The Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell at Vassar Brothers Medical Center Cardiology Fellowship Program is a brand new Cardiology Fellowship Program that submitted its application to the ACGME for accreditation in June 2025.

The program is a three-year fellowship program based out of Vassar Brothers Medical Center, in Poughkeepsie, NY with some clinical experiences occurring at the cardiology outpatient clinics throughout the Hudson Valley. Fellows will rotate through a variety of cardiology rotations on a 4-week basis, while also spending time longitudinally in the outpatient cardiology setting.

The mission of the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell at Vassar Brothers Medical Center Cardiology Fellowship Program is to train outstanding cardiologists who provide expert, compassionate, evidence-based, and patient-centered cardiovascular care. Through comprehensive, hands-on training in inpatient, outpatient, and procedural settings, our fellows develop the clinical acumen, judgment, and procedural skills necessary to manage the full spectrum of cardiovascular disease. We are committed to cultivating professionalism, clinical excellence, scholarly activity and compassionate care, preparing our graduates to meet the needs of diverse patient populations and to lead in a variety of healthcare settings.

The aims for the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell at Vassar Brothers Medical Center Cardiology Fellowship Program are:

1. Train Expert Clinical Cardiologists – to provide comprehensive and hands-on clinical training that prepares fellows to deliver high-quality, evidence-based cardiovascular care across inpatient, outpatient, and procedural settings.
2. Promote Professionalism and Patient-Centered Care – to cultivate a culture of professionalism, empathy, and ethical practice, equipping fellows to deliver compassionate, patient-centered care to diverse populations.
3. Prepare Fellows for Independent Practice and Lifelong Learning – to develop independent, confident, and reflective practitioners with the skills for lifelong learning, continuous quality improvement, and the ability to adapt to evolving healthcare environments.
4. Support Career Development Across All Pathways – to support and mentor fellows in achieving their individual career goals, whether in academic medicine, community practice, subspecialty training, or leadership.
5. Address Health Disparities and Serve Diverse Communities – to train fellows to recognize and address cardiovascular health disparities and to be effective advocates for high-risk and underserved patient populations.
6. Develop Future Leaders – to instill leadership, teaching, and communication skills that enable fellows to become leaders in their institutions and the broader cardiology community.

VBMC- Cardiology- Block Schedule

Fellows will gain clinical experience in non-invasive cardiovascular procedures, including:

• Echocardiography
• Vascular studies
• Stress testing
• Radionuclide cardiac scans
• Electrocardiography
• Bedside hemodynamic monitoring in intensive care
• Cardiac MRI
• Cardiac computed Tomography

Fellows will develop great expertise in cath lab procedures due to our high volume and wide variety of cases. Our program builds proficiency in:

• Techniques in cardiac catheterization
• All aspects of arrhythmias
• Management of congestive heart failure
• Valvular heart disease
• Temporary pacemaker insertion
• Preventive cardiology

An equally important goal of our program is to provide the type of mentorship and research opportunities that will enable our fellows to pursue careers in academic cardiovascular medicine. We aim to provide them with the necessary experience to be qualified for the very best positions in our field.

The program also aims to offer comprehensive exposure to a diverse patient population for fellows reflective of both the broad spectrum of clinical disorders managed by subspecialists and the community served by the institution. The primary clinical training site, Vassar Brothers Medical Center (VBMC), receives referrals from Dutchess County and its neighboring counties, forming a wide catchment area that encompasses a racially and socioeconomically diverse population. As the main referral center for the TriCounty region, VBMC provides care for a wide array of complex and routine cases (over 100,000 outpatient visits annually), with very few patients needing to be referred outside of the area. This ensures that fellows will have extensive, hands-on experience with a full range of clinical presentations across different stages of disease progression, socioeconomic backgrounds, and cultural contexts. The consistent referral patterns and the institution’s role as a regional hub for specialty care create a robust clinical environment where fellows are immersed in both common and rare medical conditions encountered in subspecialty practice of cardiology. The program feels this breadth of exposure is essential for comprehensive training and will equip fellows with the skills needed to manage diverse patient populations in any clinical setting.

Additionally, the program will be closely integrated with the Internal Medicine Residency Program and Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship Program located at Vassar Brothers Medical Center. This will provide fellows with the opportunity to interact and provide teaching to other learners in our system and serve in a supervisory role.

The program is planning to provide a robust and well-organized Core Curriculum Conference Series that supports comprehensive fellow education in alignment with ACGME requirements. Conferences are structured by frequency to ensure consistent exposure to key topics in cardiovascular medicine:

Start-of-Year Didactic Block

• Boot Camp: At the start of the academic year, fellows participate in a 2–4 week intensive curriculum covering essential acute care topics, delivered via daily didactic sessions.

Weekly Conferences

• Structural Heart Conference: Every Wednesday at 7:00 AM; a multidisciplinary discussion with cardiothoracic surgery to review upcoming structural heart procedures.
• Grand Rounds: Fridays at 7:00 AM via Northwell, featuring expert-led presentations on current topics in cardiology and medicine.

Biweekly Conferences

• Cardiac Catheterization Conference: Held every two weeks at 7:00 AM, alternating between angiographic review and interventional case presentations.
• EP/EKG Conference: Conducted every two weeks by the electrophysiology team, focusing on rhythm interpretation and electrophysiologic management.
• Echocardiography Conference: Occurs every two weeks, alternating between didactic sessions and case-based learning, co-facilitated by faculty and fellows.
• Case Conference: Occurs every two weeks, featuring complex case presentations by the weekend fellow.

Monthly Conferences

• Journal Club: Fellows present and critically review recent cardiology literature.
• Morbidity & Mortality (M&M) Conference: Case-based sessions led by fellows to promote reflective learning and quality improvement.
• Heart Failure (CHF) Conference: Led by faculty, focusing on advanced heart failure management and therapeutics.
• Board Review: A question-based session to support preparation for the cardiology board exam.
• Outpatient Management Topics: Covers ambulatory care subjects such as prevention, cardiac rehab, sports cardiology, and lifestyle medicine.
• Practice Management: Sessions addressing outpatient billing, documentation, and healthcare systems knowledge.

Quarterly Conference

• Nuclear Cardiology: Fellow-led sessions focusing on nuclear imaging principles and clinical application.
• Research Conference: Provides fellows the opportunity to present and receive feedback on ongoing research projects.
• Wellness Conference: Faculty-led session that is focused on promoting fellow well-being, resilience, and work-life balance.

This structured educational schedule ensures longitudinal exposure to core cardiology topics, promotes interdisciplinary learning, and supports progressive development of clinical competency throughout the fellowship. Conferences will be a mix of faculty-led and fellow-led, with attendance by faculty at all sessions.

Research is an important part of the Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship Program. Fellows are given research time during some rotations, have a block of research in the third year, and also have the option of a research elective. This time can be used for either clinical or basic science research. Residents will be paired with a faculty mentor for all research and scholarly activity work to provide support, guidance and assist in developing their projects.

While in the program all fellows must engage in at least one scholarly activity during the course of their training. Options for this can include participation in grand rounds; poster; workshops; quality improvement presentations; podium presentation; grant leadership; non-peer-reviewed print/electronic resources; articles or publications; book chapters; textbooks; webinars; service on professional committees; or serving as a journal reviewer, journal editorial board member, or editor.

Eligibility:
To be considered, applicants must have completed three years of Internal Medicine training in an ACGME accredited residency by the time the fellowship begins.

The Cardiology Division of the Department of Medicine participates in the Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship Match administered through the National Residency Match Program.

– All applications for the Training Program in Cardiovascular Medicine will be electronically processed through the ERAS (Electronic Residency Application Service).

– The program accepts four trainees per year for a minimum of three years

– Fellowship positions are offered approximately 8 months before the fellowship is to begin through the matching program. Applicants are notified regarding interviews after the ERAS application and all required ERAS documentation has been received.

All applicants interested in training within the program will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

How to Apply:
We participate in the National Residency Match Program (NRMP). Applications must be submitted through Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS).

The following is a list of required materials from all applicants:

Common application form (in ERAS)
Curriculum Vitae
Medical school transcripts
USMLE scores
Dean’s letter (Medical School Program Evaluation)
ECFMG scores (if applicable)
Three Letters of recommendation
Personal Statement

Is this program accredited?
Yes, we have received initial accrediation from ACGME effective September 17, 2025. We look forward to welcoming our first class in July 2026.

Are you participating in ERAS and the NRMP?
Yes, we are pariticipating in both ERAS and NRMP. The program will be pariticipating in the NRMP Match Cycle in December 2025.

How much vacation do I receive?
Residents receive 4 weeks of vacation per year, as well as three personal days. Residents may take off one week at a time, and vacation requests are due at the start of each academic year.