Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine Los Angeles Medical Center
Message from the Program Director:
Thank you for your interest in our program. I hope you find the information contained here useful as you learn more about us.
The world of medicine is constantly evolving. While the acquisition of knowledge and technical skills is certainly an important emphasis here at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, our educational philosophy is to create a safe learning environment while pushing learners to challenge themselves and their surroundings toward personal and professional development. We strive to shape the educational experience of our fellows such that they become lifelong learners and independent thinkers. What truly sets our program apart is the personalized approach and the close-knit relationship we hope our fellows can build with their colleagues as well as faculty mentors. Ultimately, we want to help our fellows realize the best versions of themselves, whom one day we can be proud to call our colleagues and friends.
Once again, I appreciate you taking the time to visit us online. I hope our philosophy and program design matches your career goals. Please do not hesitate to contact me directly if you have any questions.
Kenneth Wei, MD
Program Director
PCCM Fellowship at KP Los Angeles Medical Center
Program Overview:
The Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center (KPLA/LAMC) is the tertiary referral center servicing KP members in Southern California (KPSC). LAMC is a 560-bed hospital in the heart of Los Angeles. Its houses 20+ ACGME-accredited residency and fellowship programs under its Graduate Medical Education Department while supporting clinical clerkship training to medical to students from the Kaiser Permanente Bernard Tyson School of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and Keck USC School of Medicine.
The Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at LAMC provides respiratory related cares for all KP members in the Metro-LA area while also providing tertiary care to the region. The department has a robust Lung Transplant program that collaborates with local transplant centers of excellence to provide pre- and post-transplant care. Furthermore, it houses a Cystic Fibrosis Foundation-accredited CF Care Center as well as a busy pulmonary hypertension program.
On the inpatient side, the Department of PCCM has primary responsibilities in oversight of critical care needs across our Medical, Surgical and Neuro-ICUs. PCCM also assist with any non-cardiac related critical care needs in the Coronary Care Unit and the Cardiothoracic ICU.
The KPLA PCCM Fellowship Program received ACGME approval in early 2023 for a 3-year fellowship program. Prior to establishing itself as an independent training program, LAMC has participated in the Cedars-Sinai PCCM Fellowship Program as one of its major training sites since 2009. This collaboration is greatly valued and will be continued. We will participate in the annual NRMP match process, recruiting 2 fellows per year.
Our Mission Statement:
The mission of KPSC GME is to equip new physicians, according to the principles of Permanente Medicine, to care, to learn, to lead, and to improve the health of the people and communities they will serve. Permanente Medicine is compassionate, culturally sensitive, evidence-based, physician-led, team-delivered, technology-enabled, and ethical. The Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine Fellowship Program at KPLA strives to train the next generation of pulmonary and critical care specialists who practice medicine in a humanistic and socially responsible way. They will achieve this through exposure to a robust clinical experience that is data-driven and patient-centered while learning to become independent thinkers navigating between the fine line of guideline-based approaches and individualized care.