Beacon Kalamazoo Interventional Cardiology Fellowship Program
During the fellowship, the fellow will acquire expertise as primary operator on all invasive diagnostic cardiac procedures, coronary interventions and ethanol septal ablations. Our facility uses state of the art equipment and techniques, including flat-panel imaging, intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), invasive physiology (FFR/iFR), intracardiac echo (ICE), thrombectomy, atherectomy, percutaneous hemodynamic support devices. As a dedicated site to primary coronary intervention for acute myocardial infarction, trainees have broad exposure to the entire spectrum of coronary disease, including chronic stable coronary artery disease, chronic total occlusion (CTO), acute coronary syndromes and ST-elevation MI. A thorough curriculum, including academic conferences, literature reviews, reviews of unusual cases/presentation continues to be a tradition at BKH.
During the fellowship, there is an expectation that the fellows will engage in a research project. Active areas of research include clinical, animal and basic science projects, and fellows are mentored in all areas including study design, grant writing, institutional review board application in addition to presenting work at conferences, meetings and in publication.
A one-year program designed as a fourth year cardiology training in invasive and interventional cardiology.
The Interventional Cardiology Fellowship Program at Beacon Kalamazoo is a one-year program designed as a fourth year cardiology training in invasive and interventional cardiology. This program is fully accredited by American Counsel for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). The Interventional Cardiology Fellowship Program is affiliated with Michigan State University. The program offers three interventional cardiology positions per year (July 1 – June 30).
The fourth year interventional cardiology fellowship is intended to provide advanced training for cardiology fellows who have completed their training at an accredited three-year cardiology fellowship program in the United States or abroad. The interventional cardiology fellowship program includes a large volume of hands-on interventional training with nationally and internationally known physicians who are part of the faculty of Michigan State University. It is expected that each fellow will have participated in and/or have primary operator experience in a minimum of 400 to 600 coronary interventions during the course of their fellowship. Beacon Kalamazoo also offers a 5th year of Advanced Interventional Fellowship training focusing on high risk PCI’s like CHIP & CTO, and Structural Heart Disease interventions like Valvuloplasty, TAVR, MitraClip, Watchman, Angiovac and Alcohol Septal Ablation.
Advanced training is also provided in peripheral vascular interventions, carotid artery stenting and angiography, pacemaker implantation (optional), Rotablator atherectomy, Angiojet thrombectomy, intravascular ultrasound, physiologic assessment of lesions using Doppler and pressure measurement techniques, acute MI management and interventions, training distal protection techniques, and a variety of other newer technical modalities. Approximately 5,000 cardiac procedures and more than 2,000 PCI’s are performed annually.
Beacon Kalamazoo is actively involved in five to 10 basic and clinical cardiovascular research studies per year. It is anticipated that each fellow will participate in one or more research projects during his/her fellowship. The fellowship also provides a variety of other teaching and learning opportunities including didactic, journal club, weekly cardiovascular conferences, M&M conference, and other CME opportunities.
In summary, the interventional cardiology fourth year fellowship program is intended for top-notch cardiology fellows interested in a clinical or academic year in interventional cardiology. Graduates of this program are eligible for, and have been highly successful in, the completion of board certification in the sub-specialty of interventional cardiology.