HEART FAILURE/TRANSPLANT FELLOWSHIP

Specialized training in cardiac transplantation and heart failure management is available. Our program offers three one-year positions, however interested candidates may dedicate a second year to research. Applications are accepted from candidates completing training in Cardiovascular Disease as well as from candidates completing training in Internal Medicine with a strong interest in Cardiovascular Disease.

Letter from Dr. Josef Stehlik, Program Director - Heart Failure/Transplant Fellowship

May 1, 2008

Dear Fellowship Applicant,

Thank you for your interest in the Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplant fellowship program.

The fellowship program is under the auspices of the University of Utah School of Medicine and the Utah Transplantation Affiliated Hospitals (U.T.A.H.) Cardiac Transplant program, the Heart Failure Treatment Program at the University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics, the Heart Failure Program at the George E. Wahlen Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the Heart Failure Prevention & Treatment program at the new Intermountain Medical Center. Preference is given to individuals who have completed a Cardiology fellowship, but motivated Internal Medicine residency graduates are also encouraged to apply. This one-year advanced training is occasionally extended to two years, to include one year of advanced heart failure research. Our fellows are an integral part of a team of six Cardiologists, nine Cardiothoracic surgeons, more than a dozen nurse coordinators and research nurses, and numerous administrative secretaries, clinic coordinators and other staff members.

Our fellows rotate evenly through all three hospitals - the University of Utah Health Science Center, the George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centar and Intermountain Medical Center. All three hospitals serve as major referral centers for advanced heart failure and transplantation for the state of Utah and the surrounding intermountain region. Our fellows gain experience in medical management of advanced heart failure, evaluation of heart transplantation candidates, and pre-, peri- and post-transplant care. Our fellows also gain experience from a high number of ventricular assist devices implanted for both bridging to other forms of therapy and for destination therapy. The U.T.A.H. Cardiac transplant program has been in continous operation for over 25 years and the clinical outcomes have consistently placed it among the top performing centers nationally. We are currently performing approximately 35 heart transplantations per year. Upon completion of the program, the fellows meet all criteria necessary for United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) certification.

Fellows are encouraged to participate in heart failure and transplant research. Based on such work, our fellows have co-authored over 50 manuscripts and 50 abstracts during the last ten years.

We review applications in November of each year and conduct interviews in December and January for three positions starting the following July.

If you have any questions, please contact our program coordinator Gemma Pessina or myself Josef Stehlik, MD.

To apply, please provide us with your CV, a brief personal statement, and three letters of recommendation (one from your Program Director). Also please indicate what your citizenship/visa status is and provide a copy of appropriate documentation (if you are not a US citizen). Please note the University of Utah only accepts J-1 visas for incoming housestaff who are not either a citizen of the United States or permanent resident of the United States.

Your application materials should be recieved between September 1st and October 15th, and addressed to:

Josef Stehlik, M.D., C/O Gemma Pessina
University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Division of Cardiology 
30 North 1900 East , 4A100 SOM
Salt Lake City, Utah 84132-2401

Sincerely,

Josef Stehlik, M.D.

Assistant Professor of Medicine

Program Director - Heart Failure/Transplant Fellowship 

Summary of documentation required for application:

• Curriculum vitae
• Statement of career objectives, approximately one page in length
• Three letters of recommendation (one from your program director)
• Copy of green card or visa (J-1) (if a non-U.S. Citizen)

Heart Failure and Transplant Faculty