Curriculum
Harbor-UCLA’s cardiology fellowship program offers both a non-interventional and interventional track for the curriculum.
The non-interventional track follows the traditional curriculum listed below, while the interventional track allows for additional months of cath to help interested cardiology fellows position themselves as stronger candidates for interventional cardiology fellowships.
Traditional Track (Non-Interventional)
The goals of the PGY-4 year are to immerse the 1st year fellow in both invasive and noninvasive Cardiology. The fellow spends equal amounts of time in the CCU, Cath Lab, and the Heart Station to understand and perform crucial aspects of diagnosis and management of cardiovascular disease, as well as gain competency in invasive and noninvasive procedures.
Example PGY-4 rotation schedule:
- 2-3 months CCU
- 2-3 months Harbor-UCLA Cath Lab
- 3-4 months Heart Station
- 2 months CORE Unit/Nuclear Imaging
- 1 month Good Samaritan Noninvasive
- 1 month Advanced Imaging (CTA, MR)
During the fellow’s second year, they spend approximately half the year at the affiliated institutions of Good Samaritan and Ronald Reagan UCLA Hospital to get exposure to a mix of community and academic medicine and to participate in advanced interventions in interventional cardiology, heart failure, and electrophysiology. The fellow will also have research and elective time available to pursue further research and/or clinical interests.
Example PGY-5 rotation schedule:
- 2-3 months Good Samaritan Cath Lab
- 1 month UCLA Heart Failure/MCS
- 1 month UCLA Electrophysiology
- 1 month Advanced Imaging (CTA/MR)
- 2 month Consults
- 1-2 months Heart Station
- 2 months Research/Elective
- 1 month CORE Unit/Nuclear Imaging
During the PGY-6 final year, the fellow will continue to cycle through multiple clinical rotations, both invasive and noninvasive, to improve their clinical skills. The fellow will have more research/elective time to solidify their interests for the next step in their career. The senior fellow also provides guidance and clinical support for the PGY-4 and PGY-5s.
Example PGY-6 rotation schedule:
- 1-2 months Harbor-UCLA Cath Lab
- 1 month Good Samaritan Cath Lab
- 1 month Harbor-UCLA Electrophysiology
- 1-2 months Heart Station Fellow
- 1-2 months Consult
- 1-2 months CORE Unit/Nuclear Imaging
- 3 months Research/Elective
Conference Schedule
Didactics are heavily emphasized in the fellowship, with daily conferences held by both the Division of Cardiology and Department of Medicine. Fellows are also responsible for holding several of these conferences monthly.
Note: Conference schedule is subject to change based on updates to the curriculum.
***(HUMC) = Harbor-UCLA and (GS) = Good Samaritan
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Conference(s) |
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| Tuesdays |
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On-call Duties
On weekday call, the on-call Cardiology General Fellow takes home call after 6 PM until 7 AM the next day.
On weekend call, the fellow is on call from Saturday 7 AM to Monday 7 AM and is required to round with the CCU team, see old and new consults, and round in the Cardiothoracic Unit (CTU) on Saturday and Sunday.
As the on-call Cardiology fellow, you will:
- Cover the CCU
- Discuss overnight consults and admissions
- Teach the overnight Cardiology senior resident and intern
- See urgent consultations
- Perform emergent transthoracic or transesophageal echocardiograms, interrogation of cardiac rhythm devices, and right heart catheterizations if indicated with the attending on call
- Act as the second operator on call in the event of a ST-elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) given Harbor-UCLA’s status as a full time STEMI Receiving Center
- Evaluate requests overnight for interfacility transfer from outside hospitals
The average number of calls per year are outlined as follows (excluding Good Samaritan Cath Lab rotation call):
- Every fellow is responsible for covering 13-14 weekday calls per year regardless of PGY status
- 1st year fellows cover 5 weekend calls and 1 holiday weekend
- 2nd year fellows cover 2 weekend calls and 1 holiday weekend
- 3rd year fellows cover 1-2 weekend calls
Note: 1st year fellows do not assume call responsibilities until approximately November, when they have finished rotating through their core curriculum through both noninvasive and invasive rotations. General fellows do not take call during their Cath Lab rotation at Harbor-UCLA.
During the Good Samaritan Cath Lab rotation, the General Fellow on average takes q3 STEMI call in the rotation with the Interventional Fellows, and covers 1-2 weekends during their month at Good Samaritan. They are responsible for participating in cases after 5 PM and responding to STEMI admissions and STEMI Interfacility transfers.
Duty Hours
The Division of Cardiology strictly adheres to ACGME Resident Duty Hours. Duty hours are limited to 80 hours per week, averaged over a 4-week period, inclusive of all in-house call activities and all moonlighting. Fellows are allowed for a minimum of 1 day free of duty every week (averaged over four weeks).
Salary and Benefits
For up-to-date information on salary and benefits, please visit this page for information on Harbor-UCLA employment.
General Fellows are categorized as PGY-4 to PGY-6 status.
Moonlighting
The Division of Cardiology does not endorse moonlighting, but it is allowed if followed under the ACGME provisions as follows:
- Moonlighting must not interfere with the ability of the resident to achieve the goals and objectives of the educational program.
- Time spent by fellows in Internal and External Moonlighting must be counted towards the 80-hour maximum weekly hour limit.
Moonlighting is not permitted during regular County hours as this is considered salaried pay.