Surgical Critical Care Fellowship
Overview
Welcome Message from the Program Director
Thank you for your interest in the USF Health ACGME‑accredited Surgical Critical Care Fellowship. Our one‑year program—along with an optional second year in trauma, acute care surgery, or research—offers a comprehensive, high‑volume training experience grounded in excellence and dedicated to preparing future leaders in critical care.
Our primary training site, Tampa General Hospital’s Regional Wallace Trauma Center, is the only Level I Trauma Center serving the Tampa Bay region and West Central Florida. As the first hospital in the state to receive national Level I verification from the American College of Surgeons, TGH provides unparalleled exposure to more than 3,200 adult and pediatric trauma patients each year. This environment ensures our fellows gain the depth of experience required to care for the most critically injured and complex patients.
Education is central to our mission in the Department of Surgery. Our curriculum emphasizes mentorship, simulation, and real‑world clinical experience. Our faculty are consistently recognized for outstanding teaching and are deeply committed to advancing the science and practice of surgical critical care. In addition to 4 SCC fellows, we proudly train alongside more than 40 general surgery residents, and numerous USF Health medical students each year—ensuring the next generation of acute care surgeons is exceptionally prepared for the evolving demands of our field.
I look forward to meeting you and sharing more about what makes USF Health an exceptional place to train in surgical critical care.
Steve Lorch, MD, FACS
Mission
Our mission is to deliver comprehensive surgical critical care training that prepares fellows to provide exceptional, evidence‑based patient care. Training emphasizes hands‑on experience across technical, clinical, administrative, leadership, and quality‑improvement roles. Fellows graduate ready to step into practice on day one at a busy Level I or II trauma center, fully capable of managing tertiary‑care responsibilities. We expect our fellows to become skilled clinicians and respected representatives of USF Surgery throughout their careers.
Program Description
The University of South Florida offers a one-year ACGME accredited Surgical Critical Care Fellowship with an optional second year of training in trauma/acute care surgery/research. Tampa General Hospital’s Regional Wallace Trauma Center is the only Level I trauma center in the entire Tampa Bay metro area / West Central Florida providing treatment to 3200 trauma patients/year adult and pediatric patients with critical injuries. TGH was the first hospital in Florida to achieve national Level I Trauma Center verification from the American College of Surgeons (ACS). The ACS recognizes the TGH Level I Trauma Center for its dedication to providing optimal care for adults and children, as well as its demonstrated commitment to education, research and community outreach.
The Surgical Critical Care Fellowship offers a rigorous, high‑acuity training experience that fulfills and exceeds ACGME requirements. Fellows complete ten months of dedicated surgical critical care, supported by specialized rotations and structured educational leadership.
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TGH is a Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Program (BSCIP) designated by the Florida Department of Health, as well as one of four burn centers in Florida verified by the American Burn Association. We serve as a regional resource for subspecialty care not always available at surrounding Level II Trauma Centers and other hospitals.
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TGH is also a Level I Pediatric Trauma Center verified by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) in the state of Florida. As a Level I Pediatric Trauma Center, specialists, including pediatric surgeons and pediatric neurosurgeons, are onsite 24/7 providing the highest level of trauma care for children. Pediatric inpatients are cared for within Tampa General Hospital’s Children’s Medical Center.
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Patients with traumatic injuries have the greatest chance of survival if they reach a trauma center within sixty minutes of their injury – the period known as the “golden hour.” To save time, patients are often transported to trauma centers by helicopter. TGH’s aeromedical transport program* - Aeromed – is equipped with the most advanced life-support equipment to transport critically ill or injured patients. Patients are being transported from 23 surrounding counties. Patients may be transferred to a Level I Trauma Center like TGH when a physician feels the patient’s needs exceed the capabilities of their current facility or the patient would benefit from services available at a Level I Trauma Center.
Surgical Critical Care Fellowship
Surgical Critical Care training at TGH is a well-balanced one year experience in neurosurgical disease/injury, burn, transplant, general surgical, pediatric, and cardiovascular critical care. Additionally, the SICU at the James A. Haley V.A. Hospital which is near the University of South Florida campus is an additional training site.
Clinical Responsibilities
The goal of the surgical critical care residency is to provide the trainee with advanced instruction in the management of critically ill patients. The resident will be trained in all aspects of critical care including research, teaching, administration, legal and ethical aspects of critical care, as well as the clinical practice of critical care. Fellows will spend 8-9 months on the surgical critical care service.
Clinical Rotations:
7 months – Trauma Surgical Critical Care Unit, Tampa General Hospital
Primary training site with exposure to high‑volume trauma, complex surgical critical care, and multidisciplinary ICU management.
3 months – Surgical ICU, James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital
Focused experience caring for critically ill veterans across a broad range of surgical and medical conditions.
1 month – Cardiothoracic ICU, Tampa General Hospital
Advanced exposure to postoperative cardiothoracic care, mechanical circulatory support, and complex hemodynamic management.
Electives:
1 month – Elective & Specialized Rotations, Tampa General Hospital
Fellows have the option to customize their elective rotation with options such as:
Cardiothoracic Surgery
Anesthesia Critical Care
Neurocritical Care
Burn Surgery
Ultrasound
Quality Improvement / Research
Educational & Leadership Responsibilities
Monthly STICU Morbidity & Mortality Conference
Fellows lead case reviews with ICU nursing staff, identify complications, conduct root‑cause analyses, and deliver an evidence‑based didactic session.
Weekly ICU Education Sessions
Fellows participate in structured teaching with residents and attending faculty and are responsible for presenting minimum one lecture per month.
Applicant Requirements
It is also expected that on completion of the program, that the resident will obtain added qualifications in surgical critical care by taking the examination offered by the American Board of Surgery.
- Four positions are offered
- Individuals must have completed a general surgery residency and be board eligible or certified by the American Board of Surgery
Application is through:
SCC and ACS Fellowship Application Service (SAFAS): www.safas-sccpds.fluidreview.com
Contact Us
Program Director
Steven Lorch, M.D.
Tampa General Hospital
1 Tampa General Circle, Room G 417
Tampa, Florida 33606
Phone: (813) 844-4428
Fax: (813) 844-4049
Email: slorch@usf.edu