Critical Care Anesthesiology Fellowship The Critical Care Anesthesiology Fellowship program at UCSF provides training to physicians who have completed residency training in anesthesiology and other eligible specialties per the ACGME. The UCSF Division of Critical Care Medicine is home to faculty from numerous disciplines including anesthesiology, pulmonology, nephrology, neurology, cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, and trauma and acute care surgery. The breadth of the faculty provides fellows with exposure to broad-based approaches to the management of critically ill patients in medical, surgical, neurological, cardiothoracic, and trauma ICU settings. The fellowship is fully accredited by the ACGME for special qualifications certification by the American Board of Anesthesiology and a two-year track for those seeking certification through the American Board of Emergency Medicine. Our program has a long history of training leaders in the field of anesthesiology and critical care medicine. The clinical experience Fellows rotate through the Intensive Care Units at UCSF hospitals including UCSF Medical Center Moffitt-Long Hospital and Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center. Fellows become team leaders in a wide variety of ICU settings, including closed medical and surgical ICUs. ICU teams at UCSF are composed of residents, co-fellows, and attendings from multidisciplinary training backgrounds, which creates a rich teaching and learning environment and allows exposure to a wide breadth of patient populations. During their training, fellows develop proficiency in: Expert management and consultation in the comprehensive care of patients with multisystem organ failure Hemodynamic monitoring, circulatory support, and ventilatory management of critically ill patients Systems-level practice through a dedicated role in patient triage both within the hospital and from outside facilities In addition, fellows will participate in the care of kidney, liver, heart, and lung transplant patients through our high-volume transplant programs and advanced hemodynamic support modalities including both ECMO and temporary and permanent LVADs. Additional elective experiences are available to all fellows in a wide variety of medical subspecialties, including Cardiology, Echocardiography, Pulmonary Medicine, Renal Disease, Palliative Care, Interventional Radiology, Infectious Disease, and many more. The educational program We have a rigorous educational program that includes: Didactics: New fellows start with a daily ICU lecture series which covers core topics in critical care medicine. This leads into a twice-weekly fellow didactic series that focuses on advanced topics in critical care medicine led by faculty from both within and outside the Critical Care Medicine division, and from both within and outside of UCSF. Our formal didactics include: Lectures, workshops, and group discussions Journal clubs Grand Rounds Crisis simulation Morbidity and mortality conferences Longitudinal mechanical ventilation curriculum composed of lectures, hands-on bedside teaching, and simulation sessions Fellows as Teachers: Our fellows have opportunities to present at weekly case conferences, monthly interdisciplinary M&M (which offers exposure to formal QI processes), journal clubs, and departmental grand rounds. Fellows frequently present their work at national meetings, as well. Fellows are responsible for supervising and teaching residents at the bedside and are essential leaders of our ICU teams. Fellows have opportunities to lead ICU rounds which provides another opportunity for professional growth. Critical Care Ultrasound: We have a robust structured critical care ultrasound curriculum. Each fellow participates in an intensive two-day workshop, comprised of both didactics and hands-on scanning sessions with live models, led by experts in critical care ultrasound. We have a dedicated ultrasound didactic series throughout the year that includes image review, quality assurance, and advanced TEE teaching. All fellows complete a dedicated ultrasound rotation to further develop advanced ultrasound skills. This rotation involves scanning patients in the ICUs, rotation with echocardiography technicians and cardiology intensivists, performing procedures with interventional radiologists, and performing TEE exams in the cardiac ORs. We have state-of-the-art ultrasound equipment in each ICU. Procedures: ICU teams at UCSF are responsible for performing central lines, intubations, thoracentesis, paracentesis, and lumbar punctures for all critically ill patients in need of these procedures. Fellows also frequently participate in bronchoscopy, chest tube placement, and percutaneous tracheostomy alongside attendings expert in these procedures. Fellows gain expertise in performing these procedures through bedside teaching, procedure workshops, and working with experts throughout their rotations. Research and QI: While our fellowship is clinically focused, many high-level research projects including clinical trials are ongoing in our division. Fellows have the opportunity to interface with these trials at the enrollment and treatment phases, and have the opportunity to complete scholarly work under the mentorship of CCM faculty. All fellows learn about QI processes through fellow-led quality improvement projects and participation in the division QI review process. For fellows who are interested in pursuing a research-focused career, a second year of clinical or research experience may be arranged depending upon educational needs and funding availability. We also have special clinical tracks available for those who are interested in completing additional subspecialty training in liver transplant anesthesia or research after critical care medicine fellowship. How to apply We are committed to advancing and sustaining opportunity for all applicants. We participate in the computerized match for CCM coordinated through SF Match. We also utilize their common application service. The common application can be found here. As part of your application we ask that you also submit the following materials to Katherine Brogan if not already included in your application materials: Three original letters of recommendation (we strongly prefer that one of these come from your residency Program Director). Copies of either USMLE (part I and II) or FLEX examination scores Copies of ITE (In Training Exam) scores Applications for fellowship positions are due by March 1 of the year prior to the fellowship start date, though we encourage submission of application materials no later than February 1. We will review applications and offer interviews on a rolling basis. Our interview season runs from January through April. All interviews will be conducted virtually. **If you are applying for a position in both cardiac anesthesia and critical care medicine please visit the Society of Critical Care Anesthesiologists Fellowship webpage for more information about how to apply. We ask that you submit the supplemental questionnaire in addition to your application. Important dates for this year’s application cycle – SF Match Fellowship Match Calendar. Some additional information about our program and UCSF GME: Information about the terms, conditions and benefits of an appointment at UCSF are here. A sample contract letter is here. You may visit the UCSF Graduate Medical Education website for more appointment information, contracts, policies, and guidelines. We encourage you to explore the UCSF GME Applicant app here. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to learn more about our program. Anne Donovan, M.D.Program Director Albert Yen, M.D.Associate Program Director Katherine BroganProgram Coordinator Current fellows (2025-2026) Daniel Doynow, DO, MPH – CCM/EM Fellow (Year 1) Hi everyone! I’m Dan. I grew up in Upstate New York and spent much of my undergraduate years in Germany before returning to the U.S. to complete a BA in German Language and Literature at Stony Brook University. Missing the mountains, I moved to Vermont and completed a MPH, then headed to Utah to spend a season ski patrolling before starting medical school. I attended the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), where I gained invaluable experience working in a translational electrophysiology lab at the University of Pennsylvania. I matched into Emergency Medicine at Virginia Tech Carilion Clinic, where I developed a strong interest in critical care and resuscitative research. Outside the hospital, I embrace the classic emergency medicine lifestyle—most often found mountain biking, rock climbing, or skiing. Chandler Ford, MD – CCM/EM Fellow (Year 1) I originally hail from Connecticut and grew up along the coast before finishing the majority of my higher education at UCONN. I completed my undergraduate years with an individualized major in Global Health before going to medical school at Frank H. Netter MD SOM at Quinnipiac. During gap years I was able to work with a wildlife conservation group in Costa Rica, conduct maternal health research in the Dominican Republic and Mysore India, as well as complete the first year of my MPH at Johns Hopkins University. I completed Emergency Medicine residency at UCONN and spent the majority of my training at Hartford Hospital, the 18th busiest ED in the country! There I fostered my interests in health equity and critical care and resuscitation, ultimately leading me to apply for the Anesthesia Critical Care Medicine fellowship here at UCSF. Outside of work I love a good cup of tea, spending time with my cats, exploring the city with my wife, reading, gouache painting and attending Drag shows! Colin Jenkins, MD – CCM/EM Fellow (Year 2) I was born and raised in Berkeley, CA and attended college at UC Berkeley. I then completed medical school at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and residency in Emergency Medicine at Riverside Community Hospital/UC Riverside. I was thrilled to return to the Bay Area and to care for my community in the multidisciplinary clinical and academic environment of UCSF. I have particular interests in medical education, academic writing, and interdisciplinary care. Outside of work, I enjoy drumming, photography, aviation, and finding the best croissants in the city. Katherine Ku, DO – CCM/EM Fellow (Year 2) I was born and raised in Northern California and consider the Bay Area and Sacramento home. I went to Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington for a bachelor’s in neuroscience with a minor in French. I then spent two years with Peace Corps in Togo, West Africa. When I returned, I worked at the UC Davis MIND Institute as well as UCSF’s IND. I then completed a combined DO/MPH degree at Touro University. In my final year of medical school, I was awarded a Fulbright Fogarty Fellowship to develop community-based strategies for managing PSBI in rural settings in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. Unfortunately, this was indefinitely postponed. I completed my Emergency Medicine residency training at St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Stockton, CA. I am so grateful and inspired to learn from the amazing physicians that make up UCSF’s critical care team as an EM/CC Fellow! Outside of work, I enjoy live music, motorcycle road trips, hiking, jumping into cold alpine lakes and rivers, being outside with my pup, and good food and drinks with friends and family. Alejandro Ochoa Ramirez, MD – CCM Fellow I grew up in Mexico before moving to the United States for college, where I earned degrees in chemistry, biology, and piano performance. I went on to attend the Medical College of Wisconsin for medical school, focusing my research on critical care and nutrition. After completing my anesthesiology residency at the University of Iowa, I’m now at UCSF pursuing dual fellowship training in critical care and cardiothoracic anesthesia. Outside of work, I love going to live music shows, discovering new restaurants, and exploring the city with my wife and our new baby. Akshay Shanker, MD – CCM Fellow After living in seven states before I was seven (including a brief stint in California), I grew up outside the Boston area before my family eventually settled in Rockville, Maryland. In the meantime, I studied Biochemistry and Writing at Washington University in St. Louis for undergrad and did medical school at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University in Philly. During medical school, I took a research year at Harvard Medical School / MIT to study postoperative neurocognitive dysfunction, cardiac anesthesia, and frailty with Dr. Balachundhar Subramaniam and Dr. Emery Brown. I then went to Manhattan to undergo anesthesia residency at NewYork-Presbyterian: Weill Cornell Medical Center before heading to the West Coast for fellowship! Outside of work, I really enjoy DJing, making espresso and latte art, playing tennis and soccer, and transitioning from city walks in NYC to outdoor hikes in the Bay Area. I’m passionate about teaching and mentoring, creating a sense of camaraderie and social support within training programs, and trying to be the best colleague I can be in the meantime!
