The University of Minnesota Division of Critical Care and Acute Care Surgery is dedicated to providing expert care in Surgical Critical Care, Trauma, and Emergency General Surgery. We have the opportunity to impact the lives of patients with emergent surgical disease, acute traumatic injury, and critical illness by providing dedicated 24/7 care across a number of clinical sites in the Twin Cities including the University of Minnesota Medical Center, North Memorial’s Level I Trauma Center, and across the M Health Fairview system.

Founded by Frank B. Cerra, our Division has been at the forefront of Surgical Critical Care since the emergence of the specialty and started one of the first Surgical Critical Care fellowships in the United States.  We provide cutting edge, multidisciplinary care for all critically ill patients throughout our academic health care system.  In addition, we have been pioneers in implementation of Tele-ICU for hospitals that wouldn’t otherwise have immediate access to critical care expertise.

As academic Acute Care Surgeons, we are dedicated to advancing our field and improving the care we provide through innovative research. Our leadership in the Translation Center for Resuscitative Trauma Care seeks to improve trauma care beginning at the scene of injury in austere, low-resource, rural, and military settings.  Critical Care and Acute Care Surgery faculty have received funding from the NIH, AHRQ, Department of Defense and Industry partners to support basic/translational research, artificial intelligence enabled decision support tools, and clinical trials to improve care pathways and develop novel interventions to improve outcomes in acute surgical and trauma patients. 

Our Mission

  1. To be clinical leaders by providing high-quality, evidence-based patient care across the spectrum of Acute Care Surgery in a respectful and equitable fashion
  2. Develop our trainees into future leaders in Acute Care Surgery through didactic and bedside education, robust clinical experience, and individualized mentorship
  3. Improve outcomes of critically ill and severely injured patients through cutting edge clinical, translational and informatics research
  4. Provide collaborative, multidisciplinary critical care across our Health System and region

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Surgical Critical Care Fellowship

Our Surgical Critical Care Fellowship Program at the University of Minnesota is a one-year ACGME-accredited program that accepts up to five clinical fellows per year. The fellowship program provides in-depth exposure to the main principles of critical care encompassing the range of surgical disease including complex general surgery, transplant, cardiac, and ECMO.  Fellows have the opportunity to rotate to diverse clinical sites during the fellowship including the University of Minnesota Medical Center, North Memorial Medical Center, Regions Hospital and Fairview Southdale.  

Educational Conferences

University of Minnesota Medical Center:

Tuesday
7:00-9:00 a.m.: Department of Surgery M&M / Grand Rounds
Noon: EGS Surgical Indications Conference

Wednesday
7:30-9:00 a.m. (monthly): Combined Critical Care Conference and Journal Club

North Memorial Trauma Center:

Thursday
7:30-8:30 a.m.: EGS Case Review

Friday
7:45-8:30 a.m.: Trauma Case Review

Global Surgery

Since 2016, Critical Care and Acute Care Surgery faculty Dr. Jennifer Rickard has developed a global surgery partnership with the University of Rwanda. Through this partnership, Dr. Rickard has engaged in clinical care and facilitating educational and research partnerships. 

University of Rwanda Critical Care Module
Each year Dr. Rickard participates in a critical care educational program for second year surgery residents at the University of Rwanda. This course encompasses approximately 30 hours of didactic teaching each year as well as a day of simulation exercises. Over the past 5 years, we have taught 42 different surgery residents. 

Minnesota Rwanda Travel Scholars
The University of Minnesota has provided funding to support Rwandans to present their research at the Academic Surgical Congress (ASC) and then spend a week observing at the University of Minnesota. To date, we have supported travel for 9 different Rwandans to ASC and Minnesota. 

Research Mentorship
We have collaborated on more than 45 peer-reviewed manuscripts from Rwanda (all with Rwandan co-authors). Of these, 31 had a Rwandan as first or last author. 
The University of Minnesota recently began a research mentorship program for Rwandan Junior Faculty. In this next year, we will mentor a team of 6-8 junior surgeons on how to develop a sustainable academic research program. 

Trauma and Surgical Critical Care Fellowship
In collaboration with the American College of Surgeons, Dr. Rickard is leading a team to develop a trauma and surgical critical care fellowship program in Rwanda (the first in the region!) The Fellowship program hopes to begin recruitment and enrollment beginning in April 2025. 

RMP

Alumni

 

2023-2024
Mohammad Al Zoubi, M.D.
Nora Burkart, M.D.
Muhammad Ikram, M.D.
Kevin Kirkland, M.D.
Derek Tessman, D.O.

2022-2023
Mohannad Al-Tarakji, M.D.
Umakanth Avula, M.D.
Brandon Lyle, M.D.
Riann Robbins, M.D.
Sophia Toraby, M.D.

2021-2022
Ahmad Abutaka, MBBS
Joseph Brandt, D.O.
Arnes Huskić, M.D.
Lukas Mueller, M.D.
Jared Tomlinson, M.D.

2020-2021:
Mirza Ahmad, M.D.
Leith Brown, D.O.
Lucas Deschenes, M.D.
Kendall McEachron, M.D.
Branden Petrun, M.D.

2019-2020:
Brent Bauman, M.D.
Rick Siel, M.D.
Jacob Swann, M.D.
Irwin White-Gittens, M.D.

2018-2019
David Martin, M.D.
Neil Mashruwala, M.D.
Rachel Morris, M.D.
Ehren Rudolph, M.D, Ph.D.
Salma Shaker, M.D.

2017-2018
Samuel Baughman, M.D.
Maxwell Busch, M.D.
Kristin Colling, M.D.
Vicente Undurraga Perl, M.D.

2016-2017
Osama Alsaied, M.D.
Loren Bach, M.D.
Kelsey Berndt, M.D.
Nicholas Davis, M.D.

2015-2016
Patrick McGonagill, M.D.
Rachel Ott, M.D.
Jennifer Rickard, M.D.
Kyle Schmitz, M.D.

2014-2015
Kelly Galey, M.D.
Luke Hawes, M.D.
Urogupatei Iyegha, M.D.
Ashley Marek, M.D.

2013-2014
Monica Chaudhuri, M.D.
Ryan Deisler, M.D.
Jennifer Roberts, M.D.
Khaled Zreik, M.D.

2012-2013
Joseph Farhat, M.D.
Jon Gayken, M.D.
Kristin Ritter, M.D.
Elizabeth Ziemba Colsen, M.D.

2011-2012
Jose Esguerra, M.D.
Jeremy Ludtke, M.D.
Sarah Storrs, M.D.
Raid Yousef, M.D.

2010-2011
Robert Bulander, M.D.
James Kong, M.D.
Ryan Fey, M.D.
Torfi Hoskuldsson, M.D.

2009-2010
Kaysie L. Banton, M.D.
Mollie M. James, D.O., M.P.H.
Heather Townsend, M.D.

2008-2009
Michael Diodato, M.D.
Christopher Kasal, M.D.
Samuel Marquez, M.D., M.A.
Christopher Nielsen, M.D.

2007-2008
Jessica Gutierrez, M.D.
Sheryl Sahr, M.D.
Angelo Santos, M.D.
Greg Sherr, M.D.

2006-2007
Jared Bernard, M.D.
Michael Galle, M.D.
James Harmon, M.D.
Jeremy Juern, M.D.

2004-2005
Janet Bellingham, M.D.
Jon Fuerstenberg, M.D.

2003-2004
Mark Hill, M.D.
Charles Watts, M.D., PhD.

2002-2003
Bruce Bennett, M.D.

2001-2002
Jodie Taylor, M.D.

2000-2001
Jeffrey Chipman, M.D.
Victor Joe, M.D.
Rene Relos, M.D.

 

1999-2000
Robert Acton, M.D.
David Wong, M.D.

1998-1999
Susan C Seatter, M.D.
David Wong, M.D.

1997-1998
Walter Cholewczynski, M.D.
Suneel Khetarpal, M.D.

1996-1997
Mitchell Farber, M.D.
Barry Platnick, M.D.
Sarah Willard, M.D.

1995-1996
John K. Baxter, III, M.D.
Thomas J. Johnson, M.D.
Mary Li, M.D.

1994-1995
Terrence Liu, M.D.
David A. Provost, M.D.
Catherine M. Wittgen, M.D.

1993-1994
Gregory Beilman, M.D.
Akella Chendrasekhar, M.D.
Craig Walvatne, M.D.

1992-1993
Alan Beal, M.D.
Manuel Castro, M.D.
Thomas Veverka, M.D.

1991-1992
Paul E. Bankey, M.D.
Mark Cipolle, M.D.
Michael D. Pasquale, M.D.

1990-1991
Barry W. Feig, M.D.
Sharon Henry, M.D.
John E. Mazuski, M.D.

1989-1990
Anthony Bottini, M.D.
Paul Druck, M.D.
Lincoln Snyder, M.D.

1988-1989
Richard G. Barton, M.D.

1987-1988
Larry T. Micon, M.D.

1986-1987
Jerome H. Abrams, M.D.
Roderick A. Barke, M.D.

1985-1986
William K. Becker, M.D.

1984-1985
Steven D. Eyer, M.D.

1983-1984
Clifford Deutschman, M.D.

1982-1983
Arthur Santos, M.D.
Marvin McMillen, M.D., FACS

Melissa Brunsvold, MD, FACS, FCCM, Announced as ACGME Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach Award Recipient
Dr. Brunsvold

Dr. Melissa Brunsvold, Professor in the Division of Critical Care & Acute Care Surgery and Vice Chair for Surgical Education, has been selected as one of ten program directors in the nation to receive the esteemed Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach Award.

Contact

Phone: 612-625-7911
Fax: 612-626-0439

Mailing Address
University of Minnesota
Division of Critical Care & Acute Care Surgery
420 Delaware St. SE, MMC 195
Minneapolis, MN 55455