The transplant program has a close relationship with the Divisions of Pulmonary Medicine, Cardiology, and Infectious Disease. Staff in these organizations consult on a near-daily basis, providing strong interdisciplinary support. World-Class Training For a pros pective cardiothoracic trainee, the experience the Division of Cardiopulmonary Transplantation offers is unequaled. A dedicated transplant rotation occurs during a four-month period, in either the first or second year of training. During this rotation, the resident is exposed to all aspects of heart and pulmonary transplantation and to techniques of mechanical circulatory support.
Experience includes work with total artificial heart and ventricular assist devices.
The trainee shares responsibility for preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care with a transplant fellow. The transplant fellow is selected on a yearly basis from a highly competitive pool of applicants who desire a concentrated exposure to transplantation, usually because their completed training in cardiothoracic surgery was insufficient in transplantation surgery. All cardiothoracic trainees and fellows have experience to qualify for UNOS approval as lung and heart transplant surgeons. The transplant service employs one physician assistant, two nurse practitioners, and a general surgical intern to accomplish the needs of acute and chronic phases of posttransplantation care. Daily rounds are made with an attending assigned to the transplant service.