Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) Fellowship
Summary
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Application dates:
1st March – 1st May 2025
- Grant:
€6,600
- Location:
Ospedale Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, FG Italy
- Duration:
3 months
- Start Date:
From January 2026
Fellowship Overview
The transcatheter fellowship is designed for cardiac surgery trainees who want to learn how to differently approach the treatment of all heart valves diseases percutaneously.
The fellow will learn to thoroughly examine preoperative CT scan and TEE echocardiogram in order to correctly plan the best treatment option for each patient, also in relation to the patient’s general conditions. A crucial step will be to become familiar with the vast range of available devices, wires and catheters.
Naturally, great exposure and active participation will be guaranteed in all kinds of transcatheter procedures. The fellow will receive one-to-one support throughout the training, receiving a unique insight from a true expert surgical team in the field.
Learning Objectives
- To learn how to choose the best transcatheter treatment option for each patient, especially the most complex ones (double and triple valve diseases)
- To adequately plan the procedure based on correct interpretation of pre-operative patient’s examination and multimodality imaging
- To become familiar with both of most of the percutaneous transcatheter procedures for aortic, mitral and tricuspid diseases and different delivery systems and devices used for their treatment
- To learn how to perform all transcatheter approaches including TF, TA, Tao, trans-axillary, trans-carotid, transaortic and trans-septal
- To learn all bailout procedures in case of complications
Specific Learning Objectives
- To discuss each patient with other team members, providing their personal opinion on the best treatment option
- To learn how to interpret CT scan and echocardiogram, up-front planning the procedure: choose the best device for the specific patient anatomy, choose the correct device size, foresee any possible vascular complication and therefore choose the best access site
- To know the pros and cons of different guidewires and catheters, and more broadly of all available devices
- To get to know different transcatheter approaches: trans-femoral, trans-septal, trans-apical, trans-axillary, trans-aortic
- To discuss available transcatheter treatments of complications arose during the index procedure
Funding
To help with living and travel costs associated with this Fellowship, we offer a grant of €6,600. EACTS will also provide a bursary towards the cost of your attendance at the 2026 EACTS Annual Meeting.
Application and Selection
In order to apply for this fellowship there are some essential criteria you must meet:
- Be a Resident, Fellow or Surgeon within the first four years after training (specialty degree)
- Be an EACTS member with up-to-date membership payment
- Be fluent in English
Applicants who possess the following desirable criteria would be of particular interest:
- Previous experience in transcatheter procedures.
- Currently working in a department with a transcatheter unit, in order to apply the knowledge and skills acquired during the fellowship
In order to complete your application, you must submit the following documents*:
- Letter of support from current Head of Department/Training director (if in last year of training)
- Letter of interest (detailing the way in which you meet the application criteria, your career aspirations along with how you are in a position to apply the skills and knowledge obtained during the Fellowship in your own centre and how it will impact your career)
- CV detailing publications
- Operative experience
*Please ensure that all documents submitted are written in English, and that they are submitted either as word documents or PDF. We do not accept images or handwritten applications. We are unable to provide advice or guidance about visa applications, so please ensure that you understand the visa requirements before applying for this Fellowship.
Evaluation and Feedback
There will be periodic meetings with the Fellowship Director to ensure feedback from the trainee. A structured evaluation of the activities and feedback from the Fellow will also be developed. Fellows will produce a full report on their experience based on guidelines stipulated by the Francis Fontan Fund Committee at the end of the Fellowship.
Terms and Conditions
- You cannot apply for more than one fellowship in a single year.
- You cannot apply for a fellowship if you have been awarded one in the last two years.
- If you do not submit all requested documents your application will not be reviewed.
- If you do not follow the application guidelines (document format, essential criteria etc) your application will not be reviewed.
- If you submit any false information your application will be immediately void (regardless of application stage).
- Once your fellowship start date is confirmed, 80% of the fellowship grant will be transferred to you.
- On completion of the fellowship and receipt of your final report, the remaining 20% of the fellowship grant will be transferred to you.
- Should your fellowship include third party fees, EACTS will pay this directly from your initial 80% grant payment, with the remaining balance being transferred to you.
- If for any reason you find you are unable to complete or attend training, you should notify EACTS at your earliest convenience. If the grant payment has already been made, you will be asked to repay the monies received based on incurred costs to date. Proof of expenses will be required.
The Francis Fontan Fellowship programme fosters the continued growth and development of cardiothoracic surgeons by providing opportunities to learn from the highest standards of cardiothoracic care and gain knowledge of novel techniques and innovative technologies used by other institutes around the world. Successful applicants will use the valuable learnings and collaborative relationships developed through their Fellowship to further the progress of cardiothoracic surgery at their home institution and support the delivery of the highest quality patient care.
- The fellowship needs to be completed within the year that it was awarded.
- Awardees need to be in full time employment throughout the fellowship.
NB. The Francis Fontan Fund Committee will consider any fellow who falls outside of this condition on a case-by-case basis. All decisions are final, and the Committee are not obliged to share the reasoning behind any decision made.
- Grant: