Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology

Program by the Numbers

Program Year

ACGME-accredited positions

Available Career Tracks

About the Program

Our academic heart failure and transplant program has provided advanced care for nearly three decades. UTSW offers subspecialty clinics in cardiac sarcoid, cardiac amyloid, neuromuscular cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, adult congenital heart disease, pulmonary hypertension, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, and cardio-oncology. Our program provides training in non-invasive and invasive cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET). We have a robust histocompatibility and immunogenetics (HLA) laboratory with mentorship by our Immunology colleagues. These rotations allow customization of training and exposure depending on a candidate’s individual interests.

Our mechanical circulatory support (MCS) program implants the HeartMate 3 (HM3) left ventricular assist device (LVAD) as both destination therapy and as a bridge-to-transplant. We continue to support patients previously implanted with the HeartMate II and HeartWare LVADs.

We perform single and multi-organ transplantation. Our center has extensive experience caring for patients with complex congenital heart disease who need heart transplantation. Our current 1-year and 3-year post-transplant survival rates exceed the national average, with transplant volumes in the top 20 to 25 percent nationwide.

Our in-patient service has a dedicated cardiac intensive care unit for critically ill patients who may require temporary mechanical support devices. UTSW has an established VA-ECMO program, with Platinum Certification with ELSO for our expertise in VA-ECMO care. Fellows have protected and dedicated procedural time to perform invasive hemodynamic studies, Level III CPET with direct Fick measurements, and endomyocardial biopsies with competencies that exceed COCATS standards.

From an academic perspective, UTSW participates in many multicenter and physician-initiated research trials. We participate in the GWTG-HF Registry, the AHA Cardiogenic Shock Registry and the Cardiogenic Shock Working Group. Our faculty routinely publish novel research, lecture at national meetings, and author national guidelines--all endeavors that create opportunities for fellow involvement. The UTSW Division of Cardiology has a broad range of physician scientists with expertise in basic and translational science, epidemiology, implementation science, health policy and quality improvement. Lastly, UTSW is the home for Circulation, a premier cardiovascular research journal under the leadership of Dr. Joseph Hill, Division Chief of Cardiology at UTSW. Many faculty within the heart failure section participate in editorial work and as ad hoc reviewers for Circulation and other high-impact journals within our field.

Application Process
Incoming fellows are required to have successfully completed an ACGME-accredited Cardiovascular Disease fellowship prior to the start of their Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology fellowship. In addition, incoming fellows must have a valid license or training permit from the Texas Medical Board, as well as current BLS and ACLS certifications.

Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology fellowship programs across the country, including UT Southwestern Medical Center, are now utilizing the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) to streamline the application process. In order to apply for a position for the 2025-2026 academic year, please submit a completed application through ERAS. Your application should include the following:
- An updated Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- A personal statement
- A USMLE score report including scores for Steps 1, 2CK, and 3
- At least three (3) – but no more than four (4) – letters of recommendation (LORs). LORs should be from faculty who can comment on your clinical, procedure, and interpersonal skills.
  - We require that one of your LORs be from your Cardiovascular Diseases Fellowship Program Director.
Fellowship candidates may begin applying to our program as early as July 2024. We strongly encourage interested applicants to submit their applications as early as possible as we offer interviews on a rolling basis. We regret that we are unable to accept applications received outside of ERAS.

Per UT Southwestern policy, we are only able to accept incoming trainees who are United States citizens, permanent residents, or have J-1 ECFMG certified visas. We are unable to offer H1-B visas or any other type of visa.

Interviews

The Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology fellowship will be conducting interviews in September.
- Thursday, September 5, 2024
- Friday, September 6, 2024
Training Tracks
UTSW follows the training structure recommended by ACGME, American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, Heart Failure Society of America, International Society of Heart Lung Transplant, and American College of Physicians1. Within this structure, UTSW offers five different career tracks, through which trainees can customize their training experience to better meet their career goals:
The Traditional Track provides trainees with balanced training in advanced heart failure, mechanical circulatory support, transplant medicine and cardiac critical care.

The Outpatient Track provides core exposure to durable LVADs and ambulatory cardiac transplant medicine with an expanded focus on the outpatient and population management of individuals with heart failure, advanced heart failure, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and additional cardiomyopathies.

The Heart Failure Track is designed for physicians interested in pursuing careers with a focus on heart failure and cardiogenic shock at medical centers that do not offer heart transplantation. Trainees who elect this track receive core exposure to LVADs and cardiac transplant with an expanded focus on the management of end-stage heart failure and cardiogenic shock.

The Critical Care Track offers learners additional training opportunities within our dedicated Cardiac Intensive Care Units to enhance their expertise in the management of the most critically ill patients.

For trainees who wish to pursue a training curriculum not outlined above, the Elective Track is available to create a highly personalized training pathway to meet a unique career goal. Participation in this track, as well as the specific curriculum, is subject to approval by the Program Director.

Upon successful completion of this fellowship, all trainees, regardless of selected career track, are eligible to sit for the ABIM board examination in Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology. In the last seven years, 100 percent of our Fellowship graduates chose faculty positions in academic medicine.
Training Sites
- Parkland
- CUH
Parkland Memorial Hospital

Parkland Health & Hospital System is our primary teaching hospital. Since the initial affiliation of the Medical School with Parkland in 1940s, the county hospital has provided an amazing spectrum of pathology in which to serve those in need and to learn. The new hospital, which was completed in 2015, has 862 beds and is equipped with the latest in medical technologies. Services include a Level I Trauma Center and the second-largest civilian burn center in the U.S.

Clements University Hospital

William P. Clements Jr. and Zale Lipshy University Hospitals make up our university practice, with the bulk of our clinical activity occurring in the former hospital. Clements was newly constructed in 2014 and carries 460 beds. It serves as a tertiary referral center for complex cases and is recognized as a leading center in North Texas for heart, lung, liver, kidney, and bone marrow transplantation.
Curriculum and Conferences
Conferences

Conferences summary with list of conference descritions
- Divsion Grand Rounds – Description
- Board Review – Description
- Journal Club – Description
- Case Presentations – Description