INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY FELLOWSHIP
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Trainees within the University of Utah's Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship program as well as outside candidates may apply for specialized training in the Interventional Cardiology Fellowship program. A total of twelve months of dedicated interventional training is required following three years of training in general cardiology.
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The interventional cardiology fellowship program provides clinical training in PTCA, stenting, rotational atherectomy, and intravascular ultrasound. In addition to training in technical and procedural skills, fellows receive experience in pre- and post-procedural management, as well as in clinical decision-making. Trainees also participate in clinical trials in interventional cardiology. Two fellows are accepted into the program each year, and participate in over 300 interventional cases performed at the University Hospital, the Salt Lake Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and the new Intermountain Medical Center.
Letter from Dr. Andrew D. Michaels, Program Director - Interventional Cardiology Fellowship Program
April 22, 2008
Dear Interventional Cardiology Fellowship Applicant:
Thank you for your interest in our Interventional Cardiology Fellowship program. The fellowship is a one year program and we accept two new fellows each year. We require that the fellow applicant will have completed at least 3 years in an accredited Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship before they begin the Interventional Cardiology Fellowship. In our 2008 ACGME site visit, the University of Utah Interventional Cardiology Fellowship received a full accreditation, with the next site visit scheduled in 5 years in 2013.
The Interventional Cardiology Fellowship consists of 12 months of interventional clinical and research training. Fellows rotate through 3 hospitals: the University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics, the George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and the new Intermountain Medical Center (IMC), Fellows also participate in an outpatient interventional clinic one-half day per week. Our goal is to provide training for a career in academic interventional cardiology.
Clinical training in the Interventional cardiology fellowship at the University of Utah is intense and thorough. There is an emphasis on hands-on involvement with appropriate faculty supervision and instruction. The Interventional Cardiology Fellowship is governed by the ACGME, and we follow the guidelines of the ACGME for the Interventional Program. In order for a fellow to successfully complete the program, the fellow will have to complete a minimum of 250 coronary interventions and demonstrate competence in the performance of the following:
- Diagnostic coronary, graft, and peripheral angiography
- Hemodynamic measurements
- Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and intracardiac echocardiography (ICE)
- Doppler flow and intracoronary pressure measurements
- Valvuloplasty: aortic, mitral, pulmonic
- Percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO) and atrial septal defects (ASD)
- Ethanol septal ablation for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy
Fellows will also receive formal instruction on various other aspects of Interventional Cardiology, to assure that they are well prepared to take the Interventional Cardiology boards.
Although not required by the ACGME, we have expanded the clinical training to cover peripheral vascular disease. Consistent with the ACC/ACP/SVS/SCAI/SVMB consensus document (JACC 2004; 44:941-957), we have implemented intensive training in peripheral vascular disease concurrently with the 12 months of Interventional Cardiology Fellowship. Additional training components include one month of inpatient vascular surgery, one month of non-invasive vascular laboratory, and one-half day per week of longitudinal outpatient clinic for vascular patients. Fellows will be able to complete the procedural requirements, according to the document listed above, by completing 100 diagnostic peripheral angiograms and 50 catheter-based peripheral interventions. In addition, third-year general cardiology fellows, who have been accepted into our interventional fellowship, will have the opportunity to complete a two-month rotation with vascular surgery and a two-month rotation with interventional radiology. All fellows are encouraged to attend the weekly interdisciplinary Vascular Conference, which has both didactic and a case presentation components.
In addition to completing the electronic application available via the ERAS (Electronic Residency Application Service), please also include a one page personal statement explaining your motivation for pursuing a career in interventional cardiology and your career goals. In this statement, note any specific research or clinical specialization interests which you may have at this time. Also, solicit at least three letters of recommendation and USMLE scores via ERAS. Please ask those writing the letters to comment on their impressions of your commitment to an academic career, and, their assessment of your potential as an investigator and teacher.
We welcome applications from non-U.S. Citizens as well as U.S. Citizens. Non-U.S. Citizens must have a J-1 visa or be a permanent resident of the U.S. We will be accepting applications for the 2010-2011 academic year in December 2008. Applications will be accepted until February 15th, with interviews to be held in March 2009. Those applicants who are accepted into the program will be notified the first week of April.
If there are questions you would like to ask before making a decision to apply to our program, please feel free to contact our program coordinator, Gemma Pessina or call (801)585-1686.
Thank you,
Andrew D. Michaels, M.D., M.A.S., F.A.C.C., F.A.H.A.
Associate Professor of Medicine
Program Director - Interventional Cardiology
Summary of documentation required for application via ERAS:
- ERAS Application
- Curriculum vitae
- Statement of career objectives (personal statement)
- Three letters of recommendation (one from your program director)
- Copy of green card or visa (J-1 only) if non-U.S. citizen
Interventional Cardiology Faculty
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