Medical College of Wisconsin Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship

The pediatric cardiology fellowship within the Herma Heart Institute (HHI) provides superior training in one of the nation's largest pediatric cardiology, cardiac surgery and cardiovascular research centers.

Our objective is to prepare fellows for careers within academic or non-academic pediatric cardiology. Pediatric cardiology training will focus on excellence in clinical skills, understanding of hemodynamics and pathophysiology and an appreciation for natural history. It is a goal of the fellowship to give trainees exposure to all aspects of cardiology while providing an appropriate balance of autonomy and advanced learning with our clinicians. Three years of training is required for the sub-board of pediatric cardiology and a fourth year of advanced clinical/research training is available at our center.

Clinical Rotations

Echo/Advance Imaging rotations:  

•  Attend pediatric cardiology conferences and teaching sessions.
•  Attend daily echo review session of the previous day's studies with echo attending.  
• Participate in TEE intraoperative and interventional studies as a senior fellow.  
• Observe and perform routine transthoracic echo studies on inpatients and outpatients with echo technical staff.  
• Write preliminary reports on all studies performed by the fellow.  
• Review all echo studies to be shown at conference and present them. 
• Participate in the planning, acquisition of, and reporting of advanced imaging studies including fetal echocardiography, three-dimensional echocardiography, and both cardiac MRI and cardiac CT.

Cardiac Catheterization rotation:

• Attend pediatric cardiology conferences and teaching sessions. 
• Perform H&P on all cardiac cath patients prior to the procedure. 
• Participate in all cardiac cath procedures. 
• Complete post-cath orders on patients following cath. 
• Admit and write follow-up notes on all post cath interventional patients. 
• Complete diagrams and hemodynamics on all cath patients and dictate the procedure. 
• Review all cath studies to be shown at conferences and present them.  

 Inpatient Services/ICU/Consultation rotation: 

• Attend pediatric cardiology conferences and teaching sessions.  
• Attend daily ICU and intermediate care rounds on cardiology and cardiovascular surgery patients.
• Serve as primary provider for CICU patients while rotating in the CICU   
• Perform H&P on patients admitted to cardiology and cardiovascular surgery service.  
• Write daily notes on all ICU cardiology and cardiovascular surgery patients.  
• Perform all inpatient consults in the hospital.  
• Participate in all patient interventions performed in the ICU.  
• Review all inpatient histories to be discussed at conferences and present them.  

EP/Adult Congenital Heart Disease/Transplant/Heart Failure/Pulmonary Hypertension: 

• Attend pediatric cardiology conferences and teaching sessions.  
• Perform H&P on all EP patients prior to the procedure.  
• Participate in all EP procedures.    
• Admit and write F/U notes on all post EP interventional patients.  
• Review electrophysiology tracings on all EP patients and dictate the procedure.  
• Read all non-clinic inpatient and outpatient ECG's and Holters.  
• Attend all pacemaker clinics.  
• Attend all adult congenital heart disease clinics.  
• Attend all transplant and heart failure clinics.
• Attend all PH clinics
• Perform inpatient consultations for EP/ACHD/PH/HF/Transplant patients.

During fellowship you will be expected to design, implement, and complete original research investigations.  Opportunities in basic science, translational, and clinical research are all available and we have a scholarly oversight program which will help ensure project completion.  Our fellows also have the opportunity to work in quality improvement studies within the HHI and Children’s Wisconsin.

Length of Training

The fellowship is designed for three years of training with an option of applying for a fourth year of training. 

Qualifications and recruitment of trainees 

Fellow applicants will be required to have a medical degree and have completed a pediatric residency in a US-accredited training program. The program participates in the NRMP pediatric cardiology match program.

Content of Training 

Throughout subspecialty training, the fellow will receive extensive, focused training in all aspects of clinical pediatric cardiology. The fellow will have 2 rotations during the first year that will provide an introduction to investigative research where they will have an opportunity to interact with research mentors and begin to develop a program of investigative study with that mentor. 10 additional months of research will be provided over the remainder of fellowship to further establish a program of investigative research.

Rotation Schedule 

Each rotation is one month with 24 total clinical months and 12 total research months. 

Year 1 

• Echo/Noninvasive Imaging (3 rotations)
• Cardiac Catheterization (1 rotation)
• Inpatient Service (CICU/Consult) (4 rotations)
• Electrophysiology (1 rotation)
• Research (2 rotations)
• Heart Failure/Transplant (1 rotation)

Year 2

• Advanced Imaging (1 rotation)
• Cardiac Catheterization (1 rotation split into 2 week blocks)
• Inpatient Service (CICU/Consult) (2 rotations)
• Adult Congenital Heart Disease (1 rotation)
• Pulmonary Hypertension (0.5 rotation)
• Elective (1.5 rotation)
• Research (4 rotations)
• CIN-Cardiothoracic Surgery, Interstage Team, Neurodevelopmental Clinic (1 rotation)

Year 3

• Cardiac Catheterization (1 rotation split into 2 week blocks)
• Inpatient Service (CICU/Consult) (2 rotations)
• EP (1 rotation)
• Elective (2 rotations)
• Research (6 rotations)

Call

In-house call is required seven days a week.  Monday through Friday, senior fellows provide back-up call. 

The Joint Fellowship Curriculum (JFC) at the Medical College of Wisconsin is a series of longitudinal educational experiences designed to cover topics required for all pediatric fellows. While specialty-specific education is covered within each section, the JFC endeavors to cover the remainder of topics that are common to all fellowship trainees. Fellows not only gain insight on these topics from campus-wide experts, but also do so in a collaborative learning environment with their same level fellow peers from across the pediatric enterprise. 

Learn More

Pediatric Fourth Year Non-Invasive Imaging Fellowship

In conjunction with the Medical College of Wisconsin, a fourth year of non-invasive imaging training within the Herma Heart Institute at the Children’s Wisconsin is available.

Fourth year imaging fellows will gain experience working alongside our experts in transthoracic echocardiography, transesophageal echocardiography, three-dimensional echocardiography, fetal echocardiography, cardiac CT, and cardiac MRI. Our busy imaging group performs and interprets nearly 12,000 echocardiograms, 500 cardiac MRI’s, and 50 cardiac CT scans per year. These studies are performed at the main campus as well as at our satellite campuses around the Milwaukee area.

We have one funded position yearly for a qualified applicant. Our imaging training focuses on performing and interpreting the core non-invasive imaging modalities in assessing congenital and acquired heart disease in all age ranges, from the fetus to the adult with congenital heart disease. We also offer the opportunity to tailor your training towards your career interests. Importantly there is the expectation and opportunity for our fellows to participate in imaging research as well as teaching of the core pediatric cardiology fellows, residents, and medical students.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should contact Ben Goot, MD (bgoot@childrenswi.org) and submit a copy of your curriculum vitae as well as three letters of reference. Applicants will be considered once all materials have been received. Materials can be submitted starting in May of the year prior to expected start date and we plan to interview on a rolling basis once completed applications are received.

Adult Congenital Subspecialty Fellowship

In conjunction with the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW), a two year ACGME accredited subspecialty fellowship in adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) is offered through the Herma Heart Institute at Children’s Wisconsin.

The goals of this subspecialty fellowship training program in ACHD are to provide the fellow with extensive, focused training in the entire spectrum of ACHD patients so that the fellow can establish an advanced clinical or academic career in ACHD. The fellow will specifically gain experience in the following realms of ACHD care: medical and surgical management, postoperative care; invasive and noninvasive diagnostic testing; management of acquired cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary disease; psychosocial aspects of transitioning from adolescence into adulthood in adolescents with CHD; health promotion in adults; anatomy, morphology and pathophysiology of CHD; and research.

This training program takes place at both Children's Wisconsin and the MCW affiliated adult hospital, Froedtert Hospital, which is on the same campus as Children's. Fellows will have the opportunity to participate in inpatient rounds and diagnostic testing at both hospitals. Outpatient clinic is primarily based at Children's. Elective rotations can be done at either hospital, however, those fellows with an adult training background will have the majority of elective time at Children's, and those with a pediatric cardiology training background will the majority of elective time at Froedtert Hospital. The fellow will be expected to participate in ACHD research, as well as, take an active role in teaching adult and pediatric cardiology fellows, residents and medical students.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should have completed a three year ACGME accredited adult cardiology or pediatric cardiology fellowship program prior to appointment. Our program will now be using the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) for this upcoming application cycle (the July 2019 application cycle for a July 2020 fellowship start). Application requirements will include: ERAS application, 3 letters of recommendation (1 from the current program director), and a Curriculum Vitae. Please contact the program director, Scott Cohen, MD (scohen@childrenswi.org) or the program’s administer, Orlando Diaz (odiaz@mcw.edu) for more information.

• Most fellows usually arrive at 7 a.m.
• Morning teaching conference
• Echocardiogram teaching review session with senior imaging faculty
• Teaching rounds with multidisciplinary provider teams on patients in various clinical settings, including the cardiac ICU, pediatric ICU, neonatal ICU, and acute care floors
• Provide cardiology consultation throughout a busy free-standing children’s hospital
• Read pediatric ECGs and review telemetry
• Participate in teaching activities with medical student and residents
• Services start to sign out at 4pm and the on-call fellow takes responsibility for all cardiology patients by 5pm
• There is always one fellow on call in house, covering all the cardiology patients in the hospital 
• Weekend call is split evenly among the fellows and usually results in each fellow working one weekend per month

Our talented and experienced faculty are excited to work with you throughout your fellowship!

Meet Our Team

About the Medical College of Wisconsin

With a history dating back to 1893, the Medical College of Wisconsin is dedicated to leadership and excellence in education, patient care, research and community engagement. More than 1,400 students are enrolled in MCW’s medical school and graduate school programs in Milwaukee, Green Bay and Central Wisconsin. MCW’s School of Pharmacy opened in 2017. A major national research center, MCW is the largest research institution in the Milwaukee metro area and second largest in Wisconsin. In the last ten years, faculty received more than $1.5 billion in external support for research, teaching, training and related purposes. This total includes highly competitive research and training awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Annually, MCW faculty direct or collaborate on more than 3,100 research studies, including clinical trials. Additionally, more than 1,600 physicians provide care in virtually every specialty of medicine for more than 4.0 million patients annually.

About Children’s Wisconsin

Children’s Wisconsin is the region’s only independent health care system dedicated solely to the health and well-being of children. The hospital, with locations in Milwaukee and Neenah, Wisconsin, is recognized as one of the leading pediatric health care centers in the United States. It is ranked in nine specialty areas in U.S. News & World Report’s 2019-20 Best Children’s Hospitals report. Children’s provides primary care, specialty care, urgent care, emergency care, community health services, foster and adoption services, child and family counseling, child advocacy services and family resource centers. In 2019, Children’s invested more than $130 million in the community to improve the health status of children through medical care, advocacy, education and pediatric medical research. Children’s achieves its mission in part through donations from individuals, corporations and foundations and is proud to be a member of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

At MCW and within the Department of Pediatrics, we have several programs and resources focused on fostering a diverse and inclusive environment. Our departmental and institutional focus is confronting negative perceptions and welcoming our community. Below is just a sampling of the efforts across our institutions to embed the principles of diversity and inclusion into our culture.

• DOP Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council | Our Diversity Council, led by Dr. Mike Levas, the DOP Vice Chair for Diversity and Inclusion, and comprised of faculty, staff, administration, and trainees, is focused on connecting with partners across our system and within the community to ensure the DOP is a diverse, equitable and inclusive employer.
• DOP Fellowship and Residency Diversity and Inclusion Committees | In a city filled with its own diversity and rich cultural history, our fellows and residents recognize the importance of addressing diversity, health equity, and inclusion within our programs. As such, the program is proud to recognize the presence and work of its Committee for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
• DOP Unconscious Bias Training | The AAMC has partnered with Cook Ross, Inc., a leading consulting firm, to create training focused on the science behind unconscious bias to help academic medical staff and faculty mitigate disparities. Seven members of our team have earned a certification as unconscious bias trainers through Cook Ross. These trainers have translated what they’ve learned into a two-hour training for our faculty and staff. By learning how to identify and confront unconscious bias, it is possible to mitigate the impact and promote respect for all groups.
• Trauma-Informed Workplace Training | This committee has undertaken actions including a department-wide survey and the creation of four online training modules sharing the principles of trauma-informed approach and how to recognize signs and symptoms of trauma in ourselves and others. This group started as part of Fostering Futures, a state-wide initiative aimed at infusing a trauma-informed approach into all the systems and organizations that touch the lives of Wisconsin citizens with the goal of expanding across the state to make Wisconsin the first trauma-informed state in the nation.
• Office of Diversity and Inclusion | Established in March 2016, the MCW Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) partners within MCW and with community partners to foster and drive inclusion excellence as an effective, empowering enabler of MCW mission and strategic goals.
• Spring Festival of Cultures | The annual Spring Festival of Cultures encourages an increased awareness and celebration of the visible and non-visible identities among our MCW community. This three-day event is an opportunity to promote the fostering of diversity, inclusion and unity at MCW.
• President’s Diversity and Inclusion Award | MCW’s President's Diversity and Inclusion Award recognizes the accomplishments of faculty, staff, students, residents, trainees, and community members in contributing to diversity and inclusion through exemplary leadership.
• Institute of Health and Equity | The Institute for Health & Equity is focused on researching the root causes of health disparities in our communities, and advancing the best ideas to foster health equity throughout the world. We target populations with abnormally high rates of disease and injury – urban and rural alike – and then we find out why. Partnering with community health collaborators who live and work closest to the most vulnerable populations, we are making an impact on reducing those disparities, one community at a time.
• GMF-MCW Partnership | Through their overall partnership, MCW and GMF will bring complementary expertise on a range of strategies to invest in the health, equity and economic well-being of people across Milwaukee, beginning with the neighborhoods adjacent to the new development. Guided by community priorities and data, the GMF-MCW Partnership will be a catalyst for additional investment and community impact. Together, the partners will:
  • Engage resident and community partnerships
  • Improve social determinants of health
  • Catalyze change that leverages resources and investment

Learn about MCW's Office of Diversity and Inclusion

Milwaukee is one of the Midwest’s best-kept secrets and a prime location for the Medical College of Wisconsin’s main campus. A one-of-a-kind city with a vibrant and diverse culture, this charming, yet metropolitan must-see is just 90 minutes north of Chicago and nestled on the coast of Lake Michigan. Whether you’re catching a show at Summerfest, the world’s largest music festival, immersing yourself in the old world charm of the Historic Third Ward or taking in the sights and sounds of one of the many cafés, beer gardens or restaurants that line the city’s riverbank and shoreline, Milwaukee never disappoints. Find out why MCW students, faculty and employees take pride in calling Milwaukee home.

Learn more about housing and rental options.

More about Milwaukee

Our 3-year fellowship program is ACGME accredited and begins on July 1 each year. We accept three fellows each year through the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). Applicants must have completed a US-accredited residency program. Applications from prospective applicants are accepted from July through October via the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). We will access your application and contact you to make interview arrangements.

Complete applications should include the following:

• ERAS application form
• At least 3 letters of reference including Program Director letter
• Medical Student Performance Evaluation/Dean's Letter
• Curriculum Vitae
• Personal statement
• MD Applicants: USMLE scores - Steps 1, 2, and 3 or
• DO Applicants: COMLEX scores – Levels 1, 2 and 3
• ECFMG certificate for foreign medical school graduates (see visa information below)

Our program currently accepts the following visas:

• Permanent Resident Visa
• Visitor Exchange Visa sponsored by ECFMG (J-1)
• For additional visa information please visit MCW’s office of Graduate Medical Education.

Apply on ERAS

Fellows are employed by the Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals (MCWAH).

See MCWAH Benefits, Conditions & Terms of Employment for information regarding vacations, leaves, insurance, stipends and professional liability.

Visit MCWAH