Overview
Welcome to the Advanced Pediatric Cardiology Non-Invasive Imaging Fellowship Program at Cleveland Clinic Children's.
The Advanced Pediatric Cardiology Non-Invasive Imaging Fellowship Program provides an intensive training experience to prepare the trainee for independent interpretation of advanced imaging studies and an academic and/or clinical career as an imaging specialist in Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease.
The program at Cleveland Clinic will have a focus on fetal echocardiography and concentrate on independent proficiency in the interpretation of all aspects of echocardiography including transthoracic, transesophageal, 3D and fetal echocardiography. Familiarity and basic interpretation of cardiac CT and cardiac MRI will also be included. Goals and expectations are derived from national consensus guidelines including the ACC/AHA/AAP task Force on Clinical Competence in Echocardiography (J Am Coll Cardiol 2005) and Task Force 2: Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Training in Noninvasive Cardiac Imaging (J Am Coll Cardiol 2015).
A small amount of time will be dedicated to continuing clinical skills in Pediatric Cardiology through direct patient care as well as research in the field.
The Department of Pediatric Cardiology (Department of Heart, Vascular and Thoracic in the Children’s Institute) is part of the Pediatric and Adult Congenital Heart Center, which encompasses both the Department of Heart, Vascular and Thoracic in the Children’s Institute, the Section of Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery, and the Section of Adult Congenital Heart Disease in the Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute. The Center offers care to individuals from fetus to old age with all aspects of congenital heart disease, as well as cardiac care to children of all ages. Research and education are interdisciplinary and robust. The Division of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine and Section of Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery are headed by internationally recognized leaders in the field, with a robust faculty encompassing the various aspects of care of the patient with Congenital Heart Disease. The Heart Center ranks highly in the U.S. News & World Report Best Children’s Hospital Cardiology and Heart Surgery rankings and Newsweek ranked our Heart Center #2 in the United States in 2025. Outcomes are in the top 1% nationally, including for the most complex cases.
The Imaging section in the Department of Pediatric Cardiology is sizable, with over 13,000 echocardiograms, 450 transesophageal echocardiograms, 2,500 fetal echocardiograms, 500 congenital cardiac MRIs and 400 congenital CT scans performed in the past year. The fellows will have the added support and clinical structure of the Cleveland Clinic Fetal Care Center, an interdisciplinary center comprising specialists in Maternal Fetal Medicine, Pediatric Cardiology, Genetics, Neonatology and multiple Pediatric/fetal subspecialists who collaborate on the care of pregnancies with fetal anomalies.
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Educational program
The advanced imaging fellow will have already completed 3 years of core Pediatric Cardiology fellowship and achieved competency in basic aspects of echocardiographic imaging including
- Understand the general physical properties of ultrasound and clinical ultrasound technology.
- Ability to perform and interpret transthoracic echocardiography in normal infants, children and adolescents and in those with childhood heart disease with consultation as needed.
During the year of advanced training, the fellow will be expected to achieve competence in:
- Special expertise in performance and interpretation of transthoracic echocardiography in all forms of congenital and acquired pediatric heart disease, including the adult with congenital heart disease, enabling the practitioner to function independently.
- Ability to perform and interpret transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) independently.
- Ability to perform and interpret fetal echocardiography independently. Learn the role of the fetal cardiology consultant in the care of mothers with fetuses with congenital heart disease
- Ability to supervise training and performance of sonographers, fellows, and other physicians.
Academic environment and research opportunities
The Advanced imaging fellow will be expected to participate in departmental academic conferences including grand rounds, journal clubs, teaching conferences, and other related educational activities, as well as to teach more junior trainees in the echocardiography laboratory. Given the condensed nature of this one-year fellowship, there is no absolute requirement for scholarly activity that results in a publication, but participation in research is expected for most applicants, and will be individualized based on the trainee’s goals and background. There are multiple research opportunities and mentors available, as well as a robust research infrastructure in the Department of Heart, Vascular & Thoracic.
Additional information
The greater Cleveland area has much to offer. Nestled against beautiful Lake Erie, its attractions 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. Further information regarding benefits can be found at the GME homepage.
Application
Our program participates in the Pediatric Advance Cardiac Imaging (PACI) match through the SF Match.
Eligible trainees must be graduates of an Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACMGE) approved Pediatrics residency in the United States, and an Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACMGE) approved Pediatric Cardiology fellowship in the United States.
Applications are only received through the SF Match.
For more information, please contact:
Program Director
Francine Erenberg, MD
erenbef@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 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 Advanced Pediatric Cardiology Non-Invasive Imaging Fellowship provides a stimulating learning environment with robust clinical experiences in the broad array of echocardiography and advanced imaging studies.
Fellows spend the majority of their time in transesophageal and fetal echocardiography, as well as complex cases and supervisory skills in transthoracic echocardiography. Approximately 2 months over the fellowship will be spent in additional advanced imaging techniques including cardiac CT and cardiac MRI.
The fellow will spend several weeks on the inpatient general pediatric cardiology service as a junior attending, to solidify skills in clinical cardiology.
Fellows will have the opportunity to participate in all clinical and teaching conferences within the Pediatric Cardiology Department, and take an active part in the education of the Core Pediatric Cardiology Fellows in the echocardiography lab.
