Be a part of a training in a large critical care center that houses the only neurocritical care unit for the state and is also the only level one trauma center in the state. Learn more from Program Director: Masoom J Desai.
The Neurocritical Care Fellowship at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque is recognized by both the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and United Council on Neurological Subspecialties (UCNS), offering two spots annually. Candidates may choose a two-year track if they come from backgrounds in Neurology, Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, General Surgery, or Anesthesiology, or a one-year track for those who have completed a recognized critical care fellowship or neurosurgery residency.
Our facility boasts a specialized 24-bed neurosciences critical care unit equipped with cutting-edge technology such as multimodal intracranial catheters, Moberg monitors, comprehensive EEG monitoring capabilities, tools for spreading depolarization research, sophisticated bedside ultrasound, transcranial doppler, and Flo-Trac monitoring. We are integrated within a larger critical care center that includes diverse ICUs and a regional ECMO hub, complete with ECPR and mobile ECMO capabilities.
The fellowship is designed to immerse trainees in a rigorous educational environment that encompasses hands-on clinical practice, diverse research opportunities, simulation training, didactic teaching, and peer-to-peer instruction. Additionally, fellows are encouraged and supported to participate in national and local conferences.
We aim to develop outstanding neuro intensivists who are equally skilled as general intensivists. The elective curriculum is customized according to each trainee's prior residency experience. Upon completing the fellowship, participants will qualify to take the UCNS and/or ACGME neurocritical care certification exam.
University of New Mexico has the only medical school in the state as well as the only level one trauma center and the only hospital with neurocritical care and advanced neurosurgical procedure. The fellow will always have more than enough patients to see with a wide range of neurological and neurosurgical pathologies.
The fellow will also be immersed in a racially and ethnically diverse population with an introduction to the numerous pueblos of the indigenous people in New Mexico. It makes for an incredible education not just from a medical standpoint but also in understanding approaches from many different beliefs in advanced medical care and end-of-life care.
We are also a JCAHO advanced stroke center with four vascular neurology faculty, two vascular neurosurgeons and two neurointerventionalist from neurology and radiology background available for 24/7 interventions. Additionally, we have a large epilepsy group providing 24/7 EEG reading, rapid-EEG capabilities, intracranial grid monitoring and epilepsy surgery. There is an opportunity to inbuild Critical Care EEG experience during your fellowship. We have two faculty with dual training in Clinical Neurophysiology/Critical Care EEG and Neurocritical Care, Dr. Masoom J. Desai and Dr. Omar Hussein.
We are a comprehensive cancer center with Neuro-oncology and neurosurgical support for cranial tumor resection but also extensive spine tumor resection and reconstruction. Trauma and stroke/intracerebral hemorrhage are our most common patients, but the rest can be anything from TB and fungal meningitis to rare neuromuscular disorders to uncommon autoimmune disorders.
We also have unique exposure to CCM (cerebral cavernomatous malformations) as a designated CCM Center of Excellence and several rare neurovascular conditions and malformations such as Moya-Moya disease.
Dr. Masoom J. Desai, Program Director; Dr. Farid Radmanesh; Lee A Pfaff, MD, our former Neurocritical Fellow and Dr. Omar Hussein, with expertise in Critical Care EEG. From Emergency Medicine, Dr. Robert Alunday is recognized for his critical care leadership. The Neurosurgical Department contributes with Dr. Chad Cole, the Associate Medical Director; alongside Drs. Christian Ricks and Huy Tran.
This collaborative team strives daily to elevate both care standards and educational quality, working seamlessly with the 26 attending intensivists across the critical care center. Continuous attending support is available around the clock in the ICUs. The program is also supported by a dedicated team of Acute Care Nurse Practitioners who play a pivotal role in the fellows' education. Additionally, the unit is a dynamic learning environment with Neurology and Emergency Medicine residents, pre-resident fellows, and medical students enriching the educational mix.
The program is designed to ensure fellows have sufficient opportunities for personal growth and leisure activities, including outdoor pursuits like skiing, hiking, tennis, and more.
We participate in the San Francisco match. This match takes place in August the year prior to the matriculation of the fellow. Applications will open in the January immediately prior to the August match. If there are openings for positions outside of the match, to start sooner than the traditional match timeline, they will also be posted on the San Francisco Match webpage. If there is a posting for such a position, those applications will be sent directly to Dr. Masoom J. Desai, MDesai@salud.unm.edu.
Otherwise, for the traditional timeline through the match, click here to receive more information and start your application: http://sfmatch.org
The UNM NCC Fellowship Program will use the ACGME and UCNS milestones found on There will be monthly meetings with the program director and bi-annual 360-degree evaluations to help the fellow further define educational goals and clinical goals. There are numerous educational opportunities through our own weekly neurocritical care fellows conference; Neurology conferences and Grand Rounds; Neurosurgery conferences and Grand Rounds; and Critical Care Center Conferences and Grand Rounds. In addition, fellows also engage in monthly morbidity and mortality conferences, journal clubs and Quality initiatives within the unit. The fellow will take an in-service examination yearly- the MCCKAP to assess their critical care board-exam skills. The fellow will also receive training in Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS), ACLS, BLS and Emergency Neurologic Life Support (ENLS). Fellows also have the opportunity to participate in structured ECMO training program and Basic and Advanced POCUS ultrasound program.
Required Rotations
Elective Rotations
A plethora of research opportunities are available depending on the candidate’s interest in clinical research, basic science research and translational research. Fellows are encouraged and expected to take part in research. They will be involved in major clinical trials in stroke, ICH, SAH, status epilepticus, and TBI. Research opportunities are available in multiple projects (SAH/TBI, large hemispheric infarct, Seizures, and status epilepticus). Our team of clinical researchers work closely with Center of Brain Injury and research scientists and participate in translational research. Local funding opportunities and mentorship is available via CBRR, CTSC and our clinical research faculty.
Funded basic science labs https://hsc.unm.edu/medicine/departments/neurology/research/in ischemic stroke, traumatic brain injury, epileptogenesis and seizure forecasting and neuroinflammation. Department of Neurology also offers assistance with developing research methodologies, study design and analysis from our biostatistician, Rachel Kasper.
As an NIH Strokenet Research Center, fellows will be able to apply for an additional year of research or incorporate the research during their senior year.
UNM offers highly competitive salaries and tremendous benefits to our residents and fellows. The GME offices offers an overview of salary, benefits, and employment eligibility.
Enjoy learning in a place with 300 days of sunshine yearly, a plethora of outdoor activities, outstanding food, and cultural events with a reasonable cost of living.
We are happy for your interest in UNM Neurocritical Care. We look forward to hearing from you. Please email MDesai@salud.unm.edu for any questions.
