Burn Surgery Fellowship

This one-year program, which accepts one fellow each year, occurs at the Diane and Bruce Halle Arizona Burn Center at Valleywise Health Medical Center in Phoenix.

Creighton School of Medicine’s Burn Surgery Fellowship in Phoenix provides an opportunity to learn about the total care of burn patients at a facility that utilizes the newest research, technologies and products for treating burn-related injuries. During the fellowship, you’ll gain burn-specific skills for use in surgery, as well as in the ICU, ward and clinic.  

What You’ll Learn

  • Principles of fluid resuscitation, pain control and initial wound care
  • Surgical management of burn wounds, including comprehensive techniques in excisional debridement, reconstruction and dressings and immobilization methods
  • Caring for complicated necrotizing soft tissue infections and Stevens Johnson Syndrome/TENs
  • A working understanding of the required physical, occupational and speech therapy, as well as the behavioral, emotional and spiritual care burn patients may need 

Applying to the Program

Thank you for your interest in the Creighton University School of Medicine Burn Surgery Fellowship program at Valleywise Health Medical Center. We welcome applications from qualified physicians who are committed to advancing their knowledge and skills in burn surgery, burn critical care, wound management and reconstructive care.

We welcome you to apply if you’ve earned an MD or DO degree from an accredited medical school. You must also be:

  • A graduate (or expected graduate) of an accredited residency program in general surgery or plastic surgery
  • Eligible for Arizona medical licensure before the fellowship start date  
  • Board eligible or board certified in your specialty (preferred)  

If you are an international applicant, you must also possess current ECFMG certification, if applicable. Visa sponsorship policies should be confirmed with the program. Eligibility requirements vary by institution and fellowship type.

How to Apply

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, but the preferred deadline is March 1.

Please email the following to the fellowship’s Program Director, Louis Ferrari.  

  • Letter of interest
  • Current curriculum vitae (CV)  
  • Three letters of recommendation  
  • Medical school transcript

Selection Process

All applications are reviewed by the Fellowship Selection Committee. Qualified applicants will be invited for a virtual interview, and invitations are extended on a rolling basis. Final selection is based on:  

  • Academic performance
  • Clinical experience  
  • Letters of recommendation  
  • Personal statement  
  • Interview performance  
  • Professionalism and commitment to burn care 

Curriculum

The Phoenix-based Creighton School of Medicine Burn Surgery Fellowship’s curriculum includes the following.

  • Weekly or daily didactics lectures (including abbreviated “mini lectures”)
  • Five four-week clinical rotations: burn surgery, burn clinic, plastic surgery, surgical critical care/trauma surgery and research  
  • Attendance at the American Burn Association Annual Conference 
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Valleywise Health drone shot

Fellowship Location

The fellowship occurs at the Diane and Bruce Halle Arizona Burn Center at Valleywise Health Medical Center, which is the only adult and pediatric burn center in Arizona verified by the American Burn Association and the American College of Surgeons. The 72,000-square-foot facility includes a dedicated burn emergency department, 16 adult intensive care beds, 24 adult acute beds and 10 pediatric ICU/acute beds.

A Message from the Program Director

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Louis Ferrari headshot

Welcome to the Burn Surgery Fellowship program at the Arizona Burn Center! This fellowship is designed to train future burn surgeons who are independent and competent leaders in the field. We hope this challenging year at one of the largest burn centers in the world will nurture surgical and academic growth to further each fellow in all aspects of career advancement. A great need for new burn surgeons is on the horizon, and this program is committed to deploying our faculty’s experience and resources to form surgeons devoted to excellence in every way as they care for burn patients.

Louis S. Ferrari, MD

Program Director 

Mission

In focusing on the total care of burn patients, the fellowship aligns with Creighton University School of Medicine’s dedication to the Jesuit, Catholic value of cura personalis, or “care for the whole person.” This value guides not only how Creighton faculty and staff form future physicians, but also how its residents and fellows serve patients as they continue learning—holding space for each patient’s own values and background.

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Fellow checking patient with a stethoscope

Contact Us

Louis S. Ferrari, MD  
Program Director

Diane & Bruce Halle Arizona Burn Center
Valleywise Health Medical Center
2601 E. Roosevelt St.
Phoenix, AZ 85008