The Division of Cardiology offers a structured three-year program of training designed to prepare highly qualified candidates for careers in clinical and investigative cardiology. Intensive experience under close supervision of full-time staff is provided in all major clinical and laboratory aspects of contemporary cardiology. From the beginning of training, one half day per week is spent working under careful supervision in the Outpatient Cardiology Group Practice. In addition, each fellow is expected to participate in one or more areas of ongoing research. There are ordinarily six fellows in each year.
The first two years are focused on clinical care. All fellows rotate through the cardiac catheterization laboratory, echocardiography, electrophysiology, graphics (ECG, stress testing, ambulatory monitoring, pacemaker analysis), and nuclear cardiology laboratories. Clinical rotations include the coronary care unit, telemetry unit, consultation service, and Memorial Sloan Kettering consultation service. Years one and two each: Cardiac catheterization (2 months); Echocardiography (1.5); Nuclear (1); Graphics (1); EP (1.0); CCU (1); Telemetry (1); Consultations (1); Memorial Sloan Kettering (1); Research (0.5); Vacation (1).
The third year provides mentored and more intensive experience in a selected area of clinical or basic research, or a laboratory skill. The year consists of 11 months of intensive mentored experience in one area. The 12th month is vacation. Appointments for intensive third year experience in specific laboratories are subject to individual approval by laboratory directors and the Division Chief - usually early during fellowship year two.
For those training in invasive cardiology, both the third year of the clinical fellowship and the fourth, separately accredited year in Interventional Cardiology are required to become fully proficient in angioplasty and other interventional techniques. For those training in electrophysiology, the third year of the clinical fellowship and a fourth year encompass a separate ACGME-accredited fellowship in Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology.
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center is an 800 bed academic center on the east side of mid-Manhattan. We serve a tertiary care referral population (in cardiology mainly for cardiac catheterization, interventional cardiology, electrophysiology, and cardiac surgery) and a community-based population. The new Greenberg Pavilion includes state-of-the-art coronary care and telemetry/step down units on the fourth floor, adjacent to Cardiology's new invasive and noninvasive laboratories, our outpatient area, non-invasive laboratories, and Cardiothoracic Surgery.
Consultations are seen at Memorial Sloan Kettering, a 600 bed cancer facility, and at Hospital for Special Surgery, a 300 bed rheumatology/orthopedics hospital, both located immediately across the street from NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell. We have academic and referral relationships with a number of hospitals throughout the New York metropolitan area, which constitute our Network. Although fellows do not rotate at these other network hospitals, they are responsible for the care of referred patients when they arrive at Cornell.
