A proposal for an advanced cardiovascular imaging training track

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Imaging
• Medical Education
• Medical Subspecialties

Background:

• Cardiovascular (CV) imaging has rapidly advanced beyond traditional echocardiography and nuclear cardiology.
• Emerging technologies include cardiac computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, multimodality, and molecular imaging.
• Current fellowship training may not adequately prepare specialists for the breadth of CV imaging modalities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a formal fourth year of training for cardiovascular imaging specialization.
• To establish board certification in advanced cardiovascular imaging.
• To enhance the quality and application of CV imaging techniques.

Main Methods:

• Establish a dedicated fourth-year fellowship focusing on CV imaging modalities.
• Incorporate training in physics, instrumentation, interpretation, quantitation, and multimodality imaging.
• Develop an American Board of Internal Medicine examination for a Certificate of Added Qualification in advanced CV imaging.
• Offer eligibility criteria for existing noninvasive cardiologists to sit for the examination.

Main Results:

• The proposed track will equip cardiologists with expertise across all CV imaging modalities.
• This enables optimal modality selection for specific clinical indications and independent multimodality interpretation.
• Rigorous requirements are expected to enhance CV imaging quality and research translation.

Conclusions:

• A dedicated CV imaging subspecialty fellowship and certification will improve diagnostic capabilities.
• Enhanced training will accelerate the translation of new discoveries into clinical practice.
• Ultimately, this specialized training aims to yield better patient outcomes in cardiovascular care.