Unique Educational Opportunities in Pediatric Cardiology

Well-known around the world as a preeminent leader in our specialty, Dr. Daniel Penny, M.D., Ph.D. is the chief of the Division Pediatric Cardiology and plays an active role in fellowship recruitment and education. Dr. Penny gives lectures for fellows, facilitates discussions, co-authors manuscripts, and provides the valuable career guidance that only an experienced leader can. He acts as a source for advice as fellows build a foundation for their careers. Dr. Penny has a special interest in international medicine and was instrumental in establishing The Cardiovascular Institute in Hue City, Vietnam.

When it comes to pediatric cardiology and related subspecialties, our faculty have authored or edited textbooks in their respective fields. Some are considered the "gold standard" in their disciplines. And it's not just faculty - Texas Children's Hospital fellows have coauthored books and chapters of their own!

During their first weekend here, first year fellows progress through an intensive echocardiography curriculum designed to immediately improve fundamental imaging technique and understanding. Fellows learn from a series of lectures presented by imaging faculty paired with hands-on scanning guided by faculty and our fourth-year imaging fellows. Participants complete a pre- and post-test to assess progress, and prior year results have demonstrated that fellows feel much better equipped to handle clinical responsibilities following the boot camp.

RIFT is a unique program in which every fellow is allowed to systematically work thorough a clinical research project of his or her choosing. This series, facilitated by faculty with outstanding publication records, allows even the least experienced trainee to take the steps necessary to bring a project to completion. The sessions are designed to culminate with a presentation by the fellow at a national meeting and a publication in a peer-reviewed journal. For those more experienced with the research and publication process, the sessions will provide an opportunity to have a faculty member review progress made independently by the fellow.

Understanding the importance of how a patient's genetic makeup affects his or her heart condition, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital provide a Cardiovascular Genetics Clinic which specifically services patients with heart disease related to genetic conditions. This clinic, staffed by cardiologists, geneticists and cardiovascular geneticists boasts a rapidly growing population. Patients benefit greatly from the multidisciplinary approach provided by such a clinic.

In addition to access to the Cardiovascular Genetics Clinic, fellows participate in a Cardiovascular Genetics module. This module, complete with pre- and post-test assessment, is a succinct, focused collection of lectures and guided learning in genetic disorders associated with heart disease. This includes connective tissue disorders, channelopathies and many others, from the very rare to the well-known and provides tremendous benefit to fellows in both patient care and board exam preparation.

With faculty who are international leaders in congenital heart disease and its relationship to neurodevelopment, Texas Children's Hospital offers fellows an opportunity to be involve themselves in this developing field.

Through institutions in the Texas Medical Center (TMC) and in the Houston area, fellows can explore the opportunity of obtaining an advanced degree in education or clinical research. Once completed, TMC’s certificate program in clinical research will have fellows poised to apply for competitive NIH K Awards early in their careers. A Master’s Degree in Education can be pursued through local universities, often supported by scholarship funding.