Regional Bootcamp Transforms Pulmonary Fellowship Training Across Southwest

Medical educators across the southwestern United States created an innovative regional bootcamp to address the universal challenge of procedural training for new pulmonary and critical care medicine (PCCM) fellows. Traditional fellowship training requires new doctors to learn complex procedures while simultaneously adapting to unfamiliar hospital environments and patient care responsibilities, creating potential safety concerns and trainee stress.

The collaborative program involved multiple academic medical centers including MD Anderson Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Centers, and other regional institutions. The bootcamp used a learner-centered design with flipped classroom methodology, where fellows completed pre-learning modules before attending the intensive one-day hands-on training session. The curriculum covered essential procedures including bronchoscopy, endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS), central line placement, chest tube insertion, and other critical care interventions.

The program employed multidisciplinary faculty teams including pulmonologists, critical care physicians, anesthesiologists, and simulation specialists. This approach modeled real-world team-based procedural care while maximizing educational expertise. Assessment methods included pre- and post-knowledge testing, procedural checklists, and small group evaluations to measure learning outcomes and skill acquisition.

Feedback from participants, faculty, and participating programs enabled yearly iterative improvements to the curriculum and delivery methods. The regional collaboration allowed institutions to share expensive simulation equipment and specialized faculty expertise that individual programs might not possess independently. This resource sharing made high-quality procedural training more accessible and cost-effective across the region.

The authors present this model as a scalable approach for other medical specialties and geographic regions facing similar training challenges. The bootcamp addresses the critical gap between theoretical knowledge and practical procedural skills while providing a safe learning environment that protects both trainees and patients during the vulnerable early fellowship period.