UC Davis PICU hosts one of nation’s few bootcamps for senior pediatric critical care fellows

The UC Davis Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) hosted a three-day bootcamp to train senior pediatric critical care fellows from across the country.

The Feb. 18-20 training was led by pediatric critical care physicians Jennifer Lee and Jessica Signoff at the UC Davis Health Center for Simulation and Education Enhancement.

Lee and Signoff designed the simulation-based training program to prepare senior pediatric critical care fellows for their transition into attending physician roles.

UC Davis is one of only three institutions in the country offering this standardized senior-level bootcamp. The other programs are at Johns Hopkins and Children’s Wisconsin.

“The curriculum focused on high-yield, low-occurrence critical care scenarios, allowing fellows to practice complex decision-making, crisis management, procedural skills and leadership skills in a realistic simulation environment,” said Mandeep “Mandy” Chahal, assistant nurse manager of the Pediatric and Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at UC Davis Children’s Hospital.

The event brought together fellows and faculty from institutions across the region and country, creating a collaborative learning experience for emerging pediatric critical care leaders.

“Overall, we hosted 13 PICU fellows from UC Davis Health, Stanford, UCSF Health, Children’s Wisconsin, Children’s Hospital of Orange County and Loma Linda, and 17 faculty from the programs above as well as UC San Diego Health, Seattle Children’s Hospital, Advocate Children’s Hospital and Johns Hopkins,” Lee said.

UC Davis faculty from several specialties helped lead training sessions:

Rajeev Wadia and Niroop Ravula from Pediatric Anesthesia; Jamie Funamura and Aditi Bhuskete from Pediatric Ear, Nose and Throat; Erk Laurin, Verena Schandera and Pranav Shetty from the Emergency Department taught key procedures. Facultyfrom other subspecialties also trained fellows on procedures such as needle cricothyrotomies, intubating difficult airways with fiberoptic scopes, surgical chest tubes placement and pericardiocentesis. 

Organizers said the bootcamp was made possible with the expertise of various departments whose members contributed significantly to the fellows’ learning. Additional support was provided by:

• PICU nurses: Genie Dizon, Ashley Wood, Mandy Chahal, Christina Horan, Megan McCaffrey, Carlye Miller, Ashley Donkerbrook, Monica Flores, Nicole Appezzato, Kristina Ison, Rosa Solis, Ashley Sozzi, Annie Randolph, Bianca Celiz-Gutierrez and Erin Dame Lewis
• Pediatric critical care transport nurses: Kyle Irwin, Peter Kesling
• ECLS nurses: Jerry Kerekes, Sam Daddow
• Respiratory therapists: Ally Cahill, Stephanie Carranza
• Pediatric cardiology faculty: Timothy Pirolli, Mohammad Alnoor
• Simulation specialists: Francisco Ramirez, Andrea Vivar, Ian Julie, Danier Ong, Brandon Phong and Drew Robinett
• Pediatric critical care medicine fellowship coordinator: Julia Weiland 

Through simulation-based education and interdisciplinary teaching, the bootcamp highlights UC Davis Health’s commitment to advancing pediatric critical care training and preparing the next generation of PICU leaders.

The program also strengthens collaboration among teams who care for critically ill children and their families.