The University of Louisville Division of Cardiovascular Medicine offers a research-oriented clinical fellowship program with, on average, six positions available each year. The program has been in existence since 1962 and a total of 170 individuals have completed training since its inception. The program extends over 36 to 48 months, depending on the track chosen (clinical vs. three-year vs. four-year investigator track) and meets or exceeds criteria established by the American Board of Internal Medicine allowing those fellows successfully completing the program to be eligible to sit for the certifying examination in cardiovascular diseases along with the echocardiography and nuclear certification boards. Research time varies depending upon the fellows interest and career goals.

Fellows must have successfully completed Internal Medicine training, be board eligible for the certifying exam of the American Board of Internal Medicine and must be eligible to obtain a Kentucky State License. Candidate selection criteria includes academic achievements including United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE) scores, letters of recommendation and research interests and productivity. The program has a particular interest in fellows wishing to pursue a career in academic cardiovascular medicine either in the basic science or clinical arena.

• The teaching utilizes outstanding access to patients at three core hospitals, the UofL Health - UofL Hospital, UofL Health - Jewish Hospital, and the Robley Rex Veterans Affairs Medical Center. In addition to availability and abundance of varied cardiac pathology, each of these hospitals has a well-equipped cardiac catheterization laboratory and non-invasive laboratories. The program has a strong clinical reputation and offers training and extensive experience in all areas of invasive (including structural heart disease) and non-invasive cardiology including cardiac MRI, CT and Nuclear Cardiology.
• Research can be carried out in either clinical or basic science disciplines (cardiac physiology or molecular biology). State-of-the-art basic research laboratories within the Diabetes and Obesity Center, Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute and Institute of Molecular Cardiology have faculty devoted to basic research and available for training fellows in a wide variety of areas involving studies in animal models at the molecular and cellular level, as well as large animal pre-clinical research. Training is bolstered by a number of conferences which encompass a core curriculum as well as Cardiovascular Medicine Grand Rounds, Morbidity and Mortality and Journal Club.
• Fellows are directly supervised in all patient care and procedural activities and the principles of progressive responsibility are followed and outlined in the written Policy and Procedures provided at orientation yearly.
• Fellows are evaluated by faculty for each monthly rotation and meet with the Program Director twice a year both for evaluation as well as an opportunity to provide feedback.
• Identifying mentors for fellow clinical interests and research interests are very important and we work with each fellow to connect them to the right mentors, projects and resources during their fellowship to attain their career goals.

We look forward to reviewing your application.

Sincerely,
Shahab Ghafghazi, M.D., MRCP