Welcome to the Cardiovascular Disease Program
From the Program Director
Dear Applicant,
It is our goal to make interview season as seamless as possible. We want to learn as much about you as you want to learn about us, and we hope our website and videos provide helpful insight into why USD Sanford School of Medicine may be the right fit for your cardiovascular disease fellowship training.
Our cardiovascular disease fellowship program, accredited since 2012, is one of only a few in the Upper Midwest. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education has consistently commended our program for substantial compliance, with no citations to date. Since inception, over 90% of our fellows have pursued additional subspecialty training (interventional cardiology, advanced cardiac imaging, electrophysiology), while approximately 10% have entered clinical practice immediately after graduation. Currently, our graduates are practicing in interventional cardiology, advanced cardiac imaging, or general cardiology, or are continuing advanced fellowship training. To date, we have achieved a 96% board pass rate.
Our mission is to provide comprehensive, rigorous, and balanced exposure to all aspects of cardiovascular disease. We aim to train cardiologists who are prepared to succeed in a variety of settings – academic, private practice, or research – while maintaining the flexibility to pursue the career path that best aligns with their goals.
To support this mission, fellows are exposed to a high volume of clinical cases, procedures, research opportunities, and educational conferences. You will achieve at least Level II training in all required areas of cardiology, including the full spectrum of noninvasive cardiology and diagnostic invasive procedures. We also offer the opportunity to complete multiple “partial boards” (e.g., echocardiography, nuclear cardiology, cardiac CT) during training to support comprehensive skill development. Upon graduation, you will be well-prepared to practice independently and efficiently across a broad range of clinical settings.
We are fortunate to support fellow participation in national and international conferences, where they both expand their knowledge and present research. As part of our program, you will work alongside highly motivated research-focused fellows and faculty, contribute to peer-reviewed publications, and present abstracts at leading cardiology meetings.
With three fellows per class, we are a small but highly collaborative program. This structure allows for strong mentorship and individualized training, helping you develop your unique skills as a future cardiologist while consistently exceeding ACGME requirements.
We are incredibly proud of our fellows and alumni, and we would be honored to have you join our program and contribute to this continued success.
Sincerely yours,
Adam Stys, MD
Fellowship Program Director