Our fourth year fellowship training tracks provide intensive experience in the advanced fellow’s chosen subspecialty and are intended for the most promising cardiology trainees interested in a career in academic pediatric cardiology.
Director: Colleen Pater, MD
Advanced training in Acute Care Cardiology (also known as inpatient or step-down care) is designed for the individual who plans to become a leader in the field of acute care cardiology. Clinical care includes all hospitalized, non-ICU, children with acquired or congenital heart disease. The successful candidate will have completed an accredited three-year training program in pediatric cardiology and should demonstrate an interest for a career in academic medicine. The clinical goal of the advanced fellowship is to provide the trainee with the cardiology training to evaluate and manage acutely ill cardiac patients, as well as to develop the leadership skills necessary to direct a multidisciplinary team. The understanding and integration of complex cardiovascular and respiratory physiology is fundamental to the achievement of this goal. The basic principles of acute care education include respiratory management, chronic hemodynamic support (both pharmacologic and mechanical), surgical issues, analgesia, fluid management, escalation of care, and nutrition. The trainee will gain experience in the evaluation and management of routine arrhythmias, cardiac catheterization data, and management of ventricular assist devices. The trainee will also have the opportunity to receive formal training in Quality Improvement methodologies, expanded opportunities in Medical Education, and exposure to operational leadership of a hospital unit including partnership with Patient Services leadership. Furthermore, the trainee will have exposure to international collaborative networks such as the Pediatric Acute Care Cardiology Collaborative (PAC3) and Cardiac Networks United. While the focus of the advanced Acute Care Cardiology fellowship is predominantly clinical, fourth year fellows will be expected to perform scholarly work with the goal of submission and acceptance of at least one first author original publication, as well as participation in international conferences.
Application Deadline: October 25
Director: Tony Smith, MD
Accredited by the ACGME, the advanced ACHD fellowship at Cincinnati Children’s is structured to meet the requirements necessary for ABIM board eligibility with the ultimate goal of ACHD certification. The advanced ACHD fellowship will add pertinent depth and detail to an already well-trained pediatric or adult cardiology fellow through pathways created to address individual learning needs, with experiences structured to match the interests and career plans of the advanced fellow.
The ACHD fellow is part of a dedicated multidisciplinary team including cardiologists, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, pharmacists and social workers practicing in clinic space designed for the ACHD patient. The trainee will be involved in the transition of pediatric patients to adult care. Fellowship rotations will include inpatient consultations for both medical and surgical admissions as well as exposure to the ACHD Program’s Fontan Management Clinic and high-risk pregnancy service. The ACHD fellow will be expected to perform research with the goal of submission and acceptance of at least one first author original publication to advance the primary purpose of the advanced fellowship: to train physicians who will make significant contributions to the ACHD field.
Please follow ERAS/NMRP Guidelines
Director: Benjamin Mantell, MD
The fourth year fellowship provides an advanced experience for the trainee in all aspects of pediatric heart failure, cardiomyopathy, and pediatric cardiac transplantation. Applicants will receive extensive training in both inpatient and outpatient care while receiving valuable mentoring from staff recognized as world-leaders in these areas. Upon completion, graduates will be familiar with all aspects of advanced heart failure therapy including ventricular assist devices and transplantation. Training in the evaluation of patients with a family history of cardiomyopathy will occur in the outpatient setting and includes education on the use of genetic testing to determine at-risk family members. Extensive clinical and translational research opportunities are available and will be tailored to the trainee’s area of interest. The advanced fellow will be expected to develop a research project under the direction of the Heart Failure / Cardiomyopathy Program with the plan to present at least one abstract during the year of training and to develop a manuscript for peer-review submission by the completion of their fellowship.
Application Deadline: August 14
Director: Meghan Chlebowski, MD
Advanced Fellowship Training in Cardiac Critical Care is intended for physicians seeking a career focused on the management of critically ill children with congenital or acquired heart disease. Applicants must have completed an ACGME, ACGMEi, or RCPSC-accredited fellowship in Pediatric Cardiology or Pediatric Critical Care and demonstrate a commitment to academic cardiac intensive care.
The fellowship provides advanced training in the evaluation and management of critically ill cardiac patients, preparing fellows to serve as the primary physician in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU). Emphasis is placed on understanding complex cardiovascular and respiratory physiology and developing expertise in airway management, mechanical ventilation, hemodynamic support (pharmacologic and mechanical), fluid management, resuscitation, nutrition, sedation, analgesia, anesthesia, and perioperative care.
Fellows gain experience managing arrhythmias commonly encountered in the CICU and develop advanced skills in caring for patients supported with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and ventricular assist devices (VADs). While the program is primarily clinical, fellows also have opportunities to participate in research aligned with their interests through the Heart Institute Research Core (HIRC).
In addition, trainees are exposed to international quality improvement collaboratives, including the Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care Consortium (PC⁴) and Cardiac Networks United (PAC3 and CNOC).
Interested candidates should complete the Common Application Form available at https://pcics.org/education/fellowship-programs/ and register for the annual Match through SF Match at https://www.sfmatch.org/.
Application Cycle opens July 1 and ends October 1, 2024
Director: Stuart Goldstein, MD
The Center for Acute Care Nephrology (CACN), a collaboration between the Divisions of Nephrology, and Critical Care Medicine and the Heart Institute, offers a Pediatric Acute Care Nephrology Fellowship to prepare clinicians and researchers to better care for patients with acute kidney injury which occurs commonly in critical illness. The one-two year fellowship provides specialized training to graduates of pediatric nephrology, critical care or cardiology fellowships. Our overarching goal is to enhance research and clinical collaboration between pediatric nephrologists and pediatric intensive care specialists, a shift that will lead to better outcomes for children with acute kidney injury.
For more information, please contact Patti Holshouser at 513-803-3295 or patricia.holshouser@cchmc.org.
Application Deadline: January 15
Director: David S. Spar, MD
The fourth year fellowship training in pediatric electrophysiology provides an advanced experience in diagnostic electrophysiology, invasive electrophysiologic testing including transvenous and esophageal studies, advanced non-invasive electrophysiologic studies, ablation procedures, transvenous and epicardial pacemaker insertion and management and evaluation of familial arrhythmias. The trainee will participate in outpatient electrophysiology clinics and inpatient consultations. The advanced fellow will also participate in research with the goal of at least one first author publication in a peer reviewed journal. The ultimate purpose of the advanced fellow experience is to provide the skills and knowledge necessary for a successful clinical, academic and research career in pediatric cardiac electrophysiology.
Application Deadline: June 30
Director: Shabana Shahanavaz, MBBS
During the course of the one year fellowship program, the trainee will learn to perform catheterization in a wide variety of clinical situations involving patients with both congenital and acquired heart disease. This will include diagnostic, interventional and hybrid catheterization procedures. In addition to the technical skill component, the trainee will also learn hemodynamic data interpretation and analysis of angiography relevant to the cardiovascular system. The trainee is expected to participate in and be productive from a clinical research perspective. Prospective trainees will be requested to provide outlines of potential research projects prior to entering the program to expedite completion of the research during the course of the year. It is expected that the trainee will present findings of research in abstract form at a national meeting and will submit a manuscript for publication in a peer reviewed journal.
Application Deadline: August 31
Co-Director, Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Sean Lang, MD
Co-Director, Echocardiography: Garick Hill, MD
Co-Director, Fetal Heart Program: Allison Divanovic, MD
The fourth year fellowship in Non-Invasive Imaging provides advanced training in all facets of cardiovascular imaging including transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography, small animal echocardiography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). During the course of the program, the trainee will also have the opportunity to develop strong skills in fetal echocardiography and will participate in patient counseling and management planning in a wide variety of clinical situations, including patients undergoing fetal therapeutic procedures. The advanced imaging curriculum will be tailored to an applicant’s needs and may include more or less emphasis on any of these modalities. In most instances, the fellow’s role will be that of a pre-attending with appropriate supervision. Development of teaching and research skills in the field of cardiac imaging will also be heavily emphasized, with the intention to produce a trainee who is well prepared to begin an academic career in pediatric cardiac imaging. The advanced fellow is expected to participate in research with the goal of at least one abstract and manuscript. To facilitate research, the fellow will use the resources of not only the Heart Institute Research Core but also the Cardiovascular Imaging Research Laboratory, a facility with dedicated personnel, equipment and space for the performance of echocardiographic and vascular ultrasound research.
Application Deadline: Please follow SF Match Guidelines
Director: Elaine Urbina, MD, MS
Cincinnati Children’s Heart Institute offers the only fourth year fellowship in Pediatric Preventive Cardiology in the United States. The fellowship will include structured didactic experiences with plenty of hands-on clinical time in the diagnosis and management of cardiovascular risk factors including obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension and insulin resistance. Opportunities for additional training in epidemiology, study design and statistics will be available. The advanced trainee is expected to participate in research with the goal of at least one abstract and manuscript resulting from the experience. Fellows will have their choice of participating in a variety of research venues including drug and/or lifestyle interventions in obesity, hypertension and lipid disorders, echocardiography and MRI for assessment of the cardiac consequences of cardiovascular risk factors and non-invasive imaging of vascular structure and function for evaluation of atherosclerosis. Optional areas for study can be introduced to tailor the experience to the areas of interest of the fellow.
Application Deadline: October 25
Director: Paul Critser, MD, PhD
This one year advanced advanced fellowship in Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) will expose the trainee to all aspects of Pediatric Pulmonary Hypertension. Accredited by the Pulmonary hypertension Association (PHA) as a Pulmonary Hypertension Comprehensive Care Center (PHCC), the advanced PH training program will include exposure to both in and out-patients with PH. The training is centered within a collaborative team supported by Nurse Practitioners and a Nurse Coordinator, with further contribution from a dedicated pharmacist and social worker. The advanced fellow will be expected to attend the PH clinic, round daily on PH in-patients, complete consultations and attend PH related cardiac catheterizations. In addition to the basic training within the Heart Institute, the advanced fellow will participate in structured rotations on the Pediatric Pulmonary Service for exposure to chronic lung disease, the Transitional Care Center and the Sleep and Pulmonary Function Laboratories. Additional rotations are also provided off-site at the University of Cincinnati adult PH service and at other partner pediatric institutions. The advanced fellow will be expected to participate in research activities and present findings at national meetings. Prospective trainees will ideally provide outlines of research protocols prior to commencing their training to facilitate timely completion during the year.
Application Deadline: August 30
Research performed by advanced fellows will be supported by the Heart Institute Research Core (HIRC), a research unit that supports innovative clinical and translational science by facilitating the design and implementation of research studies, the dissemination and application of findings, and the development of research professionals. Project managers, in collaboration with principal investigators, lead customized project teams selected from a cadre of more than 40 research professionals, including project managers, clinical research coordinators, research nurses, biostatisticians, business and administrative personnel, and experts in biomedical informatics and data management, to accomplish the specific goals of each research project.
The Master of Science degree program in Clinical and Translational Research is designed to provide clinical professionals with the necessary preparation for successful career development and independent investigator awards. The program emphasizes specific training in clinical epidemiology/clinical effectiveness, molecular epidemiology, clinical trials, and translational research that will enable clinicians to translate scientific advances into applications for improved clinical practice and human health. The M.S. in Clinical and Translational Research is a 48 credit hour program to be completed in two years on a part-time basis to allow trainees to meet clinical duties and other responsibilities while enrolled in classes. In addition to the successful completion of 45 credit hours of course work at the University of Cincinnati, a thesis and three credits of thesis research are required. It is anticipated that most graduates of the program will ultimately hold positions as clinician-investigators in academic settings and will develop into independently-funded clinical researchers. Since this is a two-year program, the advanced fellow who wishes to pursue this degree needs to plan on an additional year of training and enrollment arrangements/prerequisites must be discussed prior to beginning the fourth year.
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