Clinical Programs
Advanced Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesiology

Advanced Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesiology Fellowship

Our ACGME-accredited pediatric cardiac anesthesiology fellowship represents an advanced fellowship training opportunity, allowing for a specific focus on this complex subset of pediatric anesthesia patients. There is a growing and continued need to have more in depth training and therefore experienced subspecialty pediatric cardiac anesthesiologists, as recognized by the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia and the Congenital Cardiac Anesthesia Society. This fellowship is designed to provide clinical training, didactic instruction and clinical or basic science research in an effort to produce a trainee who is well prepared to begin a clinical and / or academic career in pediatric cardiac anesthesia. Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and the Heart Institute will provide the breadth and depth of experience to obtain this training while developing an understanding of the anatomy and physiology of congenital cardiac defects.

Last year the division of cardiac anesthesia here at Cincinnati Children’s provided care for 821 cardiac catheterizations (diagnostic, therapeutic, hybrid), 184 electrophysiologic procedures, 268 cardiopulmonary bypass open heart cases, 107 non-bypass heart cases, and 11 thoracic cases. We perform, on average, 10 cardiac transplants each year, and have a well-established lung transplant program. Our cardiothoracic surgeons have experience in the implantation of various ventricular assist devices for heart failure, such as the Berlin Heart EXCOR, HeartMate II, HeartWare, and Syncardia Total Artificial Heart. Cincinnati Children’s is one of the few centers nationwide performing slide tracheoplasties for complete tracheal rings, which involves cardiothoracic surgery when cardiopulmonary bypass is required. Beyond the operating room and cardiac catheterization laboratory, fellows will learn how to provide anesthesia for cardiac radiologic procedures, such as MRI, CT and echocardiograms. They will also care for patients in the cardiac intensive care unit.

We offer two full-time fellowship positions each year and accept applications on a rolling basis prior to the start of the academic year.

Clinical Rotations

Fellows will spend 10 months in the cardiac operating rooms, cardiac catheterization and electrophysiology labs, radiology and echocardiology, providing anesthesia to patients with congenital heart disease. The goal of this rotation is for the fellow to gain a broader and more in depth understanding of congenital heart disease, gather experience in pediatric arterial and central line placement, and to be exposed to a variety of cardiac procedures.
Fellows will spend one month in the cardiac ICU caring for critically ill children with congenital heart disease. Here they will have the opportunity to follow surgical patients throughout the entire perioperative course, with emphasis on the medical management of these patients. A new six-story critical care tower (including three new cardiac operating rooms) opened up in November 2021, offering clinicians and families access to state of the art facilities and equipment within one location.
Fellows will spend time on a perfusion rotation with our lead perfusionist. This will be a combined rotation of clinical practice in the cardiac operating rooms learning the basics of perfusion medicine, as well as a series of didactic lectures.
Fellows will spend one month on an elective rotation in an area(s) of their interest associated with congenital heart disease. Possible rotations include, but are not limited to: echocardiography, perfusion services, blood banking, electrophysiology, pulmonary hypertension, adult congenital heart disease and research. Electives must be taken at least two weeks at a time.
Fellows may choose to participate in a clinical or basic research project related to cardiothoracic surgery or cardiac anesthesiology. The Heart Institute and several members of the Division of Cardiac Anesthesia at Cincinnati Children's have many ongoing research activities for our fellows to get involved.

Didactics

Weekly lectures are given to the pediatric cardiac anesthesiology fellow from faculty from the Division of Cardiac Anesthesia and the Heart Institute about various cardiac and cardiac anesthesia-related topics.
The Heart Institute Performance Conference occurs every Friday from 6:30-8:00 am. The entire cardiothoracic, cardiac and CICU team meets to discuss all of the week's prior surgical cases as a quality improvement opportunity for all members involved in the care of patients with CHD.
The third Wednesday of each month from 7:00-8:00 am the Department of Anesthesia has grand rounds.
The second Wednesday of each month from 6:45-8:00 am the Department of Anesthesia has a clinical quality improvement meeting, in which the core and advanced fellows present a case from the OR.
The fourth Wednesday of each month from 6:45-8:00 am the Department of Anesthesia has a research conference which gives members of the department an opportunity to discuss research that is being developed, as well as update staff about current research progress.
Meets every third Tuesday and fourth Thursday of each month from 12:00-1:00 pm. This presents an opportunity for clinical fellows to present their research and receive guidance from a multi-disciplinary panel of faculty and peers.

Program Director

A photo of Jennifer Lam.

Jennifer Lam, DO
Associate Professor of Clinical Anesthesia & Pediatrics 
Division of Cardiac Anesthesia 

Director Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesia Fellowship 
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine 

Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center  

Phone: 513-636-4408
Fax: 513-636-7337
jennifer.lam@cchmc.org

Assistant Program Director

Vera Winograd Gomez, MD.

Vera Winograd Gomez, MD
Assistant Professor of Clinical Anesthesia & Pediatrics
Division of Cardiac Anesthesia
Assistant Program Director Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesia Fellowship
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
Phone: 513-636-4408
Fax: 513-636-7337
vera.winogradgomez@cchmc.org

Program Coordinator

Jeani Berglund
Phone: 513-803-6961
Email: jeani.berglund@cchmc.org