The Cardiovascular Fellowship Training Program at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences provides an academically-oriented comprehensive training in cardiovascular diseases. The program maintains full accreditation through the ACGME and offers four positions each year. The General Cardiology three-year program provides a well-rounded exposure to clinical and experimental cardiovascular medicine, yet it allows flexibility for tailoring training in keeping with individual career goals. Sub-specialty training is offered in Interventional Cardiology and Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology as well. The major goal of this program is to prepare tomorrow's clinicians and clinical scientists.

Fellows in our program are trained to:

1.      Provide compassionate, expert care to patients across the entire spectrum of cardiovascular diseases.

2.      Develop competence in current diagnostic and therapeutic techniques of cardiovascular medicine.

3.      Understand and participate in cardiovascular research.

4.      Effectively communicate with patients, family members and medical personnel.

5.      Evaluate and improve their patient care.

6.      See their practice in the context of larger health care and societal structures.

7.      Mature individually with the highest of ethical and humanistic behavior.

Clinical activities occur at the University Hospital of Arkansas, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System and Arkansas Children's Hospital. All fellows receive extensive clinical experience coupled with progressive responsibility, a program of clinical conferences and didactic lectures, and exposure to research.

Clinical Experience

Across the 3-year program, fellows receive training in all disciplines of cardiology. A typical schedule follows:

1st year

Invasive Cardiology 4 months
CCU 2 months
Non-invasive Cardiology 2 months
Research 2 months
Electrophysiology 2 months

2nd year

Subspecialty clinics * 2 months
Invasive Cardiology 4 months
Electrophysiology 2 months
CCU 2 months

3rd year

Nuclear Medicine 4 months
Non-invasive Cardiology / CCU 4 months
Invasive Cardiology 4 months

*Subspecialty clinic rotation includes exposure to vascular surgery clinic, pediatric cardiology clinic, cardio-thoracic surgery clinic, and heart failure clinic.

One year of basic research may (in some instances) be substituted for one year of clinical experience.

On average fellows take call every 6th night through the first 2 ½ years of their fellowship. Fellows are not required to take call in the hospital.

Education

A wide variety of clinical conferences assist our fellows in acquiring the knowledge required of a well-trained specialist in cardiovascular medicine. These conferences include:

Cardiology Grand Rounds: This weekly conference is held on Wednesdays from 1200 to 100 PM at UAMS. This lively and popular conference involves discussion of patient management and other topics of mutual interest to cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons.

Visiting Professor: About once monthly, a distinguished visitor will present research, teaching rounds or a lecture. The day of the conference will vary but will generally be from 1200-100 PM.

Internal Medicine Grand Rounds: Held every Thursday in the Education II Building, 1200-100 PM, this conference is given by a UAMS faculty member or an invited speaker.

Echo, MRI and Nuclear Cardiology Conferences: These graphics conferences are held on Tuesdays, 1200-100 PM, at the VA conference room and are alternated weekly.  Faculty and fellows discuss interpretations and courses of treatment.

EKG Conference: These graphics conferences are held on Mondays, 1200-100 PM, at the VA conference room and are held twice monthly.  Faculty and fellows discuss interpretations and courses of treatment. The electrophysiology fellow will assist in the EKG conference.

Journal Club: Monthly, a fellow will present and discuss an article from a major journal. The fellow will work with an attending to select and develop their topic for this conference which is held on Mondays, 1200-100 PM.

Fellows/Faculty Research: Once a month, a fellow or faculty member will present an update or outcome of a research project or clinical trial, held from 12-100 PM.

Morbidity & Mortality: Designed to improve fellow training and patient care, this conference is held the first Monday of each month from 1200-100 PM. Detailed assessments of adverse events and procedure complications are discussed in a non-confrontational forum. All fellows are responsible for obtaining their numbers for procedures, complications, etc., prior to conference

Board Review and Core Curriculum: Held on Fridays from 1200-100 PM and presided over by a senior faculty member, this comprehensive round of conferences is designed to prepare fellows for the Cardiovascular Medicine Boards.

Clinical Case Conference: Once a month, a fellow or faculty member will present an interesting clinical case. Discussion on course of treatment and teaching aspects of the case will be discussed. Held at the VA, 1200-100 PM.

Systems-Based Practice Conference:  Once a month this conference explores issues in improving clinical practice.  The work-conference coordinates division efforts to solve difficulties and to better understand the systems in which we work.

IM Subspecialty Fellows Conference: Held jointly with fellows from other medicine subspecialties, this conference addresses issues common to all specialties.  This conference will be held the first Tuesday of each month at 7:30 AM.

Cardiology Fellowship Meeting: Held once monthly on a Wednesday, 100-130 PM at UAMS, the fellows will meet with the Program Director and Coordinator to discuss training, policies, etc.

Director's Fellowship Meeting: Held once monthly on a Wednesday, 1130-1200 PM at UAMS, the fellows will meet with the Division Director to discuss topics at theirs and the Director's discretion.

Cardiology/CT/Vascular Surgery Cine Conference: Monday afternoons, 4-5 PM at the VA, this conference is a review of diagnostic caths and the course of treatment for each case.

Interventional Cardiology Conference:  Beginning in September, held every Thursday morning at the VA, 7:00-8:00 am.  Lectures presented by the Interventional faculty and fellows.

Research

During their training, each fellow gains exposure to several different research experiences. Fellows have an opportunity to participate in ongoing clinical-investigation as directed by members of the Cardiology Division. This clinically based research provides for superior patient care and education in an academic environment. The Division also has extensive basic research (cellular, small animal, and molecular biology) laboratories. The trainees are encouraged to spend time in clinical or fundamental research. Depending on interest and availability of funds, a significant amount of protected time may be spent in research laboratories at the discretion of the Division Director.

At least 4 months of protected research time allows trainees to concentrate on a project of their interest. These efforts culminate in presentations at national meetings and publications in refereed journals.

Interested individuals may seek additional opportunities in translational or basic research.

The benefits, terms, and conditions of employment are generous and competitive with other training programs. Details are available upon request. For more specific information regarding our program, a sample of our current fellowship handbook is available below.

GC Fellowship Handbook

For more information, please contact:

Fellowship Program Coordinator
Miranda Morris Bisbee
Division of Cardiovascular Medicine
4301 West Markham, Slot 532
Little Rock, AR 72205-7199
(501) 686-7882