Cardiovascular Fellowship Training Program

Advanced Cardiovascular Fellowships

UPMC Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology Fellowship

The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology Fellowship Program is a two-year Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) accredited program based primarily at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital. The cardiac electrophysiologists involved with the fellowship program are on the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine faculty. Graduating fellows typically far exceed procedural requirements outlined in the 2015 ACC/AHA/HRS Advanced Training Statement on Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology. Former fellows have a 100% pass rate on the ABIM Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology board examination over the past decade.

Core Faculty

Application Outline

We accept two fellows per year to train over a two-year period. For those interested in positions beginning in July 2020, our program will be participating in the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP). Additional details, including important dates, is available on the website of the Heart Rhythm Society.

The application consists of the following items:

• digital photograph
• personal statement
• curriculum vitae
• medical school transcript
• USMLE Scores
• three letters of reference

One letter of reference should be from the director of the applicant’s cardiovascular disease fellowship program. Foreign medical graduates must have a current, valid certificate from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG).

Questions regarding the application process may be directed to:

Denise Goppman
Graduate Medical Education Senior Department Manager
Heart and Vascular Institute
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
200 Lothrop Street, S559 Scaife Hall
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
PHONE: 412-647-3429
FAX: 412-647-0481
E-MAIL: goppmanda@upmc.edu

Address Letters of Recommendation to:

N.A. Mark Estes III, MD
Director, Cardiac Electrophysiology Fellowship Program
Heart and Vascular Institute
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
200 Lothop Street, B-535
Pittsburgh, PA 15123
PHONE: 412-647-2762
FAX: 412-647-7979
EMAIL:

Program Outline

The clinical component involves inpatient and outpatient experiences. The inpatient experience centers on two highly active electrophysiology laboratories at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital. There are opportunities to gain clinical experience at UPMC Passavant Hospital, UPMC Shadyside Hospital, and the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System. Procedures encompass a full spectrum and include device implantation, laser lead extraction, and catheter ablation. Complex procedures include catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation, catheter ablation for ventricular arrhythmias, epicardial catheter ablation, and left atrial appendage occlusion. There are no in-house call responsibilities. On average, fellows will have one weekend call per month with duties consisting of rounding on the inpatient service and seeing new consultations. The outpatient experience involves a longitudinal clinic with a chosen mentor.

The didactic component consists of daily conferences from 7:00 to 8:00 AM, as follows:

Monday – book chapter review of major cardiac electrophysiology textbooks including:

Cardiac Electrophysiology: From Cell to Bedside by Douglas P. Zipes, MD and Jose Jalife, MD

Catheter Ablation of Cardiac Arrhythmias by Shoei K. Stephen Huang, MD and John H. Miller, MD

Clinical Cardiac Pacing, Defibrillation, and Resynchronization Therapy
by Kenneth A. Ellenbogen, MD, Bruce L. Wilkoff, MD, G. Neal Kay, MD, Chu Pak Lau, MD, and Angelo Auricchio, MD, PhD

Clinical Electrophysiology Review
by George Klein, MD and Eric Prystowsky, MD

Josephson’s Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology: Techniques and Interpretations
by Mark E. Josephson, MD

Tuesday – UPMC Cardiology Grand Rounds

Wednesday – Clinical case presentation with intracardiac electrogram analysis

Thursday –Journal club

Friday – Surface ECG presentation by general cardiology fellows on the electrophysiology service

UPMC Cardiology Grand Rounds hosts nationally and internationally recognized speakers. We also have a once-per-month system-wide UPMC Cardiac Electrophysiology Morbidity and Mortality Conference with video-assisted participation to several UPMC hospitals.

The research component allows trainees to be involved in both clinical and basic/translational investigation. Fellows are expected to prepare research findings for presentation at national conferences and manuscript publication in peer-reviewed journals.