Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesiology Fellowship

The goal of our fellowship is to develop academic leaders in pediatric cardiac anesthesiology (PCA).  The objective is to provide clinical training in pediatric cardiac anesthesiology (incorporating the proposal by DiNardo et al1 in 2010, and recommendations by the Congenital Cardiac Anesthesia Society2 in 2018) with emphasis on extensive exposures with an interdisciplinary approach to the care of the pediatric patient with cardiac diseases, and scholarly activities with a committed mentoring team.

Upon completion of the program, PCA fellows are expected to be experts in the care of infants, children, and adults with congenital or acquired heart disease for open heart surgeries requiring cardiopulmonary bypass, diagnostic and interventional procedures in the cardiac catheterization lab, and related procedures.

The NewYork Presbyterian-Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York(link is external and opens in a new window) is one of the largest and highest volume centers for congenital cardiac surgery in the area, performing over 500 open heart procedures and over 1200 catheterization procedures per year. Our institution provides care for complex single-ventricle patients across their lifespan for a variety of cardiac and noncardiac procedures.  In addition, we are the highest volume center in the country for heart transplantation and a high-volume center for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and ventricular assist devices. The complexity and acuity of our patient population makes for an unparalleled learning experience. 

Expectations include:

  • Communicating effectively and becoming a part of a multidisciplinary team (surgeons, nurses, perfusionists, cardiologists, and cardiac intensivists) to provide care for complex cardiac patients
  • Providing emergency and elective anesthesia care for complex patients with congenital or acquired heart disease
  • Gaining a comprehensive understanding of congenital cardiac lesions and their physiologic characteristics and anesthetic implications
  • Caring for patients with mechanical assist devices including extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and ventricular assist devices
  • Participating in complex medical decision making with surgeons and intensivists regarding patient care
  • Contributing to the field in the form of scholarly activity

1. DiNardo JA, Andropoulos DB, and Baum VC: A Proposal for Training in Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesia. Anesth Analg 2010; 110:1121-1125. 

2.  Nasr V, Guzzetta N, Miller-Hance WC, Twite M, Latham GL, Zabala L, Nicholson SC, Mossad E, DiNardo JA: Consensus Statement by the Congenital Cardiac Anesthesia Society: Milestones for the Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesia Fellowship. Anesth Analg 2018;126:198–207.