Research Training

Fellows become involved with research at the beginning of their training program. During the three year fellowship, a total of 12 months are dedicated to research. Research projects, developed during the first and second years of training, are normally completed during the third year.

Clinical research opportunities are available in all areas of the Division of cardiology: general cardiology, non-invasive imaging, fetal cardiology, electrophysiology, cardiac catheterization and adult congenital heart disease. Extensive clinical research opportunities are available with other subspecialties in Pediatrics, and well as with other departments at University Hospitals.

Basic science research opportunities are available in embryology, electrophysiology, interventional cardiac catheterization and biomedical engineering. Close cooperation with the Departments of Genetics, and Physiology and Biophysics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine provide fertile opportunities for basic science research.

Each fellow is required to take the institution's fellows course and a statistics course offered by the Department of Pediatrics. Computer skills for data analysis and presentations are an integral part of the program. Faculty mentors regularly review the progress of the research. The preparation of grants and manuscripts is supervised by the faculty mentor and reviewed by the program director.

Supervision of the research experience is provided to the fellow throughout the training program, and is spearheaded by the Scholarship Oversight Committee (SOC). The Division of Pediatric Cardiology maintains a standing SOC to supervise the research activities of all the fellows. Individual fellows are encouraged to identify additional research mentors to participate in the SOC. During the first year of fellowship, fellows will have at least one month of research time. During this time the fellow meets with prospective research mentors (basic science and/or clinical) and identifies a research topic and mentor. The fellow should also to meet with the SOC’s director and program director. The SOC meets every six months throughout the fellowship, and more often if necessary. At each meeting, fellows are expected to present their work and provide a written summary. The SOC provides the Program Director with a summary of its recommendations, which are reviewed with the fellow.