Surgical Critical Care Fellowship

The University of South Alabama Surgical Critical Care Fellowship Program was developed with the Surgical-Trauma Intensive Care Unit as the primary area of focus. The rotation schedule includes Nine months of the one-year fellowship will be spent managing patients in the surgical-trauma intensive care unit, burn intensive care unit or neuro intensive care unit with two months of electives. However, the actual number of months spent in the units may be individualized to meet the educational needs of the fellow. While on the STICU Critical Care Service, the fellow will have consulting responsibility for all surgical patients admitted to the STICU. 

It is expected that while on the STICU critical care service, the fellow will round daily with the general surgery residents and use this opportunity to create plans of care for each patient under his/her care in the STICU. A similar process will occur for patients on the neurosurgery service and other specialty surgical services admitting to STICU. Rounds on this service will be conducted by a faculty member with both team and one-on-one interactions occurring on a daily basis. The fellow’s responsibility is to be knowledgeable about every patient on the STICU service and be prepared with a treatment plan for each of these patients.

The surgical critical care fellow may spend at least a one-month rotation in the MICU at the USA Health University Hospital. The MICU is a multi-disciplinary unit that receives all critically ill medical patients for the hospital. The surgical critical care fellow will round daily with the MICU critical care attending staff and will be directly under their supervision while in the MICU. The fellow’s responsibility is to be knowledgeable about every patient on the MICU service and have a treatment plan for each of these patients.

The surgical critical care fellow may spend at least a one-month rotation in the Burn Unit at USA Health University Hospital. The surgical critical care fellow will be involved in all aspects of critical care in the burn unit. As part of the burn team, the fellow will be involved in the initial resuscitation and management of burn patients. The fellow’s responsibility is to be knowledgeable about every patient on the Burn Service and be prepared with have a treatment plan for each of these patients.

Vision

To create a culture of well-rounded Surgical Critical Care Physicians, who strive to excel in our field for the betterment of the patients we serve.

Mission

In accordance with our sponsoring institution's mission to "help people lead longer, better lives," the principle goal of the University of South Alabama Surgical Critical Care Fellowship is to create a family of faculty with the fellow. We work together to provide the best care to critical patients in a healthy and educational working environment that fosters a diverse group of intelligent physicians, excellent critical care surgeons, and tremendous humanitarians capable of becoming surgical critical care leaders in this region and beyond. 

Program Aims

• Tailor fellowship training to prepare fellows for providing outstanding critical care to patients in a variety of clinical settings from major trauma centers to community hospitals.
• Train the future leaders in surgical critical care that will advance the science of medicine and promote evidence-based medicine in the region and community in which they serve.
• Provide a healthy work environment.

Ryan Deci, D.O.

Hometown: Tuscaloosa, AL

College: Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL

Medical School: Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dothan, AL

Residency: General Surgery, Wright State University, Dayton, OH

Bio: Dr. Ryan Deci graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelor of Science with Honors in Exercise Science. He attended Florida State on an Air Force ROTC scholarship and was commissioned as an officer upon completion.

He subsequently continued his education at the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine in Dothan, AL, and spent his 2 years of clinical rotations at (the former) Eliza Coffee Memorial Hospital in Florence, AL, where he found his overwhelming interest in surgery. He continued to enjoy his many hobbies throughout medical school, including volunteering his time as a mountain bike coach, fly fishing, and taking every opportunity to be on the water.

After completing medical school in 2018, he completed a surgical internship at Wright-Patterson Medical Center while active-duty Air Force before completing a residency in general surgery at Wright State University in Dayton, OH.

Dr. Deci is excited to join the Surgical Critical Care Fellowship at USA Health. The faculty and staff have built such a warm, caring environment that it makes any applicant feel at right at home. His interests in trauma, emergency general surgery, burn care, trauma infrastructure, and community outreach aligned well with the program’s interests. His wife, son and dogs are looking forward to joining the South Alabama family.

The Surgical Critical Care Fellowship Program participates in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). All applicants are considered and appointments are made subject to the rules and regulations of the NRMP.

Interested applicants may apply through the SCC and ACS Fellowship Application Service of the Surgical Critical Care Program Directors Society (SAFAS).     

Applicant qualifications include:

1. Completion of approved general surgery residency
2. Alabama license (or eligibility) and Board eligible or certified by the American Board of Surgery

For further information about the fellowship or application process, please contact Ms. Cynthia Dennis at (251) 445-8230 or via email at cdennis@health.southalabama.edu.

According to the Whiddon College of Medicine at the University of South Alabama, the following fee structure applies to requests for postgraduate training verification:

• $75.00 - Verification of training dates and/or program completion, program specifics rotations on training including procedures (if available) to be used for credentialing purposes, narratives on resident performance on institution or agency's form with a valid authorization for release information. 

Payments can be made online using a credit card.

Payment by check is to be made Payable To:

South Alabama Medical Science Foundation (SAMSF)

Mail to:

University of South Alabama Department of Surgery
ATTN: Tyronda Rogers
2451 University Hospital Drive, Mastin 711
Mobile, AL 36617

Requests submitted without payment will not be processed. Requests are to be specific and must be accompanied by an authorization for release form. If you have questions you may contact the Surgical Education office at (251) 471-7992 or email Cynthia Dennis at cdennis@health.southalabama.edu.

Mailing Address:
USA Health University Hospital
Surgical Critical Care Fellowship
2451 University Hospital Dr., Mastin 709
Mobile, AL 36617