Surgical Critical Care Fellowship Program

Welcome to the UND School of Medicine & Health Sciences Surgical Critical Care Fellowship Program in Fargo, N.D.!

Based at Sanford Health in Fargo, our newly ACGME-accredited Surgical Critical Care Fellowship provides comprehensive training in the management of critically ill and injured surgical patients. Fellows receive extensive experience caring for complex trauma, emergency general surgery, acute care surgery, and critically ill postoperative patients within a high-volume tertiary referral center.

The program is designed to develop confident, compassionate, and technically skilled surgical intensivists prepared to practice at trauma centers ranging from smaller non-academic centers to large regional Level I trauma centers, as well as pursue leadership roles in critical care and trauma surgery. Fellows train alongside dedicated faculty committed to excellence in patient care, education, mentorship, and innovation.

Why Choose Our Fellowship? Because...

• Fellows gain hands-on experience managing a wide variety of critically ill surgical patients in a collaborative, multidisciplinary ICU environment.
• Training includes broad exposure to trauma surgery, emergency general surgery, surgical critical care, and complex perioperative management.
• Fellows work closely with experienced faculty specializing in trauma, acute care surgery, vascular surgery, cardiothoracic surgery, neurosurgery, anesthesia critical care, and emergency medicine.
• Sanford Medical Center serves as a regional referral center for critically ill and injured patients across North Dakota, South Dakota, and western Minnesota, providing exposure to diverse pathology and high-acuity patient care.
• Fellows develop advanced procedural skills including bronchoscopy, bedside ultrasound, airway management, central venous access, arterial line placement, chest tube insertion, and advanced hemodynamic monitoring.
• The program emphasizes progressive autonomy while maintaining strong faculty mentorship and support throughout training.
• Dedicated educational conferences, simulation experiences, journal clubs, and multidisciplinary didactics reinforce evidence-based critical care practice and lifelong learning.
• Fellows have opportunities to participate in clinical research, quality improvement initiatives, resident education, and medical student teaching.
• Our collaborative ICU model promotes strong teamwork between surgeons, intensivists, pharmacists, respiratory therapists, advanced practice providers, nursing staff, and consulting services.
• Finally, Fargo offers an exceptional quality of life with a low cost of living, short commute times, family-friendly communities, and access to outdoor recreation year-round.

At the UND SMHS and Sanford Health Surgical Critical Care Fellowship Program, we are committed to training the next generation of surgical intensivists through rigorous clinical experience, mentorship, education, and compassionate patient care. We invite you to explore our program and learn more about the opportunities available through fellowship training in Fargo.