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 and 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:

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.

How to Apply

We participate in the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) and only accept applications in this manner. Our program number is ACGME ID: 3254711045.

The Pediatric Cardiology fellowship is a fall match. ERAS program applications are available starting mid-July for positions starting the following July. We will begin reviewing applications within one to two weeks of receiving them, and our deadline for submission of applications is one month after the application start date. As with many programs, we are happy to accept signals from applicants who are very interested in our program. The signaling rules and process are in the ERAS application, and you can chose to opt in or out. Signaling is one of many factors that go into our decision regarding which applicants to interview for our program, but it is not a factor in the interview or ranking process. Please know that signaling does not guarantee an interview and that not signaling does not hurt your chances of being selected for an interview.

We offer positions through the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) fellowship match, and our NMPR # is 1702325F0. Match lists must be submitted through the NRMP by its deadline in late November for positions starting July 1 of the following year. The results of the match are released both to programs and to applicants approximately six weeks after the lists are submitted.

There are many more applicants to our program than we can interview. Interviews are offered by invitation and are conducted between the end of August and mid-November after review of the application materials. As a result, we encourage you to apply early. The following are minimum requirements for application to the training program:

1. Board Eligible or Board Certified in Pediatrics or Medicine-Pediatrics
2. Completed application
3. Three letters of recommendation, preferably including your residency program director and at least one pediatric cardiologist
4. School of Medicine transcript
5. USMLE/COMPLEX transcript of Step 1-3 scores
6. ECFMG certification if pertinent
7. Personal interview (by invitation)

Questions?

Program Coordinator
Martika (Molly) Robertson
Division of Cardiology
2200 Children’s Way
Suite 5230
Nashville, TN 37232-9119
martika.robertson@vumc.org