University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine Program

The Interventional Cardiology Fellowship Program at the University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Medicine and Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute offers extensive training and educational opportunities for fellows. This program emphasizes mentorship from nationally recognized leaders in cardiology, as well as exposure to a wide range of clinical experiences.

The primary training site of the program is the Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute, a highly regarded institution located in Kansas City. In addition, the fellowship includes training at the University Health Truman Medical Center, a key safety-net hospital in the area. Together, these sites provide fellows with a diverse experience, preparing them for various clinical settings and patient populations 1.

Program Structure and Curriculum

The fellowship is structured into several pathways, including:

• Cardiovascular Disease Pathway: A three-year program focusing on comprehensive training in cardiovascular medicine.
• Combined Clinical Cardiology and Outcomes Research Pathway: A four-year fellowship integrating two years of outcomes research training with two years of clinical cardiology.
• Combined Cardiovascular Disease and Electrophysiology Pathway: A four-year track that includes training in electrophysiology.

The training structure allows flexibility, with core rotations covering cardiac intensive care, inpatient consultative cardiology, and clinical electrophysiology, along with advanced heart failure 1.

Rotations and Clinical Exposure

Fellows experience core clinical rotations at both Saint Luke's Hospital and University Health Truman Medical Center, ensuring exposure to diverse clinical settings. During the rotations, fellows will engage in hands-on training in various laboratories, including echocardiography, nuclear cardiology, and catheterization laboratories 1.

Interventional Cardiology is a strong focus, with fellows spending a significant amount of time in the catheterization lab, gaining practical experience in diagnostic and interventional procedures. The program is noted for its volume, performing over 1,300 percutaneous interventions and 1,800 diagnostic catheterizations annually 1.

Research Opportunities

Research is an integral component of the fellowship experience. The Heart Institute supports an active research agenda with over 200 peer-reviewed publications yearly. Each fellow is given dedicated research time during their fellowship to work on projects that may culminate in presentations at national meetings or publications in peer-reviewed journals 1.

Educational Resources

The program incorporates contemporary educational methods, emphasizing blended learning that fuses live teaching with online resources. Fellows have access to simulation centers and a variety of resources tailored to enhance their education 1.

Competitiveness and Application Requirements

The fellowship program is highly competitive, with particular emphasis on applicants who have completed an ACGME-accredited Internal Medicine residency. Special application considerations include the requirement of a permanent Missouri medical license, ABIM certification eligibility, and a robust participation in research and scholarly activities. Notably, only U.S. citizens and permanent residents are eligible to apply; the program does not accept J1 or H1B visa holders 1.

Visa Support

While the program primarily supports applicants who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, it does not sponsor J1 or H1B visas due to institutional policies regarding moonlighting requirements. Therefore, international medical graduates should consider these restrictions when applying 1.

Unique Aspects of the Program

This fellowship at Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute is distinguished by its comprehensive combination of clinical education and research training. It stands out due to its leadership in interventional cardiology and produces numerous publications and guidelines in cardiovascular imaging, demonstrating the program's national influence 1.

Conferences and Didactic Learning

The educational framework features a robust schedule of conferences that enhances clinical knowledge. These include daily fellows' conferences, multidisciplinary grand rounds, and morbidity and mortality conferences, among others. Faculty participation in these conferences encourages collaborative learning and professional growth 1.

Night Call and Weekend Coverage

Fellows take night call from home, averaging three to four nights per month during their initial training years. Weekend coverage typically consists of one weekend per month in the first two years, allowing for a balance of clinical responsibilities and learning opportunities 1.