The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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UNC School of Medicine
North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center

Burn Fellowship

Fellowship Program Structure

The North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center provides intensive training in clinical patient care and research through the Burn Fellowship Program. The Burn Center’s volume of work ensures that fellows receive consistent opportunities to develop their skills in the delivery and management of patient care. Fellows are integrally involved in all aspects of patient care: evaluation of burn patients as an outpatient, critical inpatient, operative and postoperative care, as well as chronic outpatient management.

Three tracks are available:
  • One-Year Combined Burn/Surgical Critical Care Fellowship (ACGME Accredited): Eligible for the Surgical Critical Care Board Exam upon completion.
  • One-Year Burn Surgery Fellowship (Non ACGME Accredited): Additional training required for critical care board eligibility. Plastic surgery residents encouraged to apply.
  • Two-Year Combined Burn/Trauma/ACS Critical Care Fellowship (ACGME Accredited, eligible to sit the boards after the first year). Available for general surgery graduates seeking a career in trauma, burn and acute care surgeon and would like a comprehensive fellowship to prepare them for an academic trauma/burn job.
The goal of the Burn Fellowship Program is to provide the trainee with an in-depth experience in the management of the entire spectrum of burn and complex wound care in the setting of a large university teaching hospital. The successful trainee will have extensive experience in the acute and reconstructive management of adult and pediatric burn patients, burn-related research, and prevention.

Fellowship Program Goals

  • Gain the specialized skills and experience to begin a rewarding career in burn care at a world-class research institution and one of the best comprehensive burn centers in the world.
  • Integrally involved in all aspects of patient care.
  • Active research in resuscitation and wound healing.
  • Respond to catastrophic events through the North Carolina Burn Surge and Disaster Program.
  • Involvement in all aspects of burn surgery including resuscitation, acute operative care, and reconstructive operations.

Clinical Duties

Burn fellows have clinical duties caring for patients exclusively through the Burn Center. Under the supervision of the attending burn surgeon, fellows are responsible for guiding the junior residents in all aspects of burn care. Fellows also coordinate the Morbidity and Mortality reporting and presentation duties. Burn care lectures to residents, medical students, and other staff members are encouraged.

Resident Educational Program and Teaching Conferences

Multidisciplinary educational lectures are held weekly, providing instruction on burn resuscitation, inhalation injuries, electrical and chemical burns, necrotizing acute soft tissue infections, and wound care. A Morbidity and Mortality conference is held weekly within the Department of Surgery. Journal Club is presented once a month as is the Research Conference. Burn fellows are allowed one national meeting per year that is financially supported by the Burn Center. Additional meeting time is possible if fellows are making scientific presentations.

Research

Clinical projects are continually conducted by burn faculty. Fellows are encouraged to participate in current research projects or select new research projects.

Eligibility Requirements

The applicant for this training program must have:

  • USMLE Steps 1 – 3
  • US residency or equivalent (visa) paperwork
  • Ability to obtain permanent North Carolina medical license

United States Graduates

  • Graduation from school accredited by LCME or AOA
  • 5 years accredited graduate training

Foreign Graduates

  • ECFMG certified
  • 3 years of accredited graduate medical training

Application Process

Below is the application cycle for the 2028-2029 fellowship:

  • Applications may be submitted from Nov 1, 2026  – Jan 15, 2027
  • Virtual interviews scheduled Jan 2027
  • Decisions offers made February 2027
  • Fellowship starts August 1, 2028
  • Fellowship ends July 31, 2029

All applicants are required to submit an application consisting of:

  • Letter of interest with a personal statement addressing career goals and indicating which to which track the applicant is applying
  • Current curriculum vitae
  • Three letters of reference
  • USMLE steps 1-3 documentation
  • VISA (if applicable)
  • ECFMG (foreign graduates)

Incomplete applications will not be accepted.

This information should be submitted electronically to:
Stacey Owen stacey_owen@med.unc.edu

Fellowship Program Director

Alexandra Coward, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor of Burn Surgery

Description of Core Program

The Burn Fellowship at the University of North Carolina is a one-year training program consisting of designated clinics and operating room time. The goal of the fellowship is to produce physicians/surgeons that are leaders in the multidisciplinary treatment of all complex medical problems burn patients experience.

The clinical training ensures that you will be proficient in all aspects of burn care including:

  • pediatric and adult burns
  • inhalation injury
  • complex wounds
  • exfoliative diseases