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. 2021 Feb 1;97(2):201-205.
doi: 10.1002/ccd.28977. Epub 2020 May 16.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on interventional cardiology fellowship training in the New York metropolitan area: A perspective from the United States epicenter

Tanush Gupta  1 , Tamim M Nazif  1 , Torsten P Vahl  1 , Hasan Ahmad  2 , Anna E Bortnick  3 , Frederick Feit  4 , Rajiv Jauhar  5 , Ruben Kandov  6 , Michael Kim  7 , Annapoorna Kini  8 , William Lawson  9 , Robert Leber  10 , Alexander Lee  11 , Abel E Moreyra  12 , Robert M Minutello  13 , Terrence Sacchi  14 , Pranaychan J Vaidya  15 , Martin B Leon  1 , Sahil A Parikh  1 , Ajay J Kirtane  1 , Susheel Kodali  1
Affiliations

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on interventional cardiology fellowship training in the New York metropolitan area: A perspective from the United States epicenter

Tanush Gupta et al. Catheter Cardiovasc Interv. .

Abstract

Background: The healthcare burden posed by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the New York Metropolitan area has necessitated the postponement of elective procedures resulting in a marked reduction in cardiac catheterization laboratory (CCL) volumes with a potential to impact interventional cardiology (IC) fellowship training.

Methods: We conducted a web-based survey sent electronically to 21 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education accredited IC fellowship program directors (PDs) and their respective fellows.

Results: Fourteen programs (67%) responded to the survey and all acknowledged a significant decrease in CCL procedural volumes. More than half of the PDs reported part of their CCL being converted to inpatient units and IC fellows being redeployed to COVID-19 related duties. More than two-thirds of PDs believed that the COVID-19 pandemic would have a moderate (57%) or severe (14%) adverse impact on IC fellowship training, and 21% of the PDs expected their current fellows' average percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) volume to be below 250. Of 25 IC fellow respondents, 95% expressed concern that the pandemic would have a moderate (72%) or severe (24%) adverse impact on their fellowship training, and nearly one-fourth of fellows reported performing fewer than 250 PCIs as of March 1st. Finally, roughly one-third of PDs and IC fellows felt that there should be consideration of an extension of fellowship training or a period of early career mentorship after fellowship.

Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a significant reduction in CCL procedural volumes that is impacting IC fellowship training in the NY metropolitan area. These results should inform professional societies and accreditation bodies to offer tailored opportunities for remediation of affected trainees.

Keywords: coronavirus disease; fellowship training; interventional cardiology; procedural volume.

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Conflict of interest statement

Dr. Bortnick has served as site PI for multicenter trials funded by Abbott and CSL‐Behring, for which her institution received compensation; honorarium from ClearView Healthcare, LLC; support from an AHA Mentored and Clinical Population Award 17MCPRP33630098 and a K23 HL146982 from the NIH National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Dr. Feit reports stock holdings in Medtronic and Boston Scientific. Dr. Leon reports clinical research grants from Abbott, Boston Scientific, Edwards, and Medtronic. Dr Parikh reports institutional grants/research support from Abbott Vascular, Shockwave Medical, TriReme Medical and Surmodics; consulting fees from Terumo and Abiomed; and Advisory Board participation for Abbott, Medtronic, Boston Scientific, CSI, Janssen and Philips. Dr Kirtane reports Institutional funding to Columbia University and/or Cardiovascular Research Foundation from Medtronic, Boston Scientific, Abbott Vascular, Abiomed, CSI, CathWorks, Siemens, Philips, ReCor Medical. In addition to research grants, institutional funding includes fees paid to Columbia University and/or Cardiovascular Research Foundation for speaking engagements and/or consulting; no speaking/consulting fees were personally received. Personal: Travel Expenses/Meals from Medtronic, Boston Scientific, Abbott Vascular, Abiomed, CSI, CathWorks, Siemens, Philips, ReCor Medical, Chiesi, OpSens, Zoll, and Regeneron. Dr. Kodali reports the following disclosures: Consultant (Honoraria) ‐ Admedus, Meril Lifesciences, JenaValve, Abbott Vascular; SAB (Equity) ‐ Dura Biotech, MicroInterventional Devices, Thubrikar Aortic Valve Inc, Supira, Admedus, and Institutional Funding to Columbia University and/or Cardiovascular Research Foundation from ‐ Edwards Lifesciences, Medtronic, Abbott Vascular, Boston Scientific, JenaValve. All other authors have no relevant disclosures to report.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic on IC fellowship training. Panel A: Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredited IC fellows; Panel B: Advanced second year IC fellows. Abbreviation: IC, interventional cardiology [Color figure can be viewed at wileyonlinelibrary.com]
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Level of confidence of fellows to achieve adequate technical competence by end of training. Abbreviation: IC, interventional cardiology [Color figure can be viewed at wileyonlinelibrary.com]
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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