CardioExchange Archive

October 28th, 2010

Drs. Clueless and Apathetic: The State of Imaging Referrals

Shanti Bansal, MD

Editors’ Note: This text has been modified from its original form. Key elements of the case represent a composite of people and events. On a bright Saturday morning, I was the fellow on duty in the chest pain center. That meant I was responsible for evaluating and stress-testing patients who had been admitted from the ER […]

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October 14th, 2010

Want to Blog with Other Fellows at the AHA?

Andrew M. Kates, MD and James De Lemos, MD

CardioExchange is looking for a few cardiology fellows who are planning to attend the AHA meeting on November 13-17 to blog at the meeting. If you’re interested, drop us a line. Let us know the dates that you plan to be at the meeting and any subspecialty or research interest that you might have. The only […]

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September 13th, 2010

Fellowship Training Around the World

James De Lemos, MD

In the last of a series of posts from the ESC meetings, Susan Cheng offered some interesting insights into differences between the ESC and the large U.S. meetings such as AHA and ACC, including major differences in how research is funded and performed in countries outside the U.S. Comoderator Andy Kates and I started thinking […]

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September 3rd, 2010

ESC: Similarities and Differences

Susan Cheng, MD

Many things about ESC  felt different compared to other conferences I’ve attended  — and as many felt the same. The basics were familiar— the welcome booths, the exhibits, and the masses of semi-serious looking people sporting the requisite badge-plus-bag accessory combo. (Thank goodness the bags were bright green and easy to spot from a mile away, […]

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August 19th, 2010

Responding to the Nay-Saying Patient

Andrew M. Kates, MD

We (both faculty and fellows) have all had patients request that fellows or residents not be involved in their care, as Dr. Wes Fisher so nicely describes in his recent post.  But how can we respond to the patient’s request? And, how far do we take it? Should the patient have the prerogative to insist on this — but […]

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August 18th, 2010

Nay Fellow Way?

Westby G Fisher, MD

It was to be a routine pacemaker.

The parties assembled. The room prepped. IV started. Chest scrubbed. Antibiotics given. His nervous eyes raised when he saw me before the procedure, relieved at the sight of at least one familiar face.

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July 28th, 2010

The Joys of Teaching

Andrew M. Kates, MD

I enjoy my job as a fellowship director for many reasons. One of the best is the excitement I get to share each year on the new fellows’ first day: The enthusiasm that a fresh group of trainees brings into a program is magical. The regular infusion of new blood into training programs distinguishes academic […]

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July 21st, 2010

Thoughts from a First-Year Fellowship Survivor

Shane LaRue, MD

Incoming fellows: Surely you’ve already been inundated with advice. People have their little tidbits of wisdom that they think you must know as you start your fellowship. Some tidbits are true and useful; others — well, not so much. Unfortunately, it is not always obvious which is which. As one who has just finished his first […]

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