Cardiac Months

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
you need only 20 pump cases, which is astonishingly low. Depending on your program, you may just barely meet this in 2-3 months, or you may triple it. It's pretty standard for residents at my program to have 60-70 pump cases by the end of residency. You also have to consider the quality of your vascular cases. Are you doing fistulae and vein strippings? or are you doing AAA's, TAA's, carotid re-routings, etc..
 
I did 3 months in my 2nd year only. I think one should aim for more.
 
I thought it was 20 cardiac cases, with pump and off-pump both counting toward that number? My program used to just have 2 months in CA2 year required (one home, one at a high-volume center), with most doing a third as a CA3 at the outside hospital. Now, we do three during CA2 (one home, two away), and most seniors do another one to three at outside hospitals. I did six between CA2 and CA3 year, with three during CA3 year as the only resident at a high volume practice just outside of a major metro area. Those were the best three months of residency.
 
as an aside, are people really counting fistulas and vein stripping for their vascular minimums? The acgme is pretty explicit that this does not count.
 
Top