Piedmont Athens Regional Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship

Train alongside physicians who treat the most complex lung and critical illness in northeast Georgia.

Build the expertise complex care demands

At Piedmont Athens Regional, a 427-bed regional referral center serving 17 counties in northeast Georgia, our Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship prepares physicians to manage the most complex respiratory and critical illnesses. You’ll train in a Level II Trauma Center alongside experienced subspecialists, caring for a diverse patient population across intensive care, inpatient consultative, and outpatient settings. Selected rotations at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital will offer augmented experiences in lung transplant and neurocritical care.

Welcome from our Program Director, Dr. James Appiah-Pippim

Thank you for your interest in our fellowship. We offer advanced training in a collaborative, learner-centered environment where you’ll find exceptional clinical exposure, dedicated mentorship, and individualized support.

As part of Piedmont Healthcare, you’ll have the resources of a leading health system behind you while training in a community-focused setting that values education, innovation, and compassionate patient care. Our goal is to prepare pulmonary and critical care physicians who are equipped to lead, serve, and thrive in any practice setting.

We invite you to join us as we build a tradition of excellence in pulmonary and critical care education.

James Appiah-Pippim, MD, MPH, FACP, FCCP, CHCQM
Program Director, Piedmont Athens Regional Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship
Piedmont Healthcare

Our curriculum

Over three years, you’ll train across the full spectrum of pulmonary and critical care medicine — inpatient pulmonary consults, outpatient pulmonary medicine, and intensive care — caring for a wide range of acute and chronic conditions.

You’ll build procedural skill alongside dedicated experience in radiology, pathology, respiratory therapy, sleep medicine, and pulmonary function testing, with exposure to lung transplantation, advanced pulmonary medicine, and specialized critical care environments.

Your clinical responsibility grows year over year with faculty guidance and mentorship, so you finish with the knowledge, experience, and procedural skill for independent practice — and a program that supports the career you actually want.

Benefits designed around your needs

Piedmont Athens Regional provides the support you need throughout training with a strong benefits package.

Four weeks of paid time off
Health insurance on day one
Meal allowance and free onsite parking
Annual educational allowance

View More Benefits and Salaries

Leadership

Get to know our team. Some profiles include additional details. Click on their name to learn more.

James Appiah-Pippim, MD, MPH, FACP, FCCP, CHCQM Program Director

Nick Fox, MD Associate Program Director

Faculty

Get to know our team. Some profiles include additional details. Click on their name to learn more.

Nehal Bhatt, MD Core Faculty, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine

Narayana Gowda, MD Core Faculty, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine

John Paul Papadopoulos, MD Core Faculty, Critical Care

Samuel Friedman, MD Core Faculty, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine

Samuel Kennedy, MD Core Faculty, Pulmonary

John Michael Sweetnam, MD Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Piedmont Atlanta

Jonathan Murrow, MD Faculty, Cardiology

Kelly Grow, MD Faculty, Gastroenterology

Jane Huang, MD Faculty, Hematology and Oncology

Zola Nlandu, MD Faculty, Infectious Diseases

Srilakshmi Rebala, MD Faculty, Nephrology

Elliot Burdette, MD Faculty, Pathology

Start your application

The Piedmont Athens Regional Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship program looks for residents who are compassionate, innovative, team-oriented, and committed to lifelong learning.

How to apply:

Complete an ERAS Application. Application materials are only accepted through ERAS. Register with the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).

What to submit:

Personal statement
Program Director Letter of Recommendation
CV
Recent photo
Transcripts/MSPE
3 letters of recommendation
USMLE/COMLEX scores

For international medical graduates:

Clearly specify visa status in your ERAS application, including dates and time limits
ECFMG Status Report (provided by ECFMG)
Limited sponsorship available for J-1 visa candidates

Questions?

Please contact us at [email protected] for assistance.