Westchester Medical Center Program

Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology Fellowship Program

The Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology Fellowship Program at Westchester Medical Center is a one-year ACGME accredited program designed for physicians who have completed a 3-year Internal Medicine Residency followed by a 3-year Cardiology Fellowship. This fellowship aims to provide comprehensive training in various facets of heart failure, cardiovascular transplantation, mechanical circulatory support, and pulmonary hypertension, thereby cultivating a well-rounded expertise in this specialist area.

Every fellow in the program receives hands-on experience with procedures including right heart catheterization, hemodynamic monitoring, cardiac biopsy, and CardioMEMs implantation, allowing for a robust practical foundation. In addition, experience with diagnosing and treating pulmonary arterial hypertension is a key aspect of the program curriculum.

The fellowship is structured to integrate extensive clinical exposure with academic opportunities, facilitated by a dedicated faculty comprising four heart failure attending physicians, nurse practitioners, cardiothoracic surgeons, and other specialists who form part of the heart transplant and mechanical assist device teams.

Training Sites

The primary training site for this fellowship is the Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, New York, which offers state-of-the-art facilities and a high volume of procedural exposure. The center notably performs over thirty cardiac transplants and thirty to forty durable left ventricular assist device (LVAD) procedures annually, including devices such as Heartware and Heartmate 2 and 3.

The program also encompasses participation in an acute circulatory shock program, which manages a substantial caseload of about sixty to seventy VA-ECMO cases each year, thus ensuring fellows gain experience in critical patient management.

Research Opportunities

Fellows are encouraged to engage in research activities during their training, with opportunities to contribute to projects focused on advanced heart failure treatment and transplant outcomes. This is in line with the program's commitment to promoting academic excellence and enhancing clinical practices through research findings.

Visa Sponsorship and Competitiveness

The fellowship program supports visa sponsorship for international medical graduates who are eligible to apply. Typically, the program provides sponsorship for J-1 visas but may consider H-1B visas under specific circumstances.

The program is competitive, and applicants are expected to have strong academic credentials. The fellows are selected based on a rigorous process, emphasizing the alignment of their experience and professional aspirations with the program’s goals.

Application Requirements

To apply for the fellowship, candidates must have completed a 3-year ACGME accredited Internal Medicine Residency, followed by a 3-year ACGME accredited Cardiology Fellowship. Applications can be submitted via ERAS starting December 1st each year.

There may be additional application requirements, such as no more than two failures in the USMLE Step exams, and it is essential for applicants to possess a strong letter of recommendation and a clear demonstration of interest and previous experience in heart failure and transplant cardiology.

Curriculum and Rotations

The fellowship curriculum comprises clinical rotations across various subspecialties related to heart failure and transplant cardiology, where fellows participate actively in inpatient and outpatient clinical care. A rotation in advanced heart failure management, solid organ transplantation, and mechanical circulatory support are crucial components, alongside involvement in multidisciplinary teams.

This structure ensures that fellows not only develop clinical proficiency but also gather insights into the collaborative aspects of managing complex patient profiles that often require interdisciplinary treatment approaches.