October 27, 2016 | Megan Kamath, MD
Chapter Engagement

2016 is racing to a close and, boy, what a year it has been for the FITs in ACC’s Pennsylvania Chapter.

February 2016 put the spotlight on women’s heart health and many Western PA FITs attended the Cardiovascular Disease and Women Conference held at Allegheny Health Network. Topics for discussion included peripartum cardiomyopathy, valvular heart disease in women, pre-eclampsia, and mid-life cardiovascular disease considerations. The keynote speaker was Sandra Lewis, MD, FACC, past-chair of ACC’s Women in Cardiology Member Section, who enlightened all in attendance with not only her experiences being a female cardiologist, but also provided insight into the nuances of cardiovascular risk prevention in women.

As spring began, so too did our board review session, with Stephen Cook, MD, FACC, of Childrens Hospital of Pittsburgh, leading an interactive case based Board review session on congenital heart disease, including both adult and pediatric cardiology fellows from around Pittsburgh. While many in the audience knew the clinical signs of tetralogy of fallot, we were all stumped by the trivia question: Which Olympic athlete has shared his experience with Tet? The answer: Snowboarder Shaun White, also known as the “Flying Tomato.”

With warmer weather, we ventured outdoors to PNC Park, home of the Pittsburgh Pirates (voted one of the best stadium views in the world!), where we heard Timothy Wong, MD, from UPMC speak about hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy. Post lecture, we all enjoyed networking and watching America’s favorite pastime together!

ACC’s PA Chapter has truly become a professional home for the FITs in PA. Personally, it has created opportunities to network with other fellows, attendings and other cardiovascular team members, but also it has given me the opportunity to attend conferences, prep for the Boards, and also hone my leadership skills. The benefits of getting involved are numerous and the possibilities are endless!

We are looking forward to having many PA FITs as well as those from Delaware, DC, Virginia, and Maryland join us in Washington, DC, on Nov. 19 at the Heart House for the next big event: the Mid Atlantic Capital Cardiology Symposium!

This article was authored by Megan Kamath, MD, a Fellow in Training (FIT) at Allegheny General Hospital.