Clinical Fellowships

The MGB Department of Anesthesiology is home to several ACGME-accredited fellowships to suit your clinical interests at both MGH and BWH. To find out more or apply, please click the links below:

ACGME Fellowships

Thoracic Fellowship

Welcome from our Program Director
Thank you for your interest in the Brigham and Women’s Thoracic Anesthesiology Fellowship. Our program provides a rich environment for fellows to acquire expertise in the anesthetic management of thoracic surgical procedures. The Thoracic Surgical Division at BWH, is one of the leading thoracic surgical divisions in North America, producing a volume of over 3,700 thoracic surgical cases, annually. We offer an unmatched experience, under the guidance of our dedicated Thoracic Anesthesia faculty, to nurture and develop the future leaders and innovators in the field of Thoracic Anesthesia. We look forward to hearing from you.

Overview
The MGB Thoracic Anesthesia Fellowship is a non-ACGME-accredited program designed for anesthesiologists seeking advanced training in complex thoracic surgical care. Unlike combined cardiothoracic fellowships, this program provides a focused and immersive experience in thoracic anesthesia, including airway management, lung isolation, and perioperative care for high-acuity thoracic procedures.

Fellows rotate through two world-class academic hospitals — Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) — offering unparalleled case volume and procedural diversity. Training includes lung resections, lung transplants, esophagectomies, airway surgeries, robotic thoracic procedures, and more. The specialized training serves as the basis for the development of expertise in the perioperative management of patients with end-stage respiratory disease.


Clinical Experience
The Thoracic Anesthesia division is comprised of a group of thoracic trained anesthesiologists, with diverse clinical and academic backgrounds. The fellows will find great value in the mentorship and guidance of our staff, leaders in the field of thoracic anesthesia. The goal is for the fellow to develop detailed knowledge in thoracic anesthesia. The fellow is expected to function at the expert consultant level in the perioperative care of patients undergoing thoracic surgical procedures, and to develop expertise with thoracic anesthesia-related procedures. At the end of the program graduates are equipped for a range of roles after graduation including academic clinician-educators, clinical experts in high-volume thoracic centers, fellowship or departmental leaders, or clinician-investigators in perioperative innovation.

Curriculum
The duration of the Thoracic fellowship is 12 months, individualized based on the experience and goals of applicants. One non-clinical day a week confers fellows guaranteed academic time to pursue educational, basic science or clinical research projects. Admission into this program is contingent upon the applicant's prior experience. We have compiled a standardized list of core clinical competencies and case requirements that fellows must complete before graduation. This ensures that all fellows achieve the necessary clinical proficiency to successfully complete the program.

Fellows spend four clinical days per week in high-acuity thoracic ORs and one day focused on academic development. The curriculum includes:

Core Rotations

  • Thoracic ORs (6–8 months)

    • Interventional Pulmonology (1 month)

    • Thoracic ICU (optional, 1 month)

  • TTE, Basic TEE (optional)

    • Elective (1 month – research, global health, ECMO, etc.)

Didactics & Conferences

  • Weekly thoracic anesthesia teaching sessions

    • Departmental Grand Rounds (Thoracic Block & Respiratory Physiology)

    • Interactive case conferences and M&M discussions

    • Participation in scholarly activities and national presentations

Technical Skills

Fellows master advanced techniques including:

  • Fiberoptic intubation (oral/nasal)

  • Double-lumen tubes and bronchial blockers

  • Lung isolation and cross-field ventilation

  • Thoracic epidurals and regional blocks

  • ECMO and pulmonary artery catheter management

  • Crisis management for mediastinal masses and airway obstruction

    • Bronchoscopy

    • Cervical Mediastinoscopy

    • Anterior Mediastinoscopy

    • Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Transbronchial Biopsy (EBUS)

    • Pleuroscopy / Pleural Biopsy

    • Drainage of Pleural Effusion / Pleurex Catheter Placement

    • Pleurodesis

    • Electromagnetic Navigational Bronchoscopy / Veran Spin System / Peripheral Transbronchial Biopsy/ Robotic bronchoscopy

    • Radiofrequency Ablation of Tumors of the Chest

    • VATS versus Open Pulmonary Resection (Lobectomy or lesser resection) - Wedge Resection, Segmentectomy, Lobectomy

    • Bilobectomy

    • Sleeve Resection / Bronchoplasty

    • Pneumonectomy - Standard, Intrapericardial, Completion

    • Extrapleural Pneumonectomy (+/- Intracavitary Heated Chemo)

    • Radical Pleurectomy (+/- Intracavitary Heated Chemo)

    • Chest Wall Resection

    • Tracheostomy (+/- PEG)

    • Rigid Bronchoscopy (jet ventilation versus side-port ventilation)

    • Surgery for Major Airway Stenosis

    • Tracheal / Bronchial Dilation

    • Airway Stent Deployment or Manipulation

    • Photodynamic Therapy

    • Mechanical Core-out of Major Airways

    • Laser Ablation of Airway Obstruction (Tumor, Granulation Tissue, Scar, etc.)

    • Removal of Foreign Body of the Airway

    • Tracheal Resection / Reconstruction

    • Esophagoscopy

    • Esophageal Dilation

    • Esophageal Reflux Surgeries (Nissen Fundoplication, etc.)

    • Esophagectomy (3-Hole, Transhiatal, Ivor-Lewis)

    • Redo Esophagectomy with Colonic Interposition

    • Heller Myotomy

    • Esophageal Diversion for Perforation

    • Evaluation & Treatment of Tracheoesophageal Fistula

    • Evaluation and Treatment of Bronchopleural Fistula (including Clagett Window)

    • Lung Volume Reduction Surgery

    • Lung Transplantation

    • Repair of Pectus Excavatum

    • Surgical Sympathectomy

    • First Rib Resection for thoracic outlet syndrome

    • Broncho-alveolar Lavage for Alveolar Proteinosis

    • iVATS (Image-Guided VATs)

    • Thymectomy

    • Robotic-Assisted thoracic surgery

    • Fiberoptic Intubation

    • Use of Tube-Exchange Catheters

    • Lung Isolation - Left & right double-lumen tubes, Bronchial blockers (Arndt, Cohen, Fogarty, EZ Blocker), Endobronchial Intubation

    • Fiberoptic Bronchoscopy

    • Techniques to optimize operative lung collapse

    • Use of CPAP during one-lung ventilation (OLV)

    • Optimization of PEEP during OLV

    • Optimal setting of ventilator during OLV

    • Use of air insufflation during OLV

    • Cross-Field Ventilation

    • Jet Ventilation (Sanders)

    • Thoracic epidurals (including paramedian approach)

    • Other types of postoperative pain blocks (paravertebral, proximal intercostal, etc. evolving list)

    • Ultrasound guided arterial catheters (radial and femoral)

    • Ultrasound-guided central venous catheters

    • Pulmonary artery catheters

    • Safe positioning of patients for various thoracic surgical procedures

    • Management of the airway threatened by a mass effect within the chest

    • Management of the airway threatened by an intraluminal mass (tumor, thrombus, foreign body, etc)

    • Management of the airway threatened by bronchomalacia, bronchospasm, or other causes of closure

    • Management of cardiopulmonary bypass as applied to patients receiving lung transplantation

    • Management of patients supported by VA or VV ECMO

    • Management of patients at risk for airway loss or damage from surgical procedures (core-outs, laser fire risk, stents, massive hemoptysis, etc.)

    • Lung Ultrasound

FAQs

Check out the answers below to some of the frequently asked questions for candidates. If you have additional questions you can reach out to our Program Leadership Team.

  • A. The starting salary for a PGY-5 in 2025 is $99,967. Employment benefits include health, dental, disability, and other insurance. For more information please refer to FREIDA and the Mass General Brigham Office of Resources for Trainees.

  • A. Please refer to the Trainee Contract section of our website.

  • A. At this time, our institution sponsors both H1b and J1 Visas.

  • A. Moonlighting is available within the Mass General Brigham System to residents at the CA-2 level of training or higher. Fellows need permission from the Program Director and must have obtained a full medical license, Massachusetts Controlled Substances Registration (MCSR), and Federal DEA numbers.  Moonlighting Fellows cannot be on a J1 Visa.

Stephanie Yacoubian, MD

Director, MGB Thoracic Anesthesia Fellowship
Mass General Brigham
Department of Anesthesiology
syacoubian1@bwh.harvard.edu

Arthur R. Formanek, III, MD

Associate Director, MGB Thoracic Anesthesia Fellowship
Mass General Brigham
Department of Anesthesiology
aformanek@bwh.harvard.edu

Aymee Beaudoin

Fellowship Program Manager
abeaudoin1@bwh.harvard.edu

Apply

The MGB Anesthesiology Thoracic Fellowship program provides a rich environment for fellows to acquire expertise in the anesthetic management of thoracic surgical procedures. As a non-ACGME accredited fellowship, all applications should be submitted using the contact form below.