Our Critical Care Medicine Fellowship at the University of Florida is a one-year, ACGME-accredited program that prepares fellows to direct intensive care units and manage all the issues that arise in the care of critically ill surgical patients. Rylee Pence, M.D., is one of our current critical care-emergency medicine fellows. Before joining us, she completed an emergency medicine residency at Summa Health System in Akron, Ohio, where she was an administrative chief resident.
Q. How has your fellowship been going?
A. My fellowship has been going exceptionally well. Every day at UF Health exposes me to a remarkable breadth of pathology, and I’ve been consistently impressed by the depth of teaching on rounds. Our attendings create an environment where complex physiology is broken down thoughtfully, and I feel myself growing rapidly as a critical care clinician.
Q. What has been a highlight of the program so far?
A. One of the biggest highlights has been the level of education and hands‑on experience with mechanical circulatory support. Managing ECMO patients has been especially meaningful; not just learning the technical aspects but understanding how these devices integrate with a patient’s physiology and how subtle adjustments can change the entire clinical picture.
Q. Why did you decide to come to the University of Florida for your critical care medicine fellowship?
A. I was strongly influenced by my mentor, Caleb Harrell, a graduate of this program, who spoke highly of the training and culture here. What ultimately drew me to UF was the diversity of ICU environments, the blend of anesthesia, surgical, and EM-trained intensivists, and the consistently high acuity. It felt like a place where I could develop a well‑rounded, multidisciplinary approach to critical care.
Q. Why is critical care medicine important and what drew you to the specialty?
A. Critical care allows me to care for the patients who have always captivated me in the emergency department — the ones with complex physiology and rapidly evolving illness. I love the intersection of emergency medicine and critical care medicine because the skill sets complement each other. I’m especially drawn to the cardiothoracic ICU, where thinking through how mechanical support interacts with native physiology is both challenging and deeply rewarding.
Q. What is your favorite thing about Gainesville?
A. I appreciate how easy it is to enjoy time off here. Whether it’s visiting the springs, spending a day at the parks in Orlando, or heading out to the coast, there’s always a way to recharge and enjoy the outdoors. It’s a great balance to the intensity of fellowship.
Q. What is next for you after fellowship?
A. After fellowship, I plan to move closer to family and work in a role that allows me to split my time between the ICU and the emergency department. I’m excited about continuing to build a career that blends both acute resuscitation and longitudinal critical care.
Learn more about our Critical Care Medicine Fellowship.
