Department of Medicine

Medical School

Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship Program

The Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship Program is directed by Jane Chen, MD, Professor of Medicine. The program's core goal is to produce the next generation of physician-scientists and innovators. We are committed to providing our fellows with the best clinical and research training in cardiology.

Our three-year ACGME approved training program offers outstanding educational opportunities in general and subspecialty cardiology designed to develop careers in clinical practice, academic medicine, and industry.

  • Years 1 and 2 will concentrate on core clinical rotations where each fellow will obtain the basic knowledge and technical skills needed to proceed to more advanced training in a subspecialty area.
  • Year 3 provides the flexibility for clinical electives in a focused subspecialty area, training in interventional cardiology, electrophysiology, heart failure and cardiac transplantation, cardiac imaging and prevention.
  • Clinical Subspecialties
  • Clinical Training
  • Application Process

  • Clinical Subspecialties

    We offer several clinical subspecialty areas which include:

  • Clinical Training

    Our goal for the training program is to provide a creative clinical environment for the fellow to develop skills and experience in the comprehensive care of heart patients. On a monthly basis, each fellow will rotate and receive their clinical training at four teaching hospitals:

    • University of Minnesota Medical Center – Fairview (UMMC)
    • Minneapolis VA Health Care System (MVAHCS)
    • Regions Hospital
    • Methodist Hospital

    Research Path
    Our fellows are offered valuable opportunities for interdepartmental research collaboration with the University of Minnesota's School of Public Health, Stem Cell Institute and other centers and institutes. The University of Minnesota Cardiology Fellowship Program incorporates numerous resources offered by companies in the Twin Cities biotechnology corridor ("Medical Alley"), which develop innovative cardiac products, including Boston Scientific, Medtronic, and St. Jude Medical.
     
    Clinical training during cardiology fellowship consists of core rotations as well as electives. Core rotations will provide the knowledge and technical skills required for Level 1 training in Cardiovascular Diseases. Elective rotations are available for fellows wishing to obtain Level 2 training or to gain more exposure in subspecialty areas.
     
    Academic Half Days
    Presented every Wednesday afternoon, our fellowship educational seminars are exceptional supplements to clinical and research training. Fellows attend weekly sessions covering ECG interpretation, core didactic lectures, journal club, non-invasive and invasive imaging, professor rounds, and visiting professor lectures.
     
    Grand Rounds
    High-quality lectures from our own faculty, as well as visiting professors from around the country, are given during weekly Grand Rounds. Grand Rounds take place immediately after Academic Half Days. Fellows have opportunities to meet individually with visiting professors, as well as to present journal club or cases to them for a truly unique experience.
     
    Teaching Opportunities
    An important part of fellowship training is learning to pass knowledge onto others. Cardiology fellows will have the opportunity to teach University of Minnesota Medical School students, residents and visiting students from other medical schools through bedside instruction and formal didactic lectures.
     
    Call Frequency
    Cardiology fellows take in-house night time call at the University of Minnesota hospital, one week at a time. During night call, the fellow will not have any daytime clinical responsibilities. The University of Minnesota Graduate Medical School follows the recommendations of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
     
    Moonlighting
    Moonlighting is permitted for licensed fellows. Moonlighting activities may be scheduled during consultative or outpatient rotations and should not interfere with the required learning and must not violate the ACGME's work hour rules or visa regulations. Moonlighting is not permitted for cardiology fellows in their first year of training.

    ROTATIONS  DIDACTICS  RESEARCH  ELECTIVES

  • Application Process

    All applicants interested in training at University of Minnesota's Cardiovascular Fellowship Training Program will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex or national origin. The Fellowship Training Program accepts applications only through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS).

    Our program requires all of the following support documents:

    • Current curriculum vitae
    • Personal statement
    • Medical school transcripts (copies)
    • Three (3) letters of recommendation
    • Medical School Dean's letter (copy)
    • A valid ECFMG certificate (if you graduated from a medical school outside the United States or Canada). Graduates who are not United States Citizens or permanent residents must obtain a J-1 Visa from the Education Commission on Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) to qualify for a fellowship at the University of Minnesota
    • Results of Part I and II (and III if completed) of the United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE)
    • A recent photo

    Interviews
    Once your application has been reviewed, you will receive an invitation to visit our program. During the interview visit, you will meet with various faculty and all efforts will be made to accommodate the applicant's areas of interest or future goals for their training.

CURRENT FELLOWS

CHIEF FELLOWS 2019-2020

Fellow Bernal

Alejandra Gutierrez-Bernal, MD

Medical School: Universidad de Los Andes
Residency: Cleveland Clinic

 

Fellow Shah


Hirak Shah, MD

Medical School: University of Missouri-Kansas City
Residency: Washington University in St. Louis

GRADUATING FELLOWS 2020

Fellow Allen

Jason Allen, MD

Medical School: University of Iowa
Residency: University of Utah

 

Fellow Bernal


Alejandra Gutierrez-Bernal, MD

Medical School: Universidad de Los Andes
Residency: Cleveland Clinic

Fellow Kenny


Barrett Kenny, MD

Medical School: Virginia Commonwealth University
Residency: University of Wisconsin

Fellow Khan


Asrar Khan, MD

Medical School: University of Illinois
Residency: Washington University in St. Louis

Fellow Maharaj


Val Maharaj, MD

Medical School: University of Minnesota
Residency: Loyola University

Fellow Onizuka


Takeshi Onizuka, MD

Medical School: Keio University
Residency: University of Minnesota

Fellow Reiff


Chris Reiff, MD

Medical School: University of Wisconsin
Residency: Medical College of Wisconsin

Fellow Shah


Hirak Shah, MD

Medical School: University of Missouri-Kansas City
Residency: Washington University in St. Louis

CHIEF FELLOWS 2020-2021

Fellow Shultz

Jessica Schultz, MD

Medical School: Chicago Medical School of Rosalind Franklin University
Residency: University of Minnesota

 

Fellow Ash


Jerry Ash, MD

Medical School: Ohio State University
Residency: Ohio State University

THIRD YEAR FELLOWS

Fellow Ash

Jerry Ash, MD

Medical School: Ohio State University
Residency: Ohio State University

 

Fellow Bader


Brandon Bader, MD

Medical School: University of Rochester
Residency: University of Rochester

Fellow Jurgens


Paul Jurgens, MD

Medical School: Northwestern University
Residency: University of Colorado

Fellow Shultz


Jessica Schultz, MD

Medical School: Chicago Medical School of Rosalind Franklin University
Residency: University of Minnesota

 

SECOND YEAR FELLOWS

Fellow Agdamag
Arianne Agdamag, MD

Medical School: University of the Philippines
Residency: Rush University Medical Center

Fellow Carcora


Yaser Carcora, MD

Medical School: Wayne State University
Residency: University of Michigan

Fellow Crespo-Diaz
Ruben Crespo-Diaz, MD, PhD

Medical School: University of Puerto Rico
Residency: University of Minnesota

Fellow Decker
Joe Decker, MD

Medical School: University of Minnesota
Residency: University of Minnesota

Fellow Power


Juliette Power, MD

Medical School: Drexel University College of Medicine
Residency: Allegheny Health Network Medical Education Consortium

Fellow Tsangaris
Adam Tsangaris, MD

Medical School: University of Athens School of Health Sciences, Greece
Residency: Rutgers New Jersey Medical School

Fellow Zhang
Michael Zhang, MD, PhD (PSTP)

Medical School: University of Louisville School of Medicine
Residency: University of Minnesota

FIRST YEAR FELLOWS

Fellow Boyle

Brenden Boyle, MD

Medical School: Drexel
Rresidency: University of Iowa

 

Fellow Chahine


Johnny Chahine, MD

Medical School: Lebanese University
Residency: Cleveland Clinic Foundation

Fellow Chaudhry


Mohsan Chaudhry, MD

Medical School: Virginia Tech
Residency: University of Iowa

Fellow Dahiya


Garima Dahiya, MD

Medical School: Seth G.S. Medical College
Residency: Allegheny General Hospital

Fellow Duran


Eddie Duran, MD

Medical School: Boston University
Residency: St. Elizabeth's Medical Center
 

Fellow Gonzalez


Daniel Gonzalez, MD

Medical School: University of Illinois
Residency: Cleveland Clinic Foundation  

Fellow Ibrahim


Abdisamad Ibrahim, MD

Medical School: University of Illinois
Residency: Southern Illinois University 

Fellow Klajda


Michael Klajda, MD

Medical School: University of Minnesota
Residency: Mayo Clinic 

PHYSICIAN SCIENTIST TRAINING PROGRAM FELLOWS

Fellow Prisco A.
Anthony Prisco, MD

 

 

Fellow Prisco S
Sasha Prisco, MD

 

 

Fellow Zhang


Michael Zhang, MD

Program Director
Jane Chen, MD, FACC, FHRS
Professor of Medicine

Contact Us

Fellowship Coordinator
Elizabeth Gorka
Anna Hennessey
cvfellow@umn.edu