Fellowships

The opportunities

This excellent training program will equip four fellows in the art and science of interventional cardiology including:

  • percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)
  • intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)
  • fractional flow reserve (FFR)
  • percutaneous transluminal septal myocardial ablation (PTSMA)
  • shunt closures
  • balloon valvuloplasty
  • transcatherter aortic valve implantation
Our program is particularly geared to those looking towards an academic and research career in interventional cardiology as we have considerable involvement in interventional clinical trials. The MonashHeart interventional fellowship program has been structured to include the opportunity for MD/PhD degree over a four to five year program with alternate years undertaking research. MonashHeart supports four interventional training fellowship positions. Generally one of these positions is dedicated to training of a self funded overseas candidate (one year position only).

The two MonashHeart interventional laboratories at Monash Medical Centre (MMC), Clayton, Victoria, perform over 1,190 PCIs and 3,170 coronary angiograms per year. The laboratories operate eight hours per day, five days per week, providing adult interventional services. Plans are currently in progress to commence a paediatric interventional service. There is high demand for our emergency primary/rescue PCI service, with over 390 emergency PCIs performed in 2009.

There is growing demand for more complex cardiac interventions such as atrial septal defect (ASD) and patent foramen ovale (PFO) closures, balloon mitral valvuloplasty and other vascular interventions. MonashHeart was the first centre in Australasia to be credentialed to independently undertake percutaneous aortic valve implantation with CoreValve.

Interventional services currently include the following coronary and cardiac interventions:
  • primary PCI for ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), as well as rescue PCI
  • complex coronary angioplasty and stenting including chronic total occlusions, bifurcations, unprotected left main interventions
  • rotational atherectomy
  • intravascular ultrasound/fractional and coronary flow reserve assessment
  • alcohol septal ablation for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) (PTSMA)
  • vascular closure devices including ASD/PFO closure
  • balloon mitral and aortic valvuloplasty
  • transradial coronary interventions including complex PCI, acute myocardial infarction (AMI) PCI, bifurcational and chronic total occlusion (CTO) PCIs
  • transcatheter aortic valve implantation

Candidate prerequisites

  • Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP)  or equivalent medical degree registrable in Victoria
  • Completion of 200 primary diagnostic angiograms as the first operator (as per the FRACP Specialist Advisory Committee for Cardiology 2005 guidelines)
  • At least 2 years advanced training in cardiology at a recognized tertiary centre
  • MD or PhD, or a strong commitment to complete a MD or PhD (local candidates only)


Enquiries and applications to

Dr Yuvaraj Malaiapan
Head of Interventional Services
Phone: +61 3 9594 7855
Fax:       +61 3 9594 6239
Contact
Mail: MonashHeart, Monash Medical Centre, 246 Clayton Road, Clayton 3168