Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship

Program Overview

The University of Louisville Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship is a three-year ACGME-accredited program that provides comprehensive clinical and research training in Pediatric Cardiology. Fellows will gradually assume increasing clinical care responsibilities during training. The first year of training is primarily devoted to clinical care. The second and third years are more flexible, with approximately half the time dedicated to academic training, and will be tailored to the trainee’s individual career goals.

Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Program is currently recruiting its first fellow for July 2024.


Fellowship Program Mission:

The Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship program will use evidence-based teaching methods to train the next generation of pediatric cardiologists to:

  • have excellent clinical skills
  • review and appraise current literature for best practices
  • become clinical educators
  • explore and understand research and quality improvement rigors

With a focus on creating outstanding clinicians, educators, and future leaders in our field, division leaders will provide high-quality clinical care to all children and adults with congenital heart disease and children with acquired heart disease with a unique understanding of the impact of social determinants of health on patient outcomes.


Fellows will train alongside a team of 20 pediatric cardiologists, 2 congenital cardiovascular surgeons, and other specially trained cardiac staff. Members of the division are involved in numerous multicenter collaborations and networks, including NPCQIC, PC4, IMPACT, and others. Pediatric Cardiology faculty have varied academic interests and will be able to mentor the fellow(s) in clinical research, education, advocacy, and quality improvement. In the past 3 years, faculty have presented at the American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions, American Society of Echocardiography, The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, the American Academy of Pediatrics NCE, and other national and regional conferences. The Norton Children's Heart Insititute, affiliated with the UofL School of Medicine is the largest heart center in Kentucky and follows an array of congenital and acquired heart diseases from neonatal lesions to adult congenital heart disease.

As a part of the fellowship program, fellows have an opportunity to pursue a Master’s degree or certificate that aligns with their interests.

For additional information please visit the UofL GME How to Apply page

 

University of Louisville Pediatric Fellowships

Visit the Pediatric Fellowships webpage to learn more about:

  • How to apply for a pediatric fellowship
  • Compensation & benefits for pediatric fellows
  • Facilities where our fellows see patients, perform research, and learn
  • What is it like to live in Louisville, Kentucky?

 

Year 1 Curriculum

Duration

Orientation/Bootcamp

4 weeks

Echocardiography

12 weeks

Cardiac Intensive Care Unit

4 weeks

Progressive Care Unit

4 weeks

Inpatient Consults

8 weeks

Cardiac Catheterization

8 weeks

Electrophysiology

4 weeks

Elective

4 weeks

Research

4 weeks

Year 2 Curriculum

Duration

Echocardiography

8 weeks

Cardiac Intensive Care Unit

4 weeks

Progressive Care Unit

4 weeks

Inpatient Consults

4 weeks

Cardiac Catheterization

4 weeks

Electrophysiology

4 weeks

Advanced Heart failure/Transplant

4 weeks

Research

20 weeks

Year 3 Curriculum

Duration

Echocardiography

4 weeks

Cardiac Intensive Care Unit

2 weeks

Progressive Care Unit

2 weeks

Inpatient Consults

4 weeks

Cardiac Catheterization

4 weeks

Adult Congenital Heart Disease

4 weeks

Elective

8 weeks

Research

24 weeks

Call:  All call, when not in the intensive care unit, will be phone call.  The number of calls will be based on year and decrease from year one to year three.

Note: 4 weeks (20 days) per year of vacation can be taken on any non-inpatient block in any manner the fellow prefers
Note: Continuity clinic will be one day per week during all non-inpatient block throughout the three years

Electives can be an extra block of any required rotation plus those below:

Fetal = Fetal echocardiography
MRI/CT = Advanced imaging including cardiac MRI and CTA
NIEP = Non-invasive electrophysiology
Outreach = outpatient rotation that rotates through different NCMG outreach sites

Sample Block Schedule

Conferences

Fellows have the opportunity for a varied experience of learning activities, including conference series, journal club, and grand rounds to address the required core knowledge area.


 

Weekly Conferences

  • Surgical conference (Heart board)
  • CICU Case conference
  • Pediatric cardiology fellowship curriculum
  • Pediatric cardiology specialty workshops
  • Department of Pediatrics Grand Rounds*
  • Fetal board*

Monthly Conferences

  • Journal Club
  • EP multidisciplinary discussion
  • Pediatric Innovation and Research Advisory Team*
  • CV Surgery teaching
  • ACHD patient conference*

Quarterly Conferences

  • Morbidity and Mortality
  • Combined fellows conference
  • Echo quality assurance

1Quality improvement curriculum, wellness, and research methods will be incorporated into learning experiences combined with other UofL fellows.


 

*= optional conferences

Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Team

 

Joshua D. Kurtz, MD | email me
Fellowship Director, Division of Pediatric Cardiology
Norton Children's Hospital Profile 


Soham Dasgupta, MDemail me
Associate Program Director, Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship
Norton Children's Hospital Profile


Camry Woodward | email me
Fellowship Program Coordinator
Phone:502-852-7997


Division of Pediatric Cardiology
Academic Office
571 S. Floyd Street
Louisville, Kentucky 40202
Phone: 502-852-3776

By The Numbers

~300 total surgical cases per year

~160 cardiopulmonary bypass cases per year

~ 190 index operations per year

~  7 orthotopic heart transplants per year

~400 Cardiac catheterizations per year

~90 Electrophysiology cases per year

~16,500 outpatient visits per year

~11,600 echocardiograms per year

~150 transesophageal echocardiograms per year

~575 fetal echocardiograms per year