Fellowship in Comprehensive Cardiac Care (F.C.C.C.)

M.B.B.S. / M.D. (Medicine)

Eligible candidates will be subjected to written and practical exams and selection will be done on the basis of overall merits.

During the period of two years, the candidate will be offered the monthly stipend as per the rules.

The candidate shall be subjected to rigorous training in different areas of cardiology during the period of two years.

The training module is as follows

OPD Rotations

• The art of history taking, physical examination and clinical cardiac examination.
• The basic and advanced aspects of ECG interpretation.

Non-invasive cardiology lab rotations

• The basic and advanced 2D Echo cardiography and Color Doppler training with emphasis on the cardiac diseases in adult population.
• The training of Dobutamine Stress Echo Cardiography and Transesophageal Echo Cardiography.
• The training of performance and interpretation of exercise Treadmill Stress Testing.
• The training of interpreting 24 hour ambulatory Holter monitoring, 24 hour ambulatory BP monitoring and ankle brachial index.

Medical ICU and HDU rotations

• Comprehensive training of intensive medical management of critically ill cardiac patients.
• Training of invasive hemodynamic monitoring.
• Training of ventilator management and interpretation of arterial blood gases.
• Managing patients on intra-aortic balloon pump and hemodialysis.
• Managing critically ill cardiac patients with multisystem involvement including diabetes, stroke, chronic renal failure, acute renal failure etc.
• Managing immediate post angioplasty – stent implant patients, related issues and Managing post cardiac surgery patients and related issues.

Surgical ICU rotations

• Ventilator management of immediate post cardiac surgery patients.
• Invasive hemodynamic monitoring, IABP management, arterial blood gas analysis and other relevant issues.

Other important training aspects

• The candidate will be trained for BLS and ACLS to handle the patients with cardiopulmonary arrest.
• The faculties will take regular classes and seminars on relevant issues to fine-tune the knowledge and skills of the candidate.
• The candidate will have to prepare a log-book of his / her activities during the training period in different rotations which will be supervised and signed by one of the faculties.
• The candidate will have to work in one or more research projects entrusted to him / her along with one of the faculties.

After completion of two years of rigorous training at Apex Heart Institute and fulfilling all the criteria of this course including minimum 80% presence during the duty hours, the candidate will be eligible to appear for the written and practical exam conducted by the competent authorities. Minimum passing standard will be 50%. After clearing the exam, the candidate will be offered certification – degree of F.C.C.C. duly signed by the competent authorities of Gujarat University and Apex Heart Institute.

F.C.C.C. is a prestigious degree – certification training course approved by Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, India. It is neither a part-time course nor a distant learning course. Hence, the candidate enrolled will have to work as a full-time trainee and abide by all the rules and regulations of this course.

• After the formal two-year training, the candidate is well-poised to deal with the patients with basic and advanced cardiac problems as per the guidelines.
• The candidate is competent to handle most cardiac emergencies involving emergency intubation, basic and advanced cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
• The candidate is skilled to interpret most ECGs, adult 2D Echo Color Doppler studies and TMT.
• The candidate can have his / her non-invasive cardiac set-up as well as ICU set-up in small town places and practice evidence based cardiology to uplift the standard of care.
• The degree – certification course is approved by Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, India.