Cardiac Anesthesia
Eighteen anesthesiologists participated in the program during the year. The transcatheter aortic valve program was firmly established along with a ventricular assist program, which resulted in the implantation of two LVAD devices. Finally, a mitral clip program was started at the end of the year with the aim of having one day per month for mitral clip insertions.
The fellowship program has again expanded and currently there are 4 fellows participating.
The perioperative echocardiography program continues to expand. On the training front, another simulator was purchased to enhance training of both fellows and residents. The goal is to expand the program to include perioperative TTE examinations for non-cardiac patients. On the clinical front, the integration of ultrasound storage into the hospital Excelera platform is now finished, marking a complete integration of perioperative ultrasound within the hospital frame work.
Cardiac Fellowship
During this Fellowship, the Fellow will be exposed to a broad variety of cardiac surgical procedures. It is expected that an in-depth understanding of the pathophysiology, and treatment of a wide variety of clinical problems acquired in this population will be encountered by the Fellow. In addition to refining clinical skills, increased familiarity with a variety of monitoring devices and various pharmacological interventions will be acquired. The Fellow will be expected to become conversant with the major areas of controversy surrounding clinical management in this population, and will come away with a balanced viewpoint of the various issues in this area. In addition, it is expected that the Fellow will complete at least one original research project, which should be of sufficient quality to be published in a major peer reviewed journal. This will be predicated upon a familiarization and understanding of research methodology and good study design.
Evaluation Procedure
The Fellow will be evaluated on an ongoing basis based on their clinical management skills. Reports will be solicited from all staff members actively working with the Fellow. In addition, a formal written evaluation will be undertaken after each six-month period in the Fellowship. The results of this evaluation will be discussed in person with the Fellow and appropriate actions taken to ensure educational objectives are met.
