University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Program

A 12-month ACGME-accredited fellowship in Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesiology is offered by the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. This program is prominently based at Children’s Health, Dallas Campus, providing candidates with a comprehensive experience in all aspects of the perioperative management of patients with congenital heart disease, spanning neonates to adults. Children’s Health is recognized nationally as a leader in pediatric cardiac surgery, managing over 300 open-heart cases annually, thereby ensuring robust clinical exposure for fellows.

The program encompasses the full spectrum of surgical treatments for congenital heart disease—including ventricular assist devices (VADs), extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), and transplantation—as well as more than 800 catheterization procedures annually. The Heart Center features dedicated facilities, including three operating rooms, three cardiac catheterization labs, a cardiac MRI suite, an 18-bed cardiac ICU, and a cardiac step-down unit, managed by a team of seven full-time pediatric cardiac anesthesiologists.

Applicants are required to have completed or be enrolled in an ACGME-accredited pediatric anesthesia fellowship. Individual considerations will be made for candidates coming from accredited adult cardiothoracic anesthesiology fellowships. This openness reflects an inclusive approach towards diverse training backgrounds, positioning the program as friendly to various medical graduates including DO and international medical graduates (IMG).

Curriculum

The fellowship's curriculum consists of nine months of focused clinical experience in cardiac operating rooms and associated elective months in the cardiac ICU, echocardiography, and additional individualized electives according to career aspirations. Weekly didactic lectures are conducted by faculty members, facilitating the availability of vital academic knowledge throughout the fellowship.

Rotations

Fellows will engage in:

• Core cardiac experience in the OR and catheterization labs for nine months.
• One-month rotations in cardiac ICU, echocardiography, and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB)/ECMO.

Scholarly Activities

Active participation in scholarly activities is encouraged, with expectations to contribute to doctoral presentations at departmental meetings, give one Grand Round presentation, and submit at least one abstract to the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia and Cardiac Anesthesiology Society. Monthly meetings include:

• Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesia Conferences
• Anesthesia Department Journal Club
• Morbidity & Mortality Meetings
• Cardiac Surgery M&M
• Cardiac ICU Case Conferences

Miscellaneous

The fellowship has specific call commitments, along with a structured vacation policy of 15 days plus 5 discretionary days and 2 non-clinical days per month. A dedicated education fund accompanies fellows to foster further learning opportunities during their training.

Visa Support

The program offers visa sponsorship for international medical graduates, providing essential support in navigating the complexities of obtaining either J-1 or H-1B visas depending on individual circumstances, thereby allowing qualified international applicants to join the fellowship.

Application Requirements

The fellowship is highly competitive, emphasizing stringent application criteria that generally require candidates to have successfully completed U.S. medical training with no more than a predetermined number of failed STEP exams. Though specific maximums can vary, such benchmarks ensure that candidates possess a solid foundational competence in the specialty.

Unique Aspects of the Program

In addition to rigorous clinical training, fellows are given opportunities to engage deeply with multidisciplinary teams, collaborating not only within anesthesiology but also in concert with surgical teams, cardiologists, and intensivists. This collaborative environment enhances learning and patient care.