Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Hospital Medicine/Acute Care Post-Graduate Fellowship

Program History and Outcomes

The Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Hospital Medicine Post‑Graduate Fellowship was established in 2022 with the goal of welcoming new graduate APPs and equipping them with enhanced training, clinical support and educational opportunities to build confidence and competence in the inpatient and acute care hospital settings. The program offers organized mentorship, increasing clinical duties and comprehensive didactic training to enhance confidence and skills.

Since its launch, the program has proudly maintained a 100% retention rate among fellows upon completion. Many graduates have continued their careers with MaineGeneral on the hospitalist team, while others have successfully transitioned into specialties such as addiction medicine, palliative care and family medicine.

Program Leadership

Stephanie Podolski, PA-CThe Fellowship is directed by Dr. Stephanie M. Podolski, DMSc, MPH, MSPA, PA‑C, CAQ‑HM, Hospitalist Physician Associate and Lead APP at MaineGeneral Medical Center. She is nationally recognized for excellence in health care leadership, medical education and mentorship, including receipt of the PA Foundation’s William H. Marquardt Precepting/Mentorship Award.

The core teaching faculty and other leaders within the fellowship program offer an exceptional opportunity for the next generation of APPs to develop, learn and succeed.

To be Considered for this Fellowship, Candidates Must:

  • Hold an unrestricted Maine Physician Associate or Acute Care Nurse Practitioner license
  • Hold an unrestricted DEA license
  • Hold ACLS/BLS certifications
  • Provide proof of graduation from an accredited PA or NP program
  • Successfully pass their national certification exam/boards

Application Requirements/Process

  • Complete an Online Application
  • Submit a Curriculum Vitae
  • Provide a Letter of Interest
  • Provide three letters of recommendation (e.g., Preceptor, Program Faculty, Director, Supervisor)
  • Participate in on-site interviews with the selection committee

Please send supporting documentation to: Holly.Duguay@mainegeneral.org.

The application period runs from Jan. 2 through March 1, and all requirements must be completed by the deadline to be considered.

Fellowship Program Details

Clinical Structure and Schedule: Over the 12-month Fellowship, individuals will complete approximately 2,000 clinical hours (40 hours per week), alternating among hospitalist service coverage, emergency medicine and specialty externship rotations. Progression in autonomy is based on competency assessment.

Holiday rotation is required, and shifts rotate based on preceptor availability. Mandatory participation in Didactic Learning is weekly or biweekly.

Hours: The Hospitalist Service Coverage includes a 12-hour shift requirement (7 a.m. to 7 p.m., swing shift (2 p.m. to midnight), or 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.)

Throughout the program, Fellows will:

  • Collaborate with a team to deliver thorough, evidence-based, compassionate patient care.
  • Be responsible for assessing, diagnosing, managing and selecting appropriate interventions or treatments; educating patients and families; coordinating care with an interdisciplinary team; and conducting follow-up evaluations to monitor progress toward goals.
  • Take ownership of patients with complex medical conditions and oversee all aspects of their care.
  • Adhere to the same shift requirements as assigned team members and remain for the entire scheduled shift.

How the Hospitalist Coverage Works:

Fellows will alternate between specialty externship and hospitalist service coverage. During hospitalist shifts, they will assist with one afternoon admission or consult. Initially, fellows will manage 2-4 patients daily during rounds, with patient load gradually increasing to a maximum of 12 as their skills and confidence grow. Any free time during clinical days can be used to complete assigned education modules.

Specialty Externships/Clinical Rotations

Rotation schedules will be designed to provide opportunities for additional inpatient learning beyond hospital medicine/acute care. Any concerns regarding the rotations should be brought to the program director's attention immediately. The program reserves the right to adjust the rotation schedule at any time to meet the needs of the individual fellow, the institution or the specialty services providing the rotation.

To provide fellows with meaningful exposure to inpatient specialty care – including diagnostic workups, testing, procedures, interventions and the appropriate use of consultation – the following rotations are available, but not limited to:

Core Rotations

  • Critical Care / Pulmonology
  • Cardiology
  • Emergency Medicine
  • Infectious Disease
  • Gastroenterology
  • Geriatrics
  • Medical Oncology / Hematology
  • Nephrology
  • Neurology
  • Palliative Care
  • Radiology / Interventional Radiology

Continuing Medical Education and Didactics

This program provides fellows with essential learning, opportunities to build foundational knowledge and the support to develop critical thinking and hands-on clinical skills through a variety of educational resources. These opportunities include, but are not limited to the following:

  • Weekly or bi-weekly didactic sessions completed at the learner's own pace and based on learning style
  • Hospitalist Academy lecture series
  • MGMC Grand Rounds programming
  • Hospitalist/Acute Care Boot Camp
  • Point of Care Ultrasound Course
  • Policy and safety module completion
  • ACLS/BLS (recertification, if needed)

Supervisor and Mentorship

Mentorship is provided by attending physicians, physician associates and nurse practitioners, ensuring that fellows receive comprehensive guidance and support from a diverse team of experienced clinicians.

For core rotations, fellows will be paired with a faculty member to provide comprehensive patient care. This includes assessing and responding to patient needs, delivering medical management and evaluating both the immediate and long-term needs of patients and their families.

Each fellow will start with an initial shadowing phase, during which the Fellowship Director, along with faculty and preceptors, will thoroughly evaluate the fellow’s clinical skills. Fellows must demonstrate competence before progressing to higher levels of independence, especially when collaborating with specialty teams.

Responsibilities of the Fellow During the Program Year:

*Note: this is not all-inclusive. Further detailed responsibilities will be provided in the Hospital Medicine APP Fellow Handbook, distributed during orientation.

Own Your Experience: Fellows are expected to take full ownership of their learning experience – maximizing every opportunity, delivering the highest quality patient care possible and actively engaging with mentors to absorb knowledge and grow each day.

Log Your Hours: Fellows are required to log both their clinical hours and didactic hours completed outside of clinical duties. Logs must be submitted every two weeks to ensure compliance with the training program. Failure to adhere to logging requirements may result in disciplinary action.

Evaluation of Your Rotations: Evaluations must be completed at the conclusion of each rotation. This feedback is essential for improving future rotation experiences and for assessing the appropriateness of each rotation for future fellows.

Maintain Your Certifications: Fellows are responsible for ensuring all required certifications remain current throughout the program. This includes, but is not limited to, maintaining an active Maine medical license, CPR/BLS and ACLS certifications, DEA registration and meeting annual CME requirements for licensure and certification. Any questions regarding the maintenance of these items should be directed to the Fellowship Director prior to any expiration or lapse.

Select Your Topic: Fellows will select a topic related to inpatient medicine and complete a research project and presentation. This experience is designed to enhance scholarly inquiry, critical thinking and communication skills within the context of hospital-based care.

Completion of the Program

To successfully complete the program, fellows must achieve an evaluation rating of “average” or higher in all defined competency areas. This represents the minimum performance standard required for continued progression through – and successful completion of – the program.

What is evaluated?

  • Clinical performance and professionalism
  • Attendance (on time) to all scheduled shifts, didactic labs and lectures
  • Upholds and demonstrates MaineGeneral’s values and standards
  • Didactic Learning – active participation
  • Presentation of the research project

Selection into this program includes a comprehensive benefits package featuring full employee benefits, access to health and wellness programs, time away, a competitive salary and a continuing medical education (CME) allowance to support required learning and professional development. Not to mention the incredible teams you will be working with.