248243 Clinical Fellow in Cardiothoracic Surgery

Job Description

Clinical Fellow (Locum Appointment for Service)

Duration: 5th August 2026 – 3rd August 2027

Specialty / Department: Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit, Acute Hospital Services

Base: Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, NHS Lothian

Location flexibility: May also be required to work at any NHS Lothian site.

This post is within Cardiothoracic ICU. The Royal Infirmary Edinburgh Cardiothoracic ICU department provides mixed level of care (level 2/3) to cardiothoracic patients in the intensive care and high dependency units. The workload includes patients who undergo elective, urgent or emergency cardiac or thoracic operations and patients admitted with cardiothoracic trauma, reflecting the acute nature of the hospital, one of the four Major Trauma Centres in Scotland.

Within the department, Clinical Fellows will work as part of the cardiac ICU team, consisting of consultant cardiothoracic anaesthetist/intensivist, consultant cardiothoracic surgeon, surgical registrar/specialty doctor, and Foundation Year 2 doctor, working closely to provide the best available treatment for patients.

Successful candidates will be expected to work in cardiothoracic ICU and HDU and will become proficient in managing postoperative cardiac and thoracic patients, including mechanical ventilation, circulatory support with inotropes/vasopressors, invasive haemodynamic monitoring and interpretation, and management of acutely ill and deteriorating cardiothoracic patients. They will also gain experience with a wide variety of practical procedures such as insertion of invasive lines (arterial, central venous, or vascular access for continuous renal replacement therapy), regional anaesthesia in thoracic trauma, echocardiography (TTE, TOE), chest ultrasound and drain insertion, intra aortic balloon pump, ECMO, and cardiac ALS.

They will be provided with several educational opportunities, including time in theatre, daily consultant ward rounds, monthly morbidity and mortality meetings, frequent teaching sessions, and opportunities in management, quality improvement audits, governance, teaching, research projects, and course participation.

The post is appropriate for trainees who are looking to start or have recently completed core level training (CT1 3) and who wish to pursue a career in anaesthesia, critical care, cardiothoracic surgery, cardiology, or respiratory medicine.

For an informal discussion please contact:

Dr. Sean Keating – Clinical Lead for Cardiothoracic ICU:

Mr. Renzo Pessotto – Clinical Director for Cardiothoracic Surgery: