This is an immersive fellowship where clinicians become part of a highly skilled, compassionate team dedicated to delivering the best care to achieve top outcomes for children and adults with congenital heart disease. The program performs approximately 400 major congenital heart surgeries per year. Following completion of the fellowship, competency is expected in the full range of congenital heart defects and confers eligibility for the congenital cardiac surgery board examination.

Duration: 2 years

ACGME approval was obtained for a board eligible congenital cardiac surgery fellowship in 2020, with first entry into the San Francisco match program in 2021. The first anticipated fellow will start July 1, 2022. Approval is for one fellow each academic year. 

Our educational mission is to train leaders in congenital cardiac surgery who are of the highest clinical caliber and who are committed to careers in which they will continue to advance the field of surgery through research, education, and leadership activities. We are dedicated to providing an environment in which exceptional individuals of diverse backgrounds are welcome and positioned to succeed.

Duke Congenital Cardiac Surgery is a highly innovative program. This includes advancements in all-region perfusion for Norwood operation and arch reconstruction (Sustained total all-region: STAR Perfusion strategy), HAART Aortic Valve Repair Center of Excellence, minimally invasive adult and pediatric congenital heart surgery (PVR, AAOCA, right-sided lesions, VATS epicardial lead placement), and biventricular conversion and biventricular repair. Additional foci of research include thymic co-transplantation for immune tolerance with heart transplantation, and Marfan syndrome aortopathy pathway translational research.