About the Program

URMC is one of the busiest centers of its size in the country, performing more than 1200 adult cardiac procedures. In past years, the cardiac surgical program has grown in parallel with partnering services including interventional cardiology, electrophysiology, thoracic, and congenital cardiac programs. Furthermore, the hospital has committed to development of a new tower that will include a planned major expansion to the cardiac ICUs to support further growth.

• Our program specializes in minimally invasive surgical aortic and mitral valve procedures, structural heart procedures (TAVR, Watchman, MitraClip), and surgical heart failure therapy. There has been tremendous grown in the heart failure therapy program at University of Rochester. Our center is the only heart transplantation center in upstate New York. Our program was the pioneering center in the U.S. for a sternal sparing approach to the procedure, and is one of the busiest centers for Heartmate III implantation in the country. Fellows will receive continuous exposure
• Fellows receive four weeks of exposure to adult and pediatric congenital cardiac procedures performed at Golisano’s Children’s Hospital.  During this rotation, fellows will participate in a number of major pediatric congenital surgical procedures, a majority on cardiopulmonary bypass. Fellows will also receive exposure to congenital echocardiography.
• On their thoracic rotation fellows will work with our thoracic team, which performs a wide range of procedures including, but not limited to, the following: diagnostic and therapeutic bronchoscopy and endoscopy, diaphragmatic hernia repair, mediastinal mass resection, lung resection (wedge, sleeve, lobectomy, pneumonectomy), and esophagectomy.
• Our vascular team performs a wide range of open and percutaneous vascular procedures including open thoracic and abdominal repair, TeVAR, eVAR, and TeCar procedures. Fellows will participate in the more complex vascular procedures performed at the institution.
• Our Electrophysiology team performs a full suite of services including high-risk lead extractions, subcutaneous and transvenous ICD placements, transvenous and leadless pacemaker placements, and complex cardiac ablation procedures, some requiring ECMO support. Fellows have the option of spending elective rotations with this service, and will preferentially be assigned to high risk lead extractions and ECMO-supported VT ablation procedures.