Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship
Carolinas Medical Center Program
Mission statement: Rooted in Atrium Health’s mission to improve health, elevate hope, and advance healing for all, the program emphasizes compassionate, patient-centered care that meets the diverse needs of Charlotte, our neighboring communities, and beyond. We aim to train the next generation of cardiovascular leaders and innovators through mentored autonomy with guidance from nationally recognized faculty in high volume, high complexity, and diverse patient interactions, leading to superior clinical expertise, scholarly inquiry, and lifelong learning skills.
About our Center
Founded in the 1950s by Drs. Francis Robicsek and Paul Sanger, Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute has a longstanding history of innovation and comprehensive cardiovascular care. Today, the program operates within Atrium Health, part of Advocate Health—one of the nation’s largest nonprofit health systems serving patients across eight states.
Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte serves as the system’s primary academic and clinical hub for cardiovascular care and is the flagship hospital for Wake Forest School of Medicine in Charlotte. The campus also includes North American IRCAD, an advanced training and research center focused on medical and surgical innovation.
This unique, integrated structure gives cardiovascular diseases fellows access to:
- State-of-the-art facilities to deliver the highest level of care to our regional patients.
- A database of nearly 6 million annual patients under the Advocate Health umbrella to pioneer research and quality improvement.
- Advanced medical education with the Wake Forest School of Medicine.
- Cutting edge medical technology at the IRCAD experiential education and surgical innovation center.
About the Program
The Carolinas Medical Center’s Cardiovascular Diseases Fellowship is a structured, three-year training program that follows the American College of Cardiology Core Cardiovascular Training Statement (COCATS) guidelines for general cardiology.
Fellows complete core clinical rotations on a block schedule during the first two years, with opportunities for early electives. The third year is more flexible, allowing fellows to tailor their experience based on individual career goals and areas of interest.
Continuity Clinic is a central component of the program, enabling fellows to develop longitudinal patient management skills under faculty supervision. Clinical training is complemented by a comprehensive didactic curriculum that includes lectures, case-based conferences, and simulation-based learning.
Program Highlights
- Robust faculty: ~110 SHVI cardiologists in the Charlotte region in a highly collaborative and interdisciplinary group
- Ample clinical research: multiple active trials in clinical research, translational research, population health, and quality improvement with opportunities for additional mentored projects
- Medical education: ample teaching opportunities with the Wake Forest Charlotte Campus medical school/students, large internal medicine, emergency medicine, and family medicine programs at Carolinas Medical Center
Subspecialty Exposure
- Advanced cardiac imaging: Echo/TEE, Cardiac CT, Cardiac MRI, PET/SPECT, Stress Testing
- Electrophysiology: Pacemaker/Defibrillator, Afib Ablation/PFA, VT ablation, Lead Extraction
- Interventional Cardiology: High risk PCI, Pulmonary Artery Thrombectomy, Balloon Pulmonary Angioplasty, Mechanical Circulatory Support including ECMO/IABP/Impella, Coronary Flow Reserve Testing, IVUS
- Advanced Heart Failure: Cardiac Transplant (6th largest cardiac transplant center in the nation), LVAD, Implantable PA Sensors
- Structural Heart Disease: Transcatheter Valve Replacement/Repair, ASD/PFO closure, Percutaneous Balloon Valvuloplasty, Left Atrial Appendage Closure
- Vascular Medicine, Aortic Center
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Multidisciplinary Center of Excellence
- Cardiac Critical Care
- Cardio-Oncology
- Adult Congenital Heart Disease
- Women’s Cardiovascular Health
- Sports Cardiology
- Preventative Cardiology
| Procedural Volume (2025) | |
|---|---|
| Total outpatient visits | 345,251 |
| New outpatient visits | 54,297 |
| Coronary angiograms | 8,674 |
| TAVR | 420 |
| EP procedures | 5,358 |
| Cardiac transplant | 67 |
| LVAD | 76 |
| Mechanical Circulatory Support | 529 |
| Cardiac MRI | 7,805 |
| Coronary CTA | 14,947 |
| Echocardiograms | 115,461 |
| Nuclear Cardiology | 9,900 |
Research & Academic Opportunities
Cardiovascular Diseases Fellows have access to a robust and supportive research environment designed to foster academic growth and scholarly achievement. The program emphasizes both clinical investigation and quality improvement, with opportunities tailored to individual interests and career goals.
Fellows benefit from:
- Dedicated research time built into the curriculum
- Close mentorship from experienced faculty actively engaged in clinical trials, outcomes research, and innovation
- Access to a wide range of clinical trials, including investigator-initiated and multicenter national studies
- Structured support for scholarly work, including abstract submission, manuscript development, and conference presentation
- Access to the Advocate Health National Center for Clinical Trials, combining Advocate Health in the Southeast (North Carolina, Georgia) with Midwest (Wisconsin, Illinois)
Fellows are encouraged to pursue projects across all areas of cardiovascular medicine, with the goal of contributing to advancements in patient care and preparing for careers in either academic or clinical practice.
Subspecialty Fellowships
- Advanced Cardiovascular Imaging
- Working towards expansion of multiple cardiovascular subspecialty fellowships – stay tuned!
About our Faculty
You will work closely with a robust faculty of dedicated educators, who bring a wealth of experience and accomplishments to enhance your training, including:
- Leadership roles as chairs and council members in national cardiology organizations, including ACC, ASE, SCAI, HFSA, HRS
- Participation and leadership of national/international writing committees for guidelines and position statements
- Contributors to Cardiovascular Board Examinations, including question writing
- National Proctors for various procedures, serving as mentors for physicians/clinicians and consultants with industry on innovative technologies
- Principle investigators for local and national clinical trials
- Winners of numerous teaching and research awards
Program Leadership
-
Esther Kim, MD, MPH, FSVM
Program Director, Cardiovascular Diseases Fellowship
Chair, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine (Charlotte)
Professor of Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Izard Family Distinguished Chair in Cardiovascular Medicine -
Holly Gonzales, MD, FACC
Associate Program Director, Cardiovascular Diseases Fellowship
Associate Director, Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute Education
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine
About the Community
Charlotte is a vibrant, rapidly growing metropolitan area that offers the amenities of a major city with the feel of approachable, well-planned neighborhoods. Known as the “Queen City,” Charlotte features a strong economy, diverse cultural and dining options, professional sports, and convenient national and international travel via Charlotte Douglas International Airport. The region offers a range of attractive communities—from energetic urban neighborhoods to family‑friendly suburbs—many with excellent schools, outdoor recreation, and affordable housing options compared with other large metros. With a mild climate, strong sense of community, and access to both the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Carolina coast, Charlotte is an appealing place to live, work, and raise a family.
Eligibility
- Graduated from an accredited medical school (foreign medical graduates must hold a valid certificate from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG)
- Carolinas Medical Center Program participates in the National Resident Matching Program (NMRP) and has 4 first-year positions available. The application is submitted using the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) website