Mission

The mission of the UCHealth Parkview Pulmonary/Critical Care Fellowship Program is to provide excellent patient care and service to all of our patients. In doing so, we produce a well-rounded general specialist who is proficient in both pulmonary and critical care and exhibits empathy toward patients.

Vision

The vision of the UCHealth Parkview Pulmonary/Critical Care Fellowship Program is to become one of the best fellowship programs through excellent patient care, continuous quality improvement initiatives and outstanding graduate medical education.

Fellowship description

The Fellowship program seeks to provide candidates with the opportunity to become consultant level subspecialists, qualified to function as independent resources for the communities in which they practice. The Fellowship program provides intensive clinical exposure along with an extensive didactic program, in which the Fellow is expected to actively participate as a student, trainer and clinical researcher. Our program puts a large emphasis on clinical research and quality improvement.

Fellowship application

All applications for the UCHealth Parkview Pulmonary/Critical Care Fellowship Program shall be submitted through ERAS. Our UCHealth Parkview fellowship programs are all dually accredited and will be accepting both DO and MD applicants. However, regarding sponsorship, we will only be considering J-1 visas with sponsorship through ECFMG on a case-by-case basis.

Fellowship overview

Clinic Experience:

This program involves General Pulmonology and Critical Care, as well as Interventional Pulmonology, Pulmonary Hypertension and Sleep. Below is an example of the program curriculum.

  • MICU: 6 Blocks
  • CVICU: 3 - 4 blocks
  • NTICU: 3 - 4 blocks
  • Inpatient Pulmonary: 9 -10 blocks
  • Outpatient Pulmonary/Sleep Clinic: 4 blocks
  • Research/Elective: 2 - 4 blocks
  • Night Float: 4 - 5 blocks
  • CTS: 1 block
  • Vacation: 3 blocks

Electives:

Elective rotations allow the fellow, with guidance from the Program Director, to tailor the program to their particular areas of interest and skill. The suggestions are not inclusive. As most elective rotations will occur outside of the parent institution, choices must be made as soon as possible in order for appropriate arrangements and affiliation agreements to be completed. Additional core rotations may be substituted for electives as requested.

CALL:

Daytime call is shared between 3 - 4 fellows with one fellow rotating the primary call pager, completed in 12 hour shifts. At night, a night float fellow will resume call with appropriate check out. We have two fellows on a night float rotation rotating between 3 - 5 days off/on for the four-week block. Fellows share weekend call between the two daytime fellows and one night float fellow.

Night Float rotations (2 week spans) - 4 months

Heavy and light call (weekends – Sat & Sun)

  • Call will range from 12-18 per year depending on PGY year.
  • Heavy Call will take place from home after working rounds completed.
  • Light Call will take place at the hospital only during rounds.

Fellowship requirements:

A thorough understanding of normal pulmonary anatomy and physiology form the basis from which to study the broad spectrum of clinical pulmonary disorders, including obstructive and restrictive lung diseases, interstitial and infiltrative lung diseases, pulmonary vasculitis, primary and metastatic malignancies, and pulmonary infections, including tuberculosis, nontuberculous mycobacterial infections, pneumonias, and opportunistic infections seen in clinical practice. An appreciation of the pathology and pathophysiology of the disorders leads to an awareness of the clinical manifestations to be expected and the possible therapies. The program emphasizes clinical assessment, judicious use of laboratory and imaging studies, and invasive diagnostic procedures.

Critical Care medicine is a broad, multidisciplinary specialty, encompassing the comprehensive care of critically ill and injured patients. A thorough understanding of normal physiology and variations, which may be beneficial or harmful effects, the interdependency of all organ systems and the patient as a whole person, interacting with their environment and family, are the basis from which to learn the appropriate use of pharmacology, invasive and noninvasive diagnostic and therapeutic interventions with an emphasis on medical ethics, including end-of-life decisions and support of patients and their families in times of extreme stress.

The program sees the fellow gradually assuming responsibility under the supervision of both the rotation supervisor and the Program Director, and it is expected that the trainee will interact closely with attending physicians and other consultants. The fellow serves as an educator, mentor and supervisor for junior house-staff, and is also expected to serve as a resource and aid to the nursing staff of the hospital. The fellow will be assigned to medical staff committees in a nonvoting status with responsibilities commensurate with level of training and skill. Administrative responsibilities are assigned under the supervision of the Program Director. In order to function effectively in the medical environment, the fellow must become aware of costs, cost containment efforts, and the medical-legal implications of clinical decisions.

Outpatient experience occurs in the private offices of faculty members. Fellows are typically assigned clinic once per week for an average of 4 hours. The fellows are given the opportunity to rotate at underserved remote clinic locations throughout Southern Colorado.

The fellow is encouraged to prepare an annual scientific paper upon a subject acceptable to the Program Director. The paper is to be suitable for publication and, following approval by the Program Director and DME/DIO, should be considered for submission to an appropriate peer review journal. The paper may take the form of an independent research project, a case report and review of the literature, or other form the Program Director may approve. If the paper is accepted for presentation at a national conference, the program will pay the air fare, room and board, and presentation expenses for the fellow to attend the conference. There may a possibility of coordination with the basic science or translational research departments at CSU-Pueblo for research projects as well.

It is expected that the fellow will maintain membership in the American Thoracic Society, the American College of Chest Physicians and the Society of Critical Care Medicine. During the course of the Fellowship program the fellow is encouraged to attend at least one of the annual meetings of these organizations. The choice of meetings is subject to the approval of the Program Director and Director of Medical Education (DME)/Designated Institutional Official (DIO). The goal is for the fellow to gain exposure to the professional societies they will interact with for the remainder of their career.

The program will provide the fellows with Pulmonary Board Review Course Material and Critical Care Board Review Course Material to adequately prepare them for their Board Exams.

Faculty and attending physicians

Board certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Medicine and Critical Care, Josiah came to UCHealth Parkview Medical Center most recently from Cincinnati, OH, but is native to Colorado. He earned his Degree from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Erie, PA. His residency training was completed at University of Louisville, Louisville, KY and then his fellowship at University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Special interests include: Pulmonary Hypertension, ILD, Interventional Bronchoscopy, Critical Care Hemodynamics Monitoring and Ultrasound and sub specialty neuro and trauma critical care.

Craig Shapiro, MD, is board certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Medicine, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine and came to UCHealth Parkview Medical Center from Kansas City, MO. He earned his Degree from the University of Nebraska Medical School, and his residency was completed at the Medical College of Virginia, followed by Fellowship at TMC/UMKC School of Medicine. He joined the UCHealth Parkview Medical Staff in July, 1994 and works with Pueblo Pulmonary Associates.

Dr. Shapiro will serve as the Director of the Pulmonary Clinic.

Dr. Shapiro has special interests in General Pulmonary Medicine, Sleep and Lung Cancer and expertise in the entire realm of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine.

Our Program Director for the Fellowship, Marcel Junqueira, MD, is board certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Medicine, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, and came to UCHealth Parkview Medical Center from Philadelphia, PA. He earned his Degree from Faculdade de Medicina de Valencia, Brazil, and his residency was done at Columbia University, St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Medical Center. He completed his first Fellowship at Kansas University Medical Center, and then Temple University, where he obtained his fellowship in Sleep medicine. Marcel Junqueira joined the UCHealth Parkview Medical Staff in July, 2012 and works with Pueblo Pulmonary Associates.

Special interests include Sleep, Asthma, Pleural Lung Disease and ILD.

Micheal Borbely, DO, is board certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. He received his medical school training from Midwestern University, Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, and completed his residency training from Midwestern University Franciscan Alliance Hospital System and his PCCM Fellowship at UCHealth Parkview Medical Center, Pueblo, CO.

Megan Reichmuth, DO, is Board Certified in Internal, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. She joined our faculty July 2019, and received her medical school training at Kansas City University of Medicine and Bioscience. She completed her residency training from St. John Macomb, and her PCCM fellowship at UCHealth Parkview Medical Center, Pueblo, CO. Her special interests include asthma, bronchiectasis, ILD, pulmonary nodules and cardiac critical care.