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OPCAB Extended Fellowship in partnership with Medtronic

The OBCAB Extended Fellowship, in partnership with Medtronic, will provide the successful candidate with an in-depth understanding of cardiothoracic surgical outcomes. The Off-Pump OPCAB Fellowship will enhance clinical understanding of cardiothoracic surgical outcomes, providing an opportunity for a young cardiothoracic surgeon to acquire theoretical and practical knowledge in the surgical and anaesthesiologic management of patients with coronary artery disease, with special interest in off-pump (OPCABG) techniques.
  • Education
Acquired Cardiac Disease Education

Summary

  • Grant:

    €8,200

  • Location:

    A high-volume centre (around 300 OPCABG procedures per year)

  • Duration:

    3 months

  • Start Date:

    From January 2025

The OPCAB Extended Fellowship is supported by an educational grant from Medtronic.

Fellowship Overview

Working under the tutorship of experienced and high OPCABG-volume surgeons in a high-volume centre (around 300 OPCABG procedures per year), this Fellowship provides the successful candidate with the foundational knowledge of the pathophysiology of coronary artery disease, the rationale for its surgical treatment and for total artery revascularization, the proper conduit selection for the right lesion, the peri-operative management and first-hand experience in OPCABG. As a result of this training, Fellows may set up their own OPCABG programmes in their own centres.

The successful Fellow will join the daily activity of the centre, taking part in the treatment decision-making process, to the perioperative and post-operative management of OPCABG patients. A full theoretical and practical OPCABG overview will be provided, alongside the opportunity to train on the OPCABG simulators.

Learning Objectives

  • Total arterial revascularization rationale
  • Aorta no-touch rationale
  • OPCABG setting and first-hand training
  • Anesthesiologic management in OPCABG patients

Specific Learning Objectives

  • Target vessel selection
  • Graft vessel selection
  • Composite arterial graft creation
  • Distal anastomosis
  • Peri-operative care and anesthesiologic management
  • Intensive care management of OPCABG patients

Syllabus

  • Coronary angiography imaging and target vessel selection (high level of competence)
  • Graft vessel and composite graft selection based on type of target lesion (high level of competence)
  • Distal anastomosis creation training on a simulator and on real (medium level of competence)
  • Anesthesiologic peri-operative care management (high level of competence)
  • Intensive care management of OPCABG patients (high level of competence)

Funding

We offer a bursary of €8,200 to help with the associated living and travel costs of this Fellowship. EACTS will also provide a bursary towards the cost of your attendance at the 2025 EACTS Annual Meeting

Application and Selection

In order to apply for this fellowship there are some essential criteria you must meet:

  • Be an EACTS member
  • Have a partnership with Anesthesiologists and Cardiologist at own centre
  • Have hospital resource support: Up-to-date coronary artery imaging tools
  • First five years of independent practice
  • Be fluent in English

Applicants who possess the following desirable criteria would be of particular interest:

  • Ability to set up an OPCAB program in his/her institution
  • High-volume surgeon (>40 CABG cases/year)
  • Currently working at high-volume centres (>100 CABG cases per year)

In order to complete your application, you must submit the following documents*:

  • CV
  • Operative experience
  • Letter of interest detailing the way in which you meet the above application criteria, along with your career aspirations, as well as how you believe the Fellowship will impact your career.
  • Letter of support from current Head of Department/Training Director if in last year of training

*Please ensure that all documents submitted are written in English, and that they are submitted either as word documents or PDF. We do not accept images or handwritten applications.  We are unable to provide advice or guidance about visa applications, so please ensure that you understand the visa requirements before applying for this Fellowship.

Evaluation and Feedback

At the end of the Fellowship, the Fellows will produce a full report on their experience based on the Francis Fontan Fund Committee guidelines.

Terms and Conditions