ACC Training Guidelines in Adult Cardiovascular Medicine (COCATS2) (pdf)

COCATS 2006 Updates (pdf)

Recommendations from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)

Stanford Cardiovascular Medicine Training Program Goals and Objectives

The primary goal of the Stanford Cardiovascular Diseases Postdoctoral Fellowship Program is to train cardiovascular medicine specialists for careers in academic cardiology. Thus, the program has a strong emphasis on balancing clinical training with investigative training. It is a three-year program; two years of clinical training and one year of investigative training. Most of our trainees remain at Stanford for a fourth year to complete advanced research training or subspecialty training in Electrophysiology, Interventional Cardiology, Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplantation, and Cardiac Imaging.

Specifically, we aim to:

• Teach the knowledge, skills, clinical judgement, attitudes, and values that are essential to cardiovascular medicine.
• Foster humanistic and ethical attributes in our trainees.
• Encourage an appropriate balance between academic endeavors and clinical service. During their training, faculty encourage trainees to cultivate an attitude of scholarship and dedication to continuing education that will remain with them throughout their professional careers. The development of a scholarly attitude includes active participation in and completion of one or more research projects supervised by faculty and ideally followed by publication in critically reviewed journals.
• Develop teaching skills by actively engaging our trainees in teaching activities with the Stanford medical students, residents, and allied health professionals.

Stanford Cardiovascular Medicine Training Program Rotation Goals and Objectives:

• Cardiac Catheterization
• Echocardiography
• Nuclear Medicine
• Consultative Cardiology
• Coronary Care Unit
• A Inpatient Rotation
• Arrhythmia and Cardiac Electrophysiology

Cardiac Catheterization

Goals:
The goals of the rotation are to gain an understanding of coronary anatomy and hemodynamics and to acquire the technical skills required to gain venous and arterial access and to perform coronary angiography.

Cath Objectives
Cath Curriculum
VA Cath Orientation Packet
VA Rotations Orientation Packet

Echocardiography

Goals
The goals of the rotation are to gain a basic understanding of cardiac ultrasound principles and of cardiac anatomy as they are visualized through ultrasonography. Trainees should also gain the skills required to independently perform and interpret echocardiograms.

Echo Objectives
Echo Curriculum
Stanford Echo Orientation Packet

Nuclear Cardiology

Goals
The goals of the rotation are to understand the basic principles of radio-isotopes and myocardial perfusion imaging. The trainee should also gain the skills required to independently interpret nuclear perfusion studies.

Nuclear Objectives
Nuclear Curriculum

Consultative Cardiology

Goals
To develop expertise in the consultative evaluation of cardiovascular problems and presentations, to acquire the skills necessary to rapidly and efficiently triage medical problems, to communicate assessments and recommendations to colleagues and, where necessary, to implement diagnostic and therapeutic strategies

Consultative Objectives
Consultative Curriculum
VA Rotations Orientation Packet

Coronary Care Unit

Goals
Trainees should become comfortable with the care of critically ill, hospitalized patients with a broad range of cardiovascular diseases, including acute myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, congenital heart disease, serious arrhythmias, and advanced valvular heart disease.

CCU Objectives
CCU Curriculum
VA Rotations Orientation Packet

VA Inpatient Rotation

Goals
Trainees should be comfortable and proficient in the care of hospitalized patients who have recently undergone cardiovascular surgical procedures. In addition, trainees should become familiar with the care of post-cardiac transplant patients. Finally, trainees should gain hands-on experience in outpatient cardiac rehabilitation.

VA Inpatient Objectives
VA Inpatient Curriculum
VA Inpatient Orientation Packet

Arrhythmia and Cardiac Electrophysiology

Goals
Trainees should gain an understanding of the indications, implantation, and troubleshooting of EP devices, including pacemakers and defibrillators. They should be able to manage patients with common arrhythmias. In addition, they should gain proficiency in the interpretation of electrocardiograms and ambulatory ECG tracings (Holters).

Arrhythmia and EP Objectives
Arrhythmia and EP Curriculum
Stanford EP Orientation Packet