MEL 7103: Pediatric Cardiology 15-16

Cardiovascular disease may be congenital or acquired and may exist in a spectrum throughout life from the womb to adulthood. The All Children’s Heart Institute is a comprehensive group of sub-specialty cardiologists that cover this spectrum of disease through the practice of: general cardiology, non-invasive (echocardiography), perinatal cardiology, advanced cardiac imaging (3-D ECHO, MRI, CT), invasive cardiology, electrophysiology, heart failure/transplant, pulmonary hypertension, preventative cardiology, and adult congenital heart disease. The goal of this rotation will be to teach core principles of cardiovascular disease and allow students exposure to the broad spectrum of cardiology sub-specialty care that occurs within the division. A board certified/eligible Pediatric Cardiologist will supervise patient care during the elective rotation. Clinical and/or basic research projects are also available for interested students.

Clinical cardiology:

1.  Understand the evaluation and treatment of heart murmurs, chest pain, palpitations, dizziness, and syncope.
2. Understanding the evaluation and treatment of various forms of congenital heart disease: including septal defects, left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, right ventricular outflow tract obstruction, conotruncal lesions, single ventricles, and cyanotic congenital heart disease.
3. Understand the basic principles of electrocardiograms and be able to interpret and have a treatment strategy for basic arrhythmias.

Clinically these objectives will be achieved by the following tasks:

1. Outpatient cardiology clinics – daily cardiology clinics are held at All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg and multiple outpatient care centers (Tampa, USF, Sarasota, Pasco, Brandon, Lakeland, East Lake and Ft. Myers.
2. Inpatient Service – Students will participate in work-up and care of cardiac patients including those in the cardiac ICU, neonatal ICU, and inpatient consults on the general medicine floors or emergency room.
3. Sub-specialty rotations – all students will observe at least one of the following: open heart surgery and learn about cardiopulmanary bypass, cardiac catheterization, cardiac electrophysiology procedure, fetal echocardiogram, cardiac MRI/CT scan, and exercise stress test. Each student should know the indications for these procedures and the limitations of each diagnostic modality. In addition each student should be able to perform a 12 lead electrocardiogram and understand the indications and limitations of long term heart rhythm monitors (events/loops)
4. Educational Conferences – Participation in weekly disposition and educational conferences.