, Interventional Pulmonology, Chest Radiology, Medical Oncology, Radiation Oncology and Lung Pathology
  • Lung Transplant meeting, every Thursday at 7 am, attended by Thoracic Surgery, Medical Transplant Pulmonology and Interventional Pulmonology
  • IP core curriculum meeting every Thursday at noon with one of the IP or Thoracic Surgery faculty to cover curriculum requirements outlined by AABIP
  • Pulmonary nodule/complex airway meeting, every Friday at 7 am, attended by Thoracic Surgery, Interventional Pulmonology, Chest Radiology, Interventional Radiology.

Besides these IP specific meetings, the fellow will also attend both the Department of Medicine and Department of Surgery M&M conferences and Grand Rounds based on appropriateness of the cases discussed and the topics.

The fellow will have 2 or 3 full days advanced/interventional pulmonology clinic in the Cancer Center each week alongside the IP faculty. The IP Fellow will also have opportunity to attend pulmonary IR and Thoracic Surgery clinics in the Cancer Center. The clinics provide service mostly to referred patients from internal, regional and international sources. The spectrum of patients varies from pulmonary nodule, bronchial thermoplasty evaluation to complex airway problems.

The remaining days will mainly be procedure days in the Endoscopy Unit and/or the OR. The trainee will also have the opportunity to scrub and assist the Thoracic Surgery faculty on common thoracic procedures such as video assisted sublobar, lobar resections, pneumonectomy, mediastinoscopy and TEMLA.

During the transition from AABIP to ACGME accreditation:

We fully intend to pursue and expect to receive ACGME accreditation. We will do this in accordance with requirements to ensure our IP fellow is eligible to take AABIP board certification exam. 

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Applications

  • Candidates must be completed or in an ACGME-accredited fellowship training in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. We offer one position per year. Applications are accepted through the Interventional Pulmonary Fellowship Application System. Please note that the last day of application is August 15.
  • Interviews usually held in September - October. We do participate in the National Resident Matching Program.
    We do not sponsor H1B or J-1 visas for this position.
     

Procedures

Diagnostic

  • Flexible bronchoscopy
  • Cryoprobe lung biopsy
  • Endobronchial ultrasound, linear and radial
  • Electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (2 units, one in Endoscopy, one in the OR)
  • Medical thoracoscopy
  • O-Arm
  • Ultrasound guided pulmonary nodule, lung mass, cervical node biopsy

Therapeutic bronchoscopy

  • Airway stent placement
  • Balloon bronchoplasty
  • Bronchial thermoplasty
  • Bronchoscopic Lung Volume Reduction
  • Endobronchial tumor debulking (APC, cryoprobe, electrocautery, microdebrider)
  • Indwelling pleural catheter placement
  • Intrabronchial valve placement
  • LASER
  • Percutaneous Tracheostomy
  • Pleurodesis
  • Rigid bronchoscopy
  • Transesophageal endoscopic ultrasound
  • Whole lung lavage

Required Activities

  • Clinical training and duties in IP
  • Clinical activity as Pulmonary/Critical Care Staff
  • Academic/Scholarship Expectations: Besides the duties listed above as a faculty and fellow, the fellow is expected to complete a research project and present it in a national/international meeting. Upon starting fellowship the fellow will be assigned and/or choose several projects and will be expected to finish and publish their work with the faculty as journal articles. There are opportunities to partner with the Medical Device Center and its Innovation Fellowship Program at the University of Minnesota to develop IP related devices and equipment. There also is a very strong local biomedical device industry for potential collaboration.

Evaluation

The fellow will be monitored throughout the fellowship to ensure gaining proficiency in all aspects of the training not only in procedural skills but also in academic activities and development. There will be monthly formal meetings with the fellowship program director and the supervising faculty to exchange evaluations from faculty to fellow and fellow to the faculty.

Salary and Benefits

  • The fellowship position is designed in a way that the fellow will be hired as an Instructor in the Department of Medicine to serve as faculty by attending ICU, consults and tele-ICU services during their training. Therefore, the salary will be at the level of an Instructor.

  • 3 weeks of vacation and 1 week of CME time for meetings.

  • Other employee benefits by the University of Minnesota and University of Minnesota Physicians.

    During the transition from AABIP to ACGME accreditation, we fully intend to pursue and expect to receive ACGME accreditation. We will do this in accordance with requirements to ensure our IP fellow is eligible to take AABIP board certification exam. 

Contact Us

Program Director

Image of Dr. Abbie Begnaud

Abbie Begnaud, MD
paccsedu@umn.edu 

Associate Program Director

Image of Jennifer Wong

Jennifer Wong, MD

Program Coordinator

Kristine Christopherson
paccsedu@umn.edu