Overview
Welcome to the Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Program at Cleveland Clinic Children's.
The Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Program provides an intensive training experience in the care of children with cardiac disease and people of all ages with congenital heart disease. The goal of the program is to train excellent academic congenital heart disease specialists. The Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship is a comprehensive three-year program which provides training in the essential diagnostic, therapeutic and consultative skills required of a clinical cardiologist, as well as dedicated time devoted to the pursuit of research and academic endeavors. The Department of Pediatric Cardiology works closely with the Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery Program to deliver integrated medical, interventional, and surgical care to a diverse and challenging patient population. The surgical program includes complex neonatal repairs, staged palliations, operations for adults with congenital heart disease, and heart transplantation.
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Fellows are involved in all aspects of patient care within the Department of Pediatric Cardiology. Fellows are the primary caregivers and first line consultants to a wide variety of patients with congenital heart disease, and are given increasing levels of autonomy and independence within a structured environment of education and supervision. Training and extensive experience is provided in the performance and interpretation of critical diagnostic tests used in cardiovascular disease such as cardiac catheterization, angiography, transthoracic, transesophageal and fetal echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, electrocardiography and the interpretation of electrophysiological studies. Dedicated time is provided for the pursuit of research activities with a wide variety of opportunities available in both clinical and basic sciences.
The fellowship program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and meets all requirements of the American Board of Pediatrics Subspecialty Board of Pediatric Cardiology. Applicants must be in, or have completed, an accredited pediatric residency in the United States or Canada. There are two positions available each year. The Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Program is sponsored by the National Residency Match Program Specialty Matching Services (NRMP) and participates in the Electronic Residency Application System (ERAS) Clinical Experience.
Approximately 2/3 of the time in the fellowship is involved in clinical experiences. The Pediatric Cardiology Program is known world-wide for expertise and innovation in the areas of interventional catheterization, electrophysiology, echocardiography, adult congenital care, and heart failure and transplantation. The Pediatric Cardiology Program works very closely with the Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery Program to deliver integrated medical, interventional, and surgical care to a diverse and challenging patient population.
Fellows experience the full spectrum of noninvasive and invasive diagnostic procedures, including:
- Transthoracic, transesophageal and fetal echocardiography and doppler studies.
- Diagnostic and interventional cardiac catheterization and angiography.
- Electrocardiography.
- Cardiopulmonary exercise testing.
- Invasive electrophysiologic studies.
- Cardiac magnetic resonance Imaging.
- Bedside hemodynamic monitoring in intensive care.
Fellows in the program develop proficiency in:
- Diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart disease.
- Diagnosis and treatment of acquired heart disease in children.
- Diagnosis and treatment of arrhythmia.
- Management of heart failure.
- Valvular heart disease.
- Adult congenital heart disease treatment.
- Preventive cardiology.
Research opportunities
Research is an important component of the Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Program, and approximately one year of the fellowship is devoted to research. This occurs largely during the second and third years of the program. Fellows participate in a hypothesis driven project, ideally related to their specific area of interest and their long term goals in pediatric cardiovascular disease. Research projects may be mentored by a member of the Department of Pediatric Cardiology, a Staff member in the Lerner Research Institute, or when appropriate, by a faculty member in another discipline at Cleveland Clinic or Case Western Reserve University. Each fellow is provided with a Scholarship Oversight Committee which meets regularly with the fellow to assist with progress of the project. Fellows are expected to present their research at multiple forums, and have the opportunity to present yearly at the annual Pediatric Research Day.
Academic environment
The Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Training Program provides a stimulating learning environment with a full spectrum of didactic and clinically-oriented teaching conferences, as well as a variety of specialty conferences. Fellows play an active and integral role in many of the conferences. These conferences include didactic lectures on specific areas of cardiology given by experts as part of the Core Summer Lecture Series. Other conferences include Patient Management Rounds, Management Discussion Conference; Professor Rounds; Morbidity & Mortality; Echo Conference; Journal Club; Cath, Angiography and Imaging Conference; Surgical Conference; Fellows’ Research Conference; and a monthly Fellows’ Meeting with the Program Director.
In addition to these regularly scheduled conferences, fellows attend a 6-part series on foundations of research and a biannual ethics conference. The faculty of the Department of Pediatric Cardiology includes over 14 physicians, 4 nurse practitioners, many nurses, as well as technicians and support personnel. The faculty are actively engaged in research and published over 20 publications over the past year.
Additional information
The greater Cleveland area has much to offer. Nestled against beautiful Lake Erie, its attractions are diverse, including top notch schools, a fantastic city parks system, excellent dining of all types, a world renowned orchestra, exciting nightlife and concerts, a superb zoo and science center, botanical gardens, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and NBA, NFL and MLB teams whose games are all easily accessible.
Fellowship appointment includes competitive salary and full benefits including paid vacation, maternity/paternity/adoption leave, health and dental insurance, and malpractice insurance. Further information regarding benefits can be found at the GME homepage.
Diversity & Inclusion
Discover the role diversity and inclusion plays at Cleveland Clinic and at its Graduate Medical Education program, as well as our diversity and inclusion efforts.
Learn moreHow to Apply
Our program is sponsored by the National Residency Match Program Specialty Matching Services (NRMP) and participates in the Electronic Residency Application System (ERAS) Clinical Experience.
Eligible trainees must be graduates of the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACMGE) approved residency in the United States. Applications are only received through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) and positions filled through the National Residency Match Program (NRMP).
For more information, please contact:
Program Director
Madalsa Patel, MD
patelm34@ccf.org
Associate Program Director
Clare O’Hare, MD
oharec@ccf.org
Program Coordinator
Laurie Staltari
staltal@ccf.org
Mailing Address
Cleveland Clinic Children’s
Pediatric Cardiology Department, Desk M41
9500 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44195
Phone: 216.538.9453
Fax: 216.445.5679
Benefits & Resources
Vacation
- 15 vacation days.
- 5 personal days (interviews, sick time, etc).
Conference attendance
Travel and logistical support is provided to the fellow for presentations at a regional or national meetings.
Salary
Please visit the Graduate Medical Education website for more information.
Additional benefits
- Cleveland Clinic sponsored Pediatric Board Review course available during your PGY4 year.
- Free iPhone for the duration of the fellowship.
- Greater Circle Living - $5000 forgivable loan grant.
- Cleveland Clinic discounts (dining, computers, cellphone carriers, and more).
- Free access to Cleveland Clinic fitness facilities (state-of-the art cardio and weight machines, Olympic sized swimming pool, basketball courts, fitness classes).
More information
The greater Cleveland area has a lot to offer. Nestled against beautiful Lake Erie, its attractions are diverse and include top notch schools, a fantastic city parks system, excellent dining of all types, a world renowned orchestra, exciting nightlife and concerts, a superb zoo and science center, botanical gardens, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and NBA, NFL and MLB teams whose games are all easily accessible.
Fellowship appointment includes competitive salary and full benefits including paid vacation, maternity/paternity/adoption leave, health and dental insurance, and malpractice insurance. Visit the Graduate Medical Education website for more information.
Curriculum
Cleveland Clinic Children’s Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Training Program provides a stimulating learning environment with a full spectrum of didactic and clinically-oriented teaching conferences, as well as a variety of specialty conferences. Fellows play an active and integral role in many of the conferences.
These conferences begin with an intensive orientation and boot camp session for incoming new fellows.
Other conferences include:
- Combined surgical conference.
- Morbidity and mortality conference.
- Pediatric cardiology grand rounds.
- Cath education conference.
- Echo educations conference.
- Research and review of recent literature.
- Core didactic education curriculum, including board review.
- Heart failure and transplant Education conference.
- EP education conference.
- Surgery didactic education conference.
- Combined adult/pediatric congenital heart disease imaging conference.
- Pediatric grand rounds.
In addition, there is a monthly Fellows’ Meeting with the Program Director.
All fellows participate in regularly scheduled core curriculum series through the Pediatric Institute covering topics related to research, research administration, quality improvement, practice management and well-being. Second year fellows attend a master’s level class “Introduction to Clinical Research”. All fellows complete the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) basic certificate program in quality and safety improvement.
