I am originally from Colombia. I attended medical school at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Cali, Colombia, and completed my internal medicine residency at the University of Miami/JFK Medical Center in Miami, FL.

Join JACC Education Editor Vivek Kulkarrni, MD, MHS, EdM, FACC, with JACC Journal Club Contributors Natalie Stokes, MD, MPhil, MSc, and Harish Jarrett, MD, FACC, on Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. ET as they lead a discussion with the authors of the SUMMIT CMR Substudy, Christopher M. Kramer, MD, FACC, and Milton Packer, MD, FACC. Register here.

There is an increasing demand on interventional cardiologists to perform coronary angiography (CA) and PCI on patients with prosthetic valves. The ACC developed the Practical Considerations For PCI in Post-TAVR Patients online course to address these gaps in education. Join our expert faculty for a new, self-paced, interactive lesson, "TAVR Valves Comparison" to compare and contrast different TAVR/TAVI valve options and earn 0.75 CME/MOC points! Learn more.

Join your colleagues at ACC.25, taking place March 29-31, 2025, in Chicago, IL, and get the knowledge you need to transform cardiovascular care for all! You'll have the opportunity to discuss the latest science with top experts, learn how clinical guidelines translate into your daily practice, and build lasting connections with your peers. Register by Nov. 20 to SAVE up to $300 with early bird discounts and get all-inclusive access to ACC.25!

Learn to integrate PET into a comprehensive diagnostic strategy to enhance accuracy, therapeutic decisions and patient management with ACC's new online course, Navigating Cardiac PET Imaging: Clinical Advantages, Barriers and Cutting-Edge Applications.

JACC: Asia and JACC: Case Reports are issuing a call for papers tackling one of the many facets of valvular heart disease, from its genetic roots to the latest interventions, to enhance understanding and treatment efficacy.

JACC: Advances is calling for papers for a special focus issue on "Advances in Preventive Cardiology and Cardio-Kidney-Metabolic Disease" reflecting the journal's commitment to advancing preventive medicine in these interrelated conditions.

JACC: Advances is calling for papers for a special focus issue on "Care of the Critically Ill Patient in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit." Specifically, submissions pertaining to outcomes, therapies, ethical challenges or health system strategies in the field of critical care cardiology are welcome.

Transform the future of patient care by sharing your late-breaking clinical trial (LBCT) research with the global cardiovascular community at ACC.25, taking place March 29-31, 2025, in Chicago, IL.

"I was born and raised in Ibadan, Nigeria, but my family has been in Georgia for decades now, so I tell people I'm 'Ni-Georgian'. I was trained by incredible and inspiring educators, from medical school at Drexel to Residency at Emory and now fellowship at the Mayo Clinic. In college I majored in Chemistry and minored in Theatre studies. I LOVE music and musical theatre, and I'm especially a sucker for old black-and-white movies and shows."

Jason Neil Katz, MD, FACC, is a critical care cardiologist and current member of ACC's Critical Care Cardiology Section Leadership Council.

Want to broaden your knowledge and grow as a leader? The ACC is now accepting applications for the next Rick Nishimura, MD, MACC and Patrick T. O'Gara, MD, MACC Emerging Faculty Leadership Academy scheduled for April 27-29, 2025, at Heart House in Washington, DC. The course gives ACC members in their early-to-mid career stage hands-on training to develop teaching skills and stand out as exceptional members of the ACC. Applications are due by Nov. 20. Read here for more information on eligibility and requirements.

Apply for the ACC/Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC) Merck Research Fellowship Award for the chance to become one of three winners to receive $100,000 in funding to support a year of research in adult cardiology, and free travel to ACC.25, taking place March 29-31, 2025, in Chicago, IL. The deadline to apply has been extended to Friday, Oct. 25. Apply today!

Join us in person in Washington, DC or virtually for Advancing the Cardiovascular Care of the Oncology Patient taking place Feb. 14-16, 2025. Leading experts in the field, including Course Chair Richard Cheng, MD, MSc, FACC, and Vice Chair Anju Nohria, MD, MSc, will share emerging strategies and best practices to manage the health of cancer patients in your practice. This dynamic course will equip you with the actionable knowledge and science needed to advance patient-centered, evidence-based, collaborative cardiovascular and cancer care for your patients living with and beyond cancer. Register here. Plus, don't miss your chance to present your research on the topic of cardio-oncology! FITs are invited to submit abstracts in the categories of Clinical Case Challenges, Original Research Abstracts: Basic, Translational, Clinical or Implementation Science, Professional Development Abstracts. Submissions are due by Nov. 18.

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to make clinical information more accessible, accurate and actionable, ultimately leading to better health care delivery and patient outcomes. To support ACC member efforts to stay on the cutting edge of technological advances in improving patient care, the ACC is offering an opportunity to evaluate and explore a generative AI platform. The deadline for applications has been extended to Wednesday, Oct. 23. Learn more.

ACC's CardioSmart has launched a new challenge to educate Fellows in Training (FITs) about the importance of shared decision-making. An essential component of the patient-clinician relationship, shared decision-making improves both patient outcomes and patient satisfaction. To participate in the challenge, FITs should use a CardioSmart infographic or decision aid with three to five patients and submit an essay about their experience. The winners will receive free registration to ACC.25, taking place March 29-31, 2025, in Chicago, IL, and will be featured in Cardiology magazine. Learn more and submit by Dec. 20.

Do you have a research idea in the field of Electrophysiology? Apply to participate in the next Heart Tank event and share it with a panel of electrophysiology experts! The winner of the event will receive $5,000 in seed research funding and will go on to compete at the Heart Tank Finals at ACC.25, taking place March 29-31, 2025, in Chicago, IL. Proposals are due by Wednesday, Oct. 23. Learn more.

This is your last chance to apply for the chance to win one of three ACC/Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC) Merck Research Fellowship Awards. Winners will receive $100,000 each in funding to support a year of research in adult cardiology – plus free travel to ACC.25, taking place March 29-31, 2025, in Chicago, IL. Applications are due by Monday, Oct. 14. Learn more and apply.

As a cardiologist, I have witnessed firsthand the rapid advancements in digital health and artificial intelligence (AI), and their potential to revolutionize patient care. These emerging technologies promise to enhance clinical decision-making, improve diagnostic accuracy and provide more personalized care. I was particularly inspired by Ami B. Bhatt, MD, FACC, ACC's Chief Innovation Officer, whose work in this field exemplifies the transformative power of AI in cardiology.

Get a recap of the latest science from ESC Congress 2024 presented by the University of Michigan cardiology fellows. Click here to download slides.

Generative AI has the potential to make clinical information more accessible, accurate, and actionable, ultimately leading to better health care delivery and patient outcomes. To support ACC member efforts to stay on the cutting edge of technological advances in improving patient care, the ACC is offering an opportunity to evaluate and explore a generative artificial intelligence (AI) platform. Applications are due by Friday, Oct. 4. Apply here.

Advance your expertise and improve outcomes for mothers and their babies by attending Cardio-Obstetrics Essentials: Team-Based Management of Cardiovascular Disease and Pregnancy, taking place in-person and virtually on Nov. 1-3. Learn about diagnostic techniques, creating personalized treatment plans and strategies for improving patient outcomes through interactive modules, real-life case studies and practical tools. Learn from cardio-obstetrics experts including Course Chair Natalie Bello, MD, MPH, FACC and Course Vice Chair Deirdre J. Mattina, MD, FACC. Plus, you'll hear from Mary Norine Walsh, MD, MACC, who will be delivering a message on the importance of advocacy, and Candice Silversides, MD, FACC, who will cover the topic of building a cardio-obstetrics program.

The ACC is currently accepting submissions of abstracts, complex clinical cases and interventional challenging cases from FITs to be presented at ACC.25, taking place March 29-31, 2025, in Chicago, IL. Submit your research for a chance to transform the future of cardiovascular care by sharing your research with over 12,000 attendees from more than 130 countries. The deadline for all submissions is 1 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Oct. 1. Don't miss your chance to be part of ACC.25 — submit your abstract or case today!

JACC: Case Reports is inviting submissions of "complications" for a forthcoming special issue planned for early 2025. Whether it's diagnosis, management, or a miss, we want to know about it. The submissions should be educational so others can avoid the complication in the future. The How We Did it, Multidisciplinary Team Discussion, and Four Corners sections are suggested, but First in Human reports on diagnosing or managing a complication are also welcome. Submissions are due by Tuesday, Oct. 15. Submit here.

Heart Tank for the Cardiovascular Investigator is a fun and exciting "Shark Tank" style competition for young investigators to pitch their research ideas, get feedback from prominent member leaders in the selected field, and provide learning opportunities for the audience. The winner of each webinar will win $5,000 in seed research funding and then move on to the Heart Tank Tournament of Champions at the ACC Annual Meeting. Submissions are due by Sept. 4. Submit here.

It's never too early to start understanding the business of cardiology. Jumpstart your career through MedAxiom and Wharton Online's Business Essentials for Cardiovascular Fellows program. Group pricing is available for you and other fellows in your program. Ask your program director to register by Aug. 31. Learn more and register.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of maternal mortality in the United States, and the need for training to ensure better diagnosis and treatment for this vulnerable population is rising. Join our efforts to improve both maternal and fetal outcomes and learn from top experts at Cardio-Obstetrics Essentials, taking place Nov. 1-3 in Washington, DC, and virtually. Don't miss an exciting line-up of sessions, including "Building a Cardio-Obstetrics Service Line/Program," "Addressing Disparities in Maternal Health Through a Diversified Workforce," and an "Update on Transcatheter Interventions in Pregnancy and Left-sided Valve Degeneration in Young Women." Register today.

Apply for the ACC Educator: Fundamental Skills course, Jan. 26-28, 2025, at Heart House in Washington, DC. Chaired by Marty Tam, MD, MHPE, FACC, and Rhonda Cooper-DeHoff, PharmD, MS, FACC, this course is designed for fellows in training and offers practical experience to refine your presentation skills and grow as a clinical educator. Applications are due by Monday, Sept. 16. Learn more and apply today.

At this point in the year, third year cardiology fellows and advanced fellows all over the nation are making the transition from trainee to an attending physician. By the time that we have reached cardiology fellowship, we all have made several big transitions...

With the epidemiologic transition of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to a chronic disease, more individuals are living longer with a high burden of comorbid illness, including atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). However, ASCVD remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. A recent article featured in Cardiology magazine by Elena M. Donald, MD, a fellow-in-training in Adult Cardiovascular Disease at Columbia University Irving Medical Center-New York Presbyterian Hospital, explores how enhanced education for providers will help to expand screening and initiation of appropriate primary prevention therapies, ultimately lessening the health disparities and closing the mortality gap for people living with HIV. Read more.

The ACC/Association of Black Cardiologists Merck Research Fellowship Award offers three $100K adult cardiology fellowships to support one year of research, plus free travel to ACC.25 in Chicago, IL. Applications are due by Oct. 14. Learn more and apply here.

From working in critical care nursing to hospital administration and beyond, ACC President Cathleen Biga, MSN, FACC, understands the foundations of a dynamic and impactful career in cardiovascular leadership. In the newest MedAxiom Blog, Biga discusses the concepts of dyad leadership, team-based care, and non-clinical competency education and why they are more important than ever.

It's never too early to start understanding the business of cardiology. Jumpstart your career through the MedAxiom + Wharton Online Business Essentials for Cardiovascular Fellows Program. Group pricing is available for you and other fellows in your program. Ask your program director to register by Aug. 31. Learn more and register.

The Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act (H.R. 2474), introduced by Rep. Raul Ruiz, MD (D-CA), and original cosponsors Rep. Ami Bera, MD (D-CA), Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-IN), and Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), is a beacon of hope in the current Medicare landscape. This critical piece of legislation, currently under review by the Subcommittee on Health, aims to amend Title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide a single conversion factor under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) based on the Medicare Economic Index (MEI). It is a significant step towards recognizing the inadequacy of the current Medicare physician payment system and paves the way for both short-term and long-term solutions in reforming Medicare.

Check out the first issue of JACC: Case Reports under Editor-in-Chief Gilbert H. L. Tang, MD, MSc, MBA, FACC, and his new editorial board. The issue contains a powerful viewpoint by Michael J. Daly, MA, MD, PhD, FACC, discussing his own doctor-as-patient story and his journey toward improved empathy. Plus, don't miss clinical cases and vignettes on micturition hypertension in an adolescent, acute coronary syndrome in a nine-year-old with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia and more. Check out the full issue.

I recently asked my program director and mentor, Vijay Divakaran, MD, MPH, FACC, on how to make the most out of my experience this year.

On the wall hangs a humble, magnetic dry erase board.A column for each cath lab room, a row for each time slot, More reliable than the Epic Snapboard, It is the board of truth. The cath lab schedule for the day.

Apply for the chance to become one of 15 finalists to battle it out in the 2025 Young Investigator Awards competition. Present your science in one of three categories: Clinical Investigators, Basic and Translational Science and Outcomes Research. Get financial reimbursement for traveling to ACC.25 – plus the exposure you need to advance your career! Applications are due Tuesday, Aug. 27. Submit your abstract today.

JACC: Case Reports is inviting submissions of cardiac mass (native or foreign) clinical vignettes for a forthcoming special issue. Topics of interest include myxomas, metastatic tumors, thrombi, congenital lesions, foreign objects, etc. Submissions should be in the form of a Diagnostic Challenge or Clinical Vignette and are due by Monday, July 8. Learn more.

Completing your training? Update your information to stay abreast of the latest news in the field and receive free membership in ACC's Early Career Member Section starting next year. Continuing your training? Let us know! We'll extend your complimentary ACC Fellows in Training membership. Update your profile here.

Take the 2024 ACC Career Benchmark Survey to help build a comprehensive view of clinician compensation and better support cardiovascular professionals in compensation negotiations. Complete the survey by July 31 for the chance to win one of three registrations to ACC.25 in Chicago, IL – or a $500 Amazon gift card! Responses are anonymous. Take the survey here.

Receive the recognition you deserve with the Distinguished Young Scientist Award. Ask your mentor or training director to submit a nomination. The award winner will receive a $1,000 prize and an invitation to present their scientific work during ACC.25 in Chicago, all expenses paid. Nominations are due by July 29. Learn more.

Registration is now open for ACC Advocacy's signature three-day event, ACC Legislative Conference 2024, taking place Sept. 29-Oct. 1 in Washington, DC. Don't miss your chance to network with fellow ACC Advocates, learn about health policy issues impacting cardiovascular patients and the profession, and meet with your lawmakers and their staff on Capitol Hill. FITs can waive the registration fee with the code FIT. Learn more and register here. FITs can also apply for the chance to win a $1,000 travel award. The deadline to apply is July 15.

In part 1 of this series, I made the case for why it is important for FITs to learn and practice the fundamentals of quality improvement (QI) and patient safety (PS). Applying skills in practice-based improvement is an opportunity to grow as leaders and contribute to a culture of safety. But what would be a practical approach to embed a longitudinal QI and PS curriculum within cardiovascular training?

Sudden cardiac arrest is a silent killer, claiming the lives of approximately 350,000 Americans each year, with a survival rate of less than 10%. The grim reality is that this rate is even lower for residents in Black communities due to disparities in bystander CPR rates. The dire need for early intervention cannot be overstated. Every moment without CPR or basic life support (BLS) drastically reduces the chances of survival.

Burnout among women cardiologists is a recognized entity within the medical community. Women in cardiology often face unique challenges that contribute to high levels of stress leading to serious negative professional consequences and associated with suboptimal health care outcomes for patients. Burnout may also contribute to higher incidences of mental health issues such as depression and suicide, as well as associated alcohol abuse, substance use and dysfunctional relationships.

Join leaders from ACC's LGBTQ+ Community on June 27 at 7 p.m. ET to discuss the importance of fostering an inclusive environment in cardiology. Panelists representing Fellows in Training, Early Career professionals and Cardiology Chiefs will share experiences and opportunities to increase inclusion excellence in the cardiovascular workforce, and more. Learn more.

Join ACC's Imaging and Fellows in Training Sections on June 3 at 7:30 p.m. ET for a webinar discussing cardiovascular imaging careers and training. Attendees will gain insight on topics such as the role of imaging cardiologists, diverse imaging pathways, cardiac imaging fellowships and more. There will also be a Q&A period where attendees can interact with panelists. Learn more.

Join ACC's Academic Section on May 29 at 7 p.m. ET for a webinar focusing on helping academic cardiologists gain the tools needed to conduct successful research. Listen to a distinguished panel of judges hear Young Investigators "pitch" their Women's Cardiovascular Health research ideas. Learn more.

Good patient care in the modern cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) requires more than an organ-specific approach. Noncardiovascular problems such as sepsis, renal replacement therapy and multi-organ failure are increasingly common. Over half of patients in CICUs now have noncardiac primary diagnoses.

This article shines light on women in cardiology and medicine who have made a significant impact and contribution to the field, as well as the ongoing challenges that remain.

Trainees of all stages of education came together for a Virtual Career Development Event hosted by the Women in Cardiology (WIC) section of ACC's California Chapter and The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) last fall. Our event welcomed trainees from all levels of the pipeline.

A recent FIT article in JACC entitled "Improving Diet Interventions by Health Systems: Calling on All FITs" describes the health burden and costs from diet-related cardiometabolic and cardiovascular diseases in the U.S., including atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, atrial fibrillation, heart failure and associated risk factors and how FITs can aid in making system-wide changes. An accompanying response raises the question, "how could we be content with the status quo?" The authors discuss the one "inescapable truth;" advancing technology cannot compensate for a poor-quality diet.

In a research letter published in JACC, Emily K. Zern, MD, FACC, et al., present the results of surveys conducted throughout ACC's Chief Fellowship Leadership Symposium, which for the past two years has provided leadership and management training to chief fellows who, due to vague responsibilities and lack of support, haven't been able to reach their full potential as essential members of the cardiovascular care team. Survey results note how chief fellows interacted with the program and how it improved their confidence in leading and managing fellows; creating curriculum; addressing burnout; and more. Read the full research letter here. Learn more about ACC's Chief Fellows Network here.

Take the 2024 ACC Career Benchmark Survey to help build a comprehensive view of clinician compensation andbetter support cardiovascular professionals in compensation negotiations. Complete the survey by Friday, May 31 for the chance to win a free registration to attend ACC.25 in Chicago, IL. Responses are anonymous.Take the survey here.

Do you have a research idea in the area of women's cardiovascular health? Share it with a panel of experts in the field at ACC's next Heart Tank event. The winner of the event will receive $5,000 in seed research funding and will go on to compete at the Heart Tank Finals at ACC.25 in Chicago, IL. Proposals are due by Tuesday, May 8. Submit here.

In a recent JACC article, Ashok Krishnaswami, MBBS, FACC, explains his reasoning for taking a yearlong sabbatical to train as a geriatrics fellow. He shares his experience and emphasizes the need for a comprehensive geriatric assessment for older adults. He also explains the crucial importance of redefining "aging" past mere chronological counting and incorporating new techniques to inform a cardiologist's decision-making. Read more. In a response article, Karen P. Alexander, MD, FACC, commends Krishnaswami for his efforts to "gain new perspectives and deepen his knowledge of geriatrics." She adds that "Dr. Krishnaswami's dispatches from geriatric fellowship are guideposts for this continuing journey in geriatric cardiology: multi-disciplinary care and technology."

Physicians are not traditionally motivated by money. Though people go into medicine for different reasons, many people, including myself, see it as a vocation, as a calling. As health care delivery becomes increasingly complex, this perspective could be a reason physicians need more focus on the complexities of different compensation models.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death globally. Although two thirds of patients with cardiovascular disease are in low-middle income countries, the leading centers for innovation in cardiovascular care are concentrated in North America and Europe. To bridge this disparity, the ACC, with its 42 international chapters and over 16,000 members outside the U.S., strives to connect global clinicians through several formal as well as informal initiatives.

Share your quality improvement successes at ACC Quality Summit 2024, taking place Sept. 17-19 in San Antonio, TX. Submitting an abstract for consideration as an ePoster or Live Session is a key opportunity for you to meet your quality improvement training requirements and share your practice-improving findings with your peers and other leaders in the cardiovascular quality field. Check out an ePoster submitted by a fellow FIT at last year's Summit and submit your own abstract by the submission deadline – May 13 for live session abstracts and June 24 for ePosters. The ACC also offers an NCDR Research mentorship program to support early career investigators looking for guidance throughout the research proposal, abstract and manuscript phases. Learn more about how to get involved in the program here.

The cardiology field is rapidly advancing, yet still lags in one critical aspect: the representation of women in cardiology. For fellows in training (FITs), gender-based assumptions can affect their evaluation, thus inadvertently impacting opportunities for career advancement and recognition.

Meera Devi Kondapaneni, MD, FACC, is an associate professor of medicine at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) in Cleveland, OH, and is the current division director of the Heart and Vascular Department at Metrohealth Medical Center...

Rosy Thachil, MD, FACC, is a non-invasive cardiologist, assistant professor at the Icahn School of Medicine, and director of the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) at Mount Sinai/Elmhurst Hospital Center.

Despite the wide variety of clinical aspects fellows in training (FITs) learn during fellowship, the nonclinical aspects such as career planning remain unclear.

ACC.24 is just around the corner – and we're helping Fellows in Training (FITs), medical students, medical residents and early career professionals prepare by sharing this in-depth guide to navigating the event of the year taking place April 6-8, in Atlanta, GA. Attendees will have unique opportunities to hone their knowledge of current medical advances and research, network with colleagues and gain insights into nonclinical aspects of the cardiology profession. Learn about the must-do activities and sessions planned for ACC.24.

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education requires that cardiology fellows take part in quality improvement (QI) projects or patient safety (PS) investigations. The interpretation of this requirement varies across institutions, from required quality improvement projects to simulated exercises.

Fellowship is a time in your career where you get to pursue the subspeciality you’ve always dreamed of. You grow clinically and gain experiences in other aspects of the field such as research opportunities and leadership. However, learning how to balance your clinical duties with research and leadership can be challenging.

Join the JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging editors, including Editor-in-Chief Y. S. Chandrashekhar, MD, DM, FACC, for "office hours" on Saturday, April n6, and Sunday, April 7, from noon to 2 p.m. ET during ACC.24. Bring your imaging-related data or manuscript and receive in-person feedback and advice that will help your paper's suitability for publication. If the editors feel your work is strong, you may receive a provisional acceptance right then and there, pending satisfactory revision! For more details visit the JACC Journals at ACC.24 event page.

Navigating the financial landscape during medical training presents a distinctive set of challenges for aspiring physicians. The prolonged period of low compensation coupled with the substantial costs associated with medical education often shapes lasting financial behaviors.

It is no secret that family planning is hard. If family planning is compared to an electrocardiogram, then family planning during cardiology fellowship is as hard as an intracardiac electrogram (EGM). However, we cannot allow life to stop during fellowship, and much like an EGM, we should spend the time and effort necessary to understand and navigate the hurdles of family planning during fellowship.

Submit your challenging rheumatic heart disease (RHD) cases highlighting the global burden of cardiovascular disease for a forthcoming special issue or mini-focus issue planned for fall or winter 2024. Topics range from pediatric acute RHD to primary prevention strategies, complex valvular heart disease and more. Submissions in any format are welcome and are due by Tuesday, April 30. Learn more.

ACC's Career Fair will be taking place Sunday, April 7 from 8 a.m. – noon ET during ACC.24. Don't miss your chance to network with peers, connect one-on-one with +30 employers from across the U.S. and explore dozens of open positions. Get your questions answered by the experts and prepare to take the next step in your career. Reserve your place at ACC's Career Fair today.

ST elevations, take to the lab!
But look at the Hgb
of five; he's bleeding.
Cancel the code – call gastrointestinal.

Family planning decisions for both male and female physicians are often affected by medical training. Challenges arise when the common reproductive age is the same age individuals are doing their medical training, building their careers and deciding their future career plans. Concerns often arise regarding parental leave, training interruptions, radiation exposures, fear of infertility, childcare, self-care and breastfeeding accommodations.

Many people venturing into cardiology are interested in niche areas such as cardio-obstetrics, cardio-oncology and vascular medicine. However, well-established cardiovascular programs and hospital systems don't always have an established clinic with a focus on these smaller subspecialty areas. If these niches are of particular interest to you but not available at your current institution or practice, you may wonder how to create a program of your own.

Submit your challenging rheumatic heart disease (RHD) cases highlighting the global burden of cardiovascular disease for a forthcoming special issue or mini-focus issue planned for fall or winter 2024. Topics range from pediatric acute RHD to primary prevention strategies, complex valvular heart disease and more. Submissions in any format are welcome and should be made by Tuesday, April 30. Learn more.

FITs and Early Career Professionals who attend ACC.24, April 6-8 in Atlanta, will get up to speed on current medical advances and research, be in the room as the results of Late-Breaking Clinical Trials that may transform cardiovascular care are revealed, network with colleagues, gain insight into non-clinical aspects of the cardiology profession, and more. Register by March 6 to SAVE and learn more about all ACC.24 has to offer!

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a condition that affects approximately 236 million adults, with an estimated 8.5 million Americans being affected nationally; however, there is a need for more contemporary data.

MedAxiom has partnered with Wharton Online to launch the second cohort of Business Essentials for Cardiovascular Fellows Program, a world-class cardiovascular educational curriculum curated specifically for fellows and early career professionals. This self-paced online education covers the latest trends and best practices in clinical care and business performance and empowers to propel your career forward. Encourage your program director to enroll on behalf of your program. Enrollment is open until Feb. 26. Learn more.

The ACC is accepting applications for travel awards to ACC.24, taking place April 6-8 in Atlanta, GA. Each year, a limited number of travel awards are provided to encourage ACC's Fellows in Training (FITs) and Early Career Professionals to attend the Annual Scientific Session. The travel award is a maximum of $1,000 – applied retroactively as a reimbursement after the conference – and helps cover the cost of transportation, lodging and meals. Applications are due by Friday, Feb. 9. Learn more and apply here.

Over the years, medical education has morphed from unidirectional lectures to many shapes and forms. One of the key drivers in medical education is the delivery method, which now involves fun and digestible ways to present complex information. That is where "Jeopardy" comes into play.

Transitioning from being a cardiovascular disease fellow to an early career attending can be both exciting but anxiety provoking at the same time. Not only do you have to ensure you choose the right career setting, but you also must consider family and personal responsibilities with your job choice.

"Physicians often practice in silos," remarked Brett Wesley Sperry, MD, during the second day of the 53rd Annual Dr. Robert D. Conn Heart Conference in Kansas City. The conference, sponsored by Saint Luke's Mid-America Heart Institute and supported by ACC's Missouri Chapter, honors Robert D. Conn, MD, a dedicated Kansas City physician committed to physician and nurse education who initiated "The Heart" cardiovascular symposium. The event was later renamed in Dr. Conn's honor.

In 1975, Arthur Ashe lifted up the Wimbledon Championship Trophy. He was named the greatest tennis player alive. Three years later, at the age of 36, he suffered a heart attack. He underwent a coronary angiogram which revealed severe, multi-vessel coronary artery disease. He wrote a reflection on the episode for The Washington Post to serve as a warning for others, particularly Black Americans such as himself, not to neglect early symptoms.

I recently had the pleasure of joining state representatives from all around the country for a virtual "happy hour" meetup to discuss upcoming chapter events and share ideas on how to improve fellow engagement and overall involvement. The event started with introductions, and I quickly learned the meeting was not only attended by U.S. Fellows in Training (FITs), but international members as well.

ACC's NCDR is calling for research proposals for consideration for NCDR funding. Proposals should include hypothesis-driven research based upon secondary analysis of NCDR data, with the intent to develop manuscripts for peer-reviewed publication.

Research has reshaped medical practice, transitioning it from a primarily experience-driven approach to an evidence-based profession. This evidential foundation is the bedrock for widely adopted practice guidelines, impacting policymakers, clinicians and most importantly, patients. Nevertheless, it is crucial to recognize that most research output originates from high-income countries.

This past October, I was among approximately 450 cardiology clinicians from across the U.S. who attended the ACC's 2023 Legislative Conference in Washington, DC.

The JACC Journals are inviting authors presenting findings during ACC.24 to submit a corresponding manuscript for simultaneous publication.

Failure rates of the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) subspecialty examination in cardiovascular disease have significantly increased in the past two years. According to a recent JACC article, this indicates worse candidate preparation, as an ABIM passing score is a consistent benchmark over time. Read more.

For those who become pregnant during training, there are many facets of life and work that must be addressed. These include safety as the pregnant person while working, balancing new responsibilities as a parent in addition to a physician, lactation for those who decide to breastfeed, the ever-stressful search for flexible childcare and navigating parental leave.

ACC’s 2023 Legislative Conference brought together over 400 health care professionals including cardiologists at various career stages, fellows and residents who share a common goal: advocating for their colleagues and patients.

ACC's NCDR is calling for research proposals for consideration for NCDR funding. The proposals should include hypothesis-driven research based upon secondary analysis of NCDR data, with the intent to develop manuscripts for peer-reviewed publication. The NCDR leverages audit-validated registry data in support of expanding and improving the scientific knowledge that drives high quality care and improves cardiovascular health. As the largest cardiovascular data repository, you can access data on patient risk factors and outcomes, procedure and treatment trends, diversity, health equity and inclusion, guideline adherence, and more! Researchers must complete a formal research proposal application by Friday, Feb. 2, 2024. Learn more.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is maturing at a time when even the most dedicated cardiologists' patient care bandwidth and analytical capability "between eartips" have both hit critical bottlenecks. Beyond quiet growth in back-end applications like logistics, AI technologies are expanding on the front-end: testing, patient encounters and procedures.

Ensure you're equipped with the right information to enhance your earning potential with a free webinar by Contract Diagnostics, an ACC partner. Tune in on Jan. 16, 2024, at 8:30 p.m. ET to learn what to look for in your contract and how to confidently advocate for changes. Attendees will also learn about trends in the cardiovascular field to establish a comprehensive understanding of the current landscape and how it may affect compensation. Save your spot and register today!

Do you have a cardiovascular imaging research idea? Apply to participate in the next Heart Tank For the CV Investigator event, taking place Jan. 10, 2024 at 7 p.m. ET. The event is designed to provide young investigators with a chance to present their research proposals before an audience of renowned cardiovascular professionals. Proposals are due Tuesday, Dec. 19. Submit here.

Have you ever thought about starting a private practice? If so, you may be aware of the many challenges involved. It certainly isn’t for everyone, but if you decide that the private practice model may fit your lifestyle and you desire to take a lead role in the administrative burden involved, here are a few things to know.

ACC's CardioSmart is inviting ACC Fellows in Training (FITs) to participate in a new Shared Decision-Making Challenge. An essential component of the patient-clinician relationship, shared decision-making improves outcomes and patient satisfaction. In this challenge, FITs are encouraged to use an existing CardioSmart tool with their patients and submit an essay about their experience for a chance to win free registration to ACC.24 in Atlanta, GA, April 6-8, and be featured in Cardiology magazine. Submissions are due by Jan. 15, 2024. Learn more.

In a recent JACC: Heart Failure article, Olivia N. Gilbert, MD, MSc, FACC, et al., discuss results from an ACC FIT survey that explores factors that influence subspecialty choice, specifically focusing on individuals interested in an advanced heart failure/transplant cardiology (AHFTC).

In a recent JACC article, Vivek T. Kulkarni, MD, MHS, EDM, FACC, discusses the question, "Why are some learning environments better than others, and what can we do to improve the learning environment for our trainees?"

JACC: Advances is calling for papers on the topic of "AI in Cardiology: Improving Outcomes for All."

ACC's Clinician Well-Being Workgroup is hosting their second webinar on career flexibility on Wednesday, Dec. 6 at 7:30 p.m. ET. Julie B. Damp, MD, FACC, and Daniel J. Murphy Jr, MD, FACC, will moderate the discussion specifically tailored to trainees and early career members.

In light of the recent announcement by the ACC/AHA/HFSA/HRS/SCAI to seek the creation of a new, independent cardiovascular board of medicine, separate from the umbrella of internal medicine, it is clear that cardiovascular medicine is an expansive and growing field that offers numerous possibilities for practice.

Don’t miss the chance to win free registration to ACC.24 in Atlanta, GA, April 6-8, when you upload your resume to ACC Cardiology Careers. A free, members-only benefit of the College, ACC Cardiology Careers can help you find your next professional opportunity.

This article featured in Cardiology Magazine discusses the unmet need for training in endovascular medicine and interventional training. A combined endovascular medicine and interventional fellowship is a subspeciality training program that is most commonly pursued following interventional cardiology training.

Mustafa I. Ahmed, MD, is an interventional cardiologist and structural heart disease specialist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) where he serves as director of the Cardiovascular Network, Interventional Cardiology and the Cath Lab, and the program director of the Structural Heart Disease Program.

Why should ACC’s Fellows in Training (FITs) get involved in ACC Advocacy?

JACC: Advances is calling for papers for a special focus issue on health equity as one step in the journal's commitment to understanding and improving health inequities in cardiology, eliminating health disparities, and achieving social justice.

Join JACC Editor-in-Chief and Course Director Valentin Fuster, MD, PhD, MACC, and the most prestigious names in cardiology for the NY Cardiovascular Symposium, taking place Dec. 8 – 10.

Determining what you want your career to look like post-training is one of the most exciting, yet intimidating aspects upon receiving that final certificate. For many of us, our career paths are well-defined up until this point: undergrad, medical school, residency and fellowship. But next it’s time to define your own path and what you want it to look like.

Virtual interviews are the current standard for applications to cardiology fellowship programs. Applicants prefer the cost reduction and flexibility with scheduling of virtual interviews according to a large, national cross-sectional survey of Fellows in Training (FITs) that applied to general cardiology and subspecialty fellowships between 2018 and 2021.

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology has great potential in assisting cardiologists in making a prompt clinical diagnosis by improving interpretation skills.

Veraprapas "Mark" Kittipibul, MD, reminisces on his journey from medical school in Thailand to matching into Duke University in 2021. He discusses how he "experienced moments of triumph and faced the depths of uncertainty" and provides advice on what he wishes he knew before beginning his journey.

JACC: Heart Failure is inviting submissions for a special focus issue on strategies for the management of obesity and heart failure (HF).

Listen to concise summaries from Fellows in Training (FITs) from the University of Michigan, with commentary from ACC.org Editor-in-Chief Kim A. Eagle, MD, MACC, on the most impactful late-breaking clinical trials from ESC Congress 2023.

Fellows in Training are invited to submit FIT Complex Clinical Cases for presentation at ACC.24, held April 6-8, 2024, in Atlanta, GA. FITs should submit interesting cases based upon the clinical decision-making used to arrive at a diagnosis and/or treatment that illustrates clinical decision-making with teaching points.

The ACC is accepting applications for the ACC Educator: Fundamental Skills Course, for FITs currently in an ACGME-accredited CVD fellowship, or FITs that have completed an ACGME-accredited CVD fellowship program and are currently in a cardiovascular medicine related sub-specialty fellowship program.

A recent fireside chat led by Brenton Bauer, MD, FACC, and Aaron Smith, MD, taught FITs about ACC's Legislative Conference and how to get more involved with advocacy at the ACC.

MedAxiom, an ACC Company, has partnered with Wharton Online to develop a first-of-its-kind business and management program designed specifically for cardiovascular fellows and early career professionals to jumpstart your career as a future health care leader.

Student loan payments have been paused since March of 2020 which provided many people with extra income. However, beginning in October, these payments will resume unless one chooses to remain in forbearance or deferment. Most of us with outstanding loans have some combination of undergraduate and graduate loans that likely, especially graduate loans, originated from the federal government.

I made a mistake, sleep-deprived in a foreign place with people I didn't know well.

Many individuals welcome babies into the world during their fellowship. This past year, members of my fellowship welcomed six little ones, including two sets of twins.

JACC: Case Reports is inviting imaging vignettes of congenital or acquired vascular abnormalities for a special issue planned for publication in early 2024.

This month’s issue of Cardiology magazine highlights the stories of various ACC members, many of whom got their start with advocacy, whose dedication to fostering a community at the College has been both personally and professionally rewarding as well as a driving force behind the College’s strategic efforts.

Diana Melo, MD, and Priyanka Bhugra, MD, discuss the importance of radiation safety during pregnancy and how to make an informed decision about participating in rotations that pose a risk of radiation exposure.

The list of featured jobs from ACC’s Cardiology Careers has been updated for the month of September. A free, members-only benefit of the College, ACC Cardiology Careers can help you find the next step in your career.

The ACC is now accepting applications for all five cohorts of ACC's Internal Medicine Cardiology Program. The program is designed to introduce internal medicine interns, residents and cardiology fellows to a career in cardiology by connecting them with mentors, a peer network and education on career opportunities in the field.

ACC Fellows in Training (FITs) and Early Career professionals are invited to tune into an engaging conversation with ACC Board of Governors Chair Nicole L. Lohr, MD, PhD, FACC, on Tuesday, Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. ET.

Do you have a research idea in the area of interventional cardiology? Share it with a panel of experts in the field! Apply to participate in the next "Heart Tank For the Cardiovascular Investigator," taking place Wednesday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. ET.

The inaugural Cardiovascular Fellows Symposium, held last spring, was ACC Florida Chapter's first event designed specifically for fellows.

Submissions are now open for the 2024 Young Investigator Awards competition at ACC's Annual Scientific Session. Apply to become one of 15 young scientific researchers to present cutting-edge research in the Clinical Investigations, Basic and Translational Science, and Outcomes Research categories at ACC.24, held April 6-8 in Atlanta, GA.

In the fast-paced and challenging environment of the cath lab where small errors can have severe consequences, maintaining a positive mindset is crucial for both personal well-being and professional success. Mental dexterity means thinking and adapting quickly, controlling our internal emotions and delivering the right reaction. Below are some tips on improving your mental dexterity in the cath lab.

In any cardiology specialty, effectively giving a presentation is a part of your future career. Providers in private practice, academia and industry all need the ability to get people to listen to them; fellows are often asked to give presentations within their fellowship or at a national conference.

Update your information to stay abreast of the latest news in the field and receive free membership in ACC’s Early Career Section starting next year.

There was a palpable sensation of exhaustion and anxiety as soon as I entered the room. I took one look at the chest X-ray and knew in my gut this was not going to be a normal echo.

Anam Waheed, MD, a fellow in training (FIT) at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, MA, spoke with Paul Cremer, MD, imaging cardiologist, associate director of the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit and associate director of the Cardiovascular Medicine Training Program...

Join us live on Thursday, Sept. 28, 5-8 p.m. ET for ACC’s Virtual Career Fair. Don't miss the opportunity to connect with leading employers in the health care industry, visit more than 30 virtual booths packed with career advancement opportunities and network with other aspiring cardiology professionals.

ACC’s NCDR is committed to providing research opportunities and leveraging audit-validated registry data in support of expanding and improving the scientific knowledge that drives high quality care and improves cardiovascular health.

Mirza Umair Khalid, MD, FACC, is an assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine, where he also serves as academic director of the cardiovascular disease fellowship program and medical director of the CCU at the Michael DeBakey VA Medical Center.

Clinical trials are an essential part of the medical world. Many FITs aspire to work on clinical trials throughout their career, yet don’t due to concerns about lack of time and feasibility of participating. Jason Feinman, MD, et al., conducted a study that concluded having fellows involved in clinical trials helps the world of medicine "all move forward together."

Request a nomination from your mentor or training director for the Douglas P. Zipes Distinguished Young Scientist Award. Win a $1,000 prize and the chance to present your work at the Annual Scientific Session during ACC.24, all expenses paid.

July 1. The turnover of the medical calendar complete with new faces, new roles and an opportunity to set new goals. I like to think of July 1 as a time to set my "New Year's Resolutions" for my career and revisit old goals that may have fallen by the wayside throughout the last year.

In the For the FITs article in the June issue of Cardiology magazine, Daniel McBride, MD, provides insight and advice on the lessons he learned through his cardiology fellowship and what key factors are essential to success.

Are you planning to attend ACC’s Legislative Conference 2023? The three-day meeting will take place Oct. 15-17 in Washington, DC, where attendees will have the opportunity to hear from health policy experts and meet with their members of Congress to advocate for their patients and profession.

Research published May 24 in JACC: Advances aimed to derive an algorithm which can identify people with suspected monogenic familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) for subsequent confirmatory genomic testing and cascade screening, since these individuals have a higher risk of premature coronary heart disease and death.

Welcome back to the series on ACC chapter engagement for Fellows in Training (FITs)! The intent of the series is to encourage FITs to actively engage in their state’s ACC chapter.

Nazanin Moghbeli, MD, is an Iranian-American professional artist and cardiologist. She is the director of the Cardiac Care Unit (CCU) at Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, an educator of medical humanities programs, and my mentor.

The ACC is seeking applicants for the position of associate editor of the JACC Edge newsletter. Led by editor Pratik Doshi, MD, the newsletter provides “snackable,” curated cardiovascular content to subscribers.

JACC: Case Reports is inviting submissions of challenging cardio-obstetrics cases for a special issue or mini-focus issue(s). Topics of interest include valvular heart disease, arrhythmias and congenital heart disease in pregnancy; peripartum cardiomyopathy; and peripartum spontaneous coronary artery dissection.

In a recent article in Cardiology magazine, Robert S. Zhang, MD, gives tips on how to make sure you’re protecting your most important asset: your medical degree.

Applying for a Cardiology Fellowship? Join us live on Tuesday, May 23 at 8:00 p.m. ET for all the insights and best practices to make your application stand out.

There was an obvious trend emerging at a recent cardiology conference: remote patient monitoring (RPM) devices. In one booth, a woman wore a virtual reality (VR) headset and walked down a virtual plank holding a small device while her heart rhythm and anxiety score were publicly displayed. In another, a man wore a sleek white cuff magnetically strapped to his arm and watched its blue glow as his blood pressure displayed on his iPhone.

Diana M. Lopez, MD, a FIT at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, spoke with Marcelo F. Di Carli, MD, FACC, the Seltzer Family Professor of Radiology and Medicine at Harvard Medical School and executive director of Cardiovascular Imaging at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, on the ever-evolving specialty of cardiovascular imaging, advice for building a training program, tips for Fellows in Training (FITs) and Early Career professionals on entering the field, and more.

JACC: CardioOncology is inviting submissions for a special issue examining the social and environmental determinants of health and health disparities in the global cardio-oncology patient population.

Share your quality improvement successes with an abstract for ACC Quality Summit 2023, taking place Oct. 11-13 in Orlando, FL. Showcase how NCDR and ACC Accreditation Services data have helped you improve patient care, processes or quality initiatives through innovative educational experiences, team-based collaboration, data collection processes, or research activities.

Do you have a research idea in the area of critical care cardiology? Don’t miss your chance to share it with your colleagues, peers and a panel of experts in the field!

The latest issue of JACC: Basic to Translational Science includes presentations from the Cardiovascular Research Foundation’s Technology and Heart Failure Therapeutics (THT) 2023 Shark Tank Innovation Competition.

Developed through a collaboration with the PCR Tricuspid Focus Group, the April issue of JACC: Case Reports is dedicated to the tricuspid valve. The issue features cases categorized into the subtopics of anatomy and physiology, pacemaker leads, and future directions – each with a podcast summary recorded by Editor-in-Chief Julia Grapsa, MD, PhD, FACC, and members of the editorial board.

Do you see / That P wave; is that AFib / or something hiding in the T wave, / a deceiving premature atrial complex

Mazen Roumia, MD, FACC, is the director of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Saint Vincent Hospital, MA and Assistant Professor of Medicine at University of Massachusetts Medical School where he is also involved in clinical research.

Vascular medicine as a subspecialty following internal medicine training is not a well-known pathway. Most vascular medicine specialists have a unique experience that led them to vascular medicine and inspired them to pursue this subspecialty. Some may have come across it when facing an anticoagulation dilemma during their internal medicine rotations, while others may have researched career paths after internal medicine residency or while looking for academic research opportunities.

As a newly matched cardiology fellow-to-be, I noticed that my significant other, a healthy 30-year-old ophthalmologist, had quite prominent neck veins. He rarely complained of anything, but told me that he felt as if he did not have good exercise endurance compared to his peers, and that an Echocardiogram done in our home country years earlier had revealed “an enlarged right ventricle.” Unfortunately, at the time he was told that it was likely a normal variant and would not affect his life, and no further investigation was performed.

Highlights from the March issue of JACC: Advances include a state-of-the-art review investigating the opportunity to improve congenital heart disease (CHD) care with wearable biosensors; a Cardio-Obstetrics state-of-the-art review on the impact of cardiovascular contributions like cardiac arrest, arrythmia and acute myocardial infarction on severe maternal morbidity; an expert panel paper on the identification and management of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk in South Asian populations in the U.S., and more.

New content is available on the JACC: CardioOncology Pulse – a go-to resource for developing a career in cardio-oncology.

Applications for the ACC/Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC) Merck Research Fellowship Awards are now open to those currently in an adult cardiology training program.

Showcase your work during ACC’s Care of the Athletic Heart, returning June 8-10 in person in Washington, DC, and virtually!

The debilitating consequences of environmental exposures on cardiovascular health, exacerbated by the effects of climate change, make it imperative to include environmental cardiology in training programs for fellows and early career cardiologists, according to a FIT and Early Career Section Column article recently published in JACC.

Cardiology Careers’ Featured Employers Guide is now available, with information on organizations recruiting cardiology professional during the Career Fair at ACC.23/WCC.

During and after your training, the right support is critical. Ensure we’re providing you with support tailored to your needs!

Listen to concise summaries from FITs from the University of Michigan, with commentary from ACC.org Editor-in-Chief Kim A. Eagle, MD, MACC, on the most impactful late-breaking clinical trials from ACC.23/WCC.

To celebrate Women’s History Month, Rama Hritani, MD, reflects on the women mentors who helped inform her career path in cardiology in the latest issue of Cardiology magazine.

Showcase your work during ACC’s Care of the Athletic Heart, returning June 8-10 in person in Washington, DC, and virtually!

Heart failure is a significant global epidemic; however, there may be sex-related differences in the epidemiology, pathophysiology, risk factors, and outcomes. To highlight the latest and most impactful science from the growing body of literature on this topic, JACC: Heart Failure will publish a new special issue in September of this year.

My mother, despite being married to and raising two physicians herself, continues to ask when my hours will improve to accommodate my toddler’s lifestyle. "You’ll be working 9-5 as an attending, right?" Yet, the dreams of a more "normal" work schedule, following years of training and overnight calls, remain elusive as we move closer to the finish-line and become privy to the reality of the demanding schedules of an attending cardiologist.

African Americans are seldom represented during either undergraduate or graduate medical education in the United States. While this statement may seem jarring, consider the fact that African Americans were actively excluded from America’s largest medical association until 1967.

With the new year comes new year’s resolutions. My recommendation for all FITs is to make one of this year’s resolutions to take a more active role in your finances. There are a lot of ways to do this, with a lot of recommendations out there.

ACC.23/WCC is quickly approaching, and we all know this is a great place to network and meet others in your field of interest. But how does one actually network? Here are some tips from the new National Director of Cardiology for the Office of Veterans Affairs, Claire Duvernoy, MD, FACC, on ways to ensure that you get the most out of the upcoming conference.

Congratulations to ACC’s CardioSmart Challenge winners, Drew Mendoza, MD; Marc Erickson, MD; and Muhammad Asim Shabbir, MD!

Planning to submit an NCDR research proposal this year? Don’t miss the March 24 deadline!

A new career development page from JACC: CardioOncology, JACC: CardioOncology Pulse, provides resources and insights for individuals exploring careers in cardio-oncology.

Attending ACC.23/WCC in New Orleans? Mark your calendars for these JACC Journals events!

ACC.23 is just around the corner – and we’re helping FITs prepare with this in-depth guide to navigating the event of the year taking place March 4-6 in New Orleans and virtually. FITs will have unique opportunities to hone their knowledge of current medical advances and research, network with colleagues, and gain insights into nonclinical aspects of the cardiology profession.

The ACC, the American Heart Association (AHA) and the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) have jointly issued a clinical document outlining competency-based training requirements for interventional cardiology trainees.

In West African tradition, a griot is a storyteller. Before written history, the griot was central to every community, charged with preserving and narrating local history, analyzing cultural norms, and providing entertainment. A modern-day griot may resemble an amalgamation of Ava DuVernay, Aesop, and Henry Louis Gates Jr. ACC Humanities 2022 has explored careers of cardiologists crafting meaningful lives through the humanities. In this chapter, we feature advanced heart failure and transplant cardiologist Dr. Haider Warraich.

In this segment of our series highlighting ACC state chapter engagement, I talked to Aaron A. H. Smith, MD, about his path to ACC and his recent work with FITs from across the nation. Smith is a third-year cardiology fellow and a chief fellow of education at the Medical College of Wisconsin, where he is staying for an additional year of fellowship in advanced cardiovascular imaging.

It was my weekend off and I planned to do it all: Prepare a presentation for a morning conference, and then drive to Washington, DC to visit my sister, her kids, my brother-in-law, whom I had not seen in months. The weekend included a fancy hotel, museums, restaurants, and a visit with my dad. He was going to meet my 7-month-old daughter for the first time.

Throughout training, most of us receive little to no financial education. And if we do, it tends to be minimal and surface level. In a profession where 50% of us start training with more than $200,000 in debt, we have very little education on how to deal with this debt while living within a trainee salary.

I’m honored and elated to serve as Editor-in-Chief for the ACC FIT section! On behalf of the ACC FIT Leadership Council, I want to update you on what we are looking to accomplish in 2023. We would also love to hear your ideas and feedback regarding the FIT webpage, our social media presence, and the FIT newsletter.

The latest issue of JACC: Case Reports presents a combination of cases on imaging and structural interventions, including a case report about what to do when you encounter a right atrial thrombus before an electrophysiology procedure.

The ACC is hosting its first in-person Career Fair in three years at ACC.23/WCC in New Orleans, LA!

On Tuesday, Jan. 31 from 7 – 8:15 p.m. ET, immigration lawyer Jan Pederson will join the Fellow in Training Section Council for an illuminating discussion on immigration and the job search for international medical graduates (IMG).

Register today for the Cardiovascular Summit, Feb. 16-18, in Washington, DC, a transformative educational experience where you can learn from expert faculty...

FITs at ACC.23 Together With WCC will get up to speed on current medical advances and research, be in the room as results of Late-Breaking Clinical Trials...

As 2022 comes to a close, we're looking back at another year of outstanding articles written by FITs, for FITs.

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) impacts nearly 41 million people worldwide and this month’s cover story of Cardiology magazine offers a comprehensive look at the current landscape as well as into treatment considerations and global and local RHD prevention efforts.

Whether you are actively seeking a new position or casually exploring opportunities, ACC’s Cardiology Careers portal has you covered.

Like many other physicians, exercise is a hobby and source of pleasure for me, a needed break from the busy schedule for my health and wellbeing. After matching into interventional cardiology fellowship, I quickly learned that my hand’s physical status is a priority, and I began to explore different physical activities that would positively impact my manual skills.

Social media platforms, including Twitter, have become widely adopted across the cardiology community. This is particularly relevant during conferences, as most societies have embraced Twitter to supplement their meetings. Whether you are attending a conference to present research, grow your body of knowledge, or network with your community, a thoughtful Twitter presence can greatly amplify your experience.

Join ACC’s Chief Innovation Officer Ami B. Bhatt, MD, FACC; Regina Druz, MD, FACC, ChenMed’s national director of cardiology; and Maulik Majmudar, MD, chief medical officer and co-founder at Biofourmis, for a webinar on Wednesday, Nov. 30, at 6 p.m. ET to learn about leveraging innovation to promote value-based care, with a special focus on heart failure.

Join ACC’s Women in Cardiology Section for a “Money Matters” webinar on Tuesday, Dec. 6 at 6 p.m. ET. Cyrus N. Pardiwala, a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers, will offer an overview on investments, including which buckets make the most sense for you depending on your life stage and tax bracket.

Join ACC’s Academic Cardiology Section for a “Heart Tank” event on Tuesday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. ET, focused on congenital heart disease.

Although the process for young authors is rewarding once the manuscript gets accepted, the writing and revision process can be exhausting. In a recent article, JACC: Case Reports Editor-in-Chief Julia Grapsa, MD, PhD, FACC, shares valuable advice on how to publish a clinical case, guiding authors from journal selection to revision and beyond.

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are commonly used for the prevention of thrombosis in several cardiovascular contexts, including stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation and primary prevention, acute treatment or extended-duration secondary prevention of venous thromboembolism.

The ACC is now accepting applications for four new cohorts in ACC’s Internal Medicine Programs. The program is designed to introduce internal medicine interns, residents and cardiology fellows to a career in cardiology by connecting them with mentors, a peer network and education on career opportunities in the field.

Join the ACC and the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) for the next Cath Case Discussion on Saturday, Nov. 19 at 10 a.m. ET!

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are commonly used for the prevention of thrombosis in several cardiovascular contexts, including stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib) and primary prevention, acute treatment or extended-duration secondary prevention of venous thromboembolism.

Submit your most interesting ECG Challenges to JACC: Case Reports. ECG Challenges can include electrophysiology and rhythm disorder subtopics.

MedAxiom, an ACC Company, has partnered with Wharton Online to develop a first-of-its-kind business and management program designed specifically for cardiovascular professionals. The Cardiovascular Business and Management Essentials Program focuses on essential non-clinical competencies that are not taught in medical school.

Listen to Heart Songs 5 at your convenience to improve your cardiac auscultation skills. As a Fellow in Training, this online program will provide you with high-quality heart sounds and covers basic murmurs/sounds, intermediate murmurs, expert murmurs, and adult congenital murmurs which will facilitate your understanding and mastery of many hear murmurs/sounds.

Join a distinguished panel of judges, Glenn I. Fishman, MD, FACC; Douglas L. Mann, MD, FACC; and Nadia R. Sutton, MD, FACC, as they hear Young Investigators “pitch” their basic to translational science research ideas.

If you are attending the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions 2022, join the JACC Journals’ editors-in-chief and members of their respective boards to learn about the types of papers they are looking for, ask any probing questions and get behind-the-scenes insight into the Journals’ editorial processes.

A new JACC Patient Care Pathways case provides an inside look at the pathway of a 37-year-old female who, while in labor, develops dyspnea, hypoxemia, and tachycardia, followed by an acute pulmonary embolism.

Contract Diagnostics – an ACC partner – is answering questions about physician compensation during a webinar on Tuesday, Nov. 8 at 6:30 p.m.

Welcome back to our series on ACC chapter engagement for FITs! The intent of the series is to encourage FITs to actively engage in their state's ACC chapter. Interviews of select state chapters are conducted to glean their experiences to be shared with readers.

Even though many physician inventors might not be interested in the business and revenue aspects of their invention, innovators should understand the crucial importance of business plausibility for the survival of their technology.

Welcome back to our series on ACC chapter engagement for FITs! The intent of the series is to encourage FITs to actively engage in their state’s ACC chapter.

ACC's Imaging Member Section and JACC: Case Reports are hosting a journal club webinar on Thursday, Oct. 13 from noon to 1 p.m. ET.

Understand the current state of the job environment and pick up strategies for identifying opportunities during a live virtual networking event on Nov. 17!

Do you have a research idea in the area of basic to translational science? Don’t miss this chance to share it with your peers, colleagues – and the experts!

There may come a time for residents or fellows where they begin to think about family planning. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) recently put out new institutional requirements that were approved and implemented as of July 2022.1 This article seeks to highlight key areas of the new parental leave policy, which may be of interest for fellows in discussion with their institutional program directors.

You're my doctor? You've got to be kidding. You look like— I have socks that are older than you.

Diversity and inclusion have become an area of focus in many cardiology programs across the country. Everybody knows that the diversity within the cardiology faculty and trainees needs to improve. Though the problem is apparent, the solution is less so. In this article, I highlight three innovative approaches to improving diversity within a cardiology fellowship program and the results that these approaches yielded.

Welcome back to part two of this series, “The Road to MedTech Innovation.” In part one, we explored conception, valuation and protection of ideas.

Your high-risk cardiovascular patient has just become pregnant. What do you do now? Join us for a webinar, "A Team-Based Approach for When the Highest Risk Cardiovascular Patient Becomes Pregnant" for the guidance you need.

In a recent article published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Simin Gharib Lee, MD, MBA; Alexander J. Blood, MD, MSc; and Ajar Kochar, MD, MHS, highlight the key aspects of principled negotiation and arm FIT and early career cardiologists with a roadmap for professional success.

In a recent article published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Ankeet S. Bhatt, MD, MBA, MSC; Simin Lee, MD, MBA; and Muthiah Vaduganathan, MD, MPH, FACC, advocate for formalized and dedicated pathways for training in implementation science for FITs and early career cardiologists.

A new webinar based on the JACC special report, "Global Burden of Cardiovascular Diseases and Risk Factors," examines cardiovascular disease trends and modifiable risks in South America. Moderator Valentin Fuster, MD, PhD, MACC, is joined by panelists Edgardo Escobar, MD, FACC; Juan F. Granada, MD; Gláucia Maria Moraes de Oliveira, MD, MSc, PhD, FACC; and Daniel José Piñeiro, MD, FACC, in a discussion outlining on the most prevalent modifiable risk factors in the region, the implications of these findings on clinical practice, how clinicians can address modifiable risks with patients, and health policy considerations.

Are you preparing for initial Board certification in CV disease or looking to hone your ECG interpretation skills? ECG Drill & Practice can help! With this online program you will review key findings in clinical electrocardiography and can take advantage of the self-assessment ECG test.

It is said that it is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all. After taking my echocardiography (echo) board examination, I have a similar feeling – that it is better to have learnt and forgotten, than to have never learnt at all.

C. Noel Bairey Merz, MD, FACC, is Director of the Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center at the Smidt Heart Institute of Cedars-Sinai, where she is also the Irwin and Sheila Allen Chair in Women’s Heart Research. In addition to her roles as a leading physician scientist and clinical cardiologist, she is also Director of the Clinical Scholars Program at Cedars-Sinai, a program offering formal research training to fellows.

The ACC FIT Leadership Council works diligently to provide high yield content and opportunities including educational webinars, mentorship programs and networking events to improve the FIT experience during training. The inaugural ACC Chief Fellow Leadership Symposium for rising chief fellows was their latest successful endeavor, led by Emily Zern, MD; Hyeon-Ju Ali, MD; Prashanth Thakker, MD; and Nosheen Reza, MD.

The number of pregnant persons, affected by cardiovascular disease (CVD) is rising and has necessitated the development of multidisciplinary, specialized teams in a field called cardio-obstetrics. achieving optimal maternal and fetal outcomes for patients with CVD relies on the expertise of these teams, a constant assessment of treatment risks versus benefits, and sometimes termination of pregnancy as a life-saving measure for the pregnant patient.

Please join us on Thursday, Sept. 15 at 8 p.m. ET, for the next ACC Advocacy Fireside Chat featuring Sam Jones, MD, FACC.

Shape the future of patient care by sharing your research with the global cardiovascular community at ACC.23 Together With WCC in New Orleans, March 4 – 6, 2023!

What is the right target blood pressure (BP) for pregnant women with chronic hypertension? Join us on Tuesday, Sept. 13 at 8 p.m. ET for a special joint journal club hosted by the ACC Cardio-Obstetrics Workgroup and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine as we discuss the Chronic Hypertension And Pregnancy (CHAP) trial results with lead author, Alan Tita, MD.

Nominations for available positions on ACC’s Committees, including NCDR and ACC Accreditation Services’ committees, are now being accepted until Tuesday, Sept. 13. Interested applicants or nominators are encouraged to review the open positions on the Committee Nominations Portal and may self-nominate or nominate a colleague.

The COVID pandemic brought many challenges, but also drove some beneficial changes in delivering health care. This month’s cover story looks at efficiencies in the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) developed through multidisciplinary collaboration and related improvements in outcomes during COVID, and how it “advanced ECMO science by about a decade in a matter of months,” says Shelley A. Hall, MD, FACC.

The ACC is calling all young scientific investigators! Submit your abstract by Monday, Aug. 29 for the chance to be one of 18 finalists to compete in the Young Investigator Awards competition.

ACC’s official virtual career fair is returning! Mark your calendars for Thursday, Sept. 22, 5-8 p.m. ET for an opportunity to meet with leading employers from across the country in a variety of practice settings right from your home or office.

In the next ACC/SCAI Cath Case Discussion webinar on Saturday, Aug. 20 at 10 a.m. ET, we’ll tackle MI With Non-Obstructive Coronary Arteries (MINOCA).

Virtually join ACC's inaugural Cardio-Obstetric Essentials: Team-Based Management of Cardiovascular Disease and Pregnancy course on Nov. 18!

My story goes like this: When I was 12, while running to class, I tripped and fell. The pencil that had been clenched in my fist was suddenly up my nose and within inches of my brain. I lost vision in my right eye and became partially blind in the left; the trauma also resulted in left-sided weakness, necessitating many months of rehabilitation. But I was adamant that this event would not define me; I would define it.

It is the time of the year when third year residents transition to first year cardiology fellows overnight. It is understandably a daunting experience but most importantly, congratulations to all! Welcome to your cardiology family!

Mohamed Elshazly, MD, is a cardiac electrophysiologist. He trained in internal medicine at Johns Hopkins University, and cardiology and cardiac electrophysiology at the Cleveland Clinic. He carries a master’s degree in biotechnology enterprise and entrepreneurship from Johns Hopkins Krieger Institute of Arts and Sciences.

After four years of medical school, three years of internal medicine residency, three years of general cardiology plus an additional one to two years of subspecialty training, FITs should have a better idea of their monetary value within the health care system.

In this three-part series, I will be discussing the 401(k)-retirement fund from my perspective. In part three, I will discuss a step-by-step guide to my process and how I got my co-fellows into better plans.

The ACC has partnered with Contract Diagnostics to provide comprehensive contract reviews for its members. Join a webinar on Thursday, July 14 at 7:30 p.m. ET, with Jon Appino, Contract Diagnostics founder and chief executive officer, who will focus on the cardiologist’s perspective on physician structures and compensation structures.

The FIT Council of the ACC is seeking 33 highly qualified, motivated individuals to serve as the 2022-2023 Editorial Fellows for the FIT Section webpage. The FIT Section webpage is dedicated to publishing non-clinical FIT-relevant content, written for FITs by FITs.

The latest issue of Cardiology highlights the advances in cardiac transplantation in advanced heart failure, and the challenges of de-escalating dual antiplatelet therapy after PCI in a conversation with Roxana Mehran, MD, FACC, and Editor-in-Chief Peter C. Block, MD, FACC.

In a recent article published July 12 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Graham H. Bevan, MD, et al., consider the challenges that continued subspecialization in cardiology could present to the field.

If you are presenting research during ESC Congress 2022, we invite you to submit your high-impact findings to JACC Journals for simultaneous publication.

Join us in person for the 2022 Legislative Conference, ACC's biggest advocacy event of the year!

A new webinar based on the JACC special report, "Global Burden of Cardiovascular Diseases and Risk Factors," examines cardiovascular disease trends and modifiable risks in North America.

The latest issue of JACC: Advances includes a state-of-the-art review on catheter-based interventions for the management of valvular heart disease during pregnancy.

Whether you're looking for career tips and resources to help you advance in your current position or considering a completely new professional opportunity, Cardiology Careers is the place to do it.

Enrollment is now open for ACC's Cardiovascular Overview and Board Prep Virtual Experience! Enroll today and receive a comprehensive review in cardiovascular disease while ensuring you are prepared for the ABIM Initial Certification or MOC assessments!

In a recent paper published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Scott E. Janus, MD; Mohamad Karnib, MD; and Sadeer G. Al-Kindi, MD, FACC, call for increased exposure and requirements for cardiac computed tomography (CCT) during cardiology fellowship, which they write has become an integral component of clinical cardiology.

While training as cardiology fellows, we learn how to interpret data to best care for our patients. We process a range of objective data, from EKGs, hemodynamic measurements to imaging studies. We learn the impressive body of high-quality evidence supporting various treatments.While training as cardiology fellows, we learn how to interpret data to best care for our patients. We process a range of objective data, from EKGs, hemodynamic measurements to imaging studies. We learn the impressive body of high-quality evidence supporting various treatments.

Edward Wilson Grandin, MD, MPH, FACC, is an advanced heart failure cardiologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. This piece focuses on his role in creating the cardiogenic shock (CS) and mechanical circulatory support (MCS) curriculum for cardiology FITs at BIDMC, discussing the expanding role of advanced therapies for shock in the context of an evolving Cardiac Critical Care (CCU) population and exploring the different methods of delivering this curriculum to fellows.

Aditi Nayak, MD, MS (Biomedical Innovation and Development) is a cardiology fellow at Emory University and is an incoming Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology (AHFTC) fellow at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Join JACC: Case Reports Editor-in-Chief Julia Grapsa, MD, PhD, FACC; Deputy Editor Mary Norine Walsh, MD, FACC; and Associate Editor David L. Fischman, MD, FACC, on June 28 at 4 p.m. ET to learn tips and tricks for writing a successful case report.

Lipoprotein(a) and its role in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is stepping into the spotlight and this month’s cover story looks at the emerging understanding and potential new therapies.

Join the ACC Vascular Disease Section & Society for Vascular Medicine for two upcoming webinars on vascular hot topics!

Share your quality improvement successes with an abstract for ACC Quality Summit, scheduled for Sept. 14-16 in Los Angeles, CA, and virtually.

Put a spotlight on your research and establish yourself as the one-to-watch in cardiology! The Douglas P. Zipes Distinguished Young Scientist Award Committee is seeking the next breakthrough young scientific investigator.

Welcome back to our series on ACC chapter engagement for FITs! The intent of this series is to encourage FITs to actively engage in their state's ACC chapter. Interviews with select state chapters are conducted to glean their experiences and share with readers. In this article, I continue my interview with the Texas ACC chapter's FIT catalysts, Joe Aoun, MD, and Travis, Haneke, MD, about their chapter's efforts.

Welcome back to our series on ACC chapter engagement for FITs! The intent of this series is to encourage FITs to actively engage in their state’s ACC chapter. Interviews with select state chapters are conducted to glean their experiences and share with readers. I reached out to multiple chapters inviting them to highlight their efforts and got a quick response from the Texas ACC chapter’s FIT catalysts, Joe Aoun, MD, and Travis, Haneke, MD.

Simon R. Dixon, MD, FACC, is the Chair of Cardiovascular Medicine at Beaumont Hospital - Royal Oak, Dorothy Susan Timmis Endowed Chair of Cardiology, and Professor of Medicine at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine. He is originally from New Zealand and came to the United States in 1999 for an interventional cardiology fellowship.

Register today for the Diversity and Inclusion webinar on Wednesday, June 29 at 6 p.m. ET about the ACC’s recent Health Policy Statement on Building Civility, Respect and Inclusion. Writing committee members Pamela Douglas, MD, MACC, Sharonne Hayes, MD, FACC, Jennifer Mieres, MD, FACC, Robert Roswell, MD, FACC, and Natalie Stokes, MD, will discuss organizational and individual strategies on how to encourage excellence, belonging and inclusion, and support efforts to reduce discrimination, bullying and harassment.

ACC President Edward Fry, MD, FACC, will kick off his first "UnEDited" presidential series discussions on June 21 at 5 p.m. ET. Join Fry and special guests Katie L. Berlacher, MD, FACC, and Andrew M. Kates, MD, FACC, along with fellows Ricardo Nieves, MD, and Krasimira Mikhova, MD, for an informal discussion about cardiovascular fellow training and the importance of well-being, diversity, and more.

The ACC Interventional, Peripheral Vascular Disease, Early Career, and FIT Sections have partnered with SCAI to host a monthly Cath Case Discussion focusing on hot topics. Join us for our next session on June 18 at 10 a.m. ET, where we will discuss percutaneous mitral valve therapies.

JACC: Case Reports is inviting submissions for a 2022 special themed issue on long COVID cardiac cases. Papers in the form of clinical cases, clinical case series and clinical vignettes will be accepted.

The ACC Health Equity Taskforce is introducing a new discussion series addressing health care disparities across under-represented populations. Join a panel of experts on June 21 at 7 p.m. ET for the inaugural event focused on South Asian cardiovascular and metabolic health.

Join ACC's FIT and PDGME Sections for a webinar on Thursday, June 2 at 7 p.m. ET, covering all things related to the 2022 Cardiology Fellowship Application Cycle.

A new JACC: Case Reports podcast series, titled Behind the Curtain, gives listeners an inside look at the editorial review process for the recent case of left brachiocephalic perforation during right heart catheterization.

Jason Wasfy, MD, MPhil, is an associate professor at Harvard Medical School, Director of Quality and Outcomes Research at the Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center, and Medical Director of the Massachusetts General Physicians Organization (MGPO). In this interview, he shares his perspective with FITs on his career at the intersection of clinical cardiology, academic research and hospital leadership.

“Renaissance man” describes an accomplished individual demonstrating expertise in multiple fields. Cardiologist Richard Allen Williams, MD, FACC, is the modern embodiment of a renaissance man. While descriptions extolling Williams’ accomplishments are extensive – which include his title as founder of the Association of Black Cardiologists and recipient of several Lifetime Achievement Awards and the ACC's Distinguished Award for Leadership in Diversity and Inclusion – the focus of this article is to study his investment in the humanities and derive lessons on how we, as FITs, can lead more fulfilling lives.

Extra-small, I click, because it’s the only way to print the list on just page one.

Srihari S. Naidu, MD, FACC, is a professor of medicine at the New York Medical College in Valhalla, NY. He serves as System Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Labs at Westchester Medical Center Health Network. Naidu is a pioneer in the minimally invasive alternative to open heart surgery known as alcohol septal ablation.

Physicians with expertise in their field of practice often have plenty of novel ideas, but they are not sure how to evaluate the validity of them or how to develop them into patient care products.

As a first-time attendee, I was full of excitement and anticipation as I headed to San Francisco for Heart Rhythm Society 2022. I had my schedule pre-planned for the three days to include a variety of sessions, ranging from late breaking clinical trials, fellows hands-on training, women in electrophysiology (EP) to poster sessions.

The Iowa ACC Chapter and the Iowa FIT Council have remained committed to delivering high quality education for FITs and Early Career cardiologists throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Join members of the JACC: Case Reports editorial board and ACC's Imaging Section for a journal club discussion on Tuesday, May 31 at 12 p.m. ET.

Join May's Diversity and Inclusion webinar on Wednesday, May 25, at 6 p.m. ET, discussing gender microaggressions and their impact on cardiovascular health.

A scientific breakthrough is often seen as a sudden leap forward, but for Valentin Fuster, MD, PhD, MACC, there are no leaps, just a relentless digging to uncover the cause of a problem and find a solution.

Share your quality improvement successes with an abstract for ACC Quality Summit, scheduled for Sept. 14-16 in Los Angeles, CA, and virtually. Showcase how NCDR and ACC Accreditation Services data has helped improve patient care, processes or qualitative initiatives!

Research presented at Heart Rhythm 2022 and simultaneously published in JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology highlights the lack of reliable data regarding the number of board-certified female or underrepresented minority (URM) electrophysiologists in the U.S. as part of a call to increase representation in the field.

The month of June, known as the "gateway to summer," heralds ACC's annual Care of the Athletic Heart meeting. This year, the flagship meeting of the Sports and Exercise Cardiology Section will take place virtually on June 3.

In a recent paper published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Lakshmi S. Tummala, MD, FACC, and Christy L. Kaiser, MD, FACC, address the need for formalized medical education in cardiology, explore the use of technology in medical education and opportunities for curriculum development and outline teaching principles aimed to guide efforts.

Share your quality improvement successes with an abstract for ACC Quality Summit, scheduled for Sept. 14-16 in Los Angeles, CA, and virtually. Showcase how NCDR and ACC Accreditation Services data has helped you improve patient care, processes or qualitative initiatives!

Cardio-obstetrics multidisciplinary clinics emerged through the symbiotic expertise of cardiology and maternal fetal medicine (MFM) as a response to growing maternal mortality rates, among which more than half are of cardiac etiologies and occur following delivery. Among the most successful and rapidly expanding cardio-obstetrics centers is the Bridges Clinic at the Magee Women’s Hospital, situated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The ACC is proud to announce the release of the 2020/2021 Annual Report, outlining the ways the ACC and its member community served as a powerful force for innovation, change and care transformation over the last two years.

In this three-part series, I will be discussing the 401(k)-retirement fund from my perspective. In part two, I will discuss simulations and impact of compound interest.

A delightfully bizarre musical helped me through the rocky aftermath of my 2018 residency match. I didn’t have the foresight then to appreciate the adventure and opportunity that was in store for me next. Instead, the doom and gloom of leaving the familiar to face the unknown — alone and in a new city — loomed large.

Women make up roughly 14% of practicing cardiologists in the United States. Heart disease is the number one killer of American women of all ages and races. A lack of female providers is a quality improvement and patient safety issue in improving cardiovascular outcomes for female patients. When looking at systemic issues that have long prevented women from entering cardiology, similarly, systemic issues have led to fewer women receiving appropriate cardiac care.

Are you aiming to be an outstanding educator while on service? Join the FIT Section on April 21 at 7 p.m. ET for a webinar on educating in the clinical setting. Learn about how to execute effective teaching strategies, tackle teaching at multiple levels and build a career in medical education.

The FIT Section Leadership Council is hosting the inaugural Chief Fellows Leadership Symposium, a one-day virtual conference for rising chief CVD fellows, on Friday, May 27 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. ET.

Welcome back to our series on ACC chapter engagement for Fellows in Training (FIT). This series, which will consist of interviews with select state chapters to glean experience and tips, is meant to encourage FITs to get involved in their state's chapter by highlighting the personal and professional benefits of doing so.

Tim A. Fischell, MD, FACC, is a cardiologist in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and is the program director for interventional cardiology fellowship at Ascension Borgess Hospital/Michigan State University. Aside from being a well-regarded cardiologist, he is also an entrepreneur, with over 100 patents registered in his name. Fischell has invented multiple medical devices and founded several companies.

Welcome to a new series on ACC chapter engagement for Fellows in Training (FIT). This series, which will consist of interviews with select state chapters to glean experience and tips, is meant to encourage FITs to get involved in their state's chapter by highlighting the personal and professional benefits of doing so. This is part one of an article highlighting the California ACC FIT Team – my homebase chapter.

Welcome back to our series on ACC chapter engagement for Fellows in Training (FIT). This series, which will consist of interviews with select state chapters to glean experience and tips, is meant to encourage FITs to get involved in their state's chapter by highlighting the personal and professional benefits of doing so.

"For the past few years, there has been an increase in attention and discussion within cardiovascular fellowship programs, as well as the broader health care community, about the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) amongst health care providers," writes Oby B. Ibe, MD, MPH.

Despite recent efforts to improve women's leadership in cardiovascular clinical trial research over the last decade, the number of female principal investigators (PIs) still falls well below the number of men, based on two recent studies, including one presented as part of ACC.22.

Join your colleagues virtually and register for Care of the Athletic Heart on June 3 for live sessions, panel discussions, debates and a Q&A! Learn about fundamental cardiovascular diagnostic and management strategies from sports cardiology experts through cases, research and treatment options, as well as the impacts of COVID-19 on athletes.

The first issue of JACC: Advances published on April 1. Led by editor-in-chief, Candice Silversides, MD, the online, open-access journal covers the evolving aspects of cardiology, including emerging cardiovascular fields, diagnostics and treatments.

Join Kalyanam Shivkumar, MD, PhD, FACC, editor-in-chief of JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology, and Douglas P. Zipes, MD, MACC, for a live webinar on Wednesday, April 20 from 2-3:30 p.m. ET to learn strategies for developing a translational research career.

Open a new professional horizon at ACC.22! On Saturday, April 2 from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. ET in the Member Hub Lounge, you'll have the opportunity to hear from the chair and chair-elect of ACC's Cardio-Oncology Member Section, network with members of the Section's leadership council and find out what it takes to launch a career in the exciting and growing specialty of cardio-oncology.

This year marks the first time that four women will lead four JACC Journals: Julia Grapsa, MD, PhD, FACC, editor-in-chief of JACC: Case Reports; Bonnie Ky, MD, MSCE, FACC, editor-in-chief of JACC: CardioOncology; Candice Silversides, MD, FACC, editor-in-chief of JACC: Advances and Biykem Bozkurt, MD, PhD, FACC, incoming editor-in-chief of JACC: Heart Failure.

ACC.22 is just around the corner – and we’re helping FITs prepare with this in-depth guide to navigating the event of the year taking place April 2 – 4 in Washington, DC and virtually.

Vanessa Blumer, MD, is the ACC North Carolina Chapter's FIT liaison. I spoke with her about her path to engagement with the College, as well as her chapter's efforts to support FITs.

Karthikeyan Ananthasubramaniam, MBBS, FACC is president-elect of the ACC Michigan Chapter and will begin his three-year term in spring 2022. He is the Director of Nuclear Cardiology and Cardiac PET at Henry Ford Hospital, Professor of Medicine at Wayne State University, and previously served as the Director of Echocardiography and Program Director of Advanced Imaging Fellowship at Henry Ford.

It is well known that women in electrophysiology (EP) are unicorns, and reasons for that include a lack of female mentors, perceived concerns regarding radiation safety, and the challenges of work-life integration in a procedural subspecialty. These issues were recently explored in a survey published in JACC regarding gender differences in EP.

Back by popular demand, the ACC will hold its 2nd Annual Evolving Practice of Cardiovascular Precision Medicine Virtual course on May 13!

Every March, the world comes together to recognize the contributions of women throughout history. At ACC, we are celebrating all the women who help advance our Mission to transform cardiovascular care and heart health each and every day.

On January 7, 2022, David Bennett, Sr. became the first person to live with a pig’s heart beating inside his chest. After languishing for months in the hospital due to end-stage heart failure, Bennett was too ill to undergo human-donor transplantation and was experiencing arrhythmias which made him a poor candidate for ventricular assist device implantation.

ACC.22 is just around the corner, and we are looking for volunteers to join the FITs on the GO (FOTG) initiative! FITs from the Mayo Clinic and ACC have partnered to create FOTG with the goal of spreading cardiology knowledge and building a community among trainees. For the first time, in addition to FITs, we are opening this opportunity to medical residents and medical students.

While we all prepare to convene for ACC.22 in a matter of weeks, planning is already underway for ACC.23, which will be held in New Orleans, from March 4 – 6, 2023. The contributions of FIT members are critical to the development of impactful educational programming, so we are asking for your input on FIT-focused programming for ACC.23 and encourage you to submit proposals for sessions that address topics germane to your lives as FITs.

The Feb. 16 issue of JACC: Case Reports features a Viewpoint article by Janet Han, MD, FACC, et al., reflecting on diversity and inclusion in cardiovascular society presidents over the past century.

The ACC Interventional, Peripheral Vascular Disease, Early Career, and Fellows-in-Training Sections have partnered with SCAI to host a monthly Cath Discussion focusing on hot topics.

Join the ACC's Accreditation Product Managers for a webinar on Feb. 24 at 3 p.m. ET to review how the pandemic has impacted the delivery of healthcare and how ACC, in response, is pivoting to a more streamlined approach to maintain Accreditation requirements.

Are you planning to submit an NCDR research proposal this year? Don’t miss the April 8 deadline! The NCDR Research & Publications (R&P) cycle offers one research proposal deadline annually for all NCDR programs except the STS/ACC TVT Registry.

Cardiology departments across the country have stated their commitment to improving diversity and inclusion within the field. This is an important mission, as there are many obstacles that need to be addressed to succeed.

The decision between joining an academic setting vs. private practice is often debated among medical trainees across fields, and cardiology is no exception. Fellows who are faced with this decision are often advised to weigh the benefits and challenges before choosing which career path to pursue.

"As a future advanced heart failure and transplant cardiology physician, I aspire to care for HF patients across their entire spectrum of disease. As such, I want to develop the tools necessary to care for HF patients, especially during their greatest period of risk and illness," writes Vanessa Blumer, MD.

ACC President Dipti Itchhaporia, MD, FACC, will welcome Clyde W. Yancy, MD, MSc, FACC, and Nanette K. Wenger, MD, MACC, MACP, for a leadership discussion on Saturday, Feb. 26.

How do racial microaggressions impact cardiovascular health? Take a multidisciplinary look at racial microaggressions with an expert panel on Thursday, March 10 at 7 p.m. ET.

Dedicated to interventional procedures and imaging, the latest issue of JACC: Case Reports features two illustrative Heart Care Team/Multidisciplinary Team Live cases.

Join us for a webinar on Wednesday, March 9 at 7 p.m. ET, geared especially toward early-career and fellow-in-training physicians who strive to understand reimbursement models in various practice settings, to succeed in their career with involvement in professional societies, and to also maintain adequate work-life balance.

Join us on March 16 from 5 – 8 p.m. ET for the ACC Virtual Career Fair, a free online event connecting cardiology professionals with private practice employers, group practices, hospitals, health systems, and other recruiters around the country.

The ACC Interventional, Peripheral Vascular Disease, Early Career, and Fellows-in-Training Sections have partnered with SCAI to host a monthly Cath Discussion focusing on hot topics.

There is growing recognition of the important role physicians play as health policy advocates. As trainees, it can be hard to stay informed and educated about the rapidly changing policy questions being debated in government.

The ACC is a nonprofit medical association dedicated to enhancing the lives of cardiovascular patients. It utilizes innovation, education and advocacy to optimize cardiovascular care and also provides a centralized home for the global cardiology community.

JACC: Case Reports will publish a special themed issue on sports cardiology in 2022. Authors are invited to submit manuscripts in the form of clinical cases, clinical case series and clinical vignettes for consideration by March 14.

Financial and health systems education has long struggled for adequate representation in medical school and post-graduate curricula. Realizing a gap existed in my own education, I approached William Peck, MD, as a fourth-year medical student hoping to improve my understanding.

When I'm in the fellows' office, I'm at work and yet I am home away from the clamor of the floors, no attending in sight.

I've been talking to my co-fellows about retirement plans and 401(k) plans for the past two years. When my co-fellows finally signed up last month, they didn't know what to pay attention to when selecting their funds.

"Humanities" can feel like an amorphous term for those who have been focused on STEM education since an early age. What are the humanities and why should you heed Sir William Osler's famous exhortation that physicians cultivate a strong humanities background?

On the first day of my cardiology fellowship, I found myself in a new role on the consult service. No longer the primary doctor for my own group of patients in the hospital, I was now weighing in on cardiology questions for patients across the hospital and was at the ready for any cardiology problems that came up.

Applications for the ACC/ABC Bristol Myers Squibb Research Fellowship Awards are due Jan. 7, 2022.

Applications for the ACC/Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC) Merck Research Fellowship Awards are due Jan. 7, 2022.

In a new Viewpoint article published in JACC: Case Reports, Dustin Hillerson, MD, FACC, et al., offer a model for establishing a patient-focused cardiac intensive care unit recovery clinic (CICURC) aimed at improving the health and outcomes of survivors of critical cardiac illness.

Applications for the ACC/ABC Bristol Myers Squibb Research Fellowship Awards are due Jan. 7, 2022.

Applications for the ACC/Association of Black Cardiologists Merck Research Fellowship Awards are due Jan. 7, 2022.

Register today for the Cardiovascular Summit, taking place Feb. 17-19, 2022, in Washington, DC, and discover how to align strong leadership with effective business strategies to improve cardiovascular care and patient outcomes.

JACC and JACC: Case Reports have launched JACC Patient Pathways, a new, interactive case report experience that illustrates the cross-specialty decision-making in an acute care setting.

The year 2020 brought a heightened sense of urgency to addressing longstanding health disparities, including those pertaining to cardiovascular disease.

A flash of panic hits me as I look through the medication administrative record and see that a heparin drip had not been ordered for the patient admitted overnight for an un-revascularized ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) awaiting coronary bypass surgery.

Cardiology is a stressful and demanding field. Due to the frequency at which trainees deal with life and death situations, they are at high risk of developing emotional burnout.

Several months ago, I suffered a miscarriage during my first pregnancy. The experience was emotionally taxing; I experienced sadness like never before.

Josh Makower, MD, is a professor of medicine and bioengineering at the Stanford University Schools of Medicine and Engineering.

In a Fellows in Training and Early Career Section article published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Lauren A. Eberly, MD, MPH; Howard Julien, MD, MPH, FACC; and Srinath Adusumalli, MD, MSc, FACC, propose a new training paradigm that integrates antiracism practice throughout the cardiology fellowship training sections, including didactic curriculum, clinical training, research and workshops.

It can frequently be difficult to make the transition from internal medicine residency to general cardiology fellowship.

Perched over the procedure table, dressed in sterile blues, and battling an internal firestorm of anxiety-fueled GERD, I fumbled my way through double flushing a manifold.

I wrote this poem during an ICU rotation of my internal medicine residency training.

In 1965, the proportion of medical school graduates who were women was 7%.

JACC: Advances is accepting applications for the position of Social Media Editor to join the core responsible for developing the Journal’s social media presence and strategy.

Louisiana consistently ranks in the lower quartile for overall health care in the nation, and as a future cardiologist, these statistics alarm me. Whether addressing health literacy, medication adherence, or encouraging lifestyle modification through diet and exercise, something needed to change.

Watching a young YouTube millionaire talk about money as I decompress after another 12-hour workday with a debt burden of 6 figures is frustrating. Like many of my co-fellows, I've been in training for almost a decade, and I'm still nowhere close to having my debts paid.

Join the ACC for a two-part webinar series on the financial planning all FITs should understand before finishing fellowship.

JACC: Case Reports is inviting submissions of cases representing interventional, surgical, structural, electrophysiological and transcatheter procedural complications for a special themed issue planned for 2022.

The cardiology workforce lacks adequate diversity and inclusion and needs improved representation of racial, ethnic, sexual, and gender minority groups.

JACC: Case Reports is accepting applicants for a second year of the popular reviewer mentoring program geared toward FIT and early career members interested in becoming reviewers and learning more about peer reviewed publishing.

JACC: Case Reports and JACC: CardioOncology are now fully indexed on PubMed Central, broadening access to the journals' cardiovascular research and educational content.

G. Hamilton Baker, MD, associate professor of pediatrics at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and co-director of the MUSC Artificial Intelligence Hub, shares his advice with ACC FITs.

Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH, FACC, executive director of Interventional Cardiovascular Programs at Brigham and Women's Hospital and professor at Harvard Medical School, shares his advice with ACC Fellows in Training (FITs).

Financial toxicity is a term first coined by the field of oncology to describe the negative consequences of out-of-pocket costs for medical care on quality of life, access to care, and the ability to pay for basic life necessities, such as housing and subsistence.

A couple of years ago, my significant other and I decided on a whim to do a language swap; she took evening Mandarin classes at the University of Minnesota, while I attended a Lao language workshop over the span of several weekends.

ACC's Academic Section invites Fellows in Training (FITs) to submit research ideas for consideration for the upcoming webinar, "Heart Tank for the Cardiovascular Investigator: A Focus on Imaging."

In a recent editor's page in JACC: Case Reports, Julia Grapsa, MD, PhD, FACC, editor-in-chief of JACC: Case Reports, discusses the success of the recent mentoring pilot program on peer review and publishing under JACC: Case Reports.

Tune in on Thursday, Sept. 23, at noon ET for a live Journal Club presentation and expert case discussion.

Athena Poppas MD, MACC, is the immediate past president of the ACC. This piece focuses on her path of engagement with the ACC, her recent term as ACC president, and her advice to fellows in training (FITs) interested in participating in ACC initiatives.

Almost 11 million Americans are unemployed, according to the latest estimates by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The economic turmoil has directly affected many of our patients, who had previously relied on their employer for health insurance coverage.

Advances in data science, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) are creating major waves in every sector of the U.S. economy and many predict the health care industry will follow suit.

Are you ready to contribute to a more diverse, equitable and inclusive cardiovascular profession?

Curious about available funding sources for clinical investigators? Then RSVP for this webinar on Tuesday, Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. ET!

"Structural heart disease (SHD) is a relatively young, rapidly evolving specialty that brings together cardiac surgery, interventional cardiology, and advanced cardiac imaging," write Rim Halaby, MD, Sameer Hirji, MD, MPH, and Jason Han, MD, in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

The Douglas P. Zipes Distinguished Young Scientist Award is awarded to one young physician-scientist per year who is making outstanding contributions to the field of cardiovascular disease.

Join the Imaging Section for a webinar on Wednesday, Aug. 18, at 6 p.m. ET, that will address the unique opportunities and challenges that exist for trainees and young professionals in pursuing training and employment in multimodality cardiovascular imaging.

Join the ACC Cardio-Obstetrics Work Group for a webinar on Tuesday, Sept. 7, at 8 p.m. ET, that will highlight a recent JACC state-of-the-art review article on peripartum cardiomyopathy.

As doctors, we are constantly learning. Every day we push our understanding of cardiology and the mysteries within the heart.

As I transition to the start of a new academic year as a clinical cardiology fellow at the University of Iowa, I think of all the incoming residents and fellows across the country embarking on their new roles.

JACC: Case Reports is inviting submissions of Da Vinci Anatomy Corner case reports through Aug. 15.

Join us in person for this year's ACC Legislative Conference. This year's program is taking place in person Oct. 3 – 4 at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, and virtually on Oct. 5.

Join the ACC Fellows in Training and Heart Failure and Transplant Sections for a webinar on Tuesday, July 27, at 7 p.m. ET.

The Fellows in Training (FIT) Council of the ACC is seeking 25 highly qualified, motivated individuals to serve as the 2021-2022 Editorial Fellows for the FIT Section page on ACC.org.

Last year, we initiated a "FIT Mock Interview" program in which fellows of all levels conducted virtual mock interviews for applicants to general cardiology fellowship in order to help them navigate a fully virtual interview season.

We are excited to invite you to a unique and exclusive opportunity to learn more about and engage with the College’s advocacy strategy.

Tune in on Thursday, Sept. 23, at 6 p.m. ET, for a Federal Section webinar that will provide an overview of the different career opportunities in the Federal Sector above and beyond the Veterans Health Association.

Join colleagues from ACC’s Interventional, Early Career and Fellow in Training Sections for another Cath Case Discussions webinar on Saturday, July 17, at 10 a.m. ET.

"An important advantage that early career innovators have is the ability to challenge the conventional wisdom held by experienced clinicians and generate disruptive and potentially revolutionary ideas," write Ahmed M.A. Selim, MD, and Chirag R. Barbhaiya, MD, in the latest issue of JACC.

The deadline for abstracts for ACC Quality Summit, Sept. 29 – Oct. 1, has been extended to 11:59 p.m. on July 8!

Welcome! You are about to embark on the journey of a lifetime – training in this great field is exciting, challenging rewarding, and will open your eyes to the incredible breadth of cardiovascular medicine.

In a new Geriatric Cardiology Research Spotlight webinar, taking place Tuesday, July 13, at 7 p.m. ET, Abdulla Damluji, MBBCh, MPH, PhD, FACC, will explore possible career pathways in aging research within interventional cardiology specifically.

The stethoscope is a medical technology that is revered and still in use, despite being developed in the early 1800s. Since that time, there has been many advancements and iterative improvements with a more rapid expansion in medical technologies over the past century.

During ACC.21, Nosheen Reza, MD, FACC, and Toniya Singh, MBBS, FACC, co-hosted a session titled, "Cultivating an Anti-Racist Culture in Cardiovascular Medicine." This session featured fantastic speakers who raised important questions and featured best practices for promoting an anti-racist culture in cardiology.

During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S., cardiology fellows in training (FITs) nationally faced competing pressures to continue their clinical training; "get their numbers" for COCATS certification; use their unique skills in procedural, diagnostic and critical care to help care for COVID-19 patients; and hone their skills as clinician investigators.

As I’m approaching the end of my general cardiology fellowship, I’m reflecting on all that I have learned: how to cath, how to read an echo, how to manage refractory shock. And in the midst of all of that, I became a new mom, and learned an entirely different skillset: how to swaddle, how to burp, how to soothe.

Sanjay Gandhi, MBBS, MBA, FACC, is the past president of the ACC Ohio Chapter. This piece focuses on his path of engagement with the ACC, as well as the unique efforts of the Ohio Chapter to benefit FITs.

Are you preparing for initial board certification and looking for an in-depth review of cardiovascular medicine? Last year, Ryan Mallory, MD, an interventional cardiology fellow at Indiana University Krannert Institute of Cardiology, was in the same position and participated in ACC's Cardiovascular Overview and Board Prep Virtual Experience course.

Are you preparing for initial board certification and looking for an in-depth review of cardiovascular medicine? ACC's Cardiovascular Overview and Board Prep Virtual Experience course, taking place July 6 – Oct. 31, will guide you through the content categories covered in the ABIM Cardiovascular Disease Certification Exams and provide you with a comprehensive overview of cardiology.

A recent Fellows in Training and Early Career Section article published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology discusses the disproportionate impact of cardiovascular disease and access to high-quality cardiovascular education in low-to-middle-income countries like Haiti.

The ACC Imaging Section Leadership Council and JACC: Case Reports editorial board will review cases on TAVI complications during a live presentation and expert case discussion on Wednesday, June 30, at 12 p.m. ET.

"What a small world!" These words, often spoken, no longer ring true for me. My experience has been that we live in a big, complicated and utterly beautiful world filled with endless landscapes, wild creatures and diverse peoples. It is the experiences we have and the people we meet within the context of this world that can broaden our perspectives and, at times, change the trajectory of our life.

As a physician, I often feel that talking about money is taboo. Unfortunately, I'm more practical than I am an idealist, and I believe that medicine, like anything else, is a business at the very core. A hospital that cannot fund its costs will not be able to care for patients for long. At some point, vaccines, medicines, imaging and testing need funding.

When I was a resident, I approached an attending about participating in a research project. His encrypted Excel spreadsheet, approved by the institutional review board, contained every patient with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy he had met for over twenty years. Inspired by this experience, I created my own spreadsheet at the beginning of the cardiology fellowship.

'Conversations With Cardiologists' highlights prominent cardiologists throughout the country and shares their invaluable insights on cardiology and sage advice for Fellows in Training (FITs). In this interview, Lisa Rosenbaum, MD, national correspondent for the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) and cardiologist at Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston, MA, shares her advice with ACC FITs.

On February 3, 2021, Nasrien Ibrahim, MD, FACC, composed a tweet that echoed around the Twitterverse: "Gentleman, it’s 2021 and there are [so] many women in heart failure for this entire conference to be all men. Do better..." She was referring to the faculty line-up that was released in anticipation of an upcoming heart failure conference; more than 20 faculty members were listed, all male and predominantly of Caucasian ethnicity.

There is increasing recognition of burnout and feeling a lack of well-being, purpose and fulfillment in medicine. Recently, people have started to feel empowered to open a healthy dialogue about these issues on a variety of platforms.

The FIT Section Leadership Council wants to hear from you at ACC.21!

Join us at ACC.21 Virtual on Saturday, May 15 from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. ET for a networking session designed to connect you with cardiology legends and ACC leadership!

The ACC and its Diversity & Inclusion Initiative is now accepting applications for the 2022 cohort of the Clinical Trial Research: Upping Your Game!

Are you preparing for initial board certification and looking for an in-depth review of cardiovascular medicine? ACC’s Cardiovascular Overview and Board Prep Virtual Experience course, taking place July 5 – Oct. 31, will guide you through the content categories covered in the ABIM Cardiovascular Disease Certification Exams and provide you with a comprehensive overview of cardiology.

"We are taught in medicine to connect with our patients by learning about the social history beyond their medical history. The better we know our patients, the better we are able to treat them,” writes Michael J. Zhang, MD, PhD, in an article published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

The FIT Jeopardy semifinalists are set! Promising young physicians representing nine states will go head-to-head during ACC.21 on Saturday, May 15, at 10:30 a.m. ET.

The road to becoming a cardiologist is long: pre-medicine, medical school, residency, fellowship and then perhaps an advanced fellowship or two. At each stage, we feel a sense of confidence in our skills, just to return to square one again with each new advancement. We have to cross checkpoints at each level – checkpoints that are not just clinical and academic, but also emotional and financial.

Now that half the academic year is over and you may have figured out work-life-sleep balance, the next thing on your checklist is to learn more about how you can get involved with other cardiology endeavors, right? Consider joining your local ACC chapter!

At the beginning of my cardiology training, I was taken aback by the variety between and within cardiology subspecialties. Each rotation was so different than the one before. I was certain I would eventually subspecialize as I wanted to be a content expert in one particular field, but the path wasn’t always so clear. It took me the better part of a year to realize advanced heart failure was the best fit for me, and I was then left trying to figure out how to get involved and network within the field.

As an aspiring electrophysiologist, I have an unapologetic interest in pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs). These nifty devices sit deep within the body where they are carefully fixated onto the heart’s surface. Through this physical connection, they quietly sense and appreciate the unique electrical metronomes of their hosts, filling in the blanks when there are lapses in activity or taking decisive action when a meltdown occurs.

How can medical podcasts influence our careers? To understand the ways in which physicians can leverage and influence the medical podcast space, I spoke with four phenomenal podcast creators: Ankur Kalra, MBBS, FACC, of Parallax, Moyez Jiwa, MD, of The Health Design Podcast, Amit Goyal, MD, and Dan Ambinder, MD, of CardioNerds, and Rabih Geha, MD, and Reza Manesh, MD, of CP Solvers.

Join Jennifer Mieres, MD, FACC, and LaPrincess Brewer, MD, MPH, FACC, for this month’s ACC Diversity and Inclusion webinar on Thursday, April 29, at 7 p.m. ET.

Join the ACC's CV Disease in Women Committee on Sunday, April 25 at noon ET for a can't-miss, cardiology fact-based competition featuring legends in the field of heart disease in women.

Don’t miss the April 9 deadline to submit an NCDR research proposal in 2021! Last year, NCDR changed its Research & Publications (R&P) cycle to offer one research proposal deadline annually, with one annual review meeting for all NCDR programs except the STS/ACC TVT Registry.

Cardiology fellows in training (FITs) are on the front lines of patient triage and are frequently called upon to make the initial clinical recommendations for acute pulmonary embolism. Multidisciplinary pulmonary embolism response teams (PERTs) have been developed to standardize our approach toward and management of acute pulmonary embolism.

One of the year’s most hotly anticipated events starts this week! Join us on Zoom starting on April 5 for the preliminary rounds of ACC’s famous FIT Jeopardy competition.

In case you missed it, the ACC and the American Heart Association released a new Guideline for the Management of Patients With Valvular Heart Disease (VHD) with concise, evidence-based recommendations to optimize care and management of patients with VHD.

There are an estimated 5 million active athletes at the high school, collegiate, professional and master's levels in the U.S. In a recent poll, cardiologists indicated they see an average of five patients who are athletes per week.