Institute
Education and Programs in the Heart and Vascular Institute
In This Section
Heart and Vascular Institute
- Personnel
Education and Programs
- Clinical Faculty
- Research
Education
The Heart and Vascular Institute offers outstanding educational opportunities in general and subspecialty cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery and vascular surgery designed to develop careers in clinical and academic medicine.
The institute has 19 fellows in four fellowship programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). In addition, the Heart and Vascular Institute offers two ACGME-accredited residency programs in vascular surgery and cardiovascular interventional radiology.
The educational goals for the Heart and Vascular Institute are threefold: to educate the team, to educate the community and to educate the future. Educating the team relates to providing opportunities for cardiovascular clinical education as well as faculty development for UME and GME educators. Educating the community relates to the institute's unique opportunity to educate the community of clinicians within the expanding Penn State Health system, as well as the community at large through outreach, seminars and conference sessions. Finally, educating the future relates to embracing institute members' role as advisors, mentors and teachers for future clinicians at the UME and GME level, and continually maintaining a strong HVI presence in the education of future physicians and clinicians. Goals to address each of these areas include:
Initiating annual cardiovascular conferences directed towards clinicians throughout the central PA region as well as seminars/workshops focused on cardiovascular health for the general public.
Expanding HVI Grand Rounds series to monthly series throughout the year, while inviting cardiovascular experts throughout the nation to visit the institution and build opportunities for networking and collaboration
Emphasize faculty development programs in education that enable clinicians to improve as educators and that help prepare them for progressing in their professional careers towards academic promotion
Expand cardiovascular electives for students and residents beyond Hershey to include colleagues throughout the health system
Educational Programs
Graduate Medical Education
For Medical Students
The Heart and Vascular Institute is involved in all phases of medical school curriculum. Several clinicians within the HVI have received exceptional teacher recognitions from student learners for their dedication and excellence in teaching.
Phase I:
The cardio-respiratory block has been co-chaired by Dr. Edward Lankford and Dr. Brandon Peterson of cardiology
Block reviews the foundational clinical and basic science knowledge of cardiovascular anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology and pharmacology.
Institute faculty are involved in various aspects including large group teaching sessions, small group facilitating, ultrasound teaching sessions, simulation sessions and problem-based learning.
The cardiology block is frequently rated among the top courses by students in their Phase I education, with strong outcomes in Step examinations in the areas of cardiovascular medicine.
Phase II
Students rotating through core clerkships during Phase II have multiple opportunities to rotate with specialists throughout the HVI as part of their clerkships and elective rotations.
Phase III:
Dr. Brandon Peterson serves as Director of Phase 3 UME-GME Transition. Peterson and Dr. Jason Fragin of diagnostic cardiology serve on the Committee for Undergraduate Medical Education.
Robust presence of multiple rotations offered throughout the HVI for students participating in research, clinical electives and acting internships.
Continuing Medical Education
Numerous educational sessions, case conferences, morbidity and mortality reviews, fellow presentations, and more are held on a regular basis. The majority of sessions are offered with credit for continuing medical education.