Fellowship
Adult Congenital Heart Disease
The Adult Congenital Heart Disease Fellowship program at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center is a two-year, ACGME-approved program that admits one fellow every other year.
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To be a candidate for this ACGME-approved training position, the qualified candidate will have completed an ACGME-accredited Internal Medicine Residency, Pediatrics Residency, or Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency, as well as either an Adult or Pediatrics Cardiology Fellowship. It is expected that the candidate be board-eligible in their respective fellowship by the start of the training program.
Program Overview
Penn State’s Program for Adult Congenital Heart Disease (PACHD) is large, with almost 3,000 ACHD patient visits per year. Of those, at least 50% have moderate or complex CHD. We have six faculty that staff the 24-hour inpatient ACHD service and ACHD clinics inclusive of two local sites and four outreach sites across Central Pennsylvania. The ACHD fellow will have broad exposure at all clinic sites and the inpatient service. We collaborate with subspecialists who assist in managing pulmonary arterial hypertension, advanced liver disease, and other common conditions that CHD patients face. The ACHD fellow will have the opportunity to work with all members of the immediate team and subspecialty consultants where appropriate.
Learn More About the Fellowship
The Penn State Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD) Fellowship program aims to train future leaders in ACHD. They emphasize commitment to patient care, providing state-of-the-art training in various congenital heart settings, and fostering competency in clinical knowledge, procedural skills, and professionalism. The program also encourages research and offers mentorship in a multidisciplinary and collegial environment.
Application Overview
All applications must be submitted through ERAS, and the program participates in the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP). Applications will not be received outside of ERAS, and positions will not be filled outside the match.
Application deadline is July 15, 2026.
Eligibility
Qualified candidates will be:
U.S. citizens, permanent residents or J-1 visa holders (no additional visa types are sponsored)
Board-certified in internal medicine or pediatrics; Board-eligible or board-certified in cardiovascular disease or pediatric cardiology
Pennsylvania medical training license eligible
Required Supporting Documents
The following documents should be uploaded to ERAS for review:
ERAS application, inclusive of current photograph
Personal statement
Curriculum vitae
USMLE or COMLEX transcript
ECFMG certificate (if applicable)
Letters of Recommendation - four (4) letters required, including one from current or most recent program director
Interview Process
Thank you for your interest in our program. Interviews are expected to take place virtually on the following dates.
Tues. Sept 22 (PM)
Wed. Sept 23 (AM)
All interviews are by invitation only and will be scheduled through Thalamus. We will notify all applicants of their status no later than Aug. 14.
Leadership and Contacts
Mandi Smith
GME Coordinator II, Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship, Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology Fellowship, Interventional Cardiology Fellowship and Adult Congenital Heart Disease Fellowship, Medicine
Tonya Zalek
GME Coordinator I, Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship, Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology Fellowship, Interventional Cardiology Fellowship and Adult Congenital Heart Disease Fellowship, Medicine
Mailing Address
Penn State Heart and Vascular Institute
Adult Congenital Heart Disease Fellowship Program
500 University Drive
P.O. Box 850, MC H047
Hershey, PA 17033
Phone: 717-531-6746
Email: asmith5@pennstatehealth.psu.edu
