Training

Training in intensive care medicine is undertaken via the College of Intensive Care Medicine (CICM).  Conjoint training programs are available to trainees also undertaking anaesthesia and physician training, as well as emergency medicine and surgical trainees.  At the completion of training, an intensive care specialist will have experience and expertise in:

• evaluation and resuscitation of critically ill patients;
• evaluation and management of patients with vital organ and system failures;
• the use of relevant, organ support and replacement systems;
• physiological monitoring and clinical measurement.

Trainees are expected to gain experience and expertise in the indications for and performance of a variety of investigational, therapeutic and monitoring modalities including:

• cardiopulmonary resuscitation
• airway management including translaryngeal intubation
• tracheostomy
• invasive haemodynamic monitoring including central venous, arterial and pulmonary artery cannulation and the interpretation and clinical use of derived variables
• fibreoptic bronchoscopy
• continuous renal replacement therapy
• mechanical ventilation including a comprehensive range of ventilatory modes and strategies
• tube thoracostomy

• intraaortic balloon counterpulsation.
• echocardiography.
• intracranial pressure monitoring.
• gastrointestinal endoscopy.
• biopsy of various organs and tissues.
• extracorporeal support techniques including cardiopulmonary bypass, ECMO, ECCO2R and ventricular assist devices.