Adjust to being a new doctor! Focus on adapting to your new responsibilities and building a strong foundation in internal medicine.

* Join the ACC as a Resident Member for Free!

Take your time! We recommend using your first semester in training to set up "informational meetings" with many potential mentors:

* It is important to establish a community of individuals that you can go to for mentorship and advice.

* Explore potential projects in these meetings and consider the project timeline, your anticipated role in the project, any planned publications, and your general feel for the team you will be working with.

Start a rough draft your resume. You will be engaged in projects and conferences throughout the year and you don't want to miss anything. In writing this early draft, make sure to document all projects no matter how insignificant you think they are – you always have the option to remove things down the line.

As you adjust, begin to seek out clinical experiences in cardiology. Many residents find elective time spent on consultative cardiology and subspecialty services to be formative. Make note of the subspecialties which interest you most!

Take your time! We recommend using your first semester in training to set up "informational meetings" with many potential mentors:

* It is important to establish a community of individuals that you can go to for mentorship and advice.

* Explore potential projects in these meetings and consider the project timeline, your anticipated role in the project, any planned publications, and your general feel for the team you will be working with.

Start a rough draft your resume. You will be engaged in projects, conferences throughout the year and you don't want to miss anything. In writing this early draft, make sure to document all projects no matter how insignificant you think they are – you always have the option to remove things down the line.

As you adjust, begin to seek out clinical experiences in cardiology. Many residents find elective time spent on consultative cardiology and subspecialty services to be formative. Make note of the subspecialties which interest you most!

After learning about many potential projects, you should attempt to identify one key project to work on over the coming months/years.

Establish a mentorship team – this is an ever-growing community of individuals whom you can turn to for advice throughout your training. Successful mentorship teams include program directors and advisors, cardiology core educators, research mentors, near-peers, and close friends.

Start to build a list of interesting patient cases in cardiology. In addition to being a great educational tool, there is always a chance one of these cases would make a nice case report.

Make note of upcoming conference deadlines, and set near-term goals for poster presentations and abstracts.

Establish a mentorship team – this is an ever-growing community of individuals whom you can turn to for advice throughout your training. Successful mentorship teams include program directors and advisors, cardiology core educators, research mentors, near-peers, and close friends.

Continue to refine your clinical skills and team leadership abilities!

Look ahead at your schedule and consider when would be best to take USMLE Step 3.

Continue to make progress on your scholarly work or research project! Frequent touch points with team members (statisticians, collaborators, etc.) will help to move your project along.

*Begin writing an abstract for ACC Annual Scientific Meeting

Start thinking about who to ask for letters of recommendation. You will ultimately need strong letters of recommendation, which can come from your cardiology mentors, PD, as well as, internal medicine faculty. Your residency training program will also write a departmental letter on your behalf.

Enjoy your clinical rotations and begin reviewing primary cardiology data (ECG, echocardiograms, coronary angiograms) with cardiology faculty and fellows to aid in your education!

Stay up to date with Educational Content from the ACC and JACC Journals

Submit your scholarly work and clinical cases at scientific meetings!

Continue to update your resume as you go!

Enjoy your clinical rotations and begin reviewing primary cardiology data (ECG, echocardiograms, coronary angiograms) with cardiology faculty and fellows to aid in your education!

Stay up to date with Educational Content from the ACC and JACC Journals

Continue to make progress on your projects, but remember; it's okay to take a break every now and then!

Continue to update your resume as you go!

Ensure you have completed Step 3 prior to your Senior Year.

Attend ACC Annual Meeting and share your work!

Meet with residency leadership and your mentorship team to discuss the details of the upcoming fellowship application process.

*Begin to draft a personal statement.

*Request letters of recommendation.

*Research key deadlines for ERAS and NRMP.

Enjoy your senior year! Refine your teaching and leadership skills, and share your passion for cardiology with your clinical teams!

Finalize the projects you have been working on! Consider opportunities for collaboration on your work and how to best carry forward projects as you prepare for fellowship.

Sign up for an ERAS Token, and begin to complete your Fellowship Application!

*Begin to research fellowship programs.

*Stay up to date with submission deadlines.

*Communicate with letter writers throughout the process to ensure they are aware of deadlines.

Enjoy your senior year! Refine your teaching and leadership skills, and share your passion for cardiology with your clinical teams!

Finalize the projects you have been working on! Consider opportunities for collaboration on your work and how to best carry forward projects as you prepare for fellowship.

Interview!

Begin to study for ABIM and set a test date!

Finalize the projects you have been working on! Consider opportunities for collaboration on your work and how to best carry forward projects as you prepare for fellowship.

Match!

GRADUATE!

Finalize the projects you have been working on! Consider opportunities for collaboration on your work and how to best carry forward projects as you prepare for fellowship.

Join the ACC Fellows-in-Training Section and prepare for fellowship!