EHM Structural Heart Diversity Fellowship

The Every Heartbeat Matters Structural Heart Diversity Fellowship offers support for cardiothoracic surgeons and trainees who are seeking to enhance their skills in either transcatheter valve techniques or open valve surgery. The fellowship will provide the grantee with direct experience utilizing novel and less invasive solutions for complex structural heart patients, for a designated fellowship period.

This highly prestigious and sought after fellowship will be granted to a deserving young surgeon or trainee committed to the vision of innovative and collaborative cardiovascular care. The successful applicant will have a record of excellence in training and academic achievement.

The fellowship applicant will have secured an arrangement with the host institution and sponsor capable of providing an in depth structural heart experience in either open or transcatheter heart valve procedures.

The participating institution should have a strong program with a supportive sponsor experienced in minimally invasive surgery techniques and therapies. Suggestions for suitable host institutions can be provided at the applicant’s request.

Funding: The applicant can choose among various fellowship durations. Funding will be as follows:

  • Grants of up to $50,000 for a 12 month fellowship
  • Grants of up to $25,000 for a 6 month fellowship
  • Grants of up to $20,000 for a 3 month fellowship
  • Grants of up to $10,000 for a 2-4 week fellowship

The grant payment will be issued to the grant recipient in February 2024. Completion of a satisfactory progress report or post fellowship narrative is required.

Eligibility: The applicant must be a cardiothoracic surgeon who is a member of an underrepresented demographic group in medicine as defined by the AAMC*, and meet one of the following criteria:

  • Cardiothoracic surgeons who are within the first seven years of completion of an ACGME-accredited cardiothoracic surgery residency (or its equivalent outside the U.S.) and who are certified or eligible for certification by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery (ABTS) or its equivalent outside of the U.S. by the grant start date.
  • Cardiothoracic surgery residents in their last year of training at an ACGME-accredited program at the time of application.

Application Selection: Structural Heart Diversity Fellowship applications will be initially reviewed and evaluated by the TSF Davidson Structural Heart Awards Committee, with input from the STS Diversity and Inclusion Workforce. The Committee will then make a formal recommendation for funding to the TSF Board of Directors. The award recipient will be expected to give a presentation at the STS Annual Meeting, at the conclusion of the fellowship. STS Annual Meeting registration is covered for the recipient.

Application:(Must contain all of the following criteria)

  • Biographical Information
  • Personal Goal (100 words)
  • Background (500 words)
  • Education Environment at Host Institution (750 words)
  • Sponsor/Mentor Information

Required Application Attachments: (Must contain all of the following)

  • Applicant CV
  • Sponsor/Mentor CV
  • Two (2) Letters of Recommendation
  • Budget (approximate breakdown of funding costs)

Award Timeline:

  • 07/01/23: Application Open
  • 09/15/23: TSF Application Deadline

*Underrepresented in medicine means those racial and ethnic populations that are underrepresented in the medical profession relative to their numbers in the general population.