Articles

The Path to Cardiology Fellowship: A Fellows' Perspective

Manvita Tatavarthy MD, MS, Incoming PGY – 4 cardiovascular disease fellow in the combined T32 and Clinical Track at St. Luke’s Kansas City shares her perspective on several key aspects of the process of matching to a Cardiology fellowship. 

Getting started early 
As someone who recently went through the cardiology fellowship application process, I know firsthand that the process can feel daunting at times. However, with planning, intention and self-awareness you can craft a successful application. 

I found that building a successful CV started early in residency. Once you’ve decided to pursue cardiology, I recommend building on that interest right away. For me, this took the form of building strong relationships with mentors in the field. Finding mentors was as simple as asking thoughtful questions on rounds or reaching out to attendings whose teaching styles or clinical interests particularly resonated with me. These mentors were invaluable, as they were able to guide me as I developed specific interests within cardiology, became involved in research, and positioned myself strategically for the application cycle. 

While research is a crucial part of the application, I soon realized that it represented my passion in the field, and I was able to communicate specific interests through the projects I became involved in. Ultimately, I was able to attend and present at various conferences, which helped me develop a narrative of my passion for the field. 

Zoom Interviews
Once you submit your application, the next step is the interview. In the post-COVID era, interviews remain virtual for the most part. Zoom interviews come with their own unique challenges. Luckily, many of us have done them once for residency so the experience may be familiar. Remember to check for any technical issues well in advance, curate an interesting background that reflects who you are as a person (I’ve been asked about paintings on the wall behind me before), and stay visibly engaged—nodding and smiling, and leaving your camera on when appropriate.

Creating your rank order list 
After you finish your interviews, you’ve reached one of the hardest parts of the process: creating your rank order list. You’ll soon find that many programs will feel like a good fit. While each applicant will have their own priorities, it is important to factor in what matters the most to you. For me, it came down to factoring in a few key points (exposure to special interests such as cardio-obstetrics, program culture, etc.). Some focus on geography, others on subspecialty training opportunities. Whatever it is that’s most important to you, prioritize that. Something that helped me tremendously was keeping detailed notes during the interview trail, not just about the facts about each program, but also how they made me feel. Write these thoughts down as soon as the interview is over, when they are the freshest in your mind. 

Prepare for all outcomes in the match
Lastly, an important consideration is to always have a plan B in mind. No one likes to think about it, but with increasing competitiveness in the field, many applicants find themselves in a position where they are unmatched. Reviewing your CV with your mentors is a good first step before heading into the application cycle, and I relied heavily on my mentors to confirm that I was ready for the application cycle. If you feel you need more time to apply, there are a variety of options that you may consider, and this list will vary from one applicant to the next. Options include pursuing a chief year, a hospitalist position while becoming more involved with research, or advanced fellowship positions such as heart failure. 

While the path to fellowship can be overwhelming, trust the process, lean on your mentors, and remember that there’s no single right way to get where you’re going.