The principles of “Teach broadly. Teach early. Teach basics.” were followed at the 2023 Cardiovascular Bootcamp offered to first- and second-year fellows.

The 2023 Cardiovascular Boot Camp held at the Houston Methodist Institute for Technology, Innovation and Education (MITIE^sm) in August, included one day of hands-on cadaver and specimen lab training and two days of expert-led lectures on the fundamentals of cardiovascular disease and management. Designed for first- and second-year fellows, the intense training followed the guiding principles of “Teach broadly. Teach early. Teach basics.” This year, the Boot Camp offered four tracks: Cardiac Anesthesiology, Cardiac Surgery, Cardiology and Vascular Surgery.

Boot camp highlights

• Cardiac Surgery and Cardiac Anesthesia fellows practiced dissecting explanted porcine hearts.
• Vascular fellows deployed endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) and thoracic aortic aneurysm repair (TEVAR) devices in a virtual setting.
• Fellows learned how to repair an abdominal aortic aneurysm on a simulator while being supervised by Dr. John Eidt, Chief of Vascular Surgery at Baylor Heart and Vascular Hospital, Dallas.
• Vascular fellows discussed EVAR and TEVAR techniques.
• Dr. Marvin D. Atkins, Director of Aortic Surgery at Houston Methodist Hospital taught a “Tour through the Heart” anatomy lesson.
• An abdominal aortic aneurysm simulator is a "lifelike" fake vessel used to simulate this specific anatomy and allow the vascular fellows to practice this delicate repair.
• Cardiology fellows learned about the basics of wires, sheaths and catheters pertaining to radial artery access.
• Dr. Mark Mattos, MD, of Michigan Vascular Center addressed the class of first- and second-year fellows at the 2023 Cardiovascular Fellows’ Boot Camp.

“We are bringing the heart of innovation to skillful hands — where cardiovascular fellows embrace tomorrow's technologies today. United from coast to coast, we sculpt the future of cardiovascular care.”

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Angie Mitchell, Director of MITIE