IACTS Congenital Heart Surgery Fellowship Program

• Candidates should have passed the examination and undergone training leading to MCh (CVTS)/DNB (CTS) or equivalent overseas qualifications with MCI registration, and should have worked for a year in a CVTS unit after their qualification.
• Candidates who wish to apply must be a Life Member (or Overseas Life Member) of the IACTS.
• Those candidates who have been working in an accredited congenital heart centre after their qualifying examinations under an accredited mentor, are also eligible to apply for the fellowship. The E & A subcommittee would scrutinize their credentials and inform them of their eligibility, and decide on credits to be given for periods of training already undergone, provided other norms of the fellowship requirements are met and fulfilled.

At the End of the Fellowship, the Candidate or the Mentee should have:

• Developed concepts and been exposed to the surgical management, of most varieties of simple and complex congenital heart lesions from neonatal age groups to adulthood, as an assistant and later as a Supervised Operating Surgeon.
• At least operated the stipulated number and types of cases.
• Be familiar with echocardiography and other contemporary imaging modalities in managing CHS cases
• Be able to manage and guide the ICU teams to help recovery of children after CHS.
• Be familiar with all ICU practices in delivering post operative care including resuscitation by ECMO, ECPR, basics of neonatal care, and ventilation management.
• Exposed to the process of assuming leadership in a Congenital Heart Team and be able to recognize the “Team Concept” of Congenital Heart Care in a team comprising of experts from many disciplines needed for congenital heart care.
• Appreciated and learnt the ability of the mentor to develop cordial interpersonal professional and soft communication skills with all other stakeholders caring for the child with congenital heart defects before and after surgery for best outcomes.
• Developed the ability to plan and execute a research project, publish, and contribute to the literature in his/her tenure.

Assessment:

• At the completion of the “Fellowship” tenure of two years, the candidate would be required to appear for an exit examination.
• An “exit” examination (written and oral) is more of a formality than a true test of knowledge in the traditional sense.
• Once certified by the mentor, it is assumed that the candidate is well trained to go forth and practice the subspecialty. Hence it places great onus on the mentor in the selection, training and certification of the candidate or mentee.
• On successful completion of the fellowship training of two calendar years at the accredited centre, a pass at the exit examination, fulfillment of all the norms of the fellowship, and a certificate of competence signed by the accredited mentor under whom the candidate has worked, he/she would be eligible for the Fellowship in Congenital Heart Surgery Certificate given under the seal of the IACTS.

Fees:

• The annual fee of INR 24000/- should be paid by the candidate to the IACTS, after the selection procedure. It includes the examination fee as well.
• Payment can be made online only. The candidate who is selected under IACTS guidelines, the link will be shared through the e-mail.