Graduate Medical Education

Overview

Education has been an integral component of Cleveland Clinic’s mission since its inception in 1921. As part of that overall commitment to education, we recognize the importance and value of graduate medical education programs, which help to train the physicians who will serve future generations through the provision of the highest quality medical care.

For more information about Cleveland Clinic Florida Residency Training Programs and Fellowships, call 954.659.6211.

Manual and Benefits

• Graduate Residency Manual 2015-2016
• House Staff Benefits

Accredited Residency Programs

Anesthesiology Residency Program

The newly ACGME approved Anesthesiology Residency Training Program at Cleveland Clinic Florida offers five categorical positions per year. All positions are filled through the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) match. No advanced positions (PGY-2) are offered through the match. International applicants are invited to apply through the NRMP as well.

Program Director
Cosmin Guta MD, MBA
2950 Cleveland Clinic Boulevard
Weston, Florida 33331
Phone: 954.689.5228

Program Coordinator
Diana Nino MPH
2950 Cleveland Clinic Boulevard
Weston, Florida 33331
Phone: 954.659.5815

---

Colorectal Surgery Residency

The Department

Cleveland Clinic Florida's Department of Colorectal Surgery is a very busy clinical and research oriented department in which patients with a broad spectrum of colorectal pathology are treated. A one year comprehensive clinical colorectal residency is offered by our department. Four colorectal residents are chosen each year through the National Residency Matching Program. A preliminary optional research year is also offered for one of the four positions. In addition, there are between ten and twelve research residents whose appointments are on a staggered basis for six months to one year.

Approximately 5,200 patients were seen in the office clinic in 1997 and over 2,300 operations were done by the three full time, board certified faculty and staff colorectal surgeons, Drs. Steven D. Wexner, Juan J. Nogueras, Eric G. Weiss and Dana R. Sands, David Maron, Lester Rosen, and Giovanna Dasilva. Other staff includes nurse clinicians who facilitate patient care and help with the day-to-day patient management including assisting in the office and in the operating room. They also perform preoperative history and physical examinations, handle patient phone calls, and calling in prescriptions. Their invaluable assistance allows the residents more time for interaction in the operating room, the endoscopy suite, office, and physiology lab. There are also three dedicated colorectal clinic nurses, two enterostomal therapists, one biofeedback therapist, and two research nurses.

Clinical Procedures

Approximately 80-100 patients are seen in the office each week and evaluated for a wide gamut of colorectal complaints. Procedures such as rubber band ligation of internal hemorrhoids, excision of thrombosed external hemorrhoids, superficial fistulotomies, incision and drainage of abscesses, incision and drainage of pilonidal abscesses, rectal and perianal biopsies, and fulguration of lesions are performed in the clinic.

In addition, there are approximately 10-20 rigid proctoscopies and 15-25 flexible sigmoidoscopies performed in the clinic setting each week. In addition, approximately 15-20 colonoscopies are performed each week, approximately two-thirds of which are therapeutic, rather than diagnostic.

There are approximately 15-20 abdominal and anorectal surgeries performed in the hospital each week. The most frequently performed procedures are restorative proctocolectomy with J-pouch and ileoanal anastomosis and restorative proctectomy with colonic J-pouch and coloanal anastomosis. However, all major colorectal procedures are performed with regularity; a large portion of the practice includes reoperative surgery.

In 1991, Drs. Wexner and Jagelman became interested in the potential applications of laparoscopy to colorectal surgery. As a result, we now have one of the world’s largest series of laparoscopic colorectal surgical procedures. All residents gain intensive laparoscopic training. There is heavy emphasis on anorectal procedures relating to disorders of evacuation such as sphincteroplasty for fecal incontinence and perineal rectosigmoidectomy with levatoroplasty for rectal procidentia.

Our surgeons have the largest U.S. experience with the stimulated gracilis neosphincter for fecal incontinence and are also utilizing the artificial sphincter for fecal incontinence. Our published series of sphincteroplasty for fecal incontinence and colectomy for constipation are among the largest homogeneous series in the world. In addition, the standard spectrum of anorectal operations is also performed. Overall, there are over 200 anorectal, 400 abdominal, and 800 endoscopic procedures performed each year.

Anorectal Physiology Laboratory

One of the highlights in the department is a very busy Anorectal Physiology Laboratory. This multi-disciplined specialty unit allows the evaluation of disorders of evacuation, including chronic constipation and fecal incontinence. Included in the lab are anal sphincter electromyography, pudendal nerve terminal motor latency assessment, anorectal manometry with rectal compliance evaluation, anal ultrasonography, cinedefecography with proctography, pancolonic transit times, and small bowel transit evaluation. About 12-15 of these procedures are performed on a weekly basis and greatly aid in the understanding of the etiology behind these diseases as well as in the formulation of the appropriate therapeutic outline. The residents are encouraged to participate as much as possible in activities in the Anorectal Physiology Laboratory.

In addition, there is an intrarectal ultrasound unit located in the Department which permits a high volume experience. The residents are encouraged to become familiar with the performance and interpretation of rectal ultrasonography.

Teaching Conferences

• Core Curriculum Conference
• Ultrasound Conference
• Anorectal Physiology Conference
• Teleconference with Cleveland Clinic Foundation Colorectal Surgery
• Practice Talks
• Radiology Conference
• Pathology Conference
• Colorectal Surgery Tumor Board
• Journal Club
• Research Forum
• Surgical Grand Rounds
• Surgical M & M
• CARSEPS Conference
• Other Meetings

Cleveland Clinic Florida hosts and sponsors the Annual International Colorectal Disease Symposium each year in February in Fort Lauderdale. Having become one of the largest annual postgraduate colorectal courses in the world, approximately 1,000 registrants were in attendance during the 1998 symposium, approximately 60% of whom were from 61 foreign countries. This intensive three day symposium provides in-depth analytical review of colorectal diseases. Popular areas covered include, but are not limited to, laparoscopy, colorectal carcinoma, inflammatory bowel surgery, and pouch surgery. A comprehensive review of both basic and advanced principles of diagnosis and management of a broad spectrum of commonly seen colorectal diseases will occur along with emphasis on controversial topics including pouch surgery, surgical emergencies, physiologic tests and applications, recurrent disease, and new diagnostic and therapeutic modalities.

The department covers the cost for our residents and fellows to attend this symposium.

In addition, support is provided for colorectal residents to attend a meeting(s) as a registrant or participant with the approval and/or direction of the department chairman.

More Information

Marisol Quintana
Graduate Medical Education
Cleveland Clinic Florida
Phone: 954.659.5240
Toll-free: 800.359.5101 ext. 56211
Fax: 954.659.5184
Email: quintam@ccf.org

---

General Surgery Residency

Cleveland Clinic Florida's General Surgery Residency Program welcomes your interest in training here. This is a five-year, non-pyramidal program with 3 categorical positions per year, including 3 preliminary for PGY 1 and 3 preliminary PGY 2. Our commitment is to train young surgeons in a high level of clinical competence, while at that same time teaching them the importance of an up-to-date knowledge of surgical science.

The Residency Review Committee of Surgery approved the establishment of a new General Surgery Residency Program at Cleveland Clinic Florida beginning July 1, 2012.

Training in General Surgery includes management methods, critical appraisal of the literature and the role of clinical and basic research in advanced surgical science. These elements are the basis of the program with a staff with diverse interests and expertise.

General Surgery continues to change and evolve with increased understating of pathophysiology, enhanced technologies, and multidisciplinary approaches to improving treatment outcomes. Our department is at the forefront of such advances, with commitment to educate our residents through this clinical experience in combination with a structured teaching program and conferences.

We believe our residency program offers outstanding training, which will equip you to practice the art and science of surgery.

Raul Rosenthal, M.D.

• Program Director 
• Chief of Staff
• Chairman, Department of General Surgery

Mark Grove, M.D.

• Associate Program Director

Conrad Simpfendorfer, MD

• Associate Program Director

All PGY 1 Applications are accepted through ERAS only.

Curriculum

The Residency Program

PGY-1

• Cardiothoracic/Vascular Surgery
• Colon & Rectal Surgery
• Hepatobiliary/Transplant Surgery
• Minimally Invasive/Bariatric Surgery
• Night Float Call Service
• Surgical Intensive Care Unit

PGY-2

• Breast Surgery
• Cardiothoracic/Vascular Surgery
• Hepatobiliary/Transplant Surgery
• Surgical Intensive Care Unit (Day and Night shift)
• Pediatric Surgery- Joe Dimaggio Children's Hospital
• Trauma – Memorial Regional Hospital

PGY-3

• Minimally Invasive/ Bariatric Surgery
• Surgical Intensive Care Unit 
• Pediatric Surgery – Joe Dimaggio Children's Hospital

PGY-4

• Hepatobiliary/Transplant Surgery
• General Surgery- Memorial Regional Hospital 
• Trauma – Memorial Regional Hospital

PGY-5

• Cardiothoracic/Vascular Surgery
• Colon & Rectal Surgery
• Minimally Invasive/ Bariatric Surgery

Teaching Conferences

Morbidity & Mortality (weekly) 

Oncology Conference (weekly) 

General Surgery Journal Club (monthly)

GI oncology Conference (weekly)

Colorectal Conference (weekly)

Bariatric Conference (weekly) 

Surgical Grand Rounds (monthly) 

Bariatric Journal Club (monthly)

Contact Information

If you have questions about the General Surgery Residency Program, please contact:

Richard Nagle
Residency Coordinator, General Surgery
Cleveland Clinic Florida
Graduate Medical Education
2950 Cleveland Clinic Boulevard
Weston, Florida 33331
Phone: 954.659.5473
Fax: 954.659.5622
Email: flgsprg@ccf.org

---

Internal Medicine Residency Program

The internal medicine residency program at Cleveland Clinic Florida is an intensive three-year training program offering 9 categorical positions per year and up to three preliminary first year positions, with a total possible number of thirty residents.

• Learn more about the Internal Medicine Residency Program

---

Neurology Residency Program

The Cleveland Clinic Florida Neurology Residency Program, accredited by the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), accepts applications through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) and participates in the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP). There are two positions offered per year in our three-year, PGY2 to PGY4 program. The required first year in Internal Medicine is also offered at Cleveland Clinic Florida. Candidates applying to our program will automatically match with our preliminary (PGY1) internal medicine program provided this is chosen as an option in your application through the NRMP. Since these are dedicated preliminary positions for our neurology program, they are only offered to our neurology-matched candidates and cannot be filled without a Neurology match in our program. We do not consider candidates who would prefer to do their PGY1 in another institution. Please note that it is not necessary to arrange a separate interview with our internal medicine program in order to qualify for these dedicated preliminary positions.

First Year of Residency (PGY1)

The ACGME requires that the PGY1 year be spent in an ACGME or Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada-accredited general internal medicine training program. For more details regarding the required rotations during this year, the reader is referred to the ACGME Program Requirements for Graduate Medical Education in Neurology posted in the ACGME website.

First Year of Neurology Residency (PGY2)

The majority of this year is spent in direct patient care, most of which is in the inpatient setting where the resident is exposed to a wide variety of general neurology patients as either primary neurology admissions or consultations in a wide variety of settings including the stroke unit, the epilepsy monitoring unit, intensive care unit (ICU), and emergency room. The inpatient team consists of a neurology attending, a senior neurology resident, junior neurology resident, and occasionally a rotating medical resident and several medical students. Teaching/hospital rounds are held 7 days/week, 365 days/year. The on-call schedule averages every 4th night for PGY2 and PGY3 residents. PGY4 residents do not have a regular call schedule, but rather fill in when PGY2 and PGY3 residents are not able to take call due to rotations in Cleveland or due to vacation or absence for whatever other approved reason. Cleveland Clinic Florida uses a module system with 13 four-week modules making up the academic year. In total, a PGY2 resident has 8 inpatient modules, 2 general neurology outpatient modules, 2 EEG/Epilepsy (outpatient/inpatient) modules, and 1 neuroradiology module. While in the inpatient service there is a daily review of neuroradiological imaging studies with neuroradiology staff support if necessary. Longitudinal outpatient clinic is scheduled one-half day per week with a staff preceptor who will work with the resident throughout the three years of training.

PGY2 Block Schedule

Block 1	Inpatient
Block 2	Inpatient
Block 3	Inpatient
Block 4	Inpatient
Block 5	Inpatient
Block 6	Inpatient
Block 7	Inpatient
Block 8	Inpatient
Block 9	Outpatient
Block 10	Outpatient
Block 11	EEG
Block 12	EEG
Block 13	Radiology

Second Year of Neurology Residency (PGY3)

As a senior PGY3 resident, 4 modules are spent in the inpatient service, 3 in the outpatient service, 3 in EMG, 2 in Neuropathology with Mondays spent in Neuro-Opthalmology, ½ in Neuro-rehabilitation and ½ in Sleep Medicine. Each outpatient rotation beyond the first year is spent in a subspecialty service including movement disorders, neuromuscular disease, multiple sclerosis, and behavioral neurology. The Neuropathology and Neuro-Opthalmology rotations take place at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Ohio; the Neuro-rehabilitation at Memorial Regional Medical Center in nearby Hollywood.

PGY3 Block Schedule

Block 1	Inpatient
Block 2	Inpatient
Block 3	Inpatient
Block 4	Inpatient
Block 5	Outpatient
Block 6	Outpatient
Block 7	Outpatient
Block 8	EMG
Block 9	EMG
Block 10	EMG
Block 11	Pathology/Ophthalmology
Block 12	Pathology/Ophthalmology
Block 13	Rehab/Sleep

Third Year of Neurology Residency (PGY4)

As a senior PGY4 resident, 3 1/2 modules are spent in Pediatric Neurology, 3 1/2 modules in electives, 2 modules in the outpatient service, 1 module in Psychiatry, 1 module in Interventional Neuroradiology, 1 module in Neurosurgery, and 1 inpatient module. The Pediatric Neurology rotation takes place at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami; the Psychiatry and Interventional Neuroradiology rotations take place at Memorial Regional Medical Center.

PGY4 Block Schedule

Block 1	Peds
Block 2	Peds
Block 3	Peds
Block 4	Peds/Elective
Block 5	Elective
Block 6	Elective
Block 7	Elective
Block 8	Outpatient
Block 9	Outpatient
Block 10	Neuro-surgery
Block 11	Interventional Neuroradiology
Block 12	Inpatient
Block 13	Psychiatry

Elective Rotations

Trainees in Neurology can choose from a large array of elective rotations. Some of the ones available include:

• Neuromuscular Disorders
• Behavioral Neurology
• Neuromuscular Disorders/EMG
• Epilepsy/EEG
• Cerebrovascular Disorders
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Movement Disorders
• Neuro-otology
• Interventional Pain Management
• Research
• Board Review
• Sleep Medicine
• Neuroradiology
• Headache

Conferences

There are a wide variety of regular conferences and lectures scheduled on a daily basis Monday through Friday. These include but are not limited to Grand Rounds, Emergency Neurology, Subspecialty lectures, Neuroradiology, Ethics, Psychiatry, M&M, CPC, Chairman Rounds, Journal Club, RITE review sessions, and Basic Neuroscience. The residents are responsible for preparing and presenting some of these lectures or conferences. In addition, residents are also responsible for completing regular COMET on-line and other web-based learning modules to complement their medical knowledge and to help them acquire the skills and attitudes necessary to practice without direct supervision.

Research

All residents are expected to complete at least one research project during the 3 year program. The resident will choose his/her research mentor depending upon the nature of the research being pursued. Residents are provided with the opportunity to attend national meetings to present their research with financial support from the department.

Formal Evaluations During Training

Board certification through the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology requires each resident to satisfactorily complete five clinical skills evaluation exercises (NEX). These examinations are designed to assess the resident’s competency in medical interviewing, neurologic examination, humanistic qualities, professionalism, and counseling skills. Each resident will be observed and evaluated by one of our faculty members in five different areas: critical care, neuromuscular, ambulatory, neurodegenerative, and child neurology. Following each encounter, discussion and feedback from the faculty member will be given to the resident. These NEX exams will take place during the PGY2, PGY3 and early part of the PGY4 years. During each of the training years, residents take the RITE (written self-assessment) examination provided by the American Academy of Neurology. Feedback regarding the resident’s performance in the competencies (patient care, medical knowledge, problem-based learning, interpersonal communication skills, professionalism, and systems-based practice) may be provided by verbal feedback on a daily basis by the resident’s immediate supervisor, at the end of a module again by the resident’s supervisors through our residency management web-based system (Medhub) and periodically by ancillary medical personnel who have worked with the resident, and the resident’s own patients through a patient survey. Based upon the results of these and other evaluation tools, Milestone progress will be assessed at least every 6 months by a Clinical Competency Committee and the results discussed with the resident by the Program Director. Both formative and summative evaluations will be provided, the former to identify areas of strengths and weaknesses and to provide individual and specific plans for improvement, and the latter to determine progression to the next level of training.

Vacation

Three weeks per year.

Application Requirements

All candidates are required to register with ERAS. No additional documents are required. The deadline for accepting applications directly from ERAS is October 30.

We welcome International Medical Graduates (IMGs) to apply to the Neurology Residency Program. IMGs must hold a valid standard ECFMG certificate. Cleveland Clinic Florida sponsors both J-1 and H-1B visas. We also welcome Doctors of Osteopathy to apply to the Neurology Residency Program.

We prefer a minimum score requirement of 80 and above on all USMLE tests taken, but we consider more than just scores when reviewing applications. We also accept COMLEX scores for DO candidates. We do not have a specific medical school year of graduation requirement, but we prefer that candidates are current in their clinical experience.

Upon receipt, applications are reviewed by the Program Director, and then prospective candidates are contacted by email via ERAS to schedule an interview on a Friday between October and January.

Fellowships

• EMG
• Movement Disorders

Faculty

• Efrain D. Salgado, MD - Program Director
• Adriana Rodriguez, MD – Associate Program Director
• Nestor Galvez, MD- Chairman
• Badih Adada, MD
• Tara Khan, MD
• Ramon Lugo, MD
• Camilo Garcia, MD
• Nater-Pineiro, MD
• Chetan Malpe, MD
• Po-heng Tsai, MD
• Fabian Candocia, MD
• Michael Duchowny, MD
• Hoang Duong, MD
• Anas Hadeh, MD
• Greg Kosmorsky, DO
• Mei Lu, MD
• Sayed Naqvi, MD
• Alan Novick, MD
• Avi Oppenheimer, MD
• Alexander Pushka, MD
• Scott Robertson, MD
• Richard Roski, MD
• Laurence Smolley, MD
• Gabrielle Yeaney, MD

Staff & Contact Information

Belinda Ortiz, BS.
Residency Coordinator
2950 Cleveland Clinic Boulevard
Weston, FL 33331
Phone: 954.659.5359
Fax: 954.659.6216
Email: ortizb2@ccf.org

Current Residents

Ava Ferdinand, MD
Chief Resident PGY 4
Morehouse School of Medicine Atlanta, Georgia

Kateryna Kurako, MD
PGY 4 Resident
Dnepropetrovsk Medical Academy, Ukraine

Subin Mathew, MD
PGY 3 Resident
Dr. B R Ambedkar Medical College, Kadugondana, India

Pirouz Piran, MD
PGY 3 Resident
Shahid Beheshti University, Iran

Samer Riaz, DO
PGY 3 Resident
West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, Lewisburg, WV

Huan Huynh, MD
PGY 2 Resident
The University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

View Neurology alumni through out the years

• Resident Testimonial
• Postgraduate positions of graduates (Fellowships/Private Practice)
• Teaching Neurology Residents - Article on Raghav Govindarajan, MD

---

Plastic Surgery Residency

Training Program

Three-Year, Independent Plastic Surgery Residency Program

Overview

• Cleveland Clinic Florida's Weston Campus offers a fully accredited three-year Independent Plastic Surgery Program, along with other graduate medical education training programs.
• The broad patient base and extensive expertise of the Institution's faculty provide an excellent training environment in a congenial atmosphere with a collegial approach to resident education
• This compilation of materials in intended to help the plastic surgery resident candidate gain a general overview of the residency program.
• We accept applications through the San Francisco Match, www.sfmatch.org.

Program Director
Martin I. Newman, MD, FACS

Program Coordinator
Senior Residency Coordinator
2950 Cleveland Clinic Boulevard
Weston, Florida 33331
Phone: 954.659.5359
Fax: 954.659.6216
Email: ortizb2@ccf.org

The Program

Two residency positions per year.

Accreditation
Cleveland Clinic's Plastic Surgery Residency Program was initiated in 2004 after receiving accreditation by the ACGME Residency Review Committee to administer an independent training program.

Our most recent site visit found no citations and we continue to be fully accredited.

Clinical Experience and Goals of Training
The Primary goal of our Plastic Surgery Residency is to produce competent, compassionate, safe and responsible surgeons.

Our aim is to insure that our residents are well-prepared to pass the board examinations.

Graduates enter private practice or academics at their discretion.

The ethos of the program is founded on the principle that the patient’s interest is paramount in clinical teaching, medical practice and research.

Beginning in 2012 all independent plastic surgery residencies evolved from two year programs to three year programs. Part of this evolution introduced six new rotations into the curriculum: Anesthesia, Orthopaedics, Otolaryngology, Dermatology, Ophthalmology and Oral Maxillofacial Surgery.

We have integrated these rotations into our curriculum. This has proved to be a natural fit for our residents who already work closely with most of these services at our Institution who warmly welcome surgeons-in-training on their services.”

The resident's time is divided equally between Cleveland Clinic Florida's Weston campus, and the Hollywood Regional Memorial campus , which includes clinical and operative time at the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital.

Between the campuses, residents have access to advanced facilities for plastic surgery training including: lasers, microsurgery, minimally invasive surgery equipment, ultrasonic-assisted liposuction technology and computer imaging capabilities.

Cleveland Clinic Florida's Weston campus is a "state-of-the- art" flagship of our healthcare system. It is unique among major medical centers in that it offers a warm and personal environment despite being a large, well-equipped multi- million dollar facility.

The two main rotations at the Weston campus include: (1) general plastic and reconstructive surgery, and (2) hand surgery. In these rotations, a broad variety of facial, breast, trunk and upper and lower extremity reconstructive and aesthetic plastic surgery cases are performed. Soft tissue injuries of the face, trunk, extremities, as well as hand and distal radius fractures are routinely encountered and surgically managed.

The Dermatology and Anesthesia rotations also occur at the Weston campus. Ophthalmology takes place at a nearby facility a few blocks away. These rotations offer our residents critical exposure and experience on these teams that are germane for cross discipline collaboration. 

The Hollywood Memorial Regional Hospital is a busy Level I Trauma Center that offers the plastics residents a broad reconstructive experience as well aesthetic experience working with busy private community plastic surgeons.

In the General and Reconstructive Surgery rotation at the Memorial Regional campus, a wide range of reconstructive challenges of the head and neck, breast, trunk, lower extremity, and hand from trauma and oncological disease are addressed. Microsurgery for free flap reconstruction of the head and neck, breast, and lower extremities are routinely performed. In addition to the bread and butter reconstructive cases performed on this rotation, there is ample opportunity to be involved in aesthetic surgery with the cadre of clinical faculty at this campus.

The Pediatric Craniofacial Surgery rotation at the Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital provides the resident with a busy experience in all facets of pediatric reconstruction needs due to congenital malformations and trauma involving the head, trunk and upper and lower extremities. This rotation includes time spent on the Craniofacial Cleft Team with the highest volume of operative cases in South Florida. Opportunities are available for senior residents to travel abroad on Cleft Team mission trips, which have been an extremely meaningful experience.

The other rotations at Memorial Regional Hospital include OMFS, Orthopedic and Otolaryngology. The OMFS rotation provides the resident with exposure to oral surgery cases that are important to craniofacial trauma and reconstruction. The resident collaborates with the OMFS team to manage and care for these patients. Additional off-campus locations include private offices and local surgery centers for added aesthetic surgery experience including facial plastic surgery and a Burn Rotation at Jackson memorial Hospital for burn reconstruction experience.

Rotations

Year 1

Weston Campus:

• 3 months General Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• 2 Months Hand Surgery
• 1 month Dermatology

Memorial Regional Hospital/ Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital Campus:

• 2 months General Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• 3 months Pediatric Craniofacial Surgery
• 1 month ENT

Year 2

Weston Campus:

• 1 month General Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• 3 months Hand Surgery
• 1 month and Ophthalmology (nearby)

Memorial Regional Hospital/ Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital Campus:

• 3 months Pediatric Craniofacial Surgery
• 2 months General Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• 1 month Orthopedics

Jackson Memorial Hospital:

• 1 month Burn Surgery

Year 3

Weston Campus:

• 2 months General Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• 1 months Hand Surgery
• 1 month Anesthesia
• 1 month Research

Memorial Regional Hospital/ Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital Campus:

• 3 months General Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• 1 Month OMFS
• 1 Month Elective
• 1 Month Pediatric Craniofacial Surgery

Himmarshee Surgical Partners:

• 1 Month Cosmetic Surgery

Didactic Curriculum

Another particular strength of our program is our didactic curriculum.

This program stands apart and above in that, specifically, the residents are not left alone to muddle through a textbook. In contrast, the didactics program is meticulously designed and supervised with the goal of building a long-term understanding of the principles of plastic surgery through core curriculum lectures.

Didactics include two weekly conferences, monthly journal clubs, and annual symposiums; there are mock in-service examinations and mock oral exams. As added bonus, residents attend society dinners, clinical workshops and spend dedicated and protected time with visiting professor.

Monday Evening teaching conferences are held at the Weston campus. Residents are excused from clinical duties to attend with faculty moderating the discussions. The conference focused on the core curriculum as defined by the ACGME and residency review committee in plastic surgery. Each week a separate topic is addressed with lectures developed by the residents using resources from the Sleeted Reading, the Plastic Surgery Education Network, journal articles, and previous in-service exams. The curriculum cycles every 18 months insuring each resident will have completed two cycles of the curriculum over the three-year tenure.

Tuesday morning conferences are held at Hollywood Regional Memorial Hospital. Each week of the month is dedicated to a specific category as follows: (1) Indications and Evaluations; (2) Visiting Professor; (3) Upper extremity Lecture; and, (4) Special Presentations and M&Ms. residents play a strong role in this conference series selecting not only the cases they wish to present, but also the individuals they invite to serve as visiting professors.

Monthly Journal Clubs occur on the last Monday evening of every month and are usually held at a fine local restaurant. Meetings are attended not only by residents and staff, but also by many members of the plastic surgery community of South Florida at large including Miami, Broward and Palm Beach counties. Some very well-know and very well-respected surgeons attend to participate and contribute in an atmosphere of congeniality and mutual respect. Residents speak highly of the experience as an opportunity to share, learn and create professional networks. Many have reported Journal Club to be one of the most enjoyable parts of their residency.

The Cleveland Clinic Innovations in Plastic Surgery Symposium takes place annually or every-other year and is a flagship of our department. Leaders in the field of plastic surgery attend and gather to exchange knowledge, techniques and innovation from their individual practices. The Symposiums usually held at one of the finer hotels and convention centers in Ft. Lauderdale or Miami. Residents report this as providing an excellent opportunity to network on a national level in their own backyard.

Mock In-Service Exams and Mock Oral Board Exams are administered several times. The exams are designed to stimulate, as closely as possible, the actual American Board of Plastic Surgery experience. The goals of these exercises are to provide residents in-training with exposure to how these critical exams are designed and administered. Residents report this to be an extremely positive learning experience that helps them prepare for the "real thing."

Research Experience

The Cleveland Clinic Florida and the associated facilities and attendings provide a fertile environment to cultivate research. Residents are encouraged in this respect.

Many of our residents have presented at prestigious national meetings including the America Society of Plastic Surgery, The American Association of Plastic Surgeons, The American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons and the American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery.

These National Meetings, as well as local and regional meetings, provide our residents opportunity to share, learn, and create professional networks.

Support is available. Each resident will be responsible for a research project with the expectation of publication and/or presentation each year.

Advisers

Each resident is encouraged to select a faculty adviser early in his or her first year.

The adviser acts to both focus the resident's clinical research and to shepherd the resident through his or her clinical training.

Teaching Experience

Residents have opportunities to teach junior residents and general surgery residents and medical students in clinic, hospital and surgical settings

ACLS

Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support certification is required for all Cleveland Clinic Florida residents and fellows. Cleveland Clinic will assist in training and the certification examination.

Evaluation

The progress of residents is monitored throughout the training program.

Specifically evaluated are progresses in the "milestones" and the "six core competencies" as defined by the ASPS, the RRC and the ACGME.

PSOLs are periodically reviewed, and the program director and staff meet formally with the residents on a semi-annual basis to provide feedback.

Information Services

All Cleveland Clinic Florida reference materials are available to the resident in training on a 24/7/365 basis.

Residents have access to Windows-networked computers for their use in acquiring information on patient care, education and research.

Word processing, database, statistics and presentation software also is available.

Appointments and Applications

To apply to the Plastic Surgery Residency Program, please check the San Francisco Match website (www.sfmatch.org) for the current application process.

More Information

Please contact:

Program Coordinator
Senior Residency Coordinator
2950 Cleveland Clinic Boulevard
Weston, Florida 33331

Phone: 954.659.5359
Fax: 954.659.6216
Email: ortizb2@ccf.org

Revised 10/2015

Accredited Fellowship Programs

Cardiology Fellowship

Cleveland Clinic Florida in Weston offers a three-year fellowship in Cardiology for physician’s board eligible/certified in internal medicine. The program provides depth in major specialty fields including cardiovascular imaging, electrophysiology, invasive cardiology, congestive heart failure, clinical cardiology, intensive care, preventive cardiology and vascular medicine.

Distinguished faculty members of the Department of Cardiology are well published and feature speakers at local and national cardiac meetings. Joint research trials and educational efforts including elective and mandatory rotations are shared with Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland.

Cleveland Clinic Florida is a continuum of the long tradition of innovation in cardiac care and research in Cleveland, Ohio. The facility in Weston Florida provides state-of-the-art diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities including cardiac computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, a 24-hour Med-Alert acute myocardial infarction program, all contemporary electrophysiological procedures including atrial fibrillation ablation and biventricular pacing and surgical procedures including minimally invasive, cardiac robotic assisted surgery.

As a primary and tertiary referral hospital in South Florida, Cleveland Clinic Florida has a diverse mix of patients including many patients of international origin. This provides for a busy and interesting clinical practice and opportunities for research and education. The Department of Cardiology is interested in applicants of all background for consideration for fellowship training.

Craig R. Asher, MD, FACC Program Director

More Information

Program Coordinator
Cleveland Clinic Florida
2950 Cleveland Clinic Boulevard
Weston, Florida 33331
Phone: 954.659.5000
Fax: 954.659.6216
Email: gme@ccf.org

---

Gastroenterology Fellowship

Cleveland Clinic Florida offers a three-year program providing in-depth training in gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition as well as training in clinical research to qualified applicants who have successfully completed their training in internal medicine. As of 2014, we are accepting 2 candidates per year of training for a total of 6 candidates.

The program’s goals are fourfold: to meet the training guidelines of the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy in all basic endoscopic procedures; to provide the inpatient and consultative gastroenterology skills necessary to understand, diagnose and treat a wide-range of gastrointestinal disorders; to develop teaching abilities; and to provide a meaningful and stimulating clinical research experience. There is sufficient flexibility to provide the necessary skills for trainees that wish to pursue an academic or clinical practice career.

The first year of the fellowship is mostly a clinical year with rotations in the inpatient/outpatient gastroenterology and hepatology service, endoscopic procedures and motility laboratory. The second and third year also includes rotations in the hepatology and liver transplant service in Cleveland Clinic, Ohio. Research is expected to be a continuous process during the full 3 years of training with dedicated rotations each year. Under the careful supervision of a mentor, fellows are expected to design, implement and publish a research study.

The facilities and equipment are state of the art providing for training in ERCP, endoscopic ultrasound, capsule endoscopy, enteroscopy and motility. We have an outstanding faculty of 10 gastroenterologists in our Weston facility with subspecialty interests in colon polyps and cancer, nutrition, hepatology, gastrointestinal motility, advanced endoscopy, pancreas and inflammatory bowel disease. In addition to our own faculty, we closely interact with the divisions of colorectal surgery, bariatrics, radiology and pathology to provide for a well-rounded educational experience.

	1st Year	2nd Year	3rd Year
Hospital	5	3	2
Endoscopy	3	3	2 1/2
Liver		1	1
Outpatient	3	2 1/2	2 1/2
Research	1 1/2	3	2 1/2
Manometry	1/2	1/2
Surgery			1
Multidisciplinary			1/2
Hosp. Jr. Attending			1

Rotations

Hospital

The fellow assigned to this rotation will take care of consults requested and procedures during working hours and be responsible for the care of patients directly admitted to the Gastroenterology service. The on-call fellow will complete after hours consults, admissions, emergency endoscopy and weekend coverage. Attendings will rotate for one week at a time during this 4-week module. Our patient population comes with a wide variety of pathology and there is an average of 10 patients on the service at any given time.

Endoscopy

This rotation is usually combined with the outpatient rotation or clinical research rotation so that endoscopic and clinical rotations do not become routine or monotonous. Fellows work directly under the supervision of a faculty member. No procedures are performed unsupervised.

Training will initially emphasize diagnostic upper endoscopy, diagnostic colonoscopy and conscious sedation. This will be followed by upper endoscopic therapeutic intervention, and therapeutic colonoscopy. An exposure to ERCP/EUS is introduced late in the second year or early in the third year of the fellow’s endoscopy rotation and continues throughout the third year.

Liver

The hepatology rotation will include outpatient consultation and inpatient care of patients with liver disease at Cleveland Clinic Ohio. This rotation is intended to complement the experience the fellow will achieve evaluating and managing inpatients and outpatients with liver disease at our Weston campus.

Outpatient

The fellow is expected to interview and examine the patient and present the case along with a differential and management plan to the respective attending. The staff will then verify the history and findings and provide feedback on the case. This rotation is usually combined with an endoscopy or research rotation so that the experience is similar to “real-world” gastroenterology in which a gastroenterologist is not typically seeing office patients for an entire month.

Research

All GI fellows are required to carry out research projects, ideally prospective, as a condition of successful completion of the fellowship program. All projects will be conducted under the supervision and mentoring of a staff member.

There is wide latitude in choice of topics. A title and outline should be submitted in writing and approved by the research mentor and submitted to the program director during the first year of training. Recruitment and completion of the project, data analysis, preparation of an abstract for submission to a national meeting, and completion of a scientific manuscript is the responsibility of the fellow in close supervision by the staff member. Progress in its design, application and results will be presented at our research conference. Other opportunities for case reports, book chapters, other research projects and writing will be encouraged during the fellowship.

Manometry

Fellows will learn the methods and interpretation of esophageal manometry, impedance and pH testing, capsule endoscopy, and breath testing. Rotation will be divided in half days complementing with another rotation for 2 modules. The rotation will be supervised predominantly by Dr. Schneider but for the area of capsule endoscopy where other attendings will participate.

Surgery

A 4-week module will be conducted with rotations in the colorectal, bariatric and liver transplant surgery to expose the fellow to the indications, contraindications, and techniques of different surgical procedures. The fellow will also get the surgeons viewpoint on a variety of gastrointestinal problems.

Multidisciplinary

This rotation will consist of mini-rotations in risk management, nutrition, pharmacy, TPN and pathology. The risk management rotation will consist of one hour per day throughout this 4-week rotation in which the fellow will review our safety event reporting system (SERS). This will permit exposure to incidents occurring in our hospital on a daily basis and subsequently discuss these with our risk management director. He will also take part in the Peer Review Committee monthly meeting. The pharmacy rotation will involve several areas of pharmacy including TPN/Enteral nutrition, infectious diseases, pharmacokinetics and ICU. For nutrition, there will be a 3-4 day rotation with the pharmacist in the mornings who will teach TPN and enteral nutrition. The pathology rotation will consist of half days during a 2 week period in which the fellow will discuss GI pathology cases with the pathologist.

Hospital Jr. Attending

During the senior year of training the fellow will assume the role of an attending physician in the wards. The fellow is expected to do clinical and teaching rounds as if he were the attending physician. Although there is constant supervision by the attending physician during rounds, interventions will be kept at a minimum.

GI Didactic Conferences

A significant portion of the fellowship education process is based in an environment that allows for and promotes different opinions and views of patient care. The department conference and rotation format is designed to meet this expectation.

The didactic conference series is designed to supplement the fellow’s clinical exposure and reading with up-to date and relevant reviews of topics of interest in basic and clinical science as outlined below.

1. State of the Art Lecture (1 per month)
These conferences are given by the GI attendings providing a critical analysis of the scientific literature in an up to date analysis of evidence-based medicine.

2. Management Conference (1 per month)
This dynamic and interactive conference is designed to develop an evidence-based approach to common and uncommon digestive disease cases. Presented by the fellow and mentored by an attending with expertise in that topic.

3. Radiology Conference (1 per month)
This conference is based on brief case presentations followed by a didactic discussion of the radiologic findings together with a GI radiologist. An average of 4 cases are presented in each session as well as lectures about different diagnostic imaging modalities used in the gastroenterology field.

4. Pathology Conference (1 per month)
This conference is based on brief case presentations followed by a didactic discussion of the histopathologic findings together with a GI pathologist. An average of 4-5 cases are presented in each session as well as a review of the literature pertaining to the case.

5. Journal Club (1 per month)
During this conference, each fellow presents one current article and performs a critical review of the study methodology and results. This is followed by a brief discussion and question session.

6. Board Review Conferences (2 per month)
This consists of a Board Review talk and a question and answer session for the second talk. For one of these talks there is a review lecture towards preparation for the Gastroenterology Boards (William Steinberg’s Board Review and Mayo Clinic Gastroenterology & Hepatology Board Review). The question session is taken from a variety of materials.

7. IBD Conference (1 per month)
The goal of this conference is to present an inflammatory bowel disease case, followed by a review of the evidence and recommendations in their management. This conference is in association with the Colorectal Surgery Department and is presented by one fellow of each department.

8. Research Conference (1 per month)
During this conference, the fellows and attendings propose research ideas, discuss methodology and provide an update on their ongoing research projects.

9. Multidisciplinary Conferences
This includes Liver Tumor Board, GI Oncology Board and Hepatopancreatobiliary Board. These meeting are opportunities to discuss a multidisciplinary approach to different gastrointestinal diseases. It is attended by faculty and trainees from different specialties.

10. GI Basic Science Conference (1 per month)
The fellows will present and review chapters of the Sleissenger and Fordtram’s textbook of gastrointestinal and liver diseases in a summarized format and incorporating up to date reviews when appropriate.

Publications (past 3 years)

Thoma M, Jimenez Cantisano B, Hernandez A, Perez A, Castro F. Comparison of adenoma detection rate in Hispanics and whites undergoing first screening colonoscopy: a retrospective chart review. Gastrointest Endosc 14 January 2013 (Article in Press DOI: 10.1016/j.gie.2012.11.003)

Gonzalez G, Wilkinson LM, Carcano C, Kumar A, Mohammed T, Lurix E, Castro F, Kirsch J. Triple-Phase Abdominal CT for detecting Spontaneous Porto-Pulmonary Shunts Cirrhotic Patients. Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology 2012; 27: 1837-41

Erim T, Rivas J, Velis E, Castro FJ. Role of High Definition Colonoscopy in Colorectal Adenomatous Polyp Detection. World J Gastroenterol 2011; 17: 3173-78.

Lurix E, Schneider A, Jagpal A, Reddy S. Great Expectations: Questionnaire Evaluation of Irritable Bowel Syndrome Patients Outlook on Diagnosis and Treatment. Am J Gastroenterol 2011; 106(2): AB1309.

Thoma M, Schneider A. Medication-induced Esophageal Tattoo in a Patient with Eosinophilic Esophagitis. Gastrointest Endosc. 2011 Jan; 73(1):154

Thoma MN, Castro F, Golawala M, Chen R. Detection of Colorectal Neoplasia by Colonoscopy in Average-Risk Patients Age 40-49 Versus 50-59 Years. Dig Dis Sci 2011; 56: 1503-1508.

Zapatier JA, Kumar AR, Perez A, Guevara R, Schneider A. Preferences for ethnicity and sex of endoscopists in a Hispanic population in the United States. Gastrointest Endosc. 2011 Jan;73(1):89-97, 97.e1-4.

Lurix E, Zapatier J, Ukleja A. (2011) Radiation Enterocolitis. In: Guandalini S, Vaziri H (Ed.) Diarrhea Diagnostic and Therapeutic Advancements (pp 141-158) Springer

Zapatier JA, Schneider A, Parra JL. Overestimation of ulcerative colitis due to melanosis coli. Acta Gastroenterol Latinoam. 2010 Dec;40(4):351-3.

Gonzalez G, Castro F, Berho M, Petras R. Autoimmune Enteropathy Associated with Cessation of Interferon-Alpha Therapy in Chronic Hepatitis C. Digestive Diseases and Sciences 2010; 55:1490-1493.

Kumar A, Gonzalez G, Wilkinson L, Glockner J, Mohammed T, Castro-Pavia F, Kirsch J. CT Findings in Spontaneous Porto-Pulmonary Shunts in Patients with Portal Hypertension: A Case Series and Review. Journal of Thoracic Imaging 2010; 25(3) 70-74.

Varughese S, Kumar A, George A, Castro FJ. Morning-Only One-Gallon Polyethylene Glycol Improves Bowel Cleansing for Afternoon Colonoscopies: A Randomized Endoscopist-Blinded Prospective Study. Am J Gastroenterol 2010 Nov;105(11):2368-74.

Lurix E, Hernandez A, Thoma M, Castro F. Adenoma detection rate is not influenced by full-day Blocks, time, or modified queue position. Gastrointestinal Endoscopy 2012; 75: 827-834.

Thoma M, Golawala M, Castro F. Comparison of the Detection Rate of Colorectal Neoplasia by Colonoscopy in Average-Risk Patients Ages 40-49 vs. 50-59 Years. Am J Gastroenterol 2009; 104 (A430).

Massive hemobilia during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in a patient with cholangiocarcinoma: a case report. Bagla P, Erim T, Berzin TM, Chuttani R.Endoscopy. 2012;44

Direct Visualization Of The Left Atrial Appendage Using Esophageal Radial Endoscopic Ultrasound: An Alternative To Tee. Baez-Escudero JL, Buitrago I, Erim T, Novaro GM.Heart Rhythm. 2013 Aug 13. doi:pii: S1547-5271(13)00856-4. [Epub ahead of print] Cholangioscopy: the biliary tree never looked so good! Erim T, Shiroky J, Pleskow DK.Curr Opin Gastroenterol. 2013 Sep; 29(5):501-8

Double balloon overtube assisted endoscopic pancreas function test as a tool to rule out chronic pancreatitis in a patient with a previous Frey procedure. Lara LF, DeMarco DC. Gastrointest Endosc 2013;77:671-2

Issues related to colorectal cancer screening in women. Jimenez B, Palekar N, Schneider A. Gast Clin North Am. 2011 June;40(2):415-26

Standards for nutritional support: adult hospitalized patients. Task force on standards for nutritional support for adult hospitalized patients. Ukleja A, Freeman KL, Gilbert K et al. Nut Clin Pract 2010;25:403-414

Altered GI motility in critically ill patients: Current understanding of pathophysiology, clinical impact and diagnostic approach. Ukleja A. Nut Clin Pract 2010;25:16-25

Presentations (past 3 years)

Lara L, Ukleja A, Kurako K, Charles R. Incidence of Complications Associated with Overtube Assisted Enteroscopy ACG 2012 Abstract and Poster Presentation.

Jimenez Cantisano B, Palekar N, Berho M, et al. Pulmonary Carcinoid and Papillary Urothelial Neoplasm in a Patient with Crohn's Disease. ACG 2012 Abstract and Poster.

Zapatier J, Perez A, Rodriguez S, Kumar A, Charles R. Factors Associated with Poor Bowel Preparation Scores and Their Impact on Adenoma Detection Rate. ACG 2012 Abstract and Poster Presentation.

Moxey B, Schneider A, Rivas J, Hoffman J. A Rare Case of Primary Hodgkin Lymphoma of the Liver. ACG 2012 Abstract and Poster Presentation.

Moxey B, Schneider A, Allende A, Castro F. Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis- A Case of Mistaken Identity. ACG 2012 Abstract and Poster Presentation.

Lara L, Erim T, Palekar N, et al. What is the variability of the peak bicarbonate concentration according to age? A study on patients with and without chronic pancreatitis. ACG 2012 Abstract and Poster Presentation.

Moxey B, Palekar N, and Berho M. Autoimmune Enteropathy and Bullous Pemphigoid. ACG 2012 Abstract and Poster Presentation

Agarwal A, Jimenez B, Schneider A. Henoch-Schonlein Purpura Presenting in an Adult as Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage. Poster presented in the 2011 Florida Chapter ACP Meeting.

Morris M, Zapatier JA, Gonzalez G, Schneider A. Preferences for Ethnicity and Gender of Endoscopists Within a Hispanic Population. DDW abstract # T1539, 2009.

Department Staff

Roger Charles, MD
Division Chief

Fernando Castro, MD
Director, Fellowship Program

Tolga Erim, DO

Luis F. Lara, MD
Medical Director, Pancreas Clinic

Nicole Palekar, MD

Ronnie Pimentel, MD
Associate Program Director
Director, Endoscopy

Alison Schneider, MD
Director, GI Motility Laboratory

Andrew Ukleja, MD
Director, Nutrition

Brenda Jimenez Cantisano, MD

Bobby Zervos, MD

Contact

Program Coordinator
Marisol Quintana
Cleveland Clinic Florida
2950 Cleveland Clinic Boulevard
Weston, Florida 33331
Phone: 954.659.5000
Fax: 954.659.6216
Email: gme@ccf.org

---

Geriatric Fellowship

The fellowship in Geriatric Medicine is one year intensive clinical training that encompasses exposure to older persons who are well, as well as frail, or at end of their life. The venues for training are at the outpatient, inpatient hospital, rehabilitation hospital, hospice care, long term care skilled nursing home facility and in a home setting. The fellow will learn and be familiar with the physiology of aging, normal changes of aging and interaction with diseases, Common age-related diseases, pathophysiology of common geriatric syndromes e.g. urinary incontinence, falls, dementia, and decubitis ulcers and management of geriatric related psychosocial issues.  The fellow will manage acute and chronic illnesses that are common in older adults. He/She will learn to manage patients in an interdisciplinary and collaborative manner. The fellow will also will conduct clinical research that will be completed at the end of the fellowship.  The fellow will also provide leadership in teaching medical residents, medical students and observers. After the training, the fellow should be able to assume a position of  leadership in the academic medical centers and in the community through clinical, educational, research and administrative activities.

The fellowship training is for one year and all the activities are spent in clinical rotation at the outpatient, inpatient, rehabilitation hospital, nursing home and home care visits.

Diana Galindo, M.D., FACP FAGS 
Program Director (Geriatric Medicine Fellowship Program) 

Program Coordinator
Cleveland Clinic Florida
2950 Cleveland Clinic Boulevard
Weston, Florida 33331
Phone: 954.659.6219
Fax: 954.659.5622
Email: gme@ccf.org

---

Nephrology Fellowship

The Department of Hypertension & Nephrology provides comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic services for patients with renal disease and hypertension. The department participates in an active renal transplant program, all modalities of dialysis care, and clinical research studies. In addition to unique diagnostic capabilities, the department offers specialty clinics in renal stone disease, renal transplantation, chronic renal diseases and hypertension.

A two-year nephrology-hypertension fellowship is offered within the department, with one fellow at each level. The fellowship program is open to those who have completed a three-year internal medicine residency.

Mauro Braun, MD
Program Director

Program Coordinator
Cleveland Clinic Florida
2950 Cleveland Clinic Boulevard
Weston, Florida 33331
Phone: 954.659.5000
Fax: 954.659.6216
Email: gme@ccf.org

---

Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine Fellowship

The fellowship program in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine (CCM) at Cleveland Clinic Florida is the newest ACGME accredited Pulmonary/CCM program in the state of Florida. The mission of our program is to provide an outstanding educational experience in an environment that assures a balance between academic, clinical activities as well as clinical research. The graduating fellow will possess the cognitive knowledge, procedural and interpersonal skills, professional attitudes and practical experience required to become a practicing pulmonologist/intensivist.

During the three-year training period, the fellows have exposure to various disciplines of pulmonary and critical care medicine with strong subspecialty experience in pulmonary hypertension, interventional pulmonology, thoracic oncology, interstitial lung disease, bronchiectasis and sleep medicine. The diversity of clinical material is enhanced through the collaboration with other departments at Cleveland Clinic Florida such Cardiothoracic Surgery, Radiology, ENT, Allergy & Immunology and Pathology.

Fellows are also taught to provide critical care to patients outside of the Medical Critical Care Unit (MICU), including providing consultations to the critically ill throughout the medical Center (Emergency Department, surgical units, trauma, etc) This is accomplished with the collaboration of the surgical trauma unit (STICU) at Memorial Regional Medical Center.

Utilizing systems-based approaches, a special emphasis is placed on learning, particularly in the development of critical analytical skills and the understanding of current literature.

In addition to education which centers around patient care interactions, the program has comprehensive didactic conferences. The fellows are required to attend two weekly core curriculum conferences, as well as a monthly Pulmonary Medicine Grand Rounds, Journal Club, Morbidity & Mortality Conference, research conference and an interdisciplinary Thoracic Oncology Conference.

The combination of an excellent clinical curriculum, exceptional research opportunities and dedicated faculty will ensure that fellows are well prepared for the ABIM Board Examinations in both 1) Pulmonary Disease and 2) Critical Care Medicine.

Cleveland Clinic Florida is regarded as one of the top hospitals in south Florida by U.S. News & World Report. The Department of Pulmonary disease and critical care medicine has eight members that are all committed educators and bring years of experience and commitment to teaching to the program and are dedicated in preparing fellows to become the next generation of expert practitioners in pulmonary and CCM.

Program Director

Anas Hadeh, MD

Associate Program Director

Laurence Smolley, MD

Program Coordinator
Cleveland Clinic Florida
2950 Cleveland Clinic Boulevard
Weston, Florida 33331
Phone: 954.659.5000
Fax: 954.659.6216
Email: gme@ccf.org

Cleveland Clinic Florida Accredited Fellowship Programs

Electrodiagnostic Medicine Fellowship

Program Director

Virgilio D. Salanga, MD, MS
Chairman, Department of Neurology

Electrodiagnostic medicine is the medical subspecialty that applies neurophysiologic techniques to diagnose, evaluate and treat patients with impairments of the neurologic, neuromuscular and/or muscular systems.

Qualified practitioners require knowledge in anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, histology and pathology of the brain, spinal cord, autonomic nerves, cranial nerves, peripheral nerves, neuromuscular junction and muscles. They must know clinical features and treatment of disorders of the central, peripheral and autonomic nervous systems as well as those of neuromuscular junction and muscle. Practitioners also require special knowledge about electric signal processing, including waveform analysis, electronics and instrumentation, stimulation and recording equipment and statistics.

In an ACGME approved adult neurology residency, residents obtain 1-3 months rotation in Electrodiagnostic medicine. This is insufficient time to meet the standards for knowledge, skills and experience required for certification by the American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine. This is also insufficient time for those who aspire to focus their future practice toward neuromuscular neurology.

Additional period of training/preceptorship in electrodiagnostic medicine under the direct supervision of an experienced electrodiagnostic medicine consultant who is ABEM Board Diplomate is the best way to offer such training and experience.

Applicants

Applicants must have satisfactorily completed a Neurology Residency Training Program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).

The Program

Month 1

Supervised performance of Nerve Conduction Tests, Electromyography, Evoked Potential Studies. Didactic lectures in neuromuscular anatomy, physiology and instrumentation. Didactic lectures in clinical and electrodiagnostic examination correlation.

Months 2-3

Graduated reduction of supervision in conducting electrodiagnostic examination/consultation. Clinical case presentation to the department staff and residents.

Months 4-12

Substantial autonomy in conducting electrodiagnostic examinations under limited staff supervision. Research projects planned and completed during this remaining period.

Research

The fellow is required to plan and complete a clinical research project of his/her choice in electrodiagnostic medicine with results submitted for presentation at a national meeting and subsequent publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

Fellow Teaching

The fellow is required to actively participate in the teaching of neurology residents as the residents rotate in this discipline and by giving lectures and presentations.

Teaching Staff

Virgilio D. Salanga, M.D., M.S., Program Director, Electrodiagnostic Medicine
Chairman, Department of Neurology
Cleveland Clinic Florida
Associate Professor of Clinical Neurology, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation Health Sciences Center of The Ohio State University

Nestor Galvez-Jimenez, M.D., FACP
Chief, Movement Disorders
A National Parkinson Foundation Center of Excellence
Director, Neurology Residency Training Program
Cleveland Clinic Florida

Adriana Rodriguez, M.D.
Staff, Department of Neurology
Cleveland Clinic Florida

Mary Ronnenberg
Chief Technologist, Department of Neurology
Cleveland Clinic Florida

Rotations

No off campus rotations are planned.

Goals and Objectives

At the end of this fellowship, the fellow will be very proficient in electrodiagnostic medical consultations and will satisfy the eligibility requirements of the American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine.

Evaluations

Evaluation of fellow with feedback to fellow at least twice per year.
Evaluation of staff and program at least twice per year.

Fellow Salary and Benefits

Salary is at the PGY5 level plus fringe benefits as listed in the House Staff Benefits and in the Graduate Physician Policy Manual.

More Information and Application

Graduate Medical / Medical Student Education
Cleveland Clinic Florida
2950 Cleveland Clinic Boulevard
Weston, Florida 33331
Phone: 954.659.6211
Toll-free: 866.293.7866
Fax: 954.659.6216
Email: gme@ccf.org

---

Minimally Invasive Bariatric Surgery Fellowship

Program Director

Samuel Szomstein, MD
Head, Section of Minimally Invasive Surgery
Department of General and Vascular Surgery

Due to the rapid development of optoelectronic technology and new instrumentation minimal access surgery has become to play a significant role in all surgical specialties. Endoscopic surgical techniques for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, urology, obstetrics/gynecology, diseases of the spine, abdominal wall hernias, morbid obesity, etc. are some examples that are approached endoscopically on a routine basis achieving the highest standards of medical care.

The establishment of a UMIS is aimed to improve service functions and management of surgical endoscopy by:

• Development and coordination of an educational and research program in endoscopic surgery together with other surgical subspecialties.
• Assist in the coordination of endoscopic activities to be performed by different surgical disciplines at CCF (obstetrics/gynecology, urology, orthopedics, vascular surgery, etc.).
• Provide appropriate instruction to attending staff, operating room nursing staff, fellows and residents with the endoscopic equipment.
• Ensure that equipment is appropriately handled, delivered, assembled, cleaned and maintained. This will allow to avoid, early recognize and report breakage as well as to ensure that regular servicing is performed of delicate endoscopic, electronic and video materials.
  • Enhancement of inventory control and improved equipment utilization avoiding specialty specific instrumentation and duplication of equipment.
  • More effective management and cost-effective purchase of equipment.
  • Maintain high standards of endoscopic services during 24 hours a day.

Laparoscopic surgery is one of the most desired postgraduate surgical specialties. Divisions of laparoscopic surgery are being established in most of the major institutions of our country.

The Program

This program is designed to give intensive clinical and research training in all phases of minimally invasive surgery. The fellowship consists of one year of clinical experience and an optional year of research. Applicants must have completed their basic training in general surgery and be able to obtain a Florida license in order to practice surgery. One applicant per year will be selected following the standard protocol of the Department of Surgery at CCF.

Fellowship Impact on Patient Care and Services

Surgery of the foregut
It will focus on benign and malignant disease of the foregut. Morbid obesity and gastroesophageal reflux disease as well as associated swallowing disorders will be specifically addressed. We will focus on minimally invasive techniques for gastric bypass, gastric banding, Nissen’s fundoplication, Heller’s myotomy, etc.

Surgery of the biliary tree, liver and solid organs
We will concentrate in the performance of laparoscopic cholecystectomies, common bile duct exploration as well as the routine use of cholangiogram and intraoperative ultrasound to detect abnormalities of the liver and biliary tract. Excision and cryoablation of liver lesions, splenectomy or palliative bypass procedures for malignant outlet obstructions of the biliary tree will also be performed.

Endoscopic endocrine surgery
New endoscopic approaches to endocrine diseases of the parathyroid and adrenal glands as well as diseases of the pancreas will be implemented.

Abdominal wall hernias
Incisional as well as inguinal hernias will be approached through the laparoscope. Fellows will be able to identify the indications when to use the open or laparoscopic approach as well as to be familiar with the different techniques that can be used in each area.

Endoscopic surgery of the spine
In conjunction with the divisions of neurosurgery and orthopedics we will develop a program for endoscopic approach to the thoracolumbar spine.

Morbid obesity
Overlapping with the above-mentioned diseases of the foregut and together with the departments of endocrinology, Nutrition and Medicine we will develop a unit of morbid obesity.

Emergency and diagnostic procedures
When appropriate the laparoscopic approach will be used to stage patients with malignancies or assess and/or treat patients with acute diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Daily Routine

The fellowship will focus on three main aspects.

Patient Care

Fellows will be supervised by attendings in all their activities. The presence of fellows will improve the quality of care and communications with patients and nursing staff. They will be involved in the pre-, peri- and postoperative care of our patients allowing us to clarify and recognize potential problems as well as early detect and manage complications. Their activities will be divided in daily morning rounds, conferences, operating room experience, outpatient clinic and data collection and analysis. The fellow will become familiar with handling of endoscopic instrumentation and equipment, indications and contraindications for endoscopic procedures as well as with the different surgical techniques. We may divide our outpatient work in subspecialized clinics that will concentrate on special disorders, e.g. heartburn clinic, hernia clinic, spine clinic, morbid obesity, etc. This may allow us to improve the quality of care and data collection.

Teaching

Fellows will be actively involved in case presentations, morbidity and mortality conferences, radiological conferences, etc. They will participate in the preparation and presentation of lectures for conferences to be given to CCF nursing and attending staff, non-staff nurses and physicians as well as sales and marketing industry personnel. This will give our fellows a comprehensive practical and teaching experience. At the same time this will facilitate the unit to offer on a regular basis courses that will update our nurses and physicians in state of the art endoscopic surgery. The Fellow will also participate in the education program of house staff, medical students and residents.

Research

We have implemented a research program in endoscopic surgery which will keep our unit in the forefront of basic science and technology. We welcome supporting grants from the industry in order to finance the below mentioned research program. We encourage our fellows to help develop and perform animal and human research projects. A wide variety of research protocols involving the participation of the departments of medicine, radiology, gastroenterology, pediatrics, etc. are being developed. We concentrate our efforts in two main research sites.

Laboratory of intraabdominal pressure

We are conducting basic science research in this area that will help us better understand the side effects of increased intraabdominal and intrathoracic pressures during the endoscopic procedures. We are analyzing the pathophysiological aspects of intracranial hypertension due to elevated intraabdominal pressure (IAP), the increased incidence of trocar site metastasis when operating for malignant disease, the effects of IAP on the splachnic and renal circulation and potential side effects in patients undergoing laparoscopic harvesting of kidneys for renal transplantation. Alternatives to pneumoperitoneum as abdominal wall lift will be also subject of research.

Endoscopic surgical techniques and skills laboratories

Together with the industry we are developing animal protocols that will allow us to improve and develop new techniques and instrumentation in endoscopic surgery. We promote participation of our fellows as trainees and later as preceptors in animal laboratory sessions. This will help fellows, residents and attending staff to acquire and refine their ability to perform specific endoscopic procedures. We envision that this skills laboratory will become a prestigious site that will grant continuing medical education.

Board Accreditation

In conjunction with all surgical divisions we will develop additional programs that will further promote our institution as a leader in endoscopic procedures. We have developed a fellowship program following the guidelines of the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES).

Rotations

No off campus rotations are planned with the exception of animal laboratory work.

Goals and Objectives

• The development of highly competent clinical surgeons who will upon completion of training, deliver surgical care of the highest order.
• Identification and development of academic surgeons.
• Integration of scientific principles with daily care of surgical patients will be emphasized through conferences, teaching rounds, carefully planned rotations and well-balanced clinical and operative responsibility.

Evaluations

Evaluation of fellow with feedback to fellow at least twice per year.
Evaluation of staff and program at least twice per year.

Fellow Salary and Benefits
Salary is at the PGY6 level plus fringe benefits as listed in the Resident/Fellow Benefits.

More Information and Application

Graduate Medical Education / Medical Student Education
Cleveland Clinic Florida
2950 Cleveland Clinic Boulevard
Weston, Florida 33331
Phone: 954.659.5229
Toll-free: 866.293.7866 ext. 55229
Fax: 954.659.5622
Email: rentasj@ccf.org

---

Movement Disorders Fellowship

Program Director
Nestor Galvez-Jimenez, MD, MSc, FACP, FAHA, FACA

A Movement Disorder Fellowship is offered at Cleveland Clinic Florida to qualified licensed physicians in the state of Florida.

Movement Disorders is a new specialty in the neurosciences dealing with the diagnosis, treatment and research of patients with disorders of the basal ganglia and associated structures, in addition to the spinal cord, peripheral nerves and muscle. Parkinson disease, Parkinsonism, Chorea, Ballism, Tremor, Tics, Ataxias, Myoclonus, Jerks, Stereotypies, and other motor disorders including gait abnormalities are some of the categories encompassed by this emerging field.

The trainee requires special knowledge of anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, histology and pathology of the brain and peripheral nerves/muscle when confronted with patients with disorder motor control. New treatment options are quickly emerging making this field one of the most rapidly expanding in neurology.

In an ACGME approved adult or pediatric neurology program no time is devoted to this field and most residents are ill equipped for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with these disorders.

Applicants

Must have satisfactorily completed a Neurology Residency Training Program accredited by the Accreditation Council For Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or by the Royal College of Physicians of Canada. The applicant must be eligible to have a valid Florida License at the time of appointment.

Description of the Program

A mentoring one-on-one system exists where a fellow will assess and discuss patients with members of the Movement Disorders Program. Supervised assessment with gradual reduction of supervision during the year is expected.

The fellow discusses phenomenology with the staff during weekly videotape session (Monday afternoon), reviews the literature during the weekly journal club (Friday morning) and once a month prepares a didactic lecture to the neurology residents.

In addition, the fellow participates in a variety of neuropharmacology and epidemiological studies. Intensive training on the use of Botulinum toxin therapy is provided. The fellow also participates in the evaluation and treatment of patients with Deep Brain Stimulators.

Teaching Staff

Nestor Galvez-Jimenez, M.D., FACP
Chief, Movement Disorders
A National Parkinson Foundation Center of Excellence
Director, Neurology Residency Training Program
Cleveland Clinic Florida

Virgilio D. Salanga, M.D., M.S., Program Director, Electrodiagnostic Medicine
Chairman, Department of Neurology
Cleveland Clinic Florida
Associate Professor of Clinical Neurology, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation Health Sciences Center of The Ohio State University

Adriana Rodriquez, M.D.
Staff, Department of Neurology
Cleveland Clinic Florida

Efrain Salgado, M.D.
Staff Department of Neurology
Cleveland Clinic Florida

Mary Ronnenberg
Chief Technologist, Department of Neurology
Cleveland Clinic Florida

Rotations

No off campus rotations are planned.

Goals and Objectives

At the end of this fellowship, the fellow will be very proficient in the evaluation and treatment of patients with all types of Movement Disorders.

Evaluations

Evaluation of fellow with feedback to fellow at least twice per year.
Evaluation of staff and program at least twice per year.

Fellow Salary and Benefits
Salary is at the PGY5 level plus fringe benefits as listed in the House Staff Benefits and in the Graduate Physician Policy Manual.

More Information and Application

Graduate Medical / Medical Student Education
Cleveland Clinic Florida
2950 Cleveland Clinic Boulevard
Weston, Florida 33331
Phone: 954.659.6211
Toll-free 866.293.7866
Fax: 954.659.6216
Email: gme@ccf.org

---

Adult Hip & Knee Reconstruction Surgery Fellowship

Cleveland Clinic Florida's Department of Orthopaedic Surgery is pleased to offer a one-year Adult Reconstruction fellowship. Under the supervision of Gregory Gilot, MD, Preetesh Patel, MD, Brian Leo, MD, Jeffrey Wu, MD, David Westerdahl, MD, Daniel Grobman, DO, and Vinod Podichetty, MD, this fellowship offers an outstanding diversity of experience in all areas of sports medicine and adult joint reconstruction.

Fellows will be exposed to current arthroscopic and reconstructive hip, knee, ankle, shoulder and elbow procedures, as well as minimally invasive and minimal incision total hip, knee, and shoulder reconstruction, including reverse and resurfacing techniques. The group provides care for Division I collegiate athletes and local high school teams. Participation in academic activities of the department and completion of at least one publishable research project are expected. There are multiple research opportunities available.

The fellowship requirements include completion of an Orthopaedic residency training program and obtaining a Florida Medical License.

Interested candidates should send a current CV, a brief personal statement, and three letters of recommendation to:

Preetesh Patel, MD, Fellowship Director
Cleveland Clinic Florida
Department of Orthopaedics
2950 Cleveland Clinic Blvd.
Weston, Florida 33331
Phone: 954.659.5229
Fax: 954.659.5266
Email: gme@ccf.org

---

Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery

The Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery Section of the Department of Gynecology offers a clinical fellowship of a minimum of two years. This position is open to physicians interested in the evaluation and treatment of women with urogynecologic and pelvic floor dysfunctions. The fellowship program is under the direction of Eric Hurtado, M.D.

The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology has proposed the development of formal training programs in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery in preparation for sub-specialty certification. Until a predetermined number of programs have been certified, this sub-specialty will not be certified as such.

Fellowship programs such as this clinical fellowship will eventually result in certification by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology as training centers for urogynecology sub-specialists. It is expected that this fellowship program will evolve into a certified Urogynecology / Female Pelvic Medicine / Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery fellowship program at the Clinic.

The Urogynecologic / Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery section serves as a referral center for women with urogynecologic problems including vaginal prolapse, urinary incontinence and dysfunctional voiding, and disorders of urogenital atrophy. Current ongoing research studies involve evaluation of new surgical techniques for the treatment of stress incontinence and genital prolapse, evaluation of systemic and local hormonal therapy in urogenital dysfunction and outcomes of non-surgical treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction.

Clinical activities in which the fellow will participate include urodynamic testing of women with bladder dysfunction, evaluation of anatomic defects related to urogenital prolapse, non-surgical physiotherapeutic treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction and surgical treatment of prolapse and incontinence. The fellow will be active in performing retrospective outcome studies and participating in ongoing prospective studies. It is expected that fellows will have completed a residency program in obstetrics and gynecology or urology.

The program’s academic activities include participation in local grand rounds, clinical conferences, regional and national continuing medical education courses and professional society meetings.

Dr. Davila was the previous fellowship program director at the Colorado Gynecology and Continence Center. Previous fellows trained through that program have met criteria determined by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology for sub-specialty training in Urogynecology / Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery.

Dr. Gamal Ghoniem serves as the urologic faculty member. He is a well-respected female urologist and also performs video urodynamics and complex urologic reconstructive procedures.

It is expected that multiple collaborative projects with other Cleveland Clinic in Florida departments such as colorectal surgery, urology and internal medicine will benefit the research fellow in obtaining a comprehensive educational experience about pelvic floor dysfunction. It is expected that the fellow will actively participate in research activities with the ultimate goal being formal presentation and/or publication of the research study.

As a clinical fellow, the collaboration with the other related departments will be encouraged including clinical rotations through other departments as determined by the interest of the fellow as well as availability of time periods. It is expected that the fellow will observe evaluation of women with colorectal dysfunction as well as pelvic floor rehabilitation therapy.

This is a funded position and a stipend will be paid to the fellow. The fellow must have successfully completed residency training in obstetrics and gynecology or urology, and is expected to obtain and maintain a Florida medical license in order to be able to participate in patient care activities under the supervision of one of the faculty members. The fellow will bill for clinical care performed.

Fellowship Activities

Clinical – 1st Year

• Urogynecologic reconstructive surgery – 2 days/week
• Urodynamic testing – 1 day/week
• Office patient care – 1½ days/week
• Research protected time – ½ day/week

Clinical – 2nd and 3rd Years

More flexible, but includes:

• Surgery time – 2 days/week or more
• Urodynamic testing – ½-1 day/week
• Office patient care – 1-2 days/week
• Research protected time – 1 day/week or more

Conferences – Teaching Activities

• Hospital rounds – daily
• Urodynamics review – weekly
• Journal club – monthly
• Multi-disciplinary pelvic floor conference – monthly
• Research meetings – twice monthly
• Didactic conferences – twice monthly
• CCF routine conferences – weekly Surgery and Medicine Grand Rounds
• Statistics course – 1 yearly cycle

National Conferences

• AUGS attendance expected
• Annual CCF Pelvic Floor Disorders Conference
• Potential attendance – IUGA, AUA, SGS

Expectations of Fellows

• Attend all rounds and conferences
• Prepare lectures for didactic and other conferences as required
• Attend statistics course
• Perform at least one research project per year – to be submitted for presentation at AUGS and/or another academic meeting, and submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journal

Fellowship Program Faculty

Urogynecology
Eric Hutardo, MD Director
G. Willy Davila, M.D.

Urology
Gamal Ghoniem, M.D.
Lawrence Hakim, M.D.

Colorectal Surgery
Steven Wexner, M.D.
Juan Nogueras, M.D.
Eric Weiss, M.D.
Dana Sands, M.D.

Physiotherapy
Dawn Vickers, R.N.

Neurology
Virgilio Salanga, M.D.

Rationale
Training in this sub-specialty is best served through a fellowship program. There are a very limited number of programs available in the U.S. and abroad. Due to South Florida’s predominantly adult and elderly population, there is a clear geographic need for this program. This population allows the program to be held in this region.

There is a national need for this type of training program as there is a minimum number of training programs required for sub-specialty status to be granted. The department wishes to train people in this discipline due to the academic and teaching goals of this department. The fellowship director has an international reputation in the training of urogynecology fellows and is well-recognized as a leading urogynecologic academician.

Cleveland Clinic Florida has a national and international reputation as a state-of-the-art training center for sub-specialty clinicians. The job market for urogynecologists is expected to increase dramatically with the aging of the population. Thus, it is expected that there will be a significant need for a sub-specialty trained urogynecologists in the future. When sub-specialty status is granted to this sub-specialty, demand will increase even further as the number of actually certified clinicians is limited.

The pool of available applicants is large from both national and international sources. There is more than adequate clinical training material within Cleveland Clinic presently. With the enhanced exposure due to publications and regional presentations, this volume has increased on a yearly basis.

Evaluations

Evaluation of fellow with feedback to fellow at least twice per year.
Evaluation of staff and program at least twice per year.

Fellow Salary and Benefits

Salary is at the PGY5 level plus fringe benefits as listed in the Resident/Fellow Benefits and detailed in the Graduate Physician Policy Manual.

More Information and Application

Graduate Medical / Medical Student Education
Cleveland Clinic Florida
2950 Cleveland Clinic Boulevard
Weston, Florida 33331
Phone: 954.659.5229
Fax: 954.659.5622
Email: rentasj@ccf.org

---

Urologic Oncology Fellowship

Goals and Objectives

• Learn the appropriate clinical and laboratory evaluation of patients with urologic malignancies.
• Become proficient with open and laparoscopic techniques for managing patients with urologic malignancies
• Learn to critically review and participate in clinical research of urologic oncology
• Become involved and foster multidisciplinary clinical care of patients with urologic malignancies

Duration

1 year

The Program

The teaching program centers around the management of urologic malignancies. Rotations are based upon approaches to surgical treatment and include open, laparoscopic and robotic surgery. The training is based on the premise that a urologic oncologic surgeon should be skilled in all three areas. Our fellowship provides a broad experience in adrenal, renal, bladder, retroperitoneal, and prostate surgery. Fellows also get an extensive experience in pelvic surgery doing when we do combined cancer cases with colo-rectal surgery and gynecologic oncology.

In addition to the structured curriculum, other activities include:

• Monthly Journal Club meetings in combination with Urogynecology
• Monthly Tumor Board
• Weekly Radiology Review
• Participation in house training programs
• Opportunity to participate in ongoing clinical trials

On-call and Consult Responsibilities

On-call responsibilities are approximately 1 week a month. The call is not in-house. The different staff members cover their own patients during the weekdays. The fellow covers consultations during the on-call days.

Research Commitment

Research is integrated with clinical work during the fellowship training. A reasonable schedule that allows a balance between clinical work, study, self-development, and research is emphasized. The fellow is expected to have at least one major project to complete and expected to present his/her work at a recognized urologic oncology forum.

Evaluations

Evaluation of fellow at least twice per year.
Evaluation of staff and program at least once per year.

Fellow Salary and Benefits

Salary is at the PGY7 level plus fringe benefits as detailed in the Graduate Physician Policy Manual and listed in the Resident/Fellow Benefits.

More Information and Application

Graduate Medical Education / Medical Student Education
Cleveland Clinic Florida
2950 Cleveland Clinic Boulevard
Weston, Florida 33331
Phone: 954.659.6211
Toll-free: 866.293.7866 ext. 56211
Fax: 954.659.6216
Email: gme@ccf.org

Or:

Nic Muruve, MD, FACS, FRCSC
Program Director, Urologic Oncology
Cleveland Clinic Florida
2950 Cleveland Clinic Boulevard
Weston, Florida 33331
Phone: 954.659.5188
Fax: 954.659.6189
Email: muruven@ccf.org

---

Vascular Neurology Fellowship

Program Directors
Efrain D. Salgado, M.D.
Cleveland Clinic Florida Weston Campus

Bhuvaneswari K. Dandapani, M.D.
Melbourne Campus

Vascular neurology is the area of medicine in which selected neurological disorders involving the central nervous system due to ischemia or hemorrhage are assessed, monitored, treated and prevented using a combination of clinical evaluation, imaging, interventional techniques, and medication.

Cerebrovascular diseases represent the most frequent cause of adult disability and the third leading cause of deaths in the United States. With the population growing older, it projects to be a pervasive problem for many years to come.

Great strides have been made in recent years in the evaluation and treatment of stroke patients. Research into the pathophysiology of ischemic neuronal damage, the evolution of new brain imaging modalities, the development of interventional neuroradiological techniques, and the currently ongoing search for effective neuroprotective agents to complement thrombolytic therapy are some important endeavors in this rapidly advancing field of medicine.

Given the rapidly advancing practical knowledge in this field, a 3 year neurological residency program alone is not sufficient to become adept in all the nuances of stroke care. Hence the need for additional training in this field.

Cleveland Clinic Florida offers two 1-year Vascular Neurology fellowships designed to provide advanced training in the diagnosis, management, and research of patients with a wide spectrum of cerebrovascular disorders. This unique program will be based at 2 centers which complement each other by providing experience in the entire gamut of healthcare delivery to patients with stroke – a self-contained campus of a large private multispecialty group practice dedicated to outpatient and inpatient care as well as resident education and research, in addition to the resources of a large community hospital providing state-of-the-art stroke care.

Basic and advanced stroke services including diagnostic ultrasound (carotids and TCD), CT, CTA, MRI, MRA, MRV, SPECT, PET, cerebral angiography, interventional neuroradiology, neuro intensive care, and neurorehabilitation are offered. The fellows will have the opportunity to participate in ongoing clinical research and to develop their own research interests.

Applicants

Applicants must have completed a residency program in neurology accredited by the ACGME or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons (Canada).

The Program

Month 1

Supervised performance in the evaluation and treatment of patients with cerebrovascular disease (outpatient, inpatient) and in the performance of transcranial Doppler and carotid duplex ultrasonography; didactic lectures in cerebrovascular anatomy, physiology, transcranial Doppler, NIHSS certification training; introduction to clinical research trials and identification of personal research projects.

Months 2-3

Graduated reduction in supervision in the clinical evaluation and treatment of patients with cerebrovascular disease; performing and interpreting transcranial Doppler examinations and carotid duplex ultrasonography; active involvement in the recruitment of patients for stroke trials and the development of research projects; teaching the neurology residents, nursing, and public on issues regarding cerebrovascular disease.

Months 4-12

Substantial autonomy in all of the above.

Research

The fellow will be required to plan and complete a research clinical project of his/her choice in cerebrovascular disease. Presentation at a national meeting and publication in a peer-reviewed journal will be financially supported.

Teaching Staff

Weston facility

• Efrain D. Salgado, M.D.
• Virgilio D. Salanga, M.D., M.S.
• Nestor Galvez, M.D., F.A.C.P.
• Vivian Rodriguez, M.D.
• Mary Ronnenberg, Chief Technologist, Department of Neurology

Melbourne facility

• Bhuvaneswari K. Dandapani, M.D.
• William R. Sunter, Jr., M.D.
• Douglas J. Mogle, M.D.
• Timothy D. Carter, M.D.

Rotations

The fellow will rotate 6 months off campus in Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne, Florida, under the supervision of Dr. Dandapani to complement their training in a large community hospital.

Call Schedule

Twice per week and every third weekend.

Goals and Objectives

At the end of the fellowship, the fellow will be very proficient in the evaluation and treatment of any patient with cerebrovascular disease. The fellow will be proficient in doing and interpreting ultrasound of the carotids and intracranial circulation and will also have a working knowledge regarding the conduction of clinical trials on stroke.

The fellow will satisfy the requirements for residency education in Vascular Neurology as published by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. The fellow will be ready to embark in a lifelong career in providing the best care for patients with stroke or at risk of being stroke victims.

Evaluations

Evaluation of fellows with feedback to fellows once per month.
Evaluation of staff and program at least twice per year.

Fellow Salary and Benefits

Salary is at the PGY5 level plus fringe benefits as listed in the House Staff Benefits and in the Graduate Physician Policy Manual.

More Information and Application

Wanda Diaz-Rapalo
Vascular Neurology Fellowship Coordinator
Cleveland Clinic Florida
2950 Cleveland Clinic Blvd
Weston, Florida 33331
Phone: 954.659.5229
Fax: 954.659.6216
Email: quintam@ccf.org

---

Voiding Dysfunction Female Urology Fellowship

Goals and Objectives

• Provide advanced training in the specialty of female pelvic reconstruction and voiding dysfunction and GU bowel reconstruction.
• Attract and recruit qualified applicants
• Improve patient care and surgery using cost-effective and minimally invasive approaches
• Increase the basic science knowledge of pelvic anatomy, pathophysiology, and neurophysiology and monitor outcomes for different treatments provided
• Provide geographical outreach of services

Duration

2 years

The Program

The educational program is based on Society of Urodynamics and Female Urology (SUFU) guidelines. It covers the following modules:

• Urodynamic Testing. Extensive urodynamic testing in the state-of-the-art laboratory using fluorourodynamics provides a thorough understanding of different disease processes.
• LUTS and Urinary Incontinence (male and female)
• Pelvic Organ Prolapse
• Voiding Dysfunction (neurogenic and non-neurogenic)
• Genitourinary Reconstruction. GU reconstruction includes use of bowel, urethroplasty and ureteral reconstruction.

These modules cover diagnostic evaluation and treatment of neurogenic bladder, pelvic floor dysfunction and prolapse, rectovaginal fistula, vesicovaginal and urethrovaginal fistula, and urinary incontinence and its different management modalities including behavior treatment, pharmacological treatment, biofeedback electrical stimulation, and surgical. The evaluation and treatment of anal incontinence is in collaboration with colorectal surgery. The educational activities cover the anatomy and pathophysiology of the bladder and the rectum. Urological reconstructive bowel surgery, male incontinence, urethral reconstructive surgery, neurogenic bladder dysfunction, and bladder outlet obstruction are examples of the domain of this specialty. Monitoring outcomes of different treatments is an integral part of the curriculum. Practice management and coding is discussed on one-to-one basis, and included in the core curriculum. Clinical trial design and statistics are included in the educational activities.

In addition to the structured curriculum, other unique activities are integrated:

• Annual Female Pelvic Floor seminar and workshops enhance educational opportunity and exposure
• Monthly Journal Club meetings in combination with Urogynecology
• Monthly Pelvic Floor Disorders meetings in combination with Urogynecology and Colorectal
• Periodical research meetings
• One trip to related national meeting or seminar (requires approval of program director)
• Visiting surgeons (national and international) provide a healthy environment and a broader perspective for interaction
• The Research Fellows Program provides a stimulating and cooperative complimentary aspect of the fellowship
• Participation in house training programs
• Participation in the different clinical research projects on new medications and devices offers an up-to-date on the newest applications in the field.

On-call and Consult Responsibilities

On-call responsibilities are approximately 2-3 nights per week. The call is not in-house and typically one week every three weeks. The different staff members cover their own patients during the weekdays. The fellow covers consultations during the on-call days.

Research Commitment

Research is integrated with clinical work during the fellowship training. A reasonable schedule that allows a balance between clinical work, study, self-development, and research is emphasized. The fellow is expected to have at least one major project to complete and expected to present his/her work at the annual SUFU meeting.

Evaluations

Evaluation of fellow at least twice per year.
Evaluation of staff and program at least once per year.

Fellow Salary and Benefits
Salary is at the PGY7 level plus fringe benefits as detailed in the Graduate Physician Policy Manual and listed in the Resident/Fellow Benefits.

More Information and Application

Graduate Medical Education / Medical Student Education
Cleveland Clinic Florida
2950 Cleveland Clinic Boulevard
Weston, Florida 33331
Phone: 954.659.6211
Toll-free: 866.293.7866 ext. 56211
Fax: 954.659.6216
Email: gme@ccf.org