The Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant Cardiovascular Diseases Fellowship prepares you for professional practice in clinic, hospital, or hybrid practices, while increasing your cardiovascular knowledge, clinical skills, critical thinking and confidence to practice safely and efficiently. Fellows complete over 2,000 training, didactic, simulation, and lab hours for this 12-month program.

Upon successful completion of the Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant Cardiovascular Diseases Fellowship, graduates will be able to:

• Demonstrate cardiovascular knowledge to evaluate, diagnose, and manage acute and chronic cardiovascular diseases.
• Perform accurate and comprehensive cardiovascular assessments.
• Interpret and integrate findings from cardiovascular diagnostic tests to guide clinical decision-making.
• Develop evidence-based management plans across inpatient and outpatient settings.
• Communicate and collaborate effectively with patients, families, and interprofessional healthcare teams to optimize patient outcomes.
• Demonstrate professionalism and leadership in the delivery of cardiovascular care across healthcare systems.

Clinical training and rotations

Clinical rotations provide diverse inpatient, outpatient, as well as elective experiences that allow fellows to individualize their training. Fellows gain experience caring for patients with a broad range of cardiovascular conditions, including acute coronary syndromes, adult congenital heart disease, cardiac arrhythmias, heart failure, stable and ischemic heart disease, valvular heart disease, and other cardiovascular disorders.

Schedule and hours

To provide the best educational experience, fellows participate in a flexible on-site schedule that aligns with rotation-specific learning objectives. Typical schedules include 8- to 12-hour shifts, four to five days per week, with occasional night or weekend coverage. Scheduled training hours generally range from 40 to 50 hours per week.

Didactic coursework

Fellows participate in a comprehensive didactic curriculum that includes weekly Cardiology NPPA Fellowship Rounds, expert faculty lectures, and online learning modules covering core cardiovascular topics:

• Stable and ischemic heart disease
• Acute Coronary Syndromes
• Heart Failure
• Cardiac Arrhythmias/Electrophysiology
• Valvular Heart Disease
• Preventive Cardiology
• Pericardial Disease
• Adult Congenital Heart Disease
• Critical Care Cardiology
• Vascular Medicine

Department and faculty

Faculty for the Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant Fellowship is coordinated through the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine and taught by an interdisciplinary team, including NPs, PAs, physicians, and allied health staff at Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minnesota.

Faculty are selected for their dedication to education and expertise in cardiovascular medicine. Many have extensive experience as educators, mentors, researchers, and published authors. Throughout the fellowship, fellows will work closely with these expert clinicians, benefiting from individualized mentorship, direct clinical teaching, and access to leaders across the cardiovascular specialties. A collaborative learning environment is designed to foster professional growth, clinical excellence, and lifelong learning.

Evaluation

Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences uses these evaluative tools:

• Written examination
• Demonstration of skills
• Self-assessment exercises
• Faculty reviews

Mayo Clinic's system of evaluation provides students and faculty with a comprehensive look at individual performance. This allows faculty and administrative staff to direct students who are experiencing academic difficulty to the appropriate support resources, including tutoring programs and counseling opportunities.