r/pulmcrit

Hey everyone,

Looking for some honest input on my chances for matching Pulmonary Critical Care Medicine (PCCM) fellowship. Currently PGY-2

**Scores:**

- Step 2 CK: 255

- Step 3: 215 (went in cold — genuinely did not study at all)

**Background:**

- US MD at an academic internal medicine residency program

- 8 publications prior to medical school in high-impact journals (eg Nature-family journals)

- Passed NBE Critical Care US exam during residency

- 1 poster presentation at CHEST

- QI project focused on POCUS

**My biggest concern — lack of PCCM-specific research:**

Most of my research is pre-med school and not pulmonary/critical care focused. During residency I haven't been able to build a PCCM research portfolio, and I'm genuinely worried this could be a red flag at more research-heavy or academic fellowship programs.

Can demonstrated CC interest (NBE exam, CHEST, POCUS QI, also attended SEVA ventilator in person courses) offset that gap?

For fellows and attendings here, what advice would you have for someone who is going to start their fellowship in this July? Anything you wish you would have done differently or anything that you feel would have helped you get better with your skills?

I am presenting at ATS during the thematic poster session on May 17th. The session is scheduled from 9:15am - 4:15pm and we are required to be by our posters from 11:30am-1:15pm. My question is when should I be putting up my poster? Should I get there before 9:15am to set it up or is it okay to put it up later (but before 11:30am of course)? First conference so unsure what the protocol is! Thanks!

For those who sat and successfully passed the NBE critical care echo exam, what resources did you use to prep for the test? Other than regular incorporation in your rounds, what resources did you find useful? Not useful? Any insight on the exam experience?

Hi everyone,

I'm a PGY-2 internal medicine resident applying pccm this year. Non-US img on J1 in a communiversity program with no fellowship in the west.

Step 1: 243, Step 2:235, Step 3: 223

6 first author abstracts in ats/chest mostly case reports.

1 department grant as PI on the works, 1 original ML project as 1st author submitted, 1 ongoing original research study.

3 other non-pccm original papers as co-author.

Not chief but on other academic committees in program. Good LORs.

Aiming for university programs. What are my honest chances ? Thank you in advance!