The pediatric cardiology fellowship program at Indiana University School of Medicine trains clinically strong, compassionate and competent pediatric cardiologists. The program offers comprehensive, in-depth fellowship experience by combining excellent multi-disciplinary teaching in all specialty areas, personal mentorship including formal scholarship oversight, and exposure to basic, clinical, and translational research. The program offers a flexible training curriculum to allow each fellow to achieve their career goals as a pediatric cardiologist. IU School of Medicine accepts two fellows per year for the pediatric cardiology fellowship.
Apply for Fellowship
Physicians interested in applying for the Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship at IU School of Medicine should submit an application through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) and include the required documents.
Video
Hear what the Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship program has to offer.
Curriculum
Program leaders believe that excellence in clinical care is a prerequisite foundation for a successful, long lasting career in the field of pediatric cardiology. Fellows rotate through all areas of clinical cardiology on a monthly basis. Training also includes approximately one year of research experience.
First Year Block Diagram
| Month (4 weeks) | Experience or rotations | % Research | % Outpatient |
| 1 | Ward | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Echo | 0 | 25 |
| 3 | CICU | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Ward | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Echo/Research | 50 | 25 |
| 6 | EP | 0 | 50 |
| 7 | Cath | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Echo | 0 | 25 |
| 9 | FAME/Research | 50 | 50 |
| 10 | Cath | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Ward | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Echo | 0 | 25 |
| 13 | Consult | 0 | 0 |
Second Year Block Diagram
| Month (4 weeks) | Experience or rotations | % Research | % Outpatient |
| 1 | Ward | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | EP | 0 | 50 |
| 3 | Echo | 0 | 25 |
| 4 | Cath | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | CICU | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Ward | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Ward/ICU | 25 | 50 |
| 8 | Research | 100 | 0 |
| 9 | Research | 100 | 0 |
| 10 | Research | 100 | 0 |
| 11 | Research | 100 | 0 |
| 12 | Research | 100 | 0 |
|
13 |
Consult | 0 | 0 |
Third Year Block Diagram
| Month (4 weeks) | Experience or rotations | % Research | % Outpatient |
| 1 | Research | 100 | 0 |
| 2 | Research | 100 | 0 |
| 3 | Research | 100 | 0 |
| 4 | Research | 100 | 0 |
| 5 | Research | 100 | 0 |
| 6 | Research | 100 | 0 |
| 7 | Ward | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | EP | 0 | 50 |
| 9 | Cath | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Echo | 0 | 25 |
| 11 | CICU | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Elective | 25 | 50 |
| 13 | Consult | 0 | 0 |
Key: Ward=Inpatient service, Echo=Echocardiography Lab and MRI, CICU=ICU/Surgery, EP=Electrophysiology, Cath=Cath Lab, FAME=Fellows advanced multidisciplinary elective/Research, Research=Research, Elective=Elective
Vacation is taken during Research, Elective, Echo, and/or FAME rotations - 4 weeks per year
Possible Electives Include:
- Additional time in any of the standard rotations
- Heart Failure/Transplant
- Genetics
- Outpatient Clinic
- Cardiac MRI/CT
- Adult Congenital Heart Disease
- Any other cardiac related rotation if approved by the fellowship director
Total number of clinical months = 24 months
Total number of research months = 12 months
Pediatric cardiology fellows learn how to perform and interpret transthoracic echocardiography with some exposure to transesophageal and fetal echocardiography. Skills are refined in outpatient clinic, hospital wards, intensive care units and operative settings. Fellows who desire a focused experience in cardiac MRI, advanced transesophageal or fetal echocardiography may choose to do so.
The overall goal of the Cardiology Consult service rotation is to provide the fellow(s) with the knowledge and skills necessary to become proficient in the diagnosis, management, and consultative care of children with heart disease, both acquired and congenital.
Fellows learn to interpret catheterization data and angiograms, thereby gaining a solid understanding of physiology, as well as indications for these procedures. In the process, they train with the faculty operators to perform diagnostic procedures of complex disease, to obtain biopsy samples from children with heart transplants, for therapeutic interventions, and to palliate cardiac defects. Division faculty participate in multiple clinical trials, including those for various closure devices and transcatheter valves. Fellows are exposed to a wide range of cardiac defects, as well as interventional procedures involving the newest devices and techniques.
Fellows in the pediatric cardiology program at IU School of Medicine experience all aspects of electrophysiology, including invasive ablation procedures, ICD and defibrillator implants. They learn to interpret ECGs, Holter and event monitors and exercise stress testing and participate in pacemaker clinics to learn the nuances of managing patients with complex rhythm abnormalities.
Fellows are part of a collaborative team of cardiac intensivists, cardiologists, neonatologists and cardiac surgeons at IU School of Medicine who manage post-operative children on a dedicated cardiovascular intensive care unit. Annually more than 500 pediatric and adult congenital cardiac surgeries are performed by four dedicated pediatric cardiac surgeons.
Fellows learn to manage children with a variety of acquired, congenital and post-operative cardiac issues on the cardiac step-down unit. They provide consultative services to the neonatal and general pediatric intensive care units. This experience also allows fellows to direct patient care rounds, help educate residents and medical students, and hone leadership and organizational skills.
While not a mandatory rotation, pediatric cardiology fellows have the option of training with adult cardiology faculty in the inpatient and outpatient setting in Preventive Cardiology and Pulmonary Hypertension.
First-year fellows in the pediatric cardiology fellowship program are exposed to a wide variety of cardiac conditions in this multidisciplinary rotation. Fellows spend time learning about pulmonary hypertension, cardiomyopathies and cardiac genetics. In addition, time is allotted for fellows to begin involvement in research projects.
Through the majority of the training in pediatric cardiology, fellows attend a weekly outpatient clinic with a faculty mentor. Based on the fellow's interest, they may choose to focus on a pediatric cardiology subspecialty for this clinic during the second and third year of training.
Research
Fellows spend approximately one year of their training in research endeavors. They have opportunity to become involved in clinical, bench and/or translational projects that fit their areas of interest. Fellows consistently present their research at regional and national conferences.
Clinical research opportunities exist by working with a faculty member and through the NIH-funded Pediatric Heart Network (PHN), of which Riley Hospital is a clinical site. Pediatric Cardiology faculty participate in numerous multi-center research studies, and fellows have the opportunity to gain experience in performance of clinical trials. Dedicated research coordinators are available to assist in submission of IRB and grant proposals.
Opportunities for basic science research are available at the Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, where cardiac development biology and cardiovascular genetics are two of the primary areas of focus. Fellows have the opportunity to complete a Master's of Clinical Science degree during fellowship training.
Morris Green Program
Unique to IU School of Medicine is the Morris Green Physician Scientist Development Program, which was created to identify and support pediatric residents and fellows who want to develop careers as pediatric researchers, physician-scientists and future academic leaders. The program provides protected research time, a structured research curriculum, mentorship and research project funding.
Master's of Science in Clinical Research
As part of the pediatric cardiology fellowship training, interested fellows have the opportunity to obtain a Master's Degree in Science in Clinical Research. This degree is offered through the Indiana Clinical Investigation and Translational Education (CITE) program which provides degree opportunities for fellows, faculty and others with career interest in clinical and translational research.
Call Schedule and Responsibilities
Inpatient call is conducted in the hospital during weekdays and at home on weekends. Pediatric Cardiology fellows share call equally. Responsibilities include management of patients on the inpatient and ICU services, and obtaining echocardiograms on requested patients. Taking call allows for continuity of care for post-operative patients and for skill development in image acquisition.
Lectures and Conferences
This component of the curriculum allows fellows to interact with one another and faculty from cardiology and other disciplines. Teaching conferences provide an intimate environment for fellows to learn about specific topics from clinical specialists and to present their own research and experiences with patient cases. Patient-centered conferences cover surgical cases, complex case, and morbidity and mortality topics.
The Interactive Conference Series includes a Catheterization Conference, Echocardiography Diagnostic Forum, MRI Conference, Electrophysiology Conference, Pathology Conference, Journal Club, Board Review series, Quality Improvement, and Heart Failure Conference. Didactic instruction includes a core lecture series, a cardiovascular intensive care unit lecture series, and an adult congenital heart disease echocardiography forum.