PULMONARY VASCULAR & CARDIOVASCULAR NETWORK
Cardiovascular Medicine & Surgery Section
Over the recent decades, the cardiovascular intensive care unit (CICU) has seen a significant transformation. Not only has the acuity of cardiac conditions evolved, but the prevalence of noncardiac critical illness has multiplied (Yuriditsky E, et al. ATS Sch. 2022;3[4]):522).
(CCM) (Morrow DA, et al. Circulation. 2012;126:1408).
However, fewer than 15% of modern CICUs are staffed by physicians dual-boarded in cardiology and CCM; most believe that CCM training is necessary to effectively practice in the CICU (van Diepen S, et al. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes. 2017;10:e003864).
How best do we develop future cardiac intensivists to manage complex decompensated cardiovascular disease with compounded medical critical illness?
Multiple training pathways leading to board eligibility and dual certification have been outlined (Geller BJ, et al. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2018;72:1171). A commonly elected path requires the completion of a 1-year CCM fellowship following a 3-year general cardiology fellowship.
As few programs exist, limited guidance is available surrounding CCM fellowship design for the cardiologist; however, proposed curricula have been published (Yuriditsky E, et al. ATS Sch. 2022;3[4]:522).
Developing such programs requires collaboration between cardiologists and intensivists to secure funding, develop infrastructure, obtain accreditation, and to recruit candidates.
Having completed dual training, I not only saw my skillset flourish, but the partnership between CCM and cardiology strengthen. As interest in this field grows, we eagerly await to see program adaptation and innovative curriculum design.
Eugene Yuriditsky, MD
Section Fellow-in-Training