Conferences

Core Conferences

Fellows attend a weekly core conference on important clinical or basic physiology topics in Pulmonary Medicine and Critical Care Medicine, prepared and presented by either PCCM faculty, fellows, or guest faculty from another division or department. A faculty mentor is assigned to each fellow for these conferences. Topics specifically for Critical care rotation, including guidelines for ICU standard practices, interesting cases supported by ultrasound imaging, other subspeciality lectures closely related to ICU, like renal replacement therapy, advanced liver, heart, kidney failure, infectious or immunological complications of malignancy, surgical complications, and Neurocritical care issues are also included.

Case Conferences

Each weekly case conference features several interesting clinical and imaging cases from faculty and fellows’ own patient experiences, including review of relevant chest radiographs, CT scans, pathology specimens, PFTs, and other clinical studies. The conference also offers a brief didactic segment covering the case, including evidence-based treatment, pathophysiology, and key literature. The session is relatively informal, encouraging lively discussions and diverse opinions.

Journal Club

Fellow reviews and critiques relevant articles from the medical literature at the monthly Journal Club, which is attended by all division members. Fellows are responsible for expanded journal club conferences, with increased emphasis on interpreting the medical literature, such as a more in-depth study critique, a didactic on selected statistical methods or design features, or a critique of several related studies.

Fellows Research Meeting

The fellows meet once in six months with the faculty members to discuss plans for research and related scholarly activities and review progress on active projects. Issues covered include ideas for studies, study design, navigating the IRB, and how to overcome roadblocks. For each meeting, the fellow completes a research update sheet describing work completed to date and specific goals for the coming month.

Fellows’ Monthly Meeting with the Program Director

The fellows meet monthly with the Program Director to explore fellow concerns/feedback and review policies, procedures, and administrative responsibilities.

Morbidity and Mortality Conference

Fellows and faculty attend the monthly Pulmonary and Critical Care M&M Conference aimed at improving quality of care, patient safety, and system-based Practices.

Interstitial Lung Diseases (ILD) Conference

A multidisciplinary Interstitial lung disease conference is organized on the fourth Tuesday of every month. Cases with suspected or diagnosed with Interstitial lung disease are presented by a fellow or faculty member. Imaging descriptions are provided by the radiologist, and histopathology is discussed by the pathologist. Diagnoses and management options are discussed by the participants, and the patient care is followed up in future conferences.

Pulmonary Hypertension Conference

Complicated pulmonary hypertension cases with a summary about evidence-based workup and management in outpatient and inpatient areas are discussed in the bimonthly (one in two months) pulmonary hypertension conference.

PCCM Jeopardy Conference

This is an enjoyable and educational conference for the fellows. This bimonthly conference with pulmonary jeopardy questions, which mimics Chest Challenge, is loved by all fellows and faculty. The questions are based on the topics covered at the conferences in the last two months.

UAMS/VA Multidisciplinary Lung Cancer Tumor Board

Fellows on the Pulmonary Consult services attend the weekly lung cancer conference in UAMS and the VA. The conference is chaired by Interventional Pulmonology specialists Dr. Thaddeus Bartter at VA, Dr. Nikhil Meena at UAMS, and is attended by faculty and trainees in Pulmonary Medicine, Thoracic Surgery, Oncology, Radiology, Interventional Radiology, and Radiation Oncology to provide multidisciplinary care for patients with known or suspected lung cancer.

Internal Medicine Grand Rounds

The weekly Internal Medicine Grand Rounds features excellent presentations by a variety of distinguished UAMS faculty as well as guest speakers. A significant percentage of lectures are on topics within the P/CCM core curriculum.

New Fellow Orientation Month

We have a new-fellow orientation month, where the first-year fellow “shadows” the more senior fellows and Consult team, learning the ins and outs of the assigned hospital and participating in selected consultations and procedures. During this week, a daily agenda for new fellows includes one or more orientation sessions, including meeting with the Program Director to review key practices, policies, and procedures as published in the Fellows’ Handbook; several core “survival” lectures; scheduled training in each institution’s Electronic Medical Record Systems; and bronchoscopy, airway simulation Practices. We provide an opportunity to participate in the Southern Regional PCCM orientation at MD Anderson Center, Houston. This orientation month proved very successful with new trainees, and we expect to continue and expand the offerings.