Sub-Subspecialty Fellowship Programs
Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology Fellowship
Application Requirements & Process
USF Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology Fellowship Training Program only accepts applications through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) Fellowship Application Site.
Registration with ERAS is required.
- Must be a graduate from a North American Medical School that is LCME or AOA accredited or have full ECFMG certification. International medical graduates that are not US citizens must have successfully received a J-1 visa.
- Must have completed an ACGME-accredited Cardiovascular Disease fellowship or its equivalent.
- Must have a current certification in ACLS/BLS
- Have an active state of Florida Board of Medicine unlicensed physician in training or a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in Florida
- 3 Letters of Recommendation (1 must be from Program Director)
Our program is also committed to the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), also referred to as The Match. Applicants will be "matched" to our program using the certified rank order list of the applicants and program director.
Registration with NRMP is required.
Educational Program & Curriculum
The USF Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology Fellowship Training Program is 24 months in length and can be undertaken after completion of required training for board certification in cardiovascular disease. Under faculty direction, the fellows will assume responsibility for diagnosis and management of patients with a wide variety of cardiac arrhythmias, including bradyarrhythmias, supraventricular and ventricular tachyarrhythmias, those with implanted antiarrhythmic devices, and those with related symptoms such as syncope, presyncope and palpitations.
Our Mission
The mission of our USF Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology Fellowship Program is to produce clinically competent and compassionate electrophysiology specialists to deliver sub-specialty care for the full spectrum of clinical cardiac electrophysiology diseases in the major metropolitan area. We prepare graduates for clinical or academic practice through the creation of a scholarly environment that fosters excellence in the lifelong goals of education.
Our Program Aims
- Foster an environment of academic intrigue and create more opportunities for research and other academic endeavors
- Enhance professional development by providing trainees with opportunities to develop their organizational skills, team building, and familiarity with political and financial hurdles of clinical practice
- Develop electrophysiology specialists who are competent in all ep procedures
- Train electrophysiology specialists in an environment that prioritizes physician wellness and safety
- Produce electrophysiology specialists who are knowledgeable and will attain board certification
Clinical Experience
The CCEP fellows participates in the evaluation and management of CCEP patients seen in the EP subspecialty clinics, the EP laboratories, and in in-hospital consultation. The fellow is instructed in the indications, contraindications, risks, benefits, diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic efficacy of the various diagnostic procedures and therapeutic procedures involved in the management of patients with cardiac arrhythmias. The fellows participate in the prescription and evaluation of pharmacological, ablation and device-based antiarrhythmic therapy. The laboratory has an on-going quality assurance/quality improvement program in which the CCEP fellows participate.
Patient Base
The CCEP service at TGH performs over 1280 laboratory procedures annually. The case mix includes single and dual chamber pacemaker implantation, primary and secondary prevention ICD implantation, cardiac resynchronization therapy devices including His bundle pacing, diagnostic electrophysiological studies, catheter ablation of supraventricular tachycardias, catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardias, catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation, electrical cardioversions, and tilt table tests. Patients with all forms of heart disease are seen, including coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies, valvular heart disease, myocarditis, congenital heart disease, and primary and secondary electrical diseases, including Wolff-Parkinson-White, long QT syndromes, supraventricular tachycardias, atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, ventricular tachycardias, sinus node dysfunction and AV and intraventricular conduction blocks. Clinical conditions evaluated include syncope, sudden death, palpitations, and heart failure. Patients are evaluated for the appropriateness of primary prevention device implantation or prescription of cardiac resynchronization therapy.
Principal Teaching/Learning Activities
During the course of training, CCEP fellows will be exposed to the theory and practice of each of the following:
- Electrocardiograms and ambulatory ECG recordings
- Continuous in-hospital ECG recording
- Stress test ECG recordings.
- Trans-telephonic ECG readings and remote device follow-up
- Tilt table testing
- Invasive intracardiac electrophysiologic studies, including endocardial electrogram recording and interpretation of intra-cardiac electrograms, induction and termination of arrhythmias by pacing maneuvers
- Endo- and epicardial activation and voltage mapping, entrainment mapping, ripple mapping
- Endo- and epicardial ablation techniques with radiofrequency and cryo energy (including cryo balloon ablation)
- Intra-cardiac ultrasound
- Relevant imaging studies, including chest radiography and magnetic resonance imaging
- Complex lead extraction procedures
- Implantation of left atrial appendage occlusion devices
- Implantation of pacemakers, defibrillators, and cardiac resynchronization devices including His bundle pacing
- Cardioversion procedures
Didactic Lectures & Educational Activities
In addition to direct teaching in the laboratory and on rounds or in the outpatient setting, the CCEP fellows will participate in the following teaching activities:
- Present 1 EP case monthly per fellow at the EP weekly conference
- Attend weekly Intracardiac Electrogram Conference (every Monday) (EP-EGM)
- Attend weekly EP Conference (every Wednesdays once a week)
- Attend Wednesday Afternoon Core Cardiovascular Disease conference series during EP discussion topics
- Attend monthly Cardiology Grand Rounds
- Attend monthly Cardiology Morbidity and Mortality Conference
- Attend EP Journal Club – four times a year, with responsibility to lead discussion on ≥1 EP topic at two of the four sessions for each fellow
- Attend the Cardiology Research Conference monthly, with responsibility for presentation once per year
- Attend at least one of the following national meetings at Division expense: American College of Cardiology - Heart Rhythm Society
Evaluation System
Electronic evaluation forms are used by the faculty as one of the ways to assess the fellows. These evaluations have been devised to assess the aspects of the ACGME’s Six Core Competencies: Patient Care, Medical Knowledge, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, Professionalism, Systems-Based Practice and Practice-Based Learning and Improvement. Fellows receive written and verbal feedback at the end of each rotation from the faculty preceptor and fellows are given the opportunity to review and ask questions.