Advanced Heart Failure and Transplantation Fellowship

Overview

The Stollery Children's Hospital is currently the institution to perform the majority of heart transplantations in children for the Western Canadian Children's Heart Network. This includes children of all ages from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and some from British Columbia, averaging between 10 to 20 heart transplantations per year. The Department of Pediatrics host one of the largest pediatric ventricular assist device programs for children worldwide and offer an exciting research environment with world class scientists and clinicians in nearly all aspects of pediatric cardiology and transplant medicine. The service for end stage heart failure and transplantation with standardized protocols and performing cutting-edge procedures was established more than 15 years ago. Since 2013, an independent service for heart failure and cardiomyopathy was initialized. We are working in close continuous collaboration with the adult heart transplant group as well as all associated services of the Alberta Transplant Institute.


Clinical training experience

The position will include clinical responsibilities for the in-patients and out-patients before and after transplantation, participation in the listing process and discussions, the acute ICU-and immunosuppression management of the children as well as the long term follow-up including surveillance catheterization. The fellow will also regularly participate in the heart function and cardiomyopathy clinics and rounds.

Regular clinical activities include:

  • daily rounds and clinical management of post-transplant in-patients on ward and ICU
  • co-management of in-patients with heart failure and on VAD
  • heart failure consults and transplant assessments
  • outpatient transplant clinic once weekly and additional ad hoc clinics for early post-transplant patients
  • heart function and cardiomyopathy clinic weekly during blocks
  • Western Canadian transplant tele-health rounds weekly and heart failure rounds every second weekly (fellow presenting the local cases)
  • pediatric cardiothoracic surgical rounds to contribute their experience
  • HLA rounds with adult heart transplant services (bimonthly)
  • PTLD-rounds every three months

Research experience

The fellow will be expected to be involved in at least one primary research project, under the supervision of an assigned mentor. It is expected that this work will lead to an abstract presentation at major meetings and publication of the work. The fellow will also be expected to undertake a topic review and to submit for publication. An advisory group is formed within the Alberta Transplant Institute that provides additional guidance and mentorship. Meeting will include the transplant fellows from all specialties and allow exchange of ideas and experiences and creative and productive discussions.

 

Contact us

Fellowship Director
Simon Urschel

Program Administrator
Allison Spry