The Fellowship in Adult Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis offers a dynamic and flexible program to develop expert-level skills, judgment, and competence in clinical care of cardiac and thoracic surgical patients.
Our ultimate goal is to train our fellows to be motivated physicians who are highly skilled professionals who can offer impeccable care to the sickest patients. We encourage critical thought, healthy academic debate and cutting edge research. Apart from routine cardiothoracic procedures, we have extensive local expertise in:
- lung and heart transplantation
- adult congenital cardiac surgery
- esophageal surgery
- aortic surgery
- complex valvular surgery
- ventricular assist device surgery
We have a strong interest in promoting dual critical care medicine/adult cardiothoracic anesthesiology fellowship training. Nearly half of the faculty in the Division of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology are critical care trained and attend in the SICU and/or CTICU. Learn more about our dual Critical Care Medicine/ Adult Cardiothoracic fellowship training program at Washington University and the Barnes-Jewish Hospital.
The Adult Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology Fellowship is structured to provide a flexible and robust educational experience to trainees while abiding by ACGME requirements.
The fellowship is composed of 13 four-week blocks:
- One block of thoracic anesthesia
- Six weeks of dedicated transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE)
- One block of CTICU
- Eight blocks of cardiothoracic anesthesia
- Two blocks for electives
The fellowship training will include experience in providing anesthesia for diagnostic and therapeutic electrophysiology (EP) procedures, as well as percutaneous interventions for valve replacements, valve repairs, and heart failure therapy. We perform complex cases for aortic aneurysms repairs in our state-of-the-art hybrid operating room combining open and percutaneous approach.
Fellows take home call which is designed to allow participation in difficult or interesting cases in conjunction with a resident to provide experience in a supervisory role.
We recognize that experience and ultimately accreditation in TEE is an essential component of cardiothoracic fellowships. Therefore, we offer structured bedside and didactic teaching as well as protected time to perform and interpret perioperative TEE exams. Our fellows are expected to obtain Certification in Advanced Perioperative Transesophageal Echocardiography by the National Board of Echocardiography after the fellowship year.
Experience in postoperative care of a cardiothoracic patient is an important part of our cardiothoracic anesthesia training. During the cardiothoracic intensive care unit rotation, our fellows function as a critical care fellows who supervise residents rotating through the 27-bed specialized ICU and becomes a member of one of the most respected critical care communities in the United States. We also offer the opportunity to pursue dual cardiothoracic/critical care medicine fellowships. Potential applicants are encouraged to contact us and to discuss their specific needs and career goals.
Electives may be chosen from:
- Perfusion
- Transfusion Medicine
- Cardiology Echocardiography
- Heart Failure Cardiology
- Congenital Cardiac Anesthesia
- Research
- Jennifer Cole International Education Initiative
As a leading research institute, Washington University School of Medicine provides many opportunities for participation in clinical and basic research. Faculty members have extensive experience in clinical research related to cardiothoracic surgery and critical care. Active funded research by faculty in the Division of Cardiothoracic Anesthesia includes the areas of neurologic outcomes, hemostatic perturbations resulting from cardiac surgery, and critical care related investigations. Other department members are extensively involved in basic research related to anesthesia and pain mechanisms, vascular biology, sepsis, genetics, and other areas.
The interdisciplinary approach at Washington University School of Medicine provides outstanding opportunities for participation in nearly every area of biomedical research. Fellow involvement ranges from participation in active research protocols to mentored development of fellow initiated protocols. The latter avenue provides experience in formulating a clear and relevant hypothesis, research protocol design, analysis and data interpretation, and reporting of the results. This training aims to provide our fellows with opportunities to present original research at national meetings and to publicize the results in peer-reviewed journals. Continuation of fellowship training is possible for selected individuals to provide further focused research training.
Stipends (July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025)
| PGY Level | Annual Stipend |
| PGY 1 | $67,808 |
| PGY 2 | $70,816 |
| PGY 3 | $73,679 |
| PGY 4 | $76,999 |
| PGY 5 | $80,372 |
| PGY 6 | $82,839 |
| PGY 7 | $86,568 |
| PGY 8 | $90,455 |
| PGY 9 | $94,531 |
The fellowship year will include four weeks of vacation and one week available to attend the conference of your choice.
Non-clinical time will be granted to participate in clinical research, to maintain the educational program (i.e. conferences, etc.), or for additional TEE training.
The division offers a discretionary fund for fellows to use for books and training-related expenses.
Visit gme.wustl.edu to learn more about stipend amounts; for details regarding insurance and other benefits, visit hr.wustl.edu/benefits/change/hire/clinical-fellows-trainees.
The Adult Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology Fellowship program at Washington University participates in the SF Match process, under the auspice of the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists. Please apply via the Common Application Service (Program ID# 4790). Three letters of recommendation are required.
For additional information please contact:
Program Director: Daniel Emmert, MD, PhD
Associate Director: Hawa Abubakar, MBBS
Program Coordinator: Lydia Swink
