Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship Program

• Annual surgical volumes
  • > 1000 adult and congenital cardiovascular procedures
  • 600 general thoracic procedures, including > 40 esophagectomies
• Robust thoracic robotic program
• Two new hybrid cardiovascular surgical suites
• Weekly conferences
• Busy heart failure program including ECMO, VAD, transplantation
• Full APP staffing for clinic and inpatient coverage
• Department of Surgery Newsletters

The MCW Cardiothoracic Fellowship is a 24-month ACGME accredited program (listed as Thoracic Surgery Fellowship Program) focusing on the complete evaluation and treatment of all aspects of cardiothoracic disease. This fellowship is a well-structured, mentored program that will involve a diversified experience, including all aspects of general thoracic surgery (including robotic surgery), adult cardiac surgery (aortic surgery, coronary bypass, valvular heart disease including TAVR, mitral valve repair and TMVR), mechanical circulatory support (VAD and ECMO), and congenital cardiothoracic surgery.

The clinical programs of our division are broken up into three traditional categories: Adult Cardiac Surgery, Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, and General Thoracic Surgery. Some overlap of faculty exists among the three subspecialties, but they tend to function autonomously. Our goal is to educate and train future academic and clinical leaders in Cardiothoracic Surgery.

This is a formal educational program in the art and science of Cardiothoracic Surgery.

• Clinical teaching occurs daily in the OR, Clinics, & Surgical Wards
• Academic Conferences are held weekly, as well as M&M and tumor board conferences
• The faculty is comprised of 12 Full-time board-certified Cardiothoracic Surgeons
• Fellows attend regional and national conferences

Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin

Children’s Wisconsin

Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center

Eligibility Criteria

• To be eligible to enter the fellowship, candidates must have successfully completed five years of an ACGME-accredited general surgery residency program and be eligible for examination by the American Board of Surgery
• Completion of training in one of the following programs
  • ACGME-accredited residency program
  • Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC)-accredited or College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC)-accredited residency program located in Canada.
  • AOA-approved residency program.

Application Process

Applications are accepted only through ERAS (Electronic Residency Application Service) hosted by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)

MCWAH Thoracic Surgery ERAS Program ID: 4605600102

Applications should include:

1. CV
2. Three letters of recommendation
3. USMLE Scores
4. Medical School Transcripts
5. Personal Statement
6. Photo

Applicants chosen for interview will be notified by the program coordinator via email.

Learn more about the Faculty of the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Cardiothoracic Surgery Faculty

Congenital Heart Surgery Faculty

Joshua Melamed, MD
2021-2023

Austin Rogers, MD
2022-2024

Ghulum Murtaza – Fellowship, Medical College of Wisconsin, now Cardiac Surgery, St. Mary’s Madison

Moritz Wyler Von Ballmoos – Advanced fellowship at Duke, now Cardiac Surgery at Methodist in Houston

Mohammed Algahim – Advanced fellowship at Duke and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Pediatric & Congenital Cardiac Surgery, University of Rochester Medical Center

Carlos Encarnacion – Completed fellowship at Maryland, now Cardiac Surgery at Houston Heart

Elizabeth Colwell – Completed fellowship at Stanford, now Thoracic Surgery at Aurora in Milwaukee

Bart Imelski – Completing fellowship at Northwestern, Thoracic Surgery

Elizabeth Butler – PIMA Heart and Vascular, Tucson, AZ

Rammohan Marla – Cancer Treatment of America, Phoenix, AZ

The Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals and the Department of Surgery provide extensive benefits.

Contract and Health Benefits

All Medical College of Wisconsin fellows’ contract and benefits are provided by the Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals (MCWAH).

• Vacation
  Each fellow receives 15 days of vacation per year.
• CME Conference Time
  Each fellow receives 5 days to attend CME conference(s) per year.
• Educational Conferences
  Protected time is given one morning per week for didactics.
• Educational Funds
  Department funds designated for fellowship education can be used towards the purchase of educational materials, expenses for educational conferences, and equipment that supports the education process, such as lead and loupes.
• Parking
  Complimentary parking is offered at all locations.
• Meals
  On-call meals are provided.
• Lab Coats
  Lab coats and laundry service are provided to all fellows.

Why become a fellow at MCW

As a major academic medical center, and the largest research institution in the Milwaukee metro area, the Medical College of Wisconsin is a distinguished leader in the advanced training of physicians, researchers, pharmacists and health professionals. Together with its top-tier partner institutions, the Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals (MCWAH) puts you at the forefront of advancement that’s improving the vitality of society.

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