Adult Cardiothoracic Fellowship
Program Director Welcome
Jessica Zvara, MD
Adult Cardiothoracic Fellowship Program Director
Welcome to the University of Virginia (UVA) Department of Anesthesiology’s Adult Cardiothoracic Fellowship! At UVA, you will engage in cutting-edge cardiac and thoracic procedures, gaining hands-on experience that prepares you for the complexities of modern anesthetic care. Our collaborative environment encourages continuous learning and innovation.
We offer 2 ACGME positions to qualified applicants. During the one-year experience, fellows not only refine clinical expertise but contribute to ongoing research and quality improvement initiatives that advance the field of cardiothoracic anesthesia. During the year, fellows will have a wide range of clinical exposure, such as:
- Coronary artery bypass grafting
- Valve repair and replacement
- Minimally invasive valve replacements
- Aortic surgery, including thoracoabdominal aneurysm repair
- Heart failure surgery, e.g. durable left ventricular assist device implantation
- Heart and lung transplantation
- A robust structural heart program including transcatheter aortic valve implantation, transcatheter mitral valve implantation, percutaneous mitral valve repair, and percutaneous tricuspid repair
- Pediatric congenital cardiac surgery
- Adult congenital cardiac surgery
Fellows will also have protected didactic time as well as a diverse array of elective opportunities to enrich their experience. At the end of the year, graduates will meet criteria to sit the ABA Adult Cardiac Anesthesia board examination as well as the National Board of Echocardiography Advanced Perioperative Transesophageal Echocardiography examination. For full program information, please follow the links below.
How to Apply for the Adult Cardiothoracic Fellowship
How To Apply for the Adult Cardiothoracic Fellowship
Apply hereWe participate in the San Francisco Match. Please also learn more about the fellowship in the About section below. Note that SF Match requires the following information when applying to our program:
- Application
- Exams and Certifications
- Education Information
- Employment Information
- Publications
- Required Supplemental Form
- 3 Letters of Recommendation
- Personal Statement
- Honors and Interests
How To Apply for the Adult Cardiothoracic Fellowship
Apply hereAbout
Click here to view the Fellowship Cardiothoracic Division Faculty Bios.
Core Rotations
The academic year consists of four-week blocks. In accordance with ACGME guidelines, fellows will spend 5 months in the cardiac operating rooms, 1 month in the thoracic operating room, and 1 month in the Thoracic/Cardiovascular ICU. Fellows will have time in the pediatric cardiac operating room as well. They will also spend time with UVA Perfusionists to learn more about mechanical circulatory support and cardiopulmonary bypass.
In addition to their exposure during their cardiac blocks, fellows will have one month of dedicated time for transesophageal echocardiography. UVA utilizes cutting-edge imaging software and expect fellows to become facile at performing and interpreting TEE exams in the peri-operative setting.
Fellows will also have dedicated elective time to further their interest and clinical knowledge. These electives will include opportunities such as advanced vascular anesthesia, Point-of-Care Ultrasound/TTE, and a rotation with interventional cardiology in the cath lab.
Fellows will be paired with a faculty mentor to develop a research project during their year. There is an option for protected research elective time to further their investigative efforts.
Education Program
The goal of the formal didactics program is to provide a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary, evidence-based curriculum for our fellows. At the end of the year, fellows should be equipped with the skills and knowledge to pass the Adult Cardiac Anesthesiology Board Exam and the National Board of Echocardiography Advanced Perioperative Exam.
The education program includes a series of weekly lectures by UVA faculty. There is an Echo attending present everyday who will be available to read and review echo images with the fellows. There will be scheduled journal clubs to review the up-to-date literature. Fellows will be expected to attend monthly inter-disciplinary Morbidity and Mortality conferences with the surgical division to review clinical outcomes and seek opportunity for quality improvement.
Fellows will also be expected to act as leaders and teachers in the operating room when supervising the residents. Fellows will be asked to give one lecture to the residency, both deepening the fellows’ understanding of a topic as well as enriching the learning of the residents.
Our Department has achieved national recognition for educational rigor, clinical excellence, and patient outcomes. However, it’s our location in beautiful Charlottesville, Virginia that makes our program truly unique. Click here to Learn more about Life in Charlottesville.
For additional information, please contact the Adult Cardiothoracic Fellowship Coordinator, Lisa Morton, by phone at 434.924-9454, or by email at CL Anesthesiology Cardiothoracic Fellow. Please also send a “Current Photo” via email to the fellowship coordinator. This helps our faculty when interviewing.