The MedStar Health—Georgetown/Washington Hospital Center Fellowship Program in Cardiovascular Disease
Our Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship (Cardiology Fellowship) provides physicians with exceptional training and research opportunities across the spectrum of cardiovascular medicine at four prestigious institutions in Washington, D.C.,
- MedStar Georgetown University Hospital
- MedStar Washington Hospital Center
- Washington, D.C., Veterans Affairs Medical Center
- Children’s National Medical Center
This distinguished three-year program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), and accepts six fellows every year.
Why train here
Our experienced clinicians and renowned hospitals provide wide-ranging exposure to all areas of cardiovascular disease in an academic environment that focuses on patient-centered care.
With rotations in each location, fellows develop the skills, knowledge, and attitudes that lead to proficiency in all areas of clinical competency.
Curriculum
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Patient and care management
In addition to the core clinical skills of internal medicine, all cardiology trainees develop skills in obtaining a history and performing a complete cardiovascular physical examination.
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Intensive care
Training includes full-time experience with patients undergoing intensive care for acute cardiovascular disorders and coronary care.
Learn more about intensive care at MedStar Health here.
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Ambulatory, outpatient, and follow-up care
Trainees learn the importance of continued responsibility for principal care, co-management with primary care physicians, and consultation.
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Electrocardiology
All cardiovascular trainees become skilled in the interpretation of ECGs.
Learn more about electrocardiology at MedStar Health here.
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Cardiac arrhythmia and device management
All trainees understand the diagnosis and management of cardiac arrhythmias. All trainees must be skilled in the selection of patients for specialized electrophysiologic studies. Fellows participate both in the consultative and procedural elements of the EP lab.
Learn more about cardiac arrhythmia at MedStar Health here.
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Heart failure and heart transplantation
All trainees understand the diagnosis and management of patients with heart failure and that of cardiac transplant recipients rotating on patients with heart transplants, left ventricular assist devices, and stage D heart failure.
Learn more about advanced heart failure at MedStar Health here.
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Congenital heart disease in the adult
All trainees understand the diagnosis and management of adult patients with and without surgical repair of congenital heart disease. This educational program is offered in conjunction with Children’s National Medical Center.
Learn more about our adult congenital heart program here.
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Preventive cardiovascular medicine
All trainees know the principles of preventive cardiovascular medicine, including vascular biology, genetics, epidemiology, biostatistics, clinical trials, outcomes research, clinical pharmacology, behavior change, and multidisciplinary care.
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Vascular medicine
The trainees develop sound knowledge of the clinical features and treatment of vascular disease
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Electrocardiography
All fellows gain Level II experience in echocardiography (COCATS 4). This includes six months of echo experience across two institutions. Exposure is offered in all aspects of echocardiography, including structural and interventional echocardiography.
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Magnetic resonance imaging
Familiarity with the cardiovascular applications and interpretations of magnetic resonance images is essential to the training of a cardiovascular fellow. All fellows gain Level 1 experience in Cardiac MR (COCATS 4).
Learn more about magnetic resonance imaging scans at MedStar Health here.
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Computed tomography
Computed tomography (CT) is a rapidly evolving technique to evaluate cardiovascular anatomy and function. Trainees participate in well over 50 mentored interpretations to achieve Level 1 competency (COCATS 4).
Learn more about Computed Tomography scans at MedStar Health here.
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Cardiovascular research
All trainees participate actively in research activities. Trainees who anticipate a career in academic cardiology have additional specialized training.
Learn more about our Cardiovascular Research Network here.
Sample schedule
Outpatient Continuity Clinic
Each fellow has one-half day per week of clinic for the 36 months of training. Each fellow is, on average, responsible for four to eight patients during each half-day session. The outpatient clinical experience is provided in four different settings on a rotating basis:
- MedStar Washington Cardiology Outpatient Clinic
- Washington, D.C., Veterans Affairs Medical Center Cardiology Ambulatory Clinic
On-call information
- One in-house at MedStar Washington
- One on-call at home to cover the consultative service needs at MedStar Georgetown and the Washington, D.C., Veterans Affairs Medical Center
- A night float system is used to cover in house call at Medstar Washington Hospital Center
Duty hours
Fellow duty hours are strictly enforced according to the ACGME program requirements.
Duty hours are:
- Limited to a maximum of 80 hours per week
- Averaged over a four-week period
- Inclusive of all in-house activities and all moonlighting, which must be approved annually and in writing by the program director
Conferences
Our program has regularly scheduled cardiology conferences, seminars, and reviews of published data Monday through Friday. The participation of trainees in the planning and production of these conferences is expected.
Attendance at medical grand rounds and multidisciplinary conferences is highly desirable, particularly at conferences closely related to cardiovascular disease, such as conferences on surgery, radiology, and pathology.
Research
Research is an integral part of the training program. Fellows can select from a range of research activities to complement their clinical training and match their personal interests.
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Training locations
MedStar Washington Hospital Center
MedStar Washington is Washington's largest and busiest hospital. The Department of Radiation Oncology at MedStar Washington is part of the Washington Cancer Institute.110 Irving St. NW
Washington, D.C., 20010
MedStar Georgetown is a world-renowned, not-for-profit, acute-care teaching and research hospital located in Northwest Washington, D.C.,
3800 Reservoir Rd. NW
Washington, D.C., 20007
The VA Medical Center is the nation’s only health care system dedicated exclusively to the health care of veterans of the U.S. military.
50 Irving St. NW
Washington, D.C., 20422
Children’s National is a leading pediatric health system serving children in the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area.
111 Michigan Ave. NW
Washington, D.C., 20010
Contact us
We welcome your questions about our program. For additional information, please contact:
Susan Imus
Program Coordinator
202-877-9090
Susan.G.Imus@medstar.net