Journal club-research conferences are held monthly. A core-curriculum conference is held weekly with faculty members. Over a period of three years all major topics related to Pulmonary Medicine and Critical Care Medicine are covered. All participating hospitals have functioning Pulmonary Function Laboratories capable of doing spirometry, flow volume studies, lung volumes, diffusing capacity, arterial blood gas analysis and exercise studies. During the course of three years, two to three months are spent in the Pulmonary Function Laboratory at the VAMC learning how to perform tests, evaluate acceptability and reproductibility of tests, and interpret them.
Fellows supervise inhalation challenge and exercise tests.
Fellows are expected to intitiate clinical research protocols during this rotation. During this rotation, trainees attend Sleep Study Clinic with the neurology attending and also gain experience in endotracheal intubation with anesthesiologists. Fellows are also expected to give conferences to respiratory therapists and pulmonary function laboratory personnel. Clinical history, radiographs and pathology of pulmonary cases referred for opinion are reviewed. Also available is a vast collection of teaching slides showing radiologic and pathologic correlation.