Cardiology

Mission Statement

We are committed to producing the next generation of leaders in the pediatric cardiology community by offering an exciting, in-depth, and high-quality experience for our fellows. Our program combines excellent teaching, exceptional mentoring, and personal guidance to allow each fellow to become a skilled pediatric cardiologist, a scholarly thinker, and a critical investigator. Pediatric cardiology fellows are an integral part of all the services provided by the division. The three-year program fulfills the requirements for sub-board certification under the American Board of Pediatric guidelines. There are five pediatric cardiology fellows each year.

Curriculum 

Clinical

The Division of Pediatric Cardiology includes 42 pediatric cardiologists, 22 of whom are full-time physicians at Columbia University Medical Center and Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital. Attending physicians have academic appointments in the Department of Pediatrics of Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, as well as with Cornell University. Division members, in conjunction with those in the Division of Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery, provide state-of-the-art care of the fetus, infant, child, adolescent, and young adult with congenital heart disease. All medical and surgical services are offered through the Heart Center, located in New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital. 

During the first year fellows gain a solid foundation in clinical cardiology and acquire clinical skills through rotations on the cardiology floor and in the cardiac neonatal and pediatric ICUs, as well as through two-week rotations in echocardiography, cardiac catheterization, and electrophysiology. By the second year fellows are expected to assume increasing clinical responsibilities with an emphasis on advanced patient management as well as more advanced imaging techniques. During the third year of training the primary focus is on research, but fellows continue to participate in different clinical services, assuming increasing responsibility for the clinical care given to patients. Fellows have opportunities for clinical activities tailored to their individual training goals.

Research

Division faculty members actively pursue research interests in all areas of clinical practice and are involved in a multitude of large multi-center trials and registries, many of which allow for fellow involvement. Fellows also have many opportunities for clinical and basic science research in areas such as ventricular function, hypercholesterolemia, heart failure, pharmacology, electrophysiology, non-invasive imaging modalities, pulmonary hypertension, and clinical outcomes. Within the division, fellows can pursue basic science and translational research opportunities in cardiac genetics and development, or may choose to work with mentors from other specialty areas. 

During the first year of training a two-week research boot camp introduces fellows to research, and fellows are expected to begin to develop a scholarly project, obtain a research mentor, and publish a short peer-reviewed article. Research training is given additional emphasis during the second and third years, with a second two-week research boot camp and the expectation that trainees complete their IRB and a primary research project. 

Education

The education of our fellows is of paramount importance. This is accomplished by their participation in the delivery of high quality patient care, as well as attend and participate via case presentation in many weekly conferences including pathology, hemodynamics and angiography, echocardiography, and electrophysiology. The division holds weekly combined cardiology/cardiovascular surgery conferences to discuss cardiac catheterizations and patient management and to prepare for upcoming surgeries. Monthly conferences include a morbidity and mortality conference, a pathology conference, and a pediatric cardiology journal club where current articles from peer-reviewed journals are critically reviewed. Bimonthly fellowship program director meetings include a series on topics relevant to pediatric cardiology with an emphasis on the professional and personal development of pediatric cardiology trainees. Fellows are expected to teach medical students and house staff.

Why Columbia?

Fellows in the cardiology fellowship are exposed to a wide range of clinical and research experiences. The overall goal of the three-year fellowship is to prepare fellows for successful careers as clinicians, researchers, and leaders in the cardiology community. Our broad-based and active faculty provides clinical and research training in a variety of clinical and translational venues, encompassing all cardiology subspecialty areas:  

• Adolescent and adult congenital heart disease
• Cardiac intensive care
• Electrophysiology
• Fetal cardiology
• Heart failure/transplant
• Interventional cardiology
• Non-invasive imaging
• Preventive cardiology
• Pulmonary hypertension

Benefits

Residents are employees of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and affiliated with Columbia University Irving Medical Center. With these affiliations come many benefits!

How to Apply

Applications to our fellowship are processed through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) system. Materials are accepted starting in July for fellowship positions beginning the following year. Those who wish to apply must be board eligible or board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. Please note that a completed application includes:

• Completed ERAS forms
• Three letters of recommendation, including one letter from the applicant's department chairman or residency director
• Curriculum vitae
• Personal statement
• Additional information, such as USMLE transcript and photo, are recommended

Acceptances to the fellowship are made through the Pediatric Specialties Fall Match of the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP). Please refer to the NRMP website for details about the match submission deadline.

Columbia University and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital are equal opportunity employers; applications from women and minorities are encouraged. Please note that Columbia University and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital do not sponsor H1B visa trainees.

Contact

Tana Spand
Program Coordinator
212-304-5937
ts3124@cumc.columbia.edu