The Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology Fellowship at OHSU is a one-year, ACGME-accredited program within the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and the Knight Cardiovascular Institute.

The fellowship provides advanced training in all stages and forms of heart failure, pre- and post-operative care of heart transplant and ventricular assist device patients, and key diagnostic or therapeutic procedures.

Fellowship objectives

The Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology Fellowship program will prepare you to become an advanced heart failure cardiologist. 

You will achieve COCATS level III in advanced heart failure and transplant and meet the requirements outlined by the ACGME and in the training statement on advanced heart failure and transplant cardiology.

Fellowship curriculum

As a fellow, you will work closely with the multidisciplinary advanced heart failure teams at OHSU and the Portland VA Medical Center, which includes:

• Cardiologists
• Cardiac surgeons
• Advanced practice providers
• Clinical pharmacists
• Transplant coordinators
• LVAD coordinators
• Heart failure nurses

You will also spend time at the cardiomyopathy clinic, which specializes in amyloidosis, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and hereditary cardiomyopathy. If you’re interested, you can also gain experience in advanced cardiac imaging.

You will gain expertise in managing complex emergencies, transplant-related complications and rare cardiomyopathies. You will also participate in a palliative care rotation to address symptom management and psychosocial needs.

Inpatient training

Inpatient rotations focus on:

• Acute and chronic advanced heart failure
• Cardiogenic shock
• Mechanical circulatory support
• LVAD implantation and complication
• Pre- and post-operative heart transplant care
• Cardiovascular ICU experience
• Institution-wide consultative services

Outpatient training

Approximately one-quarter of clinical time is dedicated to ambulatory care, including:

• Continuity of care in advanced heart failure
• LVAD management
• Post-transplant care
• Palliative heart failure care
• Cardiopulmonary exercise testing

Research

Scholarly activity is integrated throughout the fellowship year. You may engage in:

• Mentored clinical or translational research
• Clinical trials
• Quality improvement initiatives
• Research ethics
• Study design
• Statistical principles
• Outcomes research in advanced heart failure

We can also tailor research pathways to your individual career goals.

Didactic education

The fellowship curriculum integrates structured conferences with immersive clinical training to ensure you have a comprehensive mastery of advanced heart failure and transplant cardiology.

The didactic program is anchored by:

• Weekly advanced heart failure conference
• Transplant selection and evaluation conferences
• Cardiovascular ICU conference
• Quality improvement conference
• Journal clubs
• Research presentations
• Multidisciplinary case discussions
• Morbidity and mortality conferences

You will take an active leadership role in:

• Journal club presentations
• Case reviews
• Transplant activity reporting
• Participation in multidisciplinary evaluation and selection conferences for advanced therapies

Additional educational experiences include:

• Weekly cardiac pathology review of endomyocardial biopsies
• Participation in departmental morbidity and mortality conferences
• Training in systems-based care and quality improvement principles

How to apply

Submit your application through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) and register with the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).

Your ERAS application should include the following supporting documents:

• Personal statement
• Letter(s) of recommendation
• USMLE transcript
• COMLEX-USA transcript (if applicable)
• Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE or “dean’s letter”)
• Medical school transcript
• Photo

International medical graduates must also submit an ECFMG status report.

Eligibility requirements

Applicants must be completing or have completed an ACGME-accredited three-year cardiovascular disease or pediatric cardiology fellowship to be eligible for consideration.

Internationally trained cardiologists may be considered on an exceptional basis.

Important dates

The fellowship starts annually on July 1. The application timeline follows the national ERAS timeline.

Interviews are conducted in July and August.

• Ignacio Zepeda, M.D.

Current fellows

Meet our current Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology fellow.