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Clinical Medicine

Completion of the program designed for the physician whose goal is academic clinical pediatric cardiology will allow this individual to be:

Expert in the clinical diagnosis and medical treatment of cardiovascular diseases in the fetus, infant, child and adolescent. The experience encompasses a broad range of pathological congenital and acquired heart conditions and clinical acuity. Training is under the direct supervision of pediatric cardiology faculty.
Skilled in selecting, performing, and evaluating both the non-invasive and invasive procedures necessary for the assessment of cardiac disease in children.

Each trainee rotates through the various clinical services including the ward, intensive care units, catheterization laboratory, echocardiography laboratories and clinics. He/she attends the various clinical conferences and also accompanies the faculty to regional community cardiac clinics. The program is structured to enable the fellow to advance from first through third year of training by applying his/her every increasing knowledge base and skills, and thus, over time functioning more independently.

ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY and Other Non-invasive imaging: Each Fellow learns the fundamental principles and application of non-invasive imaging, starting with echocardiography (including fetal and transesophageal imaging). The fellow is also exposed to other non-invasive imaging modalities, including magnetic resonance, ultra-fast CT imaging and nuclear cardiology (including positron emission tomography).

CATHETERIZATION LAB: The trainee is introduced to the cardiac catheterization laboratory, including the fundamentals of radiation safety. Under appropriate faculty supervision, each fellow assumes increasing responsibility so that ultimately procedures can be performed independently. Importantly, those fellows interested in interventional cardiology are instructed in therapeutic catheterization procedures including ASD and VSD device closure.

ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY AND EXERCISE: Electrophysiology studies, including electrocardiography, ambulatory electrocardiography, stress exercise physiology and testing are taught. Trainees with major interests in invasive electrophysiology studies and arrhythmia ablation are instructed in these procedures.

ICU: Peri-operative medicine rotation is focuses on the care of children critically ill children, and includes post-op heart surgery patients, cardiomyopathy patients, and ECMO patients. A team of physicians, including designated pediatric cardiologists, intensivists and anesthesiologist provide the fellow with a broad spectrum of understanding of critical care cardiology.

WARD: On this consultation rotation, the fellow cares for patients with a broad spectrum of heart disease, including newly presenting congenital and acquired heart disease. Fellows supervise residents, leading rounds and implementing care plans.

OUTPATIENT CLINICS: Fellows attend both general pediatric cardiology clinics (with a focus on new heart murmurs, chest pain), as well as sub-specialty clinics, such as cardiomyopathy/transplant, arrhythmia/syncope, adult congenital heart disease and hypercholesterolemia. Furthermore, fellows have the opportunity to see a variety of patients in other settings such as in a private office and county clinic.