Contemporary Challenges for Fellowship Training in Adult Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology: Perspectives From Program Directors Around the United States

Abstract

The fellowship in adult cardiothoracic anesthesiology has matured as an accredited program. This special article addresses current challenges in this educational milieu. The first challenge relates to serving as a program director in the contemporary era. The second challenge deals with the accreditation process, including the site visit. The third challenge discusses the integration of structural heart disease and interventional echocardiography into daily practice. The fourth challenge deals with the issues that face fellowship education in the near future. Taken together, these perspectives provide a review of the contemporary challenges facing fellowship education in adult cardiothoracic anesthesiology.

Keywords: Cleveland Clinic; Cooper Medical Center; University of Pennsylvania; Wake Forest University; accreditation; interventional echocardiography; site visit; structural heart disease.