Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology

Program by the Numbers

Program Year

ACGME-accredited positions

Available Career Tracks

About the Program

For nearly three decades, our heart failure and transplant program has delivered advanced, comprehensive care. Fellows train across specialized clinics, including cardiac sarcoidosis, cardiac amyloidosis, neuromuscular cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, adult congenital heart disease, pulmonary hypertension, HFpEF, and cardio-oncology. Training includes both non-invasive and invasive cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), supported by a leading histocompatibility and immunogenetics (HLA) laboratory and dedicated Immunology faculty. These rotations allow each fellow to tailor their experience to their interests.

Our mechanical circulatory support program implants the HeartMate 3 (HM3) left ventricular assist device (LVAD) for both destination therapy and bridge-to-transplant and continues to manage patients with HeartMate II and HeartWare devices.

We perform single- and multi-organ transplants and have deep experience managing adults with complex congenital heart disease requiring transplantation. Our one- and three-year post‑transplant survival rates exceed national benchmarks, and our transplant volumes rank within the top quartile nationally.

Fellows train in a dedicated cardiac ICU that cares for critically ill patients, including those requiring temporary mechanical support. UT Southwestern’s VA‑ECMO program holds ELSO Platinum Certification. Fellows receive protected procedural time and graduate with advanced competencies in invasive hemodynamics, Level III CPET with direct Fick measurements, and endomyocardial biopsy—skills that surpass COCATS requirements.

Academically, UT Southwestern is active in multicenter and investigator-initiated trials and contributes to the GWTG‑HF Registry, the AHA Cardiogenic Shock Registry, and the Cardiogenic Shock Working Group. Faculty publish widely, lecture at national meetings, and help shape national guidelines, creating frequent opportunities for fellow involvement. The Division of Cardiology includes physician‑scientists across basic, translational, population, implementation, and health‑policy research. UT Southwestern is also home to Circulation, led by former Division Chief Joseph Hill, M.D., Ph.D., with many faculty serving as editors and reviewers for this and other major cardiovascular journals.

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, 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.
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 conducts interviews in September.
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 Memorial Hospital is our primary teaching hospital. Since the initial affiliation of the Medical School with Parkland in 1940s, the county hospital has provided a spectrum of pathology in which to serve those in need and to learn. Completed in 2015, Parkland 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. University Hospital and Zale Lipshy Pavilion make up our university practice. Constructed in 2014, Clements recently expanded to a 750-bed facility, including 150 ICU beds, six cath/EP labs with the latest technology, and other amenities of a modern, academic medical center. 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

We offer didactic conferences to develop skills necessary for professional practice, as well as for successful academic careers.
- Division Grand Rounds
- Board Review
- Journal Club
- Case Presentations