Curriculum

Our fellows benefit from excellent procedural volumes and exposure to a wide variety of pathology from the diverse Houston area population. Our fellows are also exposed to all of the latest technologies available in cardiovascular care including LVADs (both durable and short term percutaneous devices), 3D echo, advanced fluoro-less EP studies utilizing 3D mapping systems, TAVR, and percutaneous left atrial appendage excluder devices, to name just a few.

Fellows also participate in several Regularly Scheduled Conferences (RSC) and are encouraged to complete a research project during the course of their three-year general cardiology fellowship. There are a number of opportunities for fellows to conduct research, including clinical trials and device development, among THI’s multiple research laboratories. Additionally, fellows have the opportunity to participate as reviewers for The Texas Heart Institute Journal.

Regularly Scheduled Conferences

Core Cardiology Lecture Series – The core cardiology lecture series is held daily during the noon conference from July to September of each year to provide incoming cardiology fellows with a broad introduction to the most salient topics and concepts in cardiology.

Cath Conferences – The conference is held on the first Thursday of each month during the noon conference. Fellows present recent cases from the cath lab, both hemodynamic and coronary angiographic information, to facilitate both faculty and fellow discussion of clinical decision making.

CCU Morning Report – This teaching conference is held each Thursday morning at 8:00 AM and is restricted to first-year fellows, who will present and discuss recent clinical or procedural cases with clinical faculty.

EKG Conference – The EKG conference is held once monthly during the noon conference. Interesting EKGs are presented by fellows and discussed in concept and ABIM cardiology board format.

Journal Club – The Journal club is held once monthly during the noon conference. Fellows present relevant, high-impact articles for discussion in the presence of fellows and staff.

Echo Noon Conferences – Held twice monthly during noon conference on Wednesdays. Echocardiography teaching staff reviews essential topics and concepts in echocardiography.

Echo/MRI Clinical Correlation Conference – Held from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. every other Wednesday. MRI and echocardiography teaching staff present interesting cases and compare findings on cardiac MR, cardiac CT, and echo for correlation.

EP conference – Held Wednesdays and Friday mornings from 7:30 to 8:30. EP conference consists of various presenters and formats, including current fellows, teaching faculty, visiting faculty, and vendors presenting on relevant topics in electrophysiology.

Interventional Fellows Conference – Held each Thursday morning from 7:00 to 8:00. Interventional conference consists of various presenters and formats, including current fellows, teaching faculty, visiting faculty, and vendors presenting on relevant topics in interventional cardiology.

Grand Rounds – Each Friday at 12:00 p.m., Grand Rounds consists of an hour-long presentation given by a visiting lecturer, generally an expert in their cardiology field, invited by our cardiology department.

M&M – Held monthly during noon conference. Senior fellows present cases of morbidity and mortality for peer review with both fellows and teaching staff.

Didactics & Symposia

Cardiology Fellow Boot Camp – An incoming fellows’ boot camp is hosted prior to the matriculation of our new PGY4 fellows each year. This is coordinated by a prior THI fellow and current Texas Children’s Hospital adult congenital and electrophysiology specialist, Dr. Wilson Lam.

Annual Houston Echo Review: Boot Camp for Echo Board – Annual two-day echocardiography board review and CME session involving a collaboration of leaders from Texas Heart Institute and surrounding institutions, including The Methodist Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine.

Women’s Heart & Vascular Symposium
Cardiac Arrhythmia Symposium
Global Cardiovascular Forum
Cardiac Society Symposium
International Symposium on Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine
Igor Palacios Lectureship & Symposium

 

Livestreaming Education

All Fellows are enrolled in Texas Heart TV to receive unlimited access to the enduring education developed at THI.

Our fellows receive hands-on experience from day one of their fellowship.

PGY-4 rotations:

  • 2 months CCU
  • 2 months echo
  • 1 month nuclear
  • 2 months non-invasive/cardiac rehab
  • 1 month advanced heart failure
  • 4 months cath/consult

PGY-5 rotations:

  • 2 months echo
  • 1-3 months nuclear (depending on career goals)
  • 1 month adult congenital heart disease at Texas Children’s Hospital
  • 1 month advanced heart failure
  • 2 months electrophysiology
  • 1 month cath rotation at MD Anderson Cancer Center‎
  • 2-4 months cath/consult

PGY-6 rotations (Career specific):

EP

  • 6-8 months EP
  • 1 month non-invasive EP
  • 1 month CT/MRI
  • 1-2 research/elective
  • 0-1 month nuclear

Interventional

  • 3 months peripheral
  • 1 month PV non-invasive
  • 5 months cath
  • 1 month nuclear
  • 1 month research/elective
  • 1 month CT/MRI

Non-invasive

  • 4-6 months echo
  • 1 month nuclear
  • 1 month research/elective
  • 1 month CT/MRI
  • 2 months cath/consult
  • 1 month PV non-invasive