SCHOOL OF MEDICINE • DEPARTMENT OF MEDICINE

Vision, Mission & Values

The VISION of the Cardiovascular Fellowship program at University Hospitals Case Medical Center is to be a training program that produces high-caliber academic cardiologists who will become the future leaders in Cardiovascular Medicine.

The MISSION of the Cardiovascular Fellowship program at University Hospitals Case Medical Center is three-fold:
1) to teach state-of-the-art, evidence-based prevention, evaluation and management of patients with a wide variety of acute and chronic cardiovascular conditions,
2) to train ABIM board-eligible or board-certified physicians to become physician-scientists and leaders in Cardiovascular Medicine
3) to ensure that program graduates are capable of competent and independent clinical practice as outlined by the ACGME Program Requirements for Residency Education in Cardiovascular Disease, the American Board of Internal Medicine, and the American College of Cardiology.

The VALUES of the Cardiovascular Fellowship program at University Hospitals Case Medical Center are:
1) a commitment to providing outstanding patient care
2) a passion for life-long learning
3) the pursuit of advances in the basic, translational, or clinical sciences
4) the educational process takes place within an ethical, culturally sensitive environment.

Goals & Objectives

The Cardiovascular Fellowship program at University Hospitals Case Medical Center is a three-year accredited ACGME program but provides an additional 4th (and potentially 5th) year to increase opportunities for, and productivity in research. The Program is committed to the additional years of training for trainees at the time they are accepted; this allows the fellow opportunities to build upon the research components of the three- year ACGME program and to develop the foundation necessary for becoming a successful physician-scientist.

The goal of the UHMC Cardiovascular Fellowship Program is to train highly competent clinical cardiologists, who by the time of program completion, are capable of independent practice (i.e. provide state-of-the-art evidence based prevention, evaluation, management for both inpatients and outpatients with a wide variety of cardiovascular disorders), and prepared for a transition to a productive academic career.

Fellows generally pursue one of two tracks, the Clinician Scientist and Physician Investigator. Fellows in the Clinician Scientist track usually focus on a Cardiovascular Subspecialty and receive additional fellowship (e.g. Interventional, Electrophysiology) training; these fellows receive six months of dedicated research time in their third year. Fellows in the Physician Investigator track receive nine months of dedicated research time in their third year and an additional year or more in the research lab.

The goals and objectives are based on the six ACGME competencies for each year of training. Fellowship is a continuous process of professional and academic growth, with each individual progressing at a somewhat different pace and along a unique path. Nevertheless, the general expectation is that senior fellows will not only master the subject content necessary to care for patients with cardiovascular disease, but will also develop a sophistication and maturity of clinical judgment. Appropriate knowledge of cutting edge and experimental treatments that may be utilized for a patient’s care is another quality desired of senior fellows. As they obtain this sophistication, judgment, and knowledge, fellows play an increasingly prominent leadership role in guiding education and patient care with the house staff and medical students.

The educational goals and objectives of the Program are achieved through a combination of clinical rotations, procedures, didactics, simulations, mentored research and guided-readings.