Educational Activities

The fellowship program offers broad and diverse educational activities which include the following:

Fellow lectures

The core curriculum consists of formal education with four conferences every week covering a breadth of topics in pediatric cardiology.

These are hour-long didactic sessions which cover ABP subspecialty board-specific topics. Most lectures are led by UMMC Pediatric Cardiology faculty with some lectures covered by faculty from other applicable subspecialties, including biostatistics, ethics, billing/coding among others. Lectures are designed to foster a collaborative learning environment for both trainees and faculty. All lectures are covered in 12 months so each fellow will have an opportunity to attend all topics. Fellows will present some lectures as well.

Journal club

A traditional journal club is held. The meeting is led by a fellow and a faculty member. Fellows will review a selected, high-impact journal on a pediatric cardiology topic. The assigned fellow will first review the article and then present a short up-to-date review of the topic covered. The fellow will also critique the manuscript based on evidence-based medicine and scientific method principles. A faculty member will be assigned to provide additional insight and feedback during the conference.

Morbidity and mortality

A monthly Children's Heart Center M&M is held. The meeting is led by fellows. The conferences review previous deaths and major events in the CICU. Fellows begin presenting in the second half of their first year with the help of an attending physician and NP.

Cardiothoracic surgery conference

Weekly conferences are held with the Children's Heart Center and pediatric critical care teams to discuss the week's upcoming surgical cases. Cardiologists also present patients for discussion of surgical management options. The conference offers extensive education in surgical treatment of congenital heart disease, echocardiography/non-invasive imaging, heart catheterization and complex cardiac anatomy.

Cath conference

Weekly conferences are held with Children's Heart Center and pediatric critical care teams to discuss the week's upcoming cases. Cardiologists also present patients for discussion of percutaneous management options. The conference offers extensive education in percutaneous treatment of congenital heart disease, cardiac hemodynamics, echocardiography/non-invasive imaging, and complex cardiac anatomy.

ICU case conference

Weekly conference to discuss patients in the CICU. Topics include current status and management decisions. The conference is designed to teach critical decision making and develop consistency between various members of the care team.

Multidisciplinary rounds

Weekly meeting with social work, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology and nutrition to ensure all needs of our in-patients are being addressed.

Pediatric grand rounds

Weekly presentations given by UMC faculty, local physicians and invited speakers.

Pediatric core fellowship lectures

Monthly lectures covering a broad spectrum of topics related to the medical field, such as medical ethics, burnout, billing and coding, diversity and resilience building. This is also a monthly protected time to meet with all of the pediatric subspecialty fellows.

Pediatric research

The pediatric fellowship research curriculum was developed to prepare and support fellows in the foundation skills needed for conducting human subjects research. The core components of the curriculum are mentorship, design, evidence-based medicine, and biostatistics.