A field guide to U.S. pulmonology fellowships

Location

Phoenix/Scottsdale, AZ

Type

Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine (PCCM)

Length

3

Accreditation

ACGME accredited

First-year salary

GL-4 stipend $85,398/yr (effective March 2026)

Protected research

6–12 months of protected project time, primarily in the second year

Program Type & Structure

• Three-year Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine fellowship at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona, accredited by the ACGME. Graduates are eligible for dual American Board of Internal Medicine certification in pulmonary disease and critical care medicine.[77]
• The program began in 2006 and anticipates two trainees completing it annually.[77]

Clinical Training & Rotations

• Rotations span inpatient and outpatient pulmonary consultation and critical care medicine, with external experiences at the Valleywise Health medical ICU, St. Joseph's Hospital trauma ICU, and the Phoenix Children's Hospital cystic fibrosis clinic.[78]
• Procedural training includes flexible bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage, transbronchial biopsy, transbronchial needle aspiration, endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS), and thoracentesis, plus pulmonary function testing and echocardiography.[78]
• Subspecialty exposure covers end-stage lung disease including lung transplant and lung volume reduction surgery, sleep medicine, thoracic radiology, and thoracic pathology.[78]

Research Opportunities & Support

• Fellows are assigned a total of 6–12 months of protected time, concentrated in the second year, to develop and complete a project.[78]
• Second-year fellows select one of three tracks — Research, Education, or Quality.[78]

Faculty & Mentorship

• The Program Director is Natalya Azadeh, M.D., M.P.H., and the Associate Program Director is Ashley Garrett, M.D.[77]

Application Process & Eligibility

• Applications are submitted through ERAS, with appointments made through the NRMP Medical Specialties Matching Program (Pulmonary Disease and Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine Match).[79]
• All application materials must be submitted by July 31 of the year preceding the program start; interviews are held in September and October.[79]
• Applicants must have completed an accredited internal medicine residency; international medical graduates must be ECFMG certified.[79, 81]
• Mayo Clinic sponsors ECFMG J-1 visas (up to seven years) and H-1B visas (up to six years); as of September 2025 a $100,000 payment requirement applies to new H-1B petitions.[81]

Stipends & Benefits

• Trainee stipends follow Mayo Clinic's graduate-level scale; the GL-4 (first fellowship year) rate is $85,398 per year effective March 11, 2026.[80]
• Benefits include 20 working days of vacation per year, comprehensive medical and dental plans, short-term disability with up to 13 weeks of medical leave (including six weeks paid maternity leave), free parking, and a meal subsidy for on-call residents.[80]

Culture & Environment

• Wellness support includes an Employee Assistance Program and fitness center discounts; the program emphasizes a supportive academic training environment.[80, 77]

Unique Strengths & Highlights

• Strengths include a broad multi-site clinical and ICU experience, extensive bronchoscopic and procedural training, lung transplant exposure, and 6–12 months of protected research time with structured Research, Education, and Quality tracks.[78]

Location

Sacramento, CA

Type

Pulmonary and Critical Care (PCCM)

Length

3

Accreditation

ACGME accredited

First-year salary

$91,560 (PGY-4, AY2025-26)

Protected research

12-18 months total (4-6 wks yr1, 3 mo yr2, 6 mo yr3)

Program Type & Structure

• ACGME-accredited, three-year combined Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine fellowship leading to ABIM certification in both Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine.[102]
• Five first-year positions are offered each year, starting July 15.[102]
• An optional fourth year is available for fellows seeking additional protected research time.[102]

Clinical Training & Rotations

• The curriculum includes 18-24 months of required clinical experience and 12-18 months of creative/research/elective time.[102]
• Clinical training is based primarily at UC Davis Medical Center (a tertiary care hospital) and the VA Medical Center, Mather.[102]
• Fellows complete at least 6 months in the MICU, which handles over 1,300 admissions per year, with progressively increasing night responsibilities, plus cardiothoracic/critical care consult and optional neurocritical care.[102]
• Subspecialty clinic exposure includes cystic fibrosis, severe asthma, pulmonary hypertension, interstitial lung disease, and pulmonary rehabilitation.[102]
• Procedural training covers intubation and advanced airway management, percutaneous tracheostomy, surgical and small-bore chest tubes, and advanced bronchoscopy, with initial skills built in the UC Davis Simulation Suite.[102]

Research Opportunities & Support

• Protected scholarly time grows across the program: 4-6 weeks in year 1, about 3 months in year 2, and about 6 months in year 3.[102]
• Research opportunities span bench science, clinical/translational work, educational program development, and continuous quality improvement, supported by the UC Davis Lung Center, Clinical and Translational Science Center, and California National Primate Research Center.[102]
• Research-focused fellows may apply for the NIH HL T32 Training Grant in Comparative Lung Biology, which can extend training into a non-ACGME fourth year.[102]
• Fellows may pursue an additional degree such as a Master's of Advanced Studies in Clinical Research or a Master of Public Health.[102]

Faculty & Mentorship

• Program Director: Nick Stollenwerk, M.D.; Associate Program Director: Florence Chau-Etchepare, M.D.; Program Coordinator: Lina Villegas.[102]
• The 'Air Buds' longitudinal mentorship program, started in 2022, pairs a faculty member with a fellow from each class to foster near-peer mentorship and community.[102]

Application Process & Eligibility

• Applications are accepted through ERAS and positions are filled through the NRMP; submit by mid-August for full consideration, with interviews held on Tuesdays in September, October, and November.[102]
• Required materials include a personal statement, medical school transcript, USMLE/COMLEX transcript, MSPE (Dean's letter), and three letters of recommendation from physicians who directly supervised the applicant.[102]
• Applicants must have completed an ACGME- or AOA-accredited Internal Medicine residency and meet California medical license requirements.[102]
• Non-US citizens must hold a J-1 visa or work authorization; UC Davis Health does not accept H-1B visas.[102]

Stipends & Benefits

• First-year fellows enter at the PGY-4 level, with an annual salary of $91,560.71 ($7,630.06/month) for academic year 2025-2026 under the UC Davis Housestaff compensation plan.[103]
• Housestaff also receive a $1,000 annual education fund, $2,440 in front-loaded meal money, and reimbursement of California medical license and USMLE/COMLEX Step 3 exam fees.[103]
• Fellows receive 28 vacation days (20 weekdays with weekends) and 4 education days per year, plus travel/registration support when presenting research at regional and national conferences.[102]
• Benefits include medical (with mental health), dental, vision, and life & disability insurance, with spousal/domestic-partner and dependent coverage.[104]

Culture & Environment

• The program aims to train skilled clinicians, teachers, and investigators through individualized career tracks, and emphasizes diversity, equity, and inclusion.[102]
• Sacramento offers a range of recreational and cultural opportunities for trainees.[102]

Unique Strengths & Highlights

• Strengths include an individualized curriculum, escalating protected research time, NIH T32 and advanced-degree opportunities, the structured 'Air Buds' mentorship program, and the resources of a leading public academic medical center.[102]

Location

San Francisco, CA

Type

Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine (PCCM)

Length

3 (nearly all fellows stay a 4th year)

Accreditation

ABIM-accredited PCCM fellowship

First-year salary

$106,127 (PGY-4, effective Oct 1, 2025; includes housing allowance)

Protected research

18 months clinical training plus 18+ months career-development/research time

Program Type & Structure

• UCSF's Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine fellowship requires three years of training for ABIM board certification, but nearly all fellows stay for a fourth year to pursue a research, education, transplant, interventional, or sleep track.[105]
• The program is structured as roughly 18 months of focused clinical training plus 18-plus months of career-development time, with the clinical portion split evenly between intensive care and pulmonary medicine/procedures.[105]

Clinical Training & Rotations

• Fellows train across three hospital systems: UCSF Health-Parnassus, Zuckerberg San Francisco General (ZSFG), and the San Francisco VA Health Care System.[105]
• ICU experience spans the MICU and Trauma/Surgical ICU at ZSFG, the Med/Surg/Cardiac ICU at the SF VA, and the closed-format MICU, Neuro-ICU, Surgical ICU, and Cardiac ICU at UCSF-Parnassus.[107]
• Procedural training covers core bronchoscopy, endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS), chest tube placement, pulmonary function testing, point-of-care ultrasound, ECMO and advanced life support, and OR-based airway management.[107]
• Years two and three offer eleven subspecialty elective clinics, including Allergy, Severe Asthma, Cystic Fibrosis, HIV, ILD, Transplant, Pulmonary Hypertension, Sleep, Thoracic Oncology, TB, and ALS.[107]
• Skills training includes clinical simulation focused on code response and airway management plus a dedicated sleep-medicine curriculum (about 8-10 days annually).[107]

Research Opportunities & Support

• Research pathways span clinical/translational science, basic science, global health, implementation science, and education research, with fellows customizing their training to individual career goals.[108]
• The program highlights a strong NIH career-development record, stating that no program has received more NIH K awards than UCSF, and offers a K12 in implementation science.[108]
• Supported advanced degrees include Master's programs in clinical research, global health (MPH), implementation science, and education.[108]
• Mentorship is layered: a primary research mentor of the fellow's choosing, an assigned coach, a Career Development Committee, a CDP Oversight Committee, and a CLEAR group supporting job placement.[108]

Faculty & Mentorship

• Program Director: James Frank, MD, MA. Associate Program Director: Alyssa Perez, MD, EdM.[105]
• Assistant Program Directors include Brian Block, MD (Critical Care), Nisha Gidwani, MD (UCSF site), and Antonio Gomez, MD (ZSFG site), with a dedicated faculty fellow-coaching team.[105]

Application Process & Eligibility

• Applications are submitted through ERAS, and the program matches fellows exclusively through the NRMP.[106]
• Three letters of recommendation are required, including one from the applicant's current Program Director; a research-supervisor letter is desirable for those with prior research experience.[106]
• Applications open around July 1 with an August 31 deadline; review begins mid-July, interview invitations go out in mid-September, and interviews run August through October.[106]
• Applicants must be eligible for ABIM certification and hold a California medical license at the start of fellowship.[106]
• The program does not currently sponsor H-1B or J-1 visas for clinical fellowship training (rare exceptions for exceptionally qualified applicants), in part because it primarily relies on NIH funding available only to U.S. citizens and permanent residents.[106]

Stipends & Benefits

• First-year (PGY-4) salary is $106,127, effective October 1, 2025, with a housing allowance already included in the stipend.[109]
• Trainees receive medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage, professional liability coverage, and access to retirement and flexible spending benefits.[109]

Culture & Environment

• Wellness resources include behavioral health support, fitness-center access at multiple campuses, the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program, and a Carrot partnership for fertility and family-planning support.[109]
• The program emphasizes mentoring and sponsorship, citing graduates who have gone on to become ATS presidents, department chairs, and division chiefs.[108]

Unique Strengths & Highlights

• Diverse clinical training across three major San Francisco hospital systems, including quaternary, public-safety-net, and VA populations.[105]
• A research-intensive structure with 18-plus months of protected career-development time and an exceptional NIH career-award track record.[108]

Location

Los Angeles, CA

Type

Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine

Length

3

Accreditation

ACGME accredited

First-year salary

Competitive

Protected research

Third year largely dedicated to research

Program Type & Structure

• A three-year ACGME-accredited Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine fellowship combining clinical and research training across the USC/Los Angeles General system.[113]
• Seven new fellows are admitted to the program each year.[114]
• Clinical and teaching responsibilities fill most of the first two years, with a significant part of the third year devoted to research.[114]

Clinical Training & Rotations

• Fellows rotate across three teaching sites — Los Angeles General Medical Center, Keck Hospital of USC, and the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center — providing exposure to a broad and diverse patient population.[113]
• Critical care training emphasizes advanced mechanical ventilator management, ARDS therapies, mechanical circulatory support, bedside ultrasound, and procedures including percutaneous tracheostomy and right heart catheterization.[113]
• Pulmonary training includes dedicated rotations in cystic fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension, lung transplant, sleep medicine, advanced bronchoscopy, and interventional pulmonology.[113]
• Procedural skills are taught through bi-annual half-day skills workshops covering central lines, chest tubes, intubation, tracheostomy, pleural procedures, and difficult airway management, plus point-of-care ultrasound and EBUS programs.[113]

Research Opportunities & Support

• A significant part of the third year is devoted to research activities, and every fellow completes both a research project and a quality-improvement project.[114, 115]
• Division research spans lung injury and repair, pulmonary fibrosis, lung cancer, transplant immunology, stem cell biology and regenerative medicine, critical care outcomes, cystic fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension, and sleep.[115]
• Research is supported by the Hastings Center for Pulmonary Research (established 2014), which applies bench-to-bedside techniques and hosts regular investigator meetings and visiting speakers.[115]

Faculty & Mentorship

• Fellowship Program Director: May Lee, MD, MHA.[113, 115]
• Division Chiefs: Santhi Iyer Kumar, MD (Keck) and Sally L. Davidson Ward, MD (CHLA).[114]

Application Process & Eligibility

• Applications are submitted through ERAS, and positions are offered through the NRMP Match (program #1033156F0).[116]
• The application deadline is July 16.[116]
• Three letters of recommendation and a personal statement are required.[116]
• All applicants must take the USMLE; COMLEX is not accepted as the only exam.[116]
• International graduates must hold a valid ECFMG certificate; the program accepts J-1 visas and does not sponsor H-1B visas.[116]

Stipends & Benefits

• Fellows are represented by the Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR), with salary and benefits set under the applicable LA County (LAC+USC) and USC/Keck agreements.[113]

Culture & Environment

• The program maintains a strong teaching environment with daily conferences spanning grand rounds, journal club, radiology, pathology, infectious disease, and morbidity and mortality reviews.[113]

Unique Strengths & Highlights

• Three high-volume teaching sites give broad exposure to diverse and complex pulmonary and critical care pathology.[113]
• Subspecialty depth across lung transplant, pulmonary hypertension, cystic fibrosis, sleep medicine, and interventional pulmonology, with a dedicated research-intensive third year supported by the Hastings Center for Pulmonary Research.[113, 115]

Location

Aurora/Denver, CO

Type

PCCM; optional 4th research year

Length

3 (PCCM); optional 4th year

First-year salary

$90,960 (PGY-4, 2026-27)

Protected research

Research-focused years 2-3; optional research 4th year

Program Type & Structure

• Fellowship in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine; its mission is to train tomorrow's leaders in pulmonary and critical care medicine, defined broadly as leaders in science, education, and administration.[60]
• Standard ABIM pathway is three years, with a research-focused fourth year commonly pursued before a faculty appointment.[60, 61]

Clinical Training & Rotations

• Hands-on fellowship with training in airway management, advanced bronchoscopy, and pleural procedures.[60]
• Clinical training spans six Denver-metro sites: University of Colorado Hospital, Denver Health, the Denver VA Medical Center, National Jewish Health, St. Joseph Hospital, and St. Anthony Central Hospital.[61]
• Year one is seven two-month rotations across the clinical services at these sites; years two and three add UCH and Denver Health critical care rotations, a pulmonary elective, and a six-month half-day outpatient pulmonary subspecialty clinic.[61]

Research Opportunities & Support

• Research-intensive program; the second and third years emphasize development of the fellow's own scholarly interests, with a faculty advisor and paired mentoring teams.[60, 61]
• The division maintains 13 established clinical research centers spanning acute lung injury, cystic fibrosis, asthma, emphysema, interstitial lung disease, lung cancer, and pulmonary hypertension.[61]
• A portion of the fellowship is funded by an NIH National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) T32 training grant.[62]
• An optional fourth year supports continued research, including for those pursuing academic careers or PhD programs, and a medical education track offers protected time for med-ed scholarship.[61, 60]

Faculty & Mentorship

• Fellowship Director: Tristan J. Huie, MD. Associate Program Directors: Anna Neumeier, MD (Education), Trevor Steinbach, MD (Clinic), Kara Mould, MD, MPH (Research), and Melissa New, MD (Feedback and Evaluation). Program Coordinator: Kelly Rico.[60]
• Described as the largest PCCM division in the country, with internationally recognized expertise across pulmonary and critical care subspecialties.[60]

Application Process & Eligibility

• Applications are submitted via ERAS and the program participates in the NRMP Match; completed applications received after September 1 are not considered.[62]
• Three letters of recommendation are required, at least one from a division head or department chair; USMLE scores of 220+ or COMLEX 500+ are preferred.[62]
• Applicants must generally be US citizens or permanent residents (a requirement tied to the NHLBI training grant), though exceptions are considered for highly competitive J-1 and H-1B candidates.[62]

Stipends & Benefits

• The 2026-27 PGY-4 annual base stipend is $90,960.59 (PGY-5 $94,589.52; PGY-6 $97,824.22), set by CU Graduate Medical Education.[63]
• GME benefits include medical, dental, and vision plans, life and disability insurance, and HSA/FSA and retirement savings options.[64]

Culture & Environment

• The program emphasizes individualized career planning and a community of learners, fellows and faculty alike, committed to a shared mission.[60]

Unique Strengths & Highlights

• Two distinguishing elements: individualized career planning supported by the resources of the country's largest PCCM division, and rigorous hands-on clinical training across all subspecialties and six Denver-metro training sites.[60, 61]

Location

Washington, D.C.

Type

Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine

Length

3

Accreditation

ACGME accredited

First-year salary

$84,812 (PGY-4, eff. 1/1/2026)

Program Type & Structure

• Three-year ACGME-accredited Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Fellowship based at George Washington University.[73]
• The program prepares board-eligible internists for careers in clinical or academic pulmonary and critical care medicine.[74]

Clinical Training & Rotations

• Fellows rotate at two primary clinical sites: The George Washington University Hospital and the Washington DC VA Medical Center.[73]
• Critical care experience includes the VA Medical ICU and GWU Hospital's large multidisciplinary ICU; GWU Hospital is a city-designated Level 1 trauma center with an active cardiac catheterization lab and cardiothoracic surgery program.[73]
• Fellows gain experience managing patients on intra-aortic balloon pump, ECMO, Impella, and right ventricular assist devices (RVAD).[73]
• Procedural training includes bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage, endobronchial biopsies, EBUS-FNA, robotic transbronchial biopsies, navigational bronchoscopy, radial EBUS, indwelling pleural catheter insertion, chest tube placement, and thoracentesis.[73]
• Fellows rotate through INOVA Fairfax Hospital for the Advanced Lung Disease and Transplant experience.[73]
• Sleep medicine training includes a state-of-the-art sleep lab offering polysomnography, MSLT, and home sleep studies, with fellows participating in scoring sleep studies.[74]

Research Opportunities & Support

• Trainees are expected to initiate and complete one or two scholarly projects, including a quality improvement project, with a faculty preceptor.[73]

Faculty & Mentorship

• Division Director: Daniel Baram, MD. Fellowship Director: Jalil Ahari, MD.[73]

Application Process & Eligibility

• Applications are accepted only through ERAS, and candidates must register with the NRMP.[73]
• Three letters of recommendation are required, including one from the applicant's program director.[73]
• Applicants must pass USMLE Steps I-III prior to the start of fellowship.[73]
• For international medical graduates, ECFMG certification is required and only J-1 visa applicants can be considered.[73]

Stipends & Benefits

• Effective January 1, 2026, the GME salary scale is $84,812 for PGY-4, $88,734 for PGY-5, and $92,162 for PGY-6.[75]
• Trainees receive four weeks of paid vacation per postgraduate year and accrue paid sick time up to seven days annually.[76]
• Medical, disability, and professional liability insurance is provided by the University.[76]
• A $1,500/year educational stipend is provided for conference costs, with up to $500 usable toward publication costs or educational resources.[76]

Culture & Environment

• Wellness support includes the GW Resiliency and Wellbeing Center, a residency running club, and a discounted gym membership.[76]
• Fellowship Director Jalil Ahari, MD has been recognized as Faculty of the Year for seven consecutive years.[73]

Unique Strengths & Highlights

• Strengths include its location in the nation's capital, training across a Level 1 trauma center and a VA Medical Center, extensive advanced bronchoscopy and procedural experience, exposure to advanced cardiac support (ECMO, Impella, RVAD), a dedicated sleep lab, and an advanced lung disease/transplant rotation at INOVA Fairfax.[73]

Location

Boston, MA

Type

Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine

Length

3-4

Accreditation

ACGME accredited

First-year salary

$97,728 (PGY-4, eff. July 2026)

Protected research

Dedicated full-time research in years 3-4 (research track)

Program Type & Structure

• A three-year ACGME-accredited Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine fellowship (the Harvard-BWH PCCM program), with an optional fourth year for fellows on the physician-scientist research track.[55]
• It builds on a roughly forty-year history of training academic clinicians and physician-scientists and is administered through Mass General Brigham / Brigham and Women's Hospital.[55]

Clinical Training & Rotations

• Clinical training is concentrated in the first roughly 18 months across four sites: Brigham and Women's Hospital, Brigham and Women's Faulkner Hospital, VA Boston Healthcare (West Roxbury), and Spaulding Hospital Cambridge.[55]
• Year one is pulmonary-focused, including lung transplant, pulmonary vascular disease, consults, and outpatient subspecialty clinics, with procedural training in bronchoscopy and pleural procedures.[55]
• Year two includes roughly six months of critical care across the medical, surgical, and cardiac/thoracic surgical ICUs, plus interventional pulmonology rotations and early research training.[55]

Research Opportunities & Support

• Fellows on the research track have dedicated, full-time mentored research in years three and four, supported by more than $60 million in annual division research funding.[55]
• The program offers 10+ funded positions on NIH T32 training grants and a faculty of 50+ research mentors, with collaborations across Harvard, MIT, and the Broad Institute.[55][58]

Faculty & Mentorship

• The Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine has over 50 faculty and is led by division chief Bruce D. Levy, MD.[58]
• The fellowship is directed by Elizabeth B. Gay, MD, and enrolls six fellows per year, allowing close mentorship.[57][55]

Application Process & Eligibility

• The program participates in the NRMP Medical Specialties Matching Program and accepts applications only through ERAS, with an application deadline of August 1.[56]
• Three letters of recommendation are required, including one from the applicant's internal medicine residency program director.[56]
• H-1B and J-1 visas are sponsored only in unusual circumstances for highly qualified applicants.[56]

Stipends & Benefits

• First-year (PGY-4) house-officer salary is $97,728 effective July 1, 2026, rising to $102,466 (PGY-5) and $106,612 (PGY-6).[59]
• Trainees also receive a $10,500 lump-sum stipend toward housing or childcare, comprehensive medical/dental/vision insurance, a lease-guaranty program, subsidized transit and fitness memberships, and an employee assistance program.[59]

Culture & Environment

• The program emphasizes a supportive training environment focused on developing academic and physician-scientist careers.[55]

Unique Strengths & Highlights

• A long track record of training academic leaders, broad multi-site clinical exposure, more than $60M in research funding with multiple NIH T32 positions, a 50+ member faculty, and integration within the Mass General Brigham / Harvard system.[55][58]

Location

Boston, MA

Type

Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine (dual board eligibility)

Length

3

Accreditation

ACGME accredited

First-year salary

~$86,000 (FREIDA range $86K–$95K)

Protected research

Dedicated research blocks in Year 2, expanded in Year 3

Program Type & Structure

• A three-year, ACGME-accredited Pulmonology and Critical Care Medicine fellowship at Tufts Medical Center leading to dual board eligibility in pulmonary disease and critical care medicine.[97]

Clinical Training & Rotations

• Fellows train in Tufts Medical Center's high-acuity critical care units, including a Medical ICU (about 20 beds), Cardiac Care Unit, and Cardiothoracic ICU, with Year 1 exposure to mechanical circulatory support devices.[98]
• Year 1 emphasizes pulmonary consultation, pulmonary function test interpretation, and early dedicated airway/intubation training.[98]
• Procedural training includes bronchoscopy, right heart catheterization, chest tube placement, and intubation.[98]
• Year 2 introduces subspecialty rotations such as Interventional Pulmonology and Sleep Medicine, plus dedicated research blocks; a critical care elective at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is available.[98]
• Additional ICU experience is provided at Lowell General Hospital.[98]

Research Opportunities & Support

• Protected research time is embedded in Year 2 and expanded in Year 3 to support scholarly activity and career development.[98]
• Year 3 fellows select among three career tracks: Clinician Scientist, Clinician Educator, or Academic Clinician.[98]
• Fellows are supported to pursue clinical or basic science research in collaboration with Tufts University, the Clinical and Translational Science Institute, the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, and Brown University's Alpert Medical School.[97]
• Advanced degree training is available through the Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute.[97]

Faculty & Mentorship

• Fellows receive individualized mentorship with access to more than 150 full-time faculty members across the Department of Medicine.[97]
• The fellowship is directed by Michael J. McBrine, MD, with Angela Blair as program coordinator.[100, 97]

Application Process & Eligibility

• Applications are submitted through ERAS, and the program participates in the NRMP fellowship (subspecialty) match.[99]
• A minimum of three letters of recommendation (maximum four) is required, along with passage of USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 (DO applicants: COMLEX Levels 1 and 2 plus USMLE Step 1 and 2) and three years of prior graduate medical education.[99]
• The program sponsors J-1 visas through ECFMG but does not sponsor H-1B visas.[99]

Stipends & Benefits

• Reported salary ranges from approximately $86,000 to $95,000 across training years.[99]
• Fellows receive about 21 vacation days and 6 sick days per year.[99]

Culture & Environment

• The program emphasizes personalized mentorship and a supportive community, with career coaching and wellness programming for trainees.[101]
• Fellows train in downtown Boston, with access to the city's academic medicine community and New England lifestyle.[101]

Unique Strengths & Highlights

• Dual board-eligible training across a full range of medical and specialty ICUs with strong procedural and airway training.[98]
• Protected research time, defined Year 3 career tracks, and access to 150+ faculty and the Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute.[97, 98]

Location

Grand Rapids, MI

Type

Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine

Length

3

Accreditation

ACGME accredited

First-year salary

$74,000–$80,000 (PGY-4 range)

Program Type & Structure

• The Corewell Health – Grand Rapids / Michigan State University Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine Fellowship is an ACGME-accredited, three-year program (formerly Spectrum Health).[65]
• It seeks to train clinical scholars who are equally prepared to enter academic medicine or the private sector.[65]

Clinical Training & Rotations

• Training is primarily based at Corewell Health Butterworth Hospital, a Level 1 Trauma Center with 679 acute care beds and 80 ICU beds.[65]
• Fellows rotate through the medical, neurointensive, surgical, and cardiothoracic ICUs, including care of patients on mechanical circulatory devices and ECMO.[65]
• Outpatient and subspecialty experiences include interventional pulmonology, lung transplant, a multidisciplinary lung cancer clinic at the Lemmen-Holton Cancer Pavilion, pulmonary hypertension, cystic fibrosis, interstitial lung disease, sleep, and a general pulmonary continuity clinic.[65]
• Procedural training includes flexible bronchoscopy, endobronchial ultrasound, robotic bronchoscopy, thoracentesis, and tunneled pleural catheters, with exposure to rigid bronchoscopy, laser ablation, stent placement, and bronchial thermoplasty.[65]
• Per FREIDA, fellows average about 60 hours per week with a maximum of 16 consecutive duty hours.[66]

Research Opportunities & Support

• Fellows receive research guidance from the Corewell Health Research Institute and have biostatistics consultation available.[65]
• All fellows are encouraged to undertake quality-improvement projects and present at the institutional Research Day each spring.[65]
• Collaboration opportunities exist through the Corewell Health – Michigan State University Alliance Corporation.[65]

Faculty & Mentorship

• The division includes 40 specialists affiliated with Michigan State University, with a core faculty roster of roughly a dozen physicians plus a PhD researcher.[65]
• Program Director: Maximiliano Tamae Kakazu, MD, FCCP; Associate Program Director: Stephen Doyle, DO.[65]

Application Process & Eligibility

• Applications are accepted exclusively through ERAS, and the program participates in the NRMP Medical Specialties (fellowship) Matching Program.[65, 66]
• FREIDA lists a requirement of 3–4 letters of recommendation.[66]
• Applicants must possess U.S. work authorization or be eligible for J-1 status; J-1 sponsorship is offered through ECFMG, but H-1B visas are not sponsored.[65, 66]

Stipends & Benefits

• FREIDA lists a first-year (PGY-4) fellow salary in the range of approximately $74,000–$80,000.[66]
• Fellows receive 15 vacation days and 5 sick days per year.[66]
• Corewell Health provides a comprehensive and competitive benefits package, including educational monies to support ongoing education.[65]

Culture & Environment

• The program emphasizes mentorship, scholarly activity support, and wellness, beginning each year with an intensive fellow boot camp and daily conference series.[65]
• Corewell Health (formerly Spectrum Health) is the largest health system in West Michigan, anchored in Grand Rapids.[65]

Unique Strengths & Highlights

• The interventional pulmonology service is the only comprehensive program in West Michigan, with advanced diagnostic and therapeutic bronchoscopy including robotic bronchoscopy.[65]
• The institution has performed more than 300 lung transplants while maintaining some of the best outcomes in the country.[65]

Location

Durham, NC

Type

Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine (PCCM)

Length

3 (optional 4th research year)

Accreditation

ACGME-accredited

First-year salary

$79,908 (PGY-4, FY2026-27)

Protected research

Significant protected academic time in years 2 and 3

Program Type & Structure

• Duke's adult Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine fellowship is a three-year ACGME program leading to dual board certification in pulmonary and critical care medicine.[67, 68]
• The program accepts five fellows each year, with an optional fourth year of advanced research training for select trainees in the Physician Investigator track.[67]
• Loretta G. Que, MD serves as Division Chief and Alyssa Soskis, MD is the Program Director.[67, 70]

Clinical Training & Rotations

• Both tracks share a common clinical foundation: year one is 12 months of core rotations and year two includes six months of core rotations, with the tracks diverging in year three.[69]
• Physician Investigator fellows maintain a half-day weekly pulmonary continuity clinic in year three while focusing on research; Academic Clinician fellows complete at least four months of clinical electives to build an area of expertise plus longitudinal subspecialty clinics.[69]
• Clinical training emphasizes bedside learning, procedural volume, and progressive autonomy.[67]

Research Opportunities & Support

• All fellows engage in scholarly activity, with significant protected academic time in years two and three to develop basic science or clinically oriented research.[67, 69]
• Fellows may pursue two tracks: a Physician Investigator track for those building an independent research career and an Academic Clinician track for clinically oriented academic careers.[69]
• The division's NHLBI-funded T32 training grant (PROSPER) provides protected research time and career development support, and can support a fourth fellowship year.[68, 69]
• Mentorship committees and individualized academic plans guide each fellow's research development.[69]

Faculty & Mentorship

• Program Director: Alyssa Soskis, MD.[70]
• Division Chief: Loretta G. Que, MD.[67]
• Fellows receive robust mentorship from the division's faculty.[67]

Application Process & Eligibility

• Applications are accepted only through ERAS, and the program participates in the NRMP Medicine and Pediatrics Specialties Match.[70]
• Only complete applications received by July 25, 2026 will be considered.[70]
• Required materials include three letters of recommendation (one from the applicant's most recent training program director), a USMLE examination transcript, and a personal statement; program signaling is encouraged.[70]
• Applicants requiring H-1B or J-1 visas generally cannot be accepted into the Physician Investigator Track because it is not supported by the federally funded training grant.[70]

Stipends & Benefits

• First-year (PGY-4) stipend is $79,908 for academic year 2026-27, rising to $82,992 (PGY-5) and $86,292 (PGY-6).[71]
• Trainees receive 20 paid vacation days per year, 8 paid days for acute illness/bereavement, and 6 weeks of paid parental leave.[72]
• Health insurance includes four plan options with the Duke Select plan at no cost to trainees, plus dental and vision coverage and a 4% retirement contribution with immediate vesting.[72]

Culture & Environment

• The program's mission is to train future leaders in pulmonary and critical care medicine, with flexibility to tailor training toward physician-scientist, medical educator, or expert clinician career goals.[67, 68]
• Wellness offerings include Live for Life programs, a GME-reserved on-campus gym, and dedicated GME primary care access.[72]

Unique Strengths & Highlights

• Dual certification in pulmonary and critical care medicine with substantial protected academic time in years two and three.[67]
• Two distinct career tracks (Physician Investigator and Academic Clinician) supported by an NHLBI-funded T32 (PROSPER) training grant and an optional fourth research year.[69, 68]
• Robust faculty mentorship within a major academic medical center.[67]

Location

Ann Arbor, MI

Type

Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine

Length

3

Accreditation

ACGME-accredited

First-year salary

~$86,670 (HO-4 level, effective 7/1/2026)

Protected research

Up to 18 months of protected research time

Program Type & Structure

• ACGME-accredited three-year combined Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine fellowship leading to board eligibility in both Pulmonary Medicine and Critical Care Medicine.[91]
• Training is built around a balance of excellence in both clinical care and research.[91]

Clinical Training & Rotations

• Training occurs at two hospitals - University Hospital (Michigan Medicine) and the VA Ann Arbor Medical Center - which provide complementary community and tertiary-quaternary care experiences.[91]
• The first year focuses on mastery of inpatient and outpatient clinical skills, with fellows rotating among multiple services at the University Hospital and the VA in an X+Y schedule.[92]
• Fellows manage critically ill medical and surgical patients with dedicated ICU teams and develop proficiency in procedures including bronchoscopy, EBUS, navigational bronchoscopy, transbronchial biopsy, interventional bronchoscopy, thoracentesis, and chest tube placement.[92]

Research Opportunities & Support

• Fellows benefit from up to 18 months of protected research time tailored to individual career goals.[93]
• Research areas span cancer, COPD, critical care, fibrotic lung disease, lung injury & repair, lung transplantation, and severe asthma, alongside clinical and translational science.[91]
• The program is supported by an NIH-funded T32 Research Training Program in Lung Disease.[93]
• Over the past decade, 17 graduates have been awarded NIH career development grants (K23 and K08), reflecting a strong physician-scientist training pipeline.[93]

Faculty & Mentorship

• The division's faculty span clinical and research arenas, providing fellows access to dozens of accomplished mentors, many of them national leaders with track records of mentoring fellows.[91][93]
• Program Director: Jakob McSparron, MD; Associate Fellowship Director: Dru Claar, MD.[95]

Application Process & Eligibility

• The fellowship uses ERAS and participates in the NRMP Medicine and Pediatric Specialties Match; other application forms are not accepted, and applicants must be registered for the subspecialty match.[94]
• Letters of recommendation are weighted heavily in the program's assessment of applicants.[94]
• Due to a high application volume, the program is very unlikely to extend interviews to applicants who do not signal the program.[94]
• Because of NIH training-grant funding, the program is limited in its ability to accept applicants on H-1B and J-1 visas, though all applicants are considered case-by-case.[94]

Stipends & Benefits

• Fellows are paid as University of Michigan House Officers; the HO-4 (first-year fellow) base salary is approximately $83,942 in FY2026 and rises to $86,670 effective July 1, 2026.[96]
• All house officers receive an additional 10% "Payment to Encourage Savings" as a lump sum in November.[96]

Culture & Environment

• The program aims to equip fellows to excel as experts and leaders advancing patient care, research, and education.[91]

Unique Strengths & Highlights

• A balance of excellence in both clinical and research training, a large faculty, diverse patient populations across two complementary hospitals, up to 18 months of protected research time, and a strong record of producing NIH-funded physician-scientists.[91][93]

Location

Seattle, WA

Type

Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine

Length

3 (research/physician-scientist track 3–4)

Accreditation

ACGME accredited

First-year salary

$89,580 (PGY-4, AY26)

Protected research

Physician-scientist track with funded 4th research year (T32)

Program Type & Structure

• The Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine fellowship aims to create academic leaders, scientists, and scholars, with core values of excellence, collaboration, and curiosity.[117]
• It offers three distinct tracks with separate NRMP matches: physician-scientist (3 fellows for the 2026 cohort), clinician-educator (1 fellow), and clinical (2 fellows).[117, 119] Applicants are strongly discouraged from applying to more than one track and are invited to interview for only one.[119]

Clinical Training & Rotations

• Clinical training spans four Seattle sites: UW Medical Center (Montlake and Northwest), Harborview Medical Center, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center.[120]
• Fellows serve as team leaders in all ICUs — Medical, Surgical, Trauma, Neurocritical Care, and Oncology/Bone Marrow Transplant — with elective rotations through the Cardiac ICU and Cardiothoracic ICU at UWMC.[120]
• Procedural training (via rotations and mini-sabbatical sessions) covers bronchoscopy including EBUS, navigational and robotic bronchoscopy and biopsies, point-of-care ultrasound, pleural procedures, ECMO/extracorporeal life support, airway management, and right heart catheterization.[120]
• Subspecialty clinic exposure includes asthma/allergy, interstitial lung disease, lung transplantation, pulmonary vascular disease, and thoracic surgery.[120]

Research Opportunities & Support

• The physician-scientist (research) track is supported by an NIH T32 training grant and provides a funded fourth year of research for research-track fellows.[118]
• Research spans pre-clinical work (lung development, microbial growth), clinical research (ARDS, COPD, asthma), and translational science (genomics, proteomics, microbiome).[118]
• The clinician-educator track aims to create scholars in medical education, including participation in a Teaching Scholars Program and production of educational scholarship, and runs up to 24 months of clinical time over three years.[118]
• The clinical track is three years with 8–9 months of required rotations per year and 3–4 months of electives, including cardiothoracic ICU, ECMO/mechanical circulatory support, echocardiography, right heart catheterization, palliative care, and infectious disease.[118]

Faculty & Mentorship

• Research-track fellows receive mentorship to ask clinically relevant research questions, develop methods, and generate and interpret primary data.[118]
• Mini-sabbatical sessions provide structured procedural and skills education during fellowship.[120]

Application Process & Eligibility

• Applications are submitted through ERAS and require a completed application, a personal statement addressing career objectives, and three letters of recommendation (one from the residency program director); all materials are due no later than August 1.[119]
• Applicants must complete an Internal Medicine residency accredited by the ACGME or RCPSC.[119]
• Because of NIH support, applicants must be eligible for a T32 stipend.[119]
• The program participates in the NRMP with a separate match code for each of the three tracks; interviews are conducted virtually in September and October on a rolling basis.[119]

Stipends & Benefits

• First-year (PGY-4) fellows earn an annual stipend of $89,580 for the 2026 academic year under the CIR-NW compensation schedule, rising to $91,896 (PGY-5) and $94,620 (PGY-6).[121]
• UW GME trainees receive 28 days of paid vacation per year, 17 days of sick leave (which rolls over), and 10 days of professional leave.[122]
• Benefits include shared-cost medical, dental, and vision insurance, a $500 annual professional-enrichment allowance plus a $2,300 annual conference/travel fund, a fully funded ORCA transit pass, GME Wellness Services, and Washington medical license and board exam reimbursement.[122]

Culture & Environment

• The program describes a culture of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary collaboration spanning clinical practice, education, research, and leadership, with core values of excellence, collaboration, and curiosity.[117]
• The program emphasizes diversity and reasonable accommodations in partnership with UW GME and Disability Services.[117]

Unique Strengths & Highlights

• Three distinct, separately matched training tracks, broad clinical training across four major Seattle medical centers, a long-standing NIH T32-supported physician-scientist pathway with a funded fourth research year, and comprehensive procedural training.[117, 118, 120]

Location

Dallas, Texas

Type

Combined Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine

Length

3 years (Clinical Track); 4 years (Physician Investigator Track)

Accreditation

ACGME-accredited; graduates eligible for ABIM certification in both Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine

First-year salary

$82,225 (PGY-4, 2026-2027)

Protected research

2.5 years of dedicated research in the 4-year Physician Investigator Track

Program Type & Structure

• Combined three-year Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine fellowship; graduates meet requirements for certification in both Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine [123]
• Two entry tracks: a three-year Clinical Track and a four-year Physician Investigator Track for those pursuing basic or clinical research careers [124]
• Approximately 20 fellows in the program; program director is Hetal Patel, M.D. [123]

Clinical Training & Rotations

• Clinical Track comprises 12 one-month rotation blocks each year with a mix of medical and non-medical ICU experience, inpatient pulmonary consultation, advanced procedure instruction, and outpatient consultation [124]
• Training spans three hospital systems: Parkland Memorial Hospital, William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital, and the Dallas VA Medical Center [123, 124]
• Subspecialty exposure includes interstitial lung disease, cystic fibrosis, lung transplant, pulmonary hypertension, interventional pulmonology, sleep & breathing disorders, and hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia [123]
• Fellows perform bronchoscopy, chest tube insertion, and right heart catheterization, and train in endobronchial ultrasound, airway stent placement, APC electrocautery, rigid bronchoscopy, and pleuroscopy [123]
• Continuity clinic in the first year, with weekly Chest Medicine and Sarcoid clinics at Parkland in subsequent years [124]

Research Opportunities & Support

• The four-year Physician Investigator Track provides 18 months of clinical training followed by roughly 2.5 years of dedicated research with greatly reduced clinical effort [124]
• Research is supported by an NIH T32 training grant [123]
• Investigator track themes include pulmonary vascular disease, interstitial lung disease, inflammation and immunity, and lung epithelial cell differentiation disorders [124]
• Graduate School coursework is encouraged and paid for [124]

Faculty & Mentorship

• Research mentors span 13 departments, including a Nobel Laureate, three members of the National Academy of Sciences, and four Howard Hughes investigators [123]
• Program leadership includes program director Hetal Patel, M.D., with associate program directors for the clinical and research tracks [123]

Application Process & Eligibility

• Applications are submitted through ERAS and positions are filled through the NRMP Match [125]
• The program accepts U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and J-1 (ECFMG-sponsored) visa holders; H-1B visas are not sponsored [125]

Stipends & Benefits

• First-year fellow (PGY-4) salary is $82,225 for 2026-2027, rising to $86,343 (PGY-5) and $89,505 (PGY-6) [126]
• Fellows receive four weeks of PTO per academic year plus free employee health insurance with affordable dependent, dental, and vision coverage [126]
• Educational allowance of $2,000/year, split between $1,000 for educational expenses and $1,000 for conference travel [126]

Unique Strengths & Highlights

• Recognized among the top hospitals nationally for pulmonology by U.S. News & World Report, with a strong research infrastructure [123]
• Robust physician-scientist pathway anchored by an NIH T32 grant and an internationally distinguished research faculty [123, 124]

Location

Hackensack, New Jersey

Type

Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine

Length

3

Accreditation

ACGME-accredited

First-year salary

$85,770 (PGY-4, per FREIDA)

Program Type & Structure

• Three-year ACGME-accredited Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine fellowship based at Hackensack University Medical Center, the academic flagship of Hackensack Meridian Health and an 803-bed nonprofit teaching and research hospital [134, 127].
• Affiliated with the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, with deep ties to multiple residency programs and subspecialty fellowships [127].
• Accepts three fellows per year, beginning July 1 [132].
• Uses a 4+1 schedule with a dedicated ambulatory block to strengthen the outpatient continuity-clinic experience [127, 128].

Clinical Training & Rotations

• Critical care training spans the Medical ICU (primary, 20-bed unit), surgical ICU, neuro-critical care, and cardiothoracic ICU [129, 128].
• Fellows manage all VV ECMO cases directly in the Medical ICU, with VA ECMO managed in the cardiothoracic ICU and an eCPR program; Hackensack serves as a regional referral center for severe ARDS [129, 127].
• Procedural training includes central lines, arterial lines, dialysis catheters, chest tubes, hundreds of intubations, and cryobiopsy on intubated patients, plus ultrasound and transesophageal echocardiography [129].
• Pulmonary rotations and clinics include interstitial lung disease, sleep medicine, interventional pulmonology, a pulmonary nodule clinic, and thoracic surgery [130].
• Specialty ICUs are housed in the new nine-story Helena Theurer Pavilion, with a Combined Procedure Unit containing dedicated pulmonary procedure rooms [128].

Research Opportunities & Support

• Active clinical-trial portfolio including the ASPIRE trial for chronic cough, the NIGHTINGALE genomic study for pulmonary-nodule risk stratification, and Phase 2/3 studies in RSV, pulmonary fibrosis, and ARDS [131].
• Investigator-led projects in right-ventricular function via point-of-care ultrasound in acute pulmonary embolism, bronchoscopic performance in the ICU, and pleural disease management [131].
• As a network member, fellows can engage with the Center for Discovery and Innovation, a translational research center supporting Hackensack physicians [131].
• Faculty and fellows present at regional and national meetings including the American Thoracic Society, Society of Critical Care Medicine, and CHEST [131].

Faculty & Mentorship

• Keith Brenner, MD serves as Pulmonary Section Chief and Fellowship Program Director; he trained at Johns Hopkins and Columbia University Medical Center [133].
• Faculty include Sean Sadikot, MD (Associate Program Director), Keith Rose, MD (Director of ICU Services / Division Director), and Nadeem Ali, MD (Director of Interventional Pulmonary) [133].
• Subspecialty faculty include Aditi Mathur, MD (interstitial lung disease), Victoria Mock, MD (airway disease), and others across sleep medicine and thoracic surgery [130].

Application Process & Eligibility

• Applications are accepted through ERAS, and the program participates in the NRMP Medicine Subspecialty (fellowship) Match [132, 134].
• A minimum of three letters of recommendation (maximum four), including a specialty-specific letter, is required [134].
• MD and IMG applicants must have passed USMLE Step 1 and Step 2; DO applicants must also have passed COMLEX Level 1 and Level 2 [134].
• The program sponsors J-1 visas (via ECFMG) but does not sponsor H-1B visas [132, 134].

Stipends & Benefits

• First-year (PGY-4) salary is approximately $85,770 per FREIDA [134].
• Housestaff benefits include medical, disability, and health insurance, a Physician Well-Being program, and an Employee Assistance Program [134].

Culture & Environment

• Reported average duty hours of about 60 per week in the first year, with a maximum of 24 consecutive hours on duty [134].
• The program describes itself as friendly toward DO and IMG candidates [132].

Unique Strengths & Highlights

• Hackensack's Pulmonary and Lung Surgery program was ranked #22 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report (2024) [127].
• High-acuity critical care with fellow-run VV ECMO and regional ARDS referral status [129, 127].
• 4+1 ambulatory schedule and a broad interventional/pulmonary procedural curriculum [127, 130].

Location

Houston, TX

Type

Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine (combined)

Length

3

Accreditation

ACGME-accredited

First-year salary

$77,136 (PGY-4)

Program Type & Structure

• Three-year combined Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine fellowship based at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. [135, 138]
• Offers approximately 5-7 positions per year. [135]
• Applicants must be board-eligible in internal medicine and have completed a three-year ACGME-accredited internal medicine residency in the United States before starting. [136]

Clinical Training & Rotations

• Training spans three institutions in the Texas Medical Center: Ben Taub Hospital, Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center, and the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center. [135]
• Clinical exposure includes lung transplantation, cystic fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension, interventional pulmonary, ARDS, sepsis, and ECMO. [135]
• Emphasizes intensive, hands-on exposure to diverse inpatient and outpatient clinical services. [135]

Research Opportunities & Support

• The program's mission includes training physician-scientists, with institutional research opportunities available to fellows. [135]

Faculty & Mentorship

• Program Director: Philip Alapat, M.D. [135]
• Fellowship Coordinator: Sylvia Villarreal. [135]

Application Process & Eligibility

• Applications are submitted through ERAS, opening in July each year, with positions offered exclusively through the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP). [136]
• Required materials include three letters of recommendation, a personal statement, CV, medical school transcript, USMLE results, and a photograph. [136]
• International medical graduates must hold ECFMG certification. [136]
• Interviews are conducted virtually in September and October. [136]
• The program accepts U.S. citizens, green card holders, and non-immigrant visa holders on J-1 visas only. [136]

Stipends & Benefits

• First-year (PGY-4) stipend is $77,136 for 2025-2026, rising to $80,898 (PGY-5) and $83,519 (PGY-6), per the BCM GME housestaff stipend scale. [202]
• Medical, dental, life, and accidental death & dismemberment insurance are provided with premiums paid by the program. [137]
• A house staff psychiatric counseling service offers up to 12 free sessions to trainees and their spouses or significant others. [137]
• Long-term disability coverage is provided at no cost for absences exceeding six months. [137]

Unique Strengths & Highlights

• Located in the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical center in the world, with training across a public hospital (Ben Taub), a private quaternary center (Baylor St. Luke's), and a VA hospital. [135]
• Breadth of advanced clinical exposure including lung transplantation and ECMO. [135]

Location

Indianapolis, IN

Type

Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine (3-year); a separate 2-year Critical Care Medicine track is also offered

Length

3

Accreditation

ACGME-accredited

First-year salary

$73,300

Protected research

Up to 18 months for T32 fellows; 6-16 months for research/academic track; clinical track has 6 months for a clinical research project

Program Type & Structure

• Three-year ACGME-accredited Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine fellowship based in downtown Indianapolis. [139, 144]
• A separate two-year Critical Care Medicine track is also offered alongside the combined PCCM track. [139]
• Approximately 8 first-year positions are offered, with around 22 fellows in training across the program. [144]

Clinical Training & Rotations

• The first year is 12 months of clinical training divided between pulmonary and critical care medicine. [140]
• Clinical-track fellows complete a total of 30 months of clinical time, including 6 months devoted to a clinical research project. [140]
• Rotations span four main hospitals: IU Health University Hospital, IU Health Methodist Hospital, the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, and Eskenazi Health. [141]
• Methodist Hospital is the largest facility in the IU Health system with over 100 ICU beds and offers ECMO and lung transplantation experience. [141]
• The VA Medical Center has a 12-bed ICU with a busy bronchoscopy suite, and Eskenazi Health is a Level 1 trauma center with two ICU teams. [141]
• Fellows become proficient in bronchoscopy, central venous cannulation, critical care ultrasound, and ECMO. [139]
• All fellows maintain a weekly half-day continuity pulmonary clinic. [140]

Research Opportunities & Support

• T32 training-grant fellows (typically one MD fellow per year) receive up to 18 months of protected research time. [140, 142]
• Research/academic-track fellows have between 6 and 16 months of protected research time depending on their project and career goals. [140]
• Divisional research spans COPD/emphysema, interstitial and immunologic lung disease, transplant immunology, pulmonary hypertension, fungal and opportunistic infections, and ICU delirium. [142]
• The CITE program structures mentoring with an established faculty scientist and supports fellows applying for NIH K23 grants. [142]
• Advanced-degree options include a Master of Science in Clinical Research, a master's in bioethics, and a 9-month Ethics Fellowship at the Fairbanks Center for Medical Ethics. [142]

Faculty & Mentorship

• The fellowship is led by program director Laura J. Hinkle, MD, MEd, Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine. [139]
• The division houses multiple well-funded basic and clinical science researchers across several lung-disease programs. [142]

Application Process & Eligibility

• Applications are submitted through ERAS, and the program participates in the NRMP Fellowship Match. [144]
• Four letters of recommendation are required. [144]
• Applicants must pass USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 (or COMLEX Level 1 and 2 for DO applicants). [144]
• The application deadline was August 1 for the 2025 cycle. [144]
• The program offers J-1 visa sponsorship through ECFMG but does not sponsor H-1B visas. [144]
• The program participated in ERAS program signaling for the 2026 fellowship cycle, giving priority interview consideration to applicants who signal. [139]

Stipends & Benefits

• The 2025-2026 first-year (PGY-4) stipend is $73,300, rising to $76,100 (PGY-5) and $78,600 (PGY-6). [143]
• Benefits include health and dental insurance with no monthly premiums for fellows and their families, plus free life and disability insurance. [143]
• Fellows receive four weeks of vacation per year, with paid parental, caregiver, and medical leave for qualifying events. [143]
• Additional perks include free parking at all hospitals, on-call meal money, provided white coats and scrubs, and IU tuition benefits for fellows, spouses, and dependent children. [143]

Culture & Environment

• Call and weekend responsibilities are shared equally among all fellows regardless of track. [140]
• First-year fellows average about 60 hours per week with a maximum 24-hour consecutive duty period. [144]
• The program is located in the heart of downtown Indianapolis. [139]

Unique Strengths & Highlights

• High-volume ICU exposure across four hospitals, including a 100+ bed ICU system with ECMO and lung transplantation at Methodist. [141, 139]
• Strong, flexible research infrastructure including an NIH T32 grant, the CITE mentorship program, and integrated advanced-degree pathways. [142]
• Comprehensive benefits package with no-premium health/dental insurance and IU tuition benefits for fellows and their families. [143]

Location

San Diego, California

Type

Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine (combined)

Length

3 years (optional extension to 4+ years)

Accreditation

ACGME-accredited

First-year salary

$100,382

Protected research

One or more years of protected, mentored research time

Program Type & Structure

• Three-year ACGME-accredited combined Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine fellowship, with optional extension to four or more years for research-focused trainees [145]
• Approximately six new fellows are accepted each year [146]
• Fellows are eligible to sit for the ABIM Pulmonary Disease boards in their third year and the Critical Care Medicine boards upon completion [145]

Clinical Training & Rotations

• Roughly two years of clinical training followed by one or more years of protected, mentored research time [145]
• Rotations span UC San Diego Jacobs Medical Center, UC San Diego Medical Center-Hillcrest, and the VA San Diego Healthcare System [145]
• Broad critical care exposure across medical, neuro, surgical, cardiac, burn, trauma, and neonatal ICUs [145]
• Procedural training includes bronchoscopy with EBUS, thoracentesis, chest tube placement, central and arterial lines, critical care ultrasound, advanced airways, and ECMO, taught through structured simulation [148]
• Weekly Wednesday didactic conferences, twice-monthly specialty conferences (ILD, pulmonary embolism, lung transplant), and weekly grand rounds [148]

Research Opportunities & Support

• One or more dedicated years of protected research time in basic science, translational, or clinical research [145]
• Supported by an NIH-sponsored T32 research training grant [145]
• Career-development support includes workshops on scientific writing and grant writing, plus a clinician-educator (FACE) program [148]

Faculty & Mentorship

• Daniel Crouch, MD serves as the PCCM fellowship program director [149]
• George Cheng, MD is Medical Director of Interventional Pulmonology, Bronchoscopy, and Pleural Disease [149]
• The Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep Medicine & Physiology runs specialty programs in pulmonary vascular disease, cystic fibrosis, lung transplantation, advanced lung disease, and sleep medicine [145]

Application Process & Eligibility

• Applications are submitted through ERAS and the program participates in the NRMP Match (program number 1049156F0) [146]
• The application cycle opens in July and applications are accepted through October for training beginning the following July [146]
• A minimum of three letters of recommendation are required, one of which must be from the residency program director [146]
• Applicants are expected to have completed a three-year ACGME-accredited internal medicine residency, though some are accepted after two years via a physician-scientist track [147]
• Interviews for the 2026 cycle are virtual and offered on a rolling basis between late August and October [146]
• H-1B and J-1 visa holders are not generally accepted because they are not supported by the NIH training grant, with exceptions for exceptional applicants [147]

Stipends & Benefits

• First-year fellows (Pay Level 4) earn an annual salary of $100,382 for 2025-2026 [150]
• Benefits include 4 weeks (20 working days) of paid vacation and 12 days of paid sick leave [204]
• UC San Diego provides medical, dental, vision, behavioral health, life, and disability insurance [204]
• Trainees receive a $750 annual educational stipend [204]

Culture & Environment

• The fellowship emphasizes training skilled clinicians and accomplished scholars for academic pulmonary and critical care careers [145]

Unique Strengths & Highlights

• Strong research infrastructure anchored by an NIH T32 grant and one or more protected research years [145]
• Breadth of clinical sites and ICU types, including a robust lung transplantation and pulmonary vascular program [145]
• The UC San Diego pulmonary program was ranked #9 nationally in the 2021-2022 U.S. News & World Report rankings [149]

Location

Nashville, TN

Type

Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine (within Allergy/Pulmonary/Critical Care division)

Length

3 years (optional 4th research year)

Accreditation

ACGME-accredited

First-year salary

$81,933 (PGY-4, effective 1/1/26)

Protected research

~8 months of protected research time annually in years 2-3

Program Type & Structure

• Three-year ACGME-accredited Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine fellowship within the Division of Allergy, Pulmonary, and Critical Care Medicine, with an optional fourth year for research training. [152]
• Accepts six fellows per year, with a stated goal of producing expert clinicians with strong research training for academic careers. [152]

Clinical Training & Rotations

• Training is based at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the adjacent Nashville VA Medical Center. [152]
• Year 1 builds foundational skills through pulmonary consult, subspecialty, and critical care rotations; years 2-3 feature intensive MICU rotations in a 35-bed ICU. [152]
• Fellows perform 100-150+ bronchoscopies, with over half involving EBUS and navigational techniques, plus intubation, thoracentesis, chest tube, and central line placement. [152]

Research Opportunities & Support

• Roughly eight months of protected research time annually during years 2-3, with about half of fellows pursuing a fourth research year. [152]
• The division holds three NIH T32 training grants supporting fellow research. [152]
• Fellows may pursue an MPH or a Master of Science in Applied Clinical Informatics (MSACI). [152]

Faculty & Mentorship

• Program Director: Meredith Pugh, MD, MSCI; Associate Director: William Lawson, MD. [152]

Application Process & Eligibility

• Applications are submitted through ERAS and the program participates in the NRMP fellowship match. [152]
• Requires at least three letters of recommendation, one from the internal medicine program director or designee, plus a personal statement and USMLE Step 1, 2, and 3 scores. [152]
• Application deadline is August 1, with virtual interviews held in September-October. [152]
• Due to NIH training grant funding restrictions, the program generally cannot accept applicants on H-1B or J-1 visas, though exceptional applicants may be considered case-by-case. [152]

Stipends & Benefits

• House staff stipends effective 1/1/26 are $81,933 (PGY-4), $84,801 (PGY-5), and $87,769 (PGY-6). [153]
• Benefits include a 403(b) retirement plan with up to 5% VUMC match after the first year, interim health insurance before start date, and Tennessee's lack of a state income tax. [153]
• House staff receive 15 business days of vacation plus 2 personal days and accrue one sick day per month, with up to six weeks of parental leave. [154]

Culture & Environment

• Vanderbilt's Department of Medicine ranks among the top nationally for NIH research funding, supporting a strongly academic, research-oriented fellowship culture. [152]

Unique Strengths & Highlights

• High procedural volume in advanced bronchoscopy (EBUS and navigational techniques). [152]
• Substantial protected research time, three NIH T32 grants, and advanced degree options support academic career development. [152]

Location

New Haven, CT

Type

Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine (PCCM)

Length

3 years (36 months)

Accreditation

ACGME-accredited

First-year salary

$100,576 (PGY-4, 2026-27)

Protected research

~18 months dedicated to research

Program Type & Structure

• Three-year (36-month) ACGME Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine fellowship based at Yale School of Medicine and Yale-New Haven Hospital, with at least 18 months of clinical training and 18 months of research. [155]
• Part of the Section of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, which also offers standalone Sleep Medicine, Internal Medicine Subspecialty Critical Care, Interventional Pulmonary, and Pulmonary Vascular Disease fellowships. [160]

Clinical Training & Rotations

• Clinical training spans Yale-New Haven Hospital (York Street Campus) and the VA Connecticut Healthcare System, including the West Haven VA Medical Center. [156]
• Fellows staff the MICU at the York Street Campus and the West Haven VA; those pursuing additional critical care training also rotate through Surgical, Neurosurgical and Medical ICUs. [156]
• A dedicated month on the Thoracic Interventional Program (TIP) provides exposure to advanced bronchoscopic procedures, pleural procedures and percutaneous tracheostomies, with bronchoscopy and thoracentesis performed during consult rotations. [156]
• Fellows spend at least six months in continuity and pulmonary subspecialty clinics spanning ILD, asthma, COPD, cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, thoracic oncology, pulmonary vascular disease, interventional pulmonary, sarcoidosis, post-COVID and post-ICU care. [156]

Research Opportunities & Support

• Roughly 18 months are dedicated to mentored research, supported by an NIH T32 training grant. [155]
• Research training spans molecular and cell biology, genomics, clinical epidemiology, health services research, community-based participatory research and translational research. [155]
• Fellows may pursue advanced degrees including a PhD through the Investigative Medicine Program, an MPH from the Yale School of Public Health, or an MHS through Yale School of Medicine. [155]

Faculty & Mentorship

• The fellowship is directed by Clemente Britto-Leon, MD. [155]
• Associate Program Directors include Shannon Kay, MD (inpatient affairs), Jean Paul Higuero-Sevilla, MD (critical care) and Ashley Losier, MD (outpatient affairs), with Kathleen McAvoy, MD as Assistant Program Director. [155]

Application Process & Eligibility

• Applicants must have completed an accredited three-year internal medicine residency and apply through the NRMP Medical Specialties Matching Program via ERAS. [157]
• Three letters of recommendation are required, one from the applicant's current Program Director, along with USMLE or COMLEX transcripts. [158]
• Applicants must be a US citizen, permanent resident, or sponsored on an H-1 or J-1 visa. [158, 159]
• Fellowship interviews for the 2025-2026 cycle were held exclusively virtually, with no in-person site visits. [157]

Stipends & Benefits

• Yale lists a 2026-27 PGY-4 total annual salary of $100,576 (inclusive of the $4,000 wellbeing discretionary component); first-year PCCM fellows enter at the PGY-4 level. [205]
• House staff receive 2-4 weeks of vacation (department-dependent); medical, dental and vision insurance; and life and long-term disability coverage. [161]
• A wellbeing discretionary fund of $4,000 (2026-27) can be applied toward education, childcare, loan repayment or other priority needs. [161]
• Wellness benefits include livingWell Fitness Center membership and the Employee & Family Resources counseling program; eight weeks of paid parental leave is provided. [161]

Culture & Environment

• The section's mission emphasizes training academic physicians for careers in pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine through strong clinical skills and faculty-mentored independent research. [160]

Unique Strengths & Highlights

• NIH T32-funded research infrastructure with multiple advanced-degree pathways (PhD, MPH, MHS) within a major academic medical center. [155]
• Broad clinical exposure across Yale-New Haven Hospital and the VA Connecticut system, plus a dedicated interventional pulmonary (TIP) experience. [156]

Location

New York, NY

Type

Pulmonary Disease & Critical Care Medicine (combined; includes sleep medicine training)

Length

3

Accreditation

ACGME-accredited; NRMP fellowship match (ERAS)

First-year salary

$102,224 (PGY-4, 2025-26)

Protected research

12 months protected research time

Program Type & Structure

• Combined Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine fellowship based at The Mount Sinai Hospital, a 36-month (3-year) ACGME-accredited program [162, 165]
• Housed in the Catherine and Henry J. Gaisman Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, led by chief Charles A. Powell, MD, MBA [169, 170]
• Six first-year positions per year, for roughly 18 fellows in total across the three years [165]

Clinical Training & Rotations

• The first year focuses on the fundamentals of complex pulmonary disease, physiology and exercise testing, sleep medicine, procedural skills, ultrasound, and the fundamentals of critical care and bronchoscopy [162]
• Fellows manage the medical ICU, supervising MICU residents and performing procedures including intubation, percutaneous tracheostomy, chest tubes, bronchoscopy, and point-of-care ultrasonography [163]

Research Opportunities & Support

• The 36-month curriculum includes 12 months of protected research time [162, 167]
• Trainees pursue either a clinician-educator or a physician-scientist track and are paired with faculty research mentors, with pairings approved by program leadership [167]
• Institutional support includes a Clinician Scientist Research Training Program (T32) for fellows pursuing research-intensive careers [168]

Faculty & Mentorship

• Sakshi Dua, MBBS, FCCP, ATSF, has served as fellowship program director since 2014 [164]
• Charles A. Powell, MD, MBA, is chief of the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine [170]

Application Process & Eligibility

• Applications are accepted through ERAS, and candidates must be enrolled in the NRMP fellowship match (program code 1490156F0) [165]
• A minimum of 3 letters of recommendation is required, including one from the internal medicine program director [165]
• Applicants must have passed USMLE Step 1 and Step 2; the ERAS application deadline is August 1 [165]
• The program sponsors J-1 visas through ECFMG and will consider H-1B visas [165]

Stipends & Benefits

• First-year fellows (PGY-4) earn approximately $102,224 on the 2025-26 Mount Sinai Health System non-union house staff salary scale, which covers The Mount Sinai Hospital [166]
• FREIDA lists the program salary range as roughly $102,000 to $111,000 across the three years [165]
• Fellows receive 20 vacation days per year, with sick days negotiable [165]

Culture & Environment

• The program targets candidates pursuing academic careers in pulmonary and critical care medicine, via either a clinician-educator or physician-scientist track [167]
• First-year fellows average about 60 hours per week, capped at 16 consecutive hours on duty [165]

Unique Strengths & Highlights

• Twelve months of protected research time and a dedicated physician-scientist track within a large academic division [162, 167]
• Broad procedural and critical care exposure at a major New York academic medical center, including bronchoscopy, percutaneous tracheostomy, and point-of-care ultrasound [163]

Location

New York, NY

Type

Pulmonary Disease & Critical Care Medicine (PCCM)

Length

3 years (4-year research / global-health tracks available)

Accreditation

ACGME-accredited

First-year salary

$117,300 total (PGY-4, 2024–25; $109,800 base + $7,500 living supplement)

Protected research

~20–22 months clinical in first 2 years; remainder protected for research

Program Type & Structure

• Three-year ACGME-accredited Pulmonary Disease & Critical Care Medicine fellowship at NewYork-Presbyterian / Columbia University Irving Medical Center, with optional four-year research and global-health tracks [171, 173].
• Career pathways include a Research Pathway (NIH T32-supported), a Global Health Research Pathway, and a Clinician Scholar Pathway [171].
• Approximately 14 fellows are in training across the program [173].

Clinical Training & Rotations

• Fellows complete roughly 20–22 months of clinical training during the first two years, with later years largely devoted to research [171].
• Six to eight months are spent in the Medical ICUs — two 12-bed units including a tertiary referral MICU caring for refractory hypoxemic respiratory failure patients on ECMO [172].
• Primary clinical sites are Columbia University Irving Medical Center (Milstein) and the Allen Hospital, where fellows rotate in the Allen ICU for 2–4 weeks during their second year [172].
• Procedural training includes bronchoscopy, transbronchial biopsy, EBUS-TBNA, thoracentesis, pleural catheter placement (pigtail and tunneled PleurX), critical-care ultrasound, intubation, and ECMO [172].

Research Opportunities & Support

• Fellows identify a focus in pulmonary medicine (interstitial lung disease, pulmonary hypertension, cystic fibrosis, lung transplantation, or advanced diagnostic bronchoscopy) or critical care (ECLS/ECMO, respiratory failure, critical-care ultrasound, or palliative care) [171].
• The Research Pathway is supported by NIH T32 funding, with an optional fourth year for additional research training [171].
• A Global Health Research Pathway offers a four-year program with international research opportunities [171].

Faculty & Mentorship

• Program Director: Kristin M. Burkart, MD, MSc [171].
• Associate Program Director: Briana Short, MD, MSc; Associate Director for Research: Max O'Donnell, MD [171].
• Christine Garcia, MD, was named Chief of the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine at Columbia [175].

Application Process & Eligibility

• Applications are submitted through ERAS, with all materials due no later than July 31 [171].
• The program participates in the NRMP Medicine Subspecialty (Fellowship) Match, code 1495156F0 [173].
• A minimum of three letters of recommendation is required (excluding the MSPE/Dean's letter) [173].
• J-1 visas are sponsored through ECFMG; H-1B visas are not sponsored [173].

Stipends & Benefits

• First-year (PGY-4) total direct pay was $117,300 for 2024–25, comprising a $109,800 base salary plus a $7,500 annual living supplement [174].
• Fellows receive four weeks (20 days) of paid vacation [173].
• Benefits include Aetna medical coverage with Rx and vision plus dental, with the hospital paying roughly 90% of premiums, and reimbursement of initial NYS license and renewal fees [174].
• Additional perks include a $2,000 annual Lyft credit and a $2,160 annual meal stipend [174].

Culture & Environment

• The program states it values excellence, curiosity, diversity, collaboration, and compassion, with a mission to train future leaders, scientists, educators, and academic clinicians [171].
• Wellness support includes CopeNYP counseling (up to 8 sessions per issue per year) and NYPBeHealthy wellbeing coaching at no cost [174].

Unique Strengths & Highlights

• High-acuity critical-care exposure, including a dedicated ECMO referral MICU and training in ECLS and critical-care ultrasound [172].
• Strong research infrastructure with NIH T32 support and distinct research, global-health, and clinician-scholar pathways [171].
• Broad subspecialty depth at an academic medical center spanning lung transplantation, pulmonary hypertension, ILD, cystic fibrosis, and advanced bronchoscopy [171, 172].

Location

New York, NY

Type

Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine (combined)

Length

3 years

Accreditation

ACGME-accredited

First-year salary

$114,200 (PGY-4, 2025-26)

Protected research

Up to 18 months in years 2-3

Program Type & Structure

• Three-year ACGME-accredited combined Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine fellowship based at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital / Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York, NY [176]
• Five fellowship positions are offered each year through the NRMP Medical Specialties Matching Program [177]
• Structured as at least 18 months of clinical rotations and up to 18 months of protected research time [176]

Clinical Training & Rotations

• Clinical rotations span the inpatient pulmonary consultation service, the procedure service, electives, and the medical and other intensive care units [176]
• The Medical ICU is a 20-bed closed unit treating over 1,200 patients annually and serving as the tertiary referral center for the Weill Cornell network; fellows also rotate through cardiac and neurosurgical ICUs [178]
• Outpatient experience includes both the general pulmonary medicine clinic and a dedicated interstitial lung disease clinic, with roughly 10% weekly ambulatory continuity practice [176, 178]
• Procedural training covers basic bronchoscopy (BAL, transbronchial and endobronchial biopsy), advanced interventional techniques (linear and radial EBUS, navigation, cryotherapy, argon plasma ablation, endobronchial stent/valve placement, whole lung lavage), and core critical care skills (intubation, central venous access, thoracentesis, chest tubes, percutaneous tracheostomy) [178]
• Additional clinical sites and electives include Hospital for Special Surgery consultation, interventional pulmonary, sleep medicine, lung transplantation, and pulmonary hypertension [178]

Research Opportunities & Support

• Fellows receive up to 18 months of protected research time during their second and third years [179]
• Three investigative tracks are offered: basic & translational research, clinical investigation & outcomes, and clinician educator & quality improvement [179]
• Institutional research resources include a T32 training grant, the GRASP grantsmanship workshop, Weill Cornell core facilities, the Biobank of Critically Ill Patients (BOCI), and a pulmonary/critical care biorepository [179]
• Fellows may pursue master's coursework such as the CTSC Master's in Clinical and Translational Investigation and related research certificates [179, 176]
• A primary mentor is identified during first-year boot camps, and an individual research committee is established before protected research time begins [179]

Faculty & Mentorship

• Fellowship Program Director: Meredith Turetz, M.D. [177]
• Associate Program Directors: Robert Kaner, M.D. and Bradley Hayward, M.D. [176]

Application Process & Eligibility

• Applications are submitted through ERAS and the division participates in the NRMP Medical Specialties Matching Program [177]
• Required materials include all ERAS application fields, three letters of recommendation (including the residency program director's letter), and a personal statement; a photo is optional [177]
• Applications are reviewed August-September with interviews September-October [177]
• J-1 visas are accepted but H-1B visas are not sponsored, and applicants are generally expected to be U.S. citizens or green card holders due to funding sources [177]

Stipends & Benefits

• First-year (PGY-4) fellow salary is $114,200 for the 2025-26 academic year, rising to $118,000 (PGY-5) and $120,100 (PGY-6) [180]
• Trainees receive four weeks of vacation plus sick leave [180, 178]
• Benefits include major medical, dental, life, and disability insurance and professional liability coverage at no cost [180]
• Additional offerings include dependent care spending accounts, legal and financial planning services, on-site childcare (limited spaces), and access to near-campus NewYork-Presbyterian housing [180]

Culture & Environment

• The division's stated mission is to train pulmonary and critical care specialists who become academic leaders, scientists, and scholars in the field [176]

Unique Strengths & Highlights

• High-volume closed MICU serving as the tertiary referral center for the Weill Cornell network [178]
• Robust research infrastructure with up to 18 months of protected time, a T32 grant, multiple investigative tracks, and master's-level coursework [179]
• Comprehensive interventional pulmonary and procedural training [178]

Location

Philadelphia, PA

Type

Pulmonary Disease & Critical Care Medicine (PCCM)

Length

3.5 for dual pulmonary + critical care board eligibility (18 mo clinical + 24 mo research)

Accreditation

ACGME-accredited (continued full accreditation)

First-year salary

$87,758 (PGY-4, effective Oct 1, 2025; UPHS housestaff stipend scale, AY 2025-26)

Protected research

24 months (final two years dedicated to research)

Program Type & Structure

• Three-and-a-half-year Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine fellowship leading to dual board eligibility; the first 18 months focus on clinical training and the final 24 months are dedicated to research [181].
• Approximately 8 first-year fellows are accepted each year, and the program participates in the NRMP fellowship match [183].
• Additional ACGME and non-ACGME pathways are available, including Sleep Medicine, Advanced Lung Disease/Lung Transplantation, Interventional Pulmonology, and Pulmonary Hypertension/Pulmonary Vascular Disease [182].

Clinical Training & Rotations

• The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) serves as the home base for clinical training, with major rotations at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center (across the street) and the fully integrated Penn Presbyterian Medical Center [181].
• Critical care exposure spans the HUP and Penn Presbyterian MICUs, a Trauma SICU, and a Neuro ICU, alongside pulmonary consult services and subspecialty clinics [181].
• Fellows choose between Research Scholar and Clinician Scholar tracks, which differ in their first-year rotation allocations [181].

Research Opportunities & Support

• The final 24 months are protected for research conducted through the Harron Lung Center [181].
• Advanced training pathways let fellows individualize their research and clinical focus, including advanced lung disease/transplant, interventional pulmonology, and pulmonary vascular disease [182].

Faculty & Mentorship

• The fellowship is directed by Mary Elizabeth Kreider, MD, MSCE, who also serves as Vice Chief for Education and Faculty Development in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care [184].

Application Process & Eligibility

• Applications are submitted through ERAS, the program participates in the NRMP fellowship match with a November 1 deadline, and interviews are conducted virtually [183].
• Applicants must pass USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 (or COMLEX Levels 1 and 2 for DOs) with no more than one failed attempt, and must have completed three years of prior GME [183].
• DO and IMG applicants are welcomed, and ECFMG certification is required for international medical graduates [183].

Stipends & Benefits

• First-year (PGY-4) salary is $87,758 under the University of Pennsylvania Health System housestaff stipend scale, effective October 1, 2025 [203].
• Fellows receive four weeks (28 days) of paid vacation [183].
• Under the CIR/SEIU-UPHS housestaff agreement, fellows receive health insurance for themselves and their families, paid family/medical leave, and malpractice coverage [185].

Culture & Environment

• Average duty is roughly 70 hours per week in the first year, with a 24-hour maximum consecutive duty period [183].
• The program offers J-1 (via ECFMG) and H-1B visa sponsorship to eligible international applicants [183].

Unique Strengths & Highlights

• Large, research-intensive program offering 24 months of protected research time through the Harron Lung Center [181].
• Broad menu of advanced fellowship pathways within a single institution, spanning sleep medicine, lung transplant/advanced lung disease, interventional pulmonology, and pulmonary hypertension [182].
• Multi-site critical care training across HUP, the Philadelphia VA Medical Center, and Penn Presbyterian [181].

Location

Stanford, CA

Type

Pulmonary, Allergy & Critical Care Medicine (PCCM)

Length

3 years (optional 4th year for NIH K-award pathway)

Accreditation

ACGME-accredited

First-year salary

$113,276.80 (PGY-4, includes $12K housing; effective 9/14/2025)

Protected research

14-18 months of protected research time over the 3 years

Program Type & Structure

• Three-year ACGME-accredited Pulmonary, Allergy & Critical Care Medicine fellowship sponsored by Stanford Health Care/Stanford University. [186, 187]
• Fellows choose a Clinical Track or Research Track, with the track decision made during the first year of training. [187]
• An optional fourth year is available for fellows pursuing an NIH K-award research pathway. [188]

Clinical Training & Rotations

• Clinical rotations span three hospitals: Stanford University Medical Center, the VA Palo Alto Health Care System, and Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. [187]
• The year is organized into 13 four-week blocks, with core clinical training typically front-loaded in the fellowship. [187]
• ICU exposure includes Stanford's medical, surgical, and neuro-critical care services, the VA's multidisciplinary ICU, and Santa Clara Valley's busy tertiary MICU. [187]
• Rotations include interstitial lung disease, pulmonary hypertension, interventional pulmonary, VA-based sleep medicine, lung transplantation, and palliative care. [187]

Research Opportunities & Support

• Fellows receive roughly 14-18 months of protected research time during the standard three-year program. [188]
• Research pathways include a basic/translational track and a clinical/health-services track. [188]
• The clinical/health-services track allows fellows to earn a Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology or Health Services Research, supported by KL2 awards through Stanford's CTSA. [188]
• An NIH T32 training grant supports fellows pursuing basic-science and translational research careers. [186, 188]
• NIH-funded research programs span asthma & allergy, interstitial lung diseases, and ARDS, alongside centers of excellence in lung transplantation, pulmonary hypertension, and cystic fibrosis. [186]

Faculty & Mentorship

• Joseph Levitt, MD, MS serves as Program Director and Andrea Jonas, MD as Associate Program Director. [186]
• Angela Rogers, MD, MPH is the Research Associate Program Director and Gaurav Singh, MD is an Associate Program Director; Mark Nicolls, MD is the Division Chief. [186]

Application Process & Eligibility

• Applications are submitted through ERAS, and the program participates in the NRMP Match; the deadline was August 31, 2025. [189]
• At least three original letters of recommendation are required, one of which must come from the residency program director. [189]
• Applicants must have completed three years of ACGME-accredited Internal Medicine residency and be IM board-eligible. [189]
• USMLE scores must be submitted, and international medical graduates must be ECFMG-certified; the program sponsors J-1 visas through ECFMG. [189]
• Interviews are virtual only. [189]

Stipends & Benefits

• The PGY-4 base salary is $113,276.80, rising to $119,558.40 (PGY-5) and $124,280.00 (PGY-6), effective 9/14/2025; the base rate includes a $12,000 housing component. [190]
• House staff may choose among Stanford Health Care, Aetna, and Kaiser health plans. [191]

Culture & Environment

• The program emphasizes a commitment to culture, community, and academic excellence, treating fellows as integral members of clinical and research teams. [186]
• Training pairs a world-class research institution with a tertiary/quaternary referral center and individualized educational planning for each fellow. [186]

Unique Strengths & Highlights

• Centers of excellence in lung transplantation, pulmonary hypertension, and cystic fibrosis. [186]
• Strong research infrastructure including an NIH T32, Stanford CTSA/KL2 funding, and substantial protected research time. [188]
• Broad critical-care exposure across three hospitals with distinct ICU patient populations. [187]

Location

Torrance, CA

Type

Combined Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine

Length

3 years

Accreditation

ACGME-accredited (LA County–Harbor-UCLA, ACGME ID 1560511115)

First-year salary

$85,855 (PGY-4)

Program Type & Structure

• Three-year combined Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine fellowship at Los Angeles County / Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, CA, affiliated with the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA [192, 193]
• Three fellows are accepted per year through the NRMP, for a total complement of nine fellows [192]
• One of very few PCCM training programs based primarily in a public teaching hospital, with Harbor-UCLA serving a roughly 570-bed county hospital and a diverse patient population [192]

Clinical Training & Rotations

• Fellows train across multiple sites: Harbor-UCLA Medical Center (primary), Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center, and Long Beach Memorial Medical Center [192]
• Rotations include a Liver ICU plus advanced lung disease and pulmonary hypertension at Ronald Reagan UCLA, a mixed medical-surgical ICU at Kaiser Permanente Downey, and a cystic fibrosis clinic at Long Beach Memorial [192]
• Interventional/advanced pulmonary training includes guided bronchoscopy, endobronchial mediastinal staging, management of airway obstruction, and pleural disease [194]
• Fellows take a primary role in clinical assessment and management with progressive levels of independence [192]

Research Opportunities & Support

• Faculty are professors of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and investigators at the Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation, a standalone research organization on the Harbor-UCLA campus [192]
• Research strengths include pulmonary physiology, cardiopulmonary exercise testing, pulmonary immunology, COPD, and pulmonary rehabilitation [192]

Faculty & Mentorship

• Charles W. Lanks, MD, FCCP serves as the Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine fellowship program director [192]
• David Hsia, MD is Chief of the Division of Respiratory and Critical Care Physiology and Medicine and a professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA [194]

Application Process & Eligibility

• Applications are submitted through ERAS, and the program participates in the NRMP fellowship match [194, 195]
• Application deadline is October 1 [195]
• USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 are required; DO applicants must also have COMLEX Level 1 and Level 2 [195]
• Three years of prior GME (internal medicine residency) are required [195]
• Interviews are conducted virtually [195]

Stipends & Benefits

• Reported PGY-level salaries are approximately $85,855 (PGY-4), $90,019 (PGY-5), and $96,118 (PGY-6) [195]
• Fellows receive 20 vacation days; sick leave is listed as negotiable [195]
• Average duty hours are about 60 per week, with a maximum of 24 consecutive hours in the first year [195]

Culture & Environment

• As a Los Angeles County public teaching hospital, Harbor-UCLA emphasizes care for an underserved, diverse patient population presenting both common and unusual pathology [192]

Unique Strengths & Highlights

• Combines public-hospital clinical breadth with access to UCLA academic faculty and the on-campus Lundquist Institute for research [192]
• Multi-site training (Harbor-UCLA, Ronald Reagan UCLA, Kaiser Downey, Long Beach Memorial) exposes fellows to public, private, and HMO models of care [192, 193]
• Sponsors J-1 visas through ECFMG for international medical graduates [195]

Location

Washington, DC

Type

Pulmonary Disease & Critical Care Medicine

Length

3

Accreditation

ACGME-accredited (program ID 1561021013)

First-year salary

$85,000 (PGY-4, FY26)

Program Type & Structure

• Three-year ACGME-accredited fellowship in Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine based at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, with major rotations at MedStar Washington Hospital Center and INOVA Fairfax Hospital [196].
• Accepts approximately 3 fellows per year (9 total in the program), and additionally offers a separate two-year critical care track for emergency-medicine-trained physicians [200, 198].

Clinical Training & Rotations

• Fellows train across MedStar Georgetown University Hospital (a 500+ bed tertiary care center) and MedStar Washington Hospital Center, an ~800-bed Level I trauma center with more than 40,000 annual admissions [196, 197].
• ICU exposure spans medical, cardiac, surgical, and neuro critical care, including ECMO, LVAD/IABP support, and trauma [196, 197].
• Subspecialty rotations include lung transplant and interventional bronchoscopy at INOVA Fairfax, cystic fibrosis at Children's National, and sleep medicine at the DC VA Medical Center [197].
• Procedural training covers bronchoscopy, thoracentesis, EBUS, and robotic-assisted (Ion platform) biopsies, with a strong interventional pulmonology emphasis [196].

Research Opportunities & Support

• Research and scholarly activity is expected throughout the fellowship, with fellows completing a meaningful research project or quality-improvement work [196].
• Research opportunities are available through rotations at the National Institutes of Health [197].
• Recent fellow publications have spanned COVID-19, interventional techniques, and rare pulmonary conditions [196].

Faculty & Mentorship

• Program Director is Daniel Jamieson, MD (appointed 2020) for the MedStar Georgetown program [196].
• The affiliated MedStar Washington Hospital Center pulmonary/critical care program is directed by Christian J. Woods, MD [197].

Application Process & Eligibility

• Applications are submitted through ERAS, and the program participates in the NRMP Medical Specialties Matching Program [198, 200].
• A minimum of three letters of recommendation is required, one of which must come from the applicant's internal medicine residency program director [198].
• J-1 visa sponsorship (via ECFMG) is available; H-1B visas are not sponsored [200].

Stipends & Benefits

• FY26 first-year (PGY-4) stipend is $85,000, rising to $89,500 (PGY-5) and $92,700 (PGY-6) [199].
• Fellows receive approximately 20 vacation days (4 weeks) per year [200].
• Health insurance options include the MedStar Select Plan, CareFirst PPO, or Kaiser Permanente, with dental and vision coverage included [199].
• Additional benefits include a retirement savings plan with company match, life and disability insurance, professional liability coverage, an Employee Assistance Program, and gender-neutral paid parental leave [199, 201].

Culture & Environment

• The program is based in Washington, DC, drawing on the combined resources of the MedStar Health system and partnerships with the NIH, Children's National, and INOVA Fairfax [196, 197].

Unique Strengths & Highlights

• High-volume, high-acuity critical care exposure at a Level I trauma center alongside advanced interventional pulmonology and robotic bronchoscopy training [196, 197].
• Access to lung transplant experience at INOVA Fairfax and research opportunities at the NIH [197].

Location

Boston, MA

Type

Interventional Pulmonology (Harvard Combined BIDMC-MGH)

First-year salary

MGB house staff scale: PGY-7 $112,535 / PGY-8 $118,458 (eff. July 1, 2026)

Program Type & Structure

• Interventional Pulmonology fellowship offered jointly by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Massachusetts General Hospital, both Harvard Medical School teaching hospitals.[82]
• Created in 2012 through the merger of the BIDMC (founded 2000) and MGH (founded 2011) programs; it describes itself as among the largest IP fellowship training programs in the country.[87, 86]
• Stated mission is to train the future leaders of Interventional Pulmonology and equip them to establish and direct a multidisciplinary academic IP program.[82]
• More than 30 fellows have graduated from the program since 2012, many going on to establish or lead IP programs elsewhere.[88]

Clinical Training & Rotations

• Training spans two large academic IP services at BIDMC and MGH that together perform a high volume of airway and pleural procedures.[86]
• Fellows rotate through specialized clinical programs covering complex airway disease, pleural disease, bronchial thermoplasty, COPD/emphysema, lung cancer, lung transplant, and thoracic oncology.[84]
• The program emphasizes a multidisciplinary approach with thoracic surgery, pulmonary and critical care medicine, medical oncology, radiation oncology, and thoracic radiology.[87]
• Advanced fellows obtain certification in endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) as part of interventional training.[86]

Research Opportunities & Support

• Research experience is a core pillar, including animal and clinical studies and research-protocol development.[82]
• Fellows participate in clinical trials and device-related research; the program maintains a large-animal laboratory and a dedicated research team.[87]
• Separate unfunded one- and two-year IP research fellowships are also offered at BIDMC.[82]

Faculty & Mentorship

• Program Director: Mihir Parikh, MD.[85]
• MGH Site Director and Director of Interventional Pulmonology at MGH: Colleen Keyes, MD; BIDMC Site Director: Jason Beattie, MD.[85]
• Adnan Majid, MD, is Chief of Interventional Pulmonology at BIDMC.[85]

Application Process & Eligibility

• Applicants must have successfully completed an accredited Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine fellowship and be eligible for medical licensure in Massachusetts.[83]
• Applications are submitted via ERAS; required materials include a CV, statement of interest, letters of recommendation (including one from the PCCM program director), and a procedure log.[83]
• For the 2026 cycle: applications open July 2026, deadline August 11, 2026, virtual interviews in October, rank order list due November 19, and Match Day December 3, 2026.[83]
• Selection is coordinated through the Association of Interventional Pulmonology Program Directors (AIPPD).[83]

Stipends & Benefits

• Fellows are paid on the Mass General Brigham house-staff salary scale; effective July 1, 2026 this is $112,535 for PGY-7 and $118,458 for PGY-8 (IP fellows are typically PGY-7 or higher).[89]
• Residents and clinical fellows receive a $10,500 lump-sum stipend toward housing, childcare, or other costs.[89]
• Benefits include comprehensive medical insurance, low-cost dental/vision, life and disability insurance, fitness-center subsidies, and a lease-guaranty program (capped at $7,000).[89]
• The resident/fellow union contract (2024-2027) adds annual raises, a $50,000 wellness budget, and $5,000 in exam-fee stipends.[90]

Culture & Environment

• The program emphasizes a collaborative, multidisciplinary culture working closely with thoracic surgery, oncology, radiation oncology, and radiology.[87]
• It is explicitly leadership-oriented, preparing graduates to build and direct academic IP programs.[82]

Unique Strengths & Highlights

• One of the largest IP fellowships in the country, with two high-volume Harvard training sites and broad airway and pleural procedural exposure.[86]
• Strong research infrastructure, including a large-animal laboratory, active clinical trials, and device-development collaborations.[87]
• Established track record: over 30 graduates since 2012, many now leading IP programs nationally.[88]

Location

Chapel Hill, NC

Type

Interventional Pulmonology (post-PCCM)

Length

1

Accreditation

ACGME (Initial Accreditation, Sept 2024)

First-year salary

Competitive

Program Type & Structure

• The Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine offers a one-year Interventional Pulmonary Medicine fellowship.[110]
• The program received ACGME Initial Accreditation effective September 6, 2024 (ACGME ID 1383614002).[112]
• It is designed to develop technically skilled and academic-minded interventional pulmonologists.[110]

Clinical Training & Rotations

• Fellows gain proficiency in advanced diagnostic and therapeutic bronchoscopy, percutaneous tracheostomy, and advanced minimally invasive pleural procedures.[110]
• Training covers the recognition, investigation, and management of large airway obstruction and malignant and non-malignant intrathoracic and pleural disease.[110]
• Diagnostic techniques include linear and radial EBUS, electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy, robotic bronchoscopy, and autofluorescence/narrow-band imaging.[111]
• Therapeutic procedures include airway stenting (silicone, metallic, and hybrid/covered metallic), bronchoscopic lung volume reduction with valves for COPD, ablation (argon plasma coagulation, laser, microdebrider, electrocautery, cryotherapy), photodynamic therapy, endobronchial brachytherapy, balloon bronchoplasty, and Montgomery T-tube placement.[111]
• Pleural training includes ultrasound-guided thoracentesis and biopsy, tunneled pleural catheter placement, pleural manometry, chemical pleurodesis, and medical thoracoscopy.[111]
• The fellow participates in weekly multidisciplinary thoracic oncology conferences and scheduled EBUS/navigation bronchoscopy sessions.[110]

Research Opportunities & Support

• The fellow is required to complete at least one original research project and is encouraged to present it at a national meeting.[110]

Faculty & Mentorship

• Section Chief and Program Director: Jason Akulian, MD, MPH, MBA.[110, 111]
• Associate Program Director: Benjamin DeMarco, MD; faculty include William Tyler Smith, MD.[110, 111]

Application Process & Eligibility

• Applicants must have completed an ACGME-accredited Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine fellowship, be board certified in Pulmonary Medicine, and be board eligible in Critical Care Medicine.[110]
• Applications are submitted through ERAS via the Interventional Pulmonary Fellowship Application Service (IPFAS), with selection through the NRMP Specialties Matching Service.[110]
• Required materials include three letters of recommendation (one from a recent program director), an official medical school transcript, and a current CV.[110]
• Approximately one fellow is accepted each year.[110]

Culture & Environment

• The program emphasizes developing technically skilled and academic-minded interventional pulmonologists through active participation in multidisciplinary conferences.[110]

Unique Strengths & Highlights

• Comprehensive scope of advanced bronchoscopic and pleural procedures, including robotic and navigational bronchoscopy, airway stenting, and bronchoscopic lung volume reduction.[111]
• Integration with a thoracic oncology section and weekly multidisciplinary tumor board.[110, 111]