Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Curriculum

Our fellows participate in all aspects of clinical care for children and young adults with congenital and acquired heart disease.

Specific clinical rotations are as follows:

  • Inpatient cardiac patient management on the wards, and in the cardiac and neonatal intensive care units
  • Inpatient cardiology consultations in all areas of the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’ Hospital at Vanderbilt
  • Outpatient cardiology, including general outpatient and outreach clinics, continuity clinic, and specialty clinics including transplant, electrophysiology, fetal and adult congenital clinics
  • Echocardiography, with increasing exposure to advanced imaging including transesophageal echo, fetal echo, cardiac MRI
  • Cardiac catheterization, diagnostic and interventional
  • Electrophysiology, including interpretation of electrocardiograms, invasive EP studies, management of pacemakers and ICDs.
  • Heart failure and transplant management, including patient support with ECMO and ventricular assist devices.
  • Cardiothoracic surgery observational experience
  • Adult Congenital Heart Disease

Approximate annual case load at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’ Hospital at Vanderbilt:

Cardiac Catheterizations

>800

EP studies, Ablations, 
Pacemaker & ICD placement 

>300

 Cardiac Surgery

525 (350 open heart)

Transplants

18-22

Outpatient Visits

14,000

Echocardiograms

>17,000

Fetal echocardiograms

>1,000

Transesophageal echocardiograms

700

Cardiac MRI

>350

 

Fourth Year Clinical Training:

Many of our fellows stay for an additional fourth year of clinical training, and this is an integral component of the program for fellows participating in the research intensive Master’s degree programs and/or T32 program. Fourth year subspecialty training is available in advanced cardiac imaging, electrophysiology, cardiac catheterization, and heart failure and transplant. Fourth year training in each of these subspecialties is also offered to qualified external candidates when positions are available.