Pulmonary Disease Fellowship Program

graphic image of fellow using stethoscope on patient

TTUHSC Permian Basin Pulmonary Disease Fellowship

Application Deadline | September 1, 2025
Next Start Date | July 1, 2026

The Pulmonary Disease Fellowship at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center - Permian Basin is a two-year ACGME-accredited program dedicated to developing skilled, compassionate, and well-rounded pulmonologists. Our program offers robust clinical training in the diagnosis and management of pulmonary diseases while fostering academic growth, scholarly activity, and professional development.

Find out more about our program and how to apply through ERAS here.

Based in the Permian Basin, a region known for its strong community and expanding medical infrastructure, the fellowship provides exposure to a broad spectrum of pulmonary pathology. Fellows train primarily at Medical Center Hospital, a high-volume regional referral center with modern facilities and a wide-ranging patient population, ensuring substantial hands-on experience in both inpatient and outpatient pulmonary care.
Fellows participate in comprehensive rotations including:

General and advanced pulmonary consult services
Dedicated outpatient pulmonary clinics
Pulmonary function and cardiopulmonary exercise testing
Bronchoscopy and advanced diagnostic procedures
Sleep medicine exposure
Interdisciplinary conferences and multidisciplinary care rounds

To supplement local training, fellows complete away rotations at TTUHSC Lubbock, where they gain exposure to subspecialty pulmonary clinics, advanced procedures, and academic environments.

Program Highlights:
Duration: 2 years
Primary Site: Medical Center Hospital, Odessa, TX
Away Rotations: TTUHSC Lubbock
Procedural Training: bronchoscopy, EBUS, thoracentesis, and pleural procedures, ION Robotic Navigational Bronchoscopy
Didactics: Weekly academic conferences, journal club, M&M, and board preparation
Research & QI: Fellows are encouraged to engage in clinical research and quality improvement initiatives, with faculty mentorship and support for presentation/publication.

Our program is designed to prepare graduates for successful careers in academic, community, or private practice settings. We are committed to excellence in education, clinical care, and professional growth in an environment that values teamwork and patient-centered care.

Join us in the Permian Basin, where you'll gain diverse clinical experience and enjoy the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in a growing medical community.

Application Process

The Department of Pulmonary Fellowship only accepts applications through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). Information about the service may be obtained from your Dean's Office or from the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC). International medical graduates may obtain information about ERAS through the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG).

Resident Application Deadline is September 1, 2025.

Competitive Compensation and Benefits for Fellows

We offer a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package designed to support your professional growth and personal well-being. Details regarding compensation, health coverage, retirement plans, and other benefits are available upon request or through our HR department.

Click here for more information.

PGY5

Ali Abbas Jafri, MD

Hirrah Sajjad, MD

PGY4

Ali Hamza Khair, MD

Hafiz Muhammad Hassan Shoukat, MD

Welcome to our fellowship program and thank you for taking the time to learn more about us!

Dr. Gerardo M. Catalasan, our program director, earned his Doctor of Medicine Degree at the University of Santo Tomas School of Medicine in Manila, Philippines. He completed his internal medicine at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia Pennsylvania and chief residency at Frankford Hospital in Philadelphia. He is a graduate of the pulmonary and critical care fellowship program at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California.

Dr Catalasan has been in clinical practice for 20 + years, He has held several leadership roles in Midland Memorial Hospital including past section chief and chairman of medicine. His current leadership roles include medical director of the intensive care and progressive care unit, chairman of the pharmacotherapeutics committee and medical director of the pulmonary function test laboratory and respiratory therapy department at Midland Memorial Hospital, He is also the current medical director of the respiratory therapy program at Midland College.

His expertise is recognized through multiple board certifications from the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) in internal medicine, pulmonary, critical care medicine and neurocritical care medicine. He is also certified in neurocritical care medicine by the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties (UCNS)

Dr Catalasan is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians (FACP) and a Fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians (FACCP). He has won several teaching awards including the Outstanding Clinical Faculty Award by the Department of Internal Medicine and Outstanding Community Faculty Award given by the Department of Family Medicine. His professional interests include simulation training of ancillary and resident staff, quality improvement innovations in critical care and pulmonary medicine and mentoring residents and fellows to support their unique career aspirations.

Dr. Gerardo M. Catalasan

Program Director
TTUHSC Permian Basin Pulmonary Fellowship Program

Partnerships

We collaborate closely with local hospitals to offer specialized pulmonary services across West Texas. Our partnerships with Midland Memorial Hospital and Medical Center Hospital in Odessa, enable us to provide top-tier care, utilizing state-of-the-art technology in our operating rooms and facilities. Through these alliances, we can deliver the highest standard of pulmonary care, including advanced procedures, testing, and preventative measures.