PA Postgraduate Cardiothoracic Surgical Residency
Introduction | Curriculum Outline | Affiliations | Timetable | Entry Requirements | Credentials Awarded | Financial Information | Faculty | Contact
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Introduction
The Emory Physician Assistant (PA) Postgraduate Cardiothoracic Surgical Residency is an intensive one-year educational program that accepts two PA residents per year; one in January and another in August of each calendar year. Affiliated with the Emory University School of Medicine PA Program, the residency is comprised of concomitant didactic and clinical components intended to augment the PA's primary training with advanced training in cardiothoracic surgery. The didactic portion of the program, delivered via Blackboard.com, consists of pre-recorded lectures, scheduled readings, and power point presentations with subsequent written examinations. PA residents will also attend various clinical conferences, monthly grand rounds, and weekly lecture series with cardiothoracic surgical fellows. Cadaveric and animal laboratory training, vascular suturing, tissue dissection and closure, and endoscopic vessel harvesting techniques are also included in the clinical curriculum. Download the PDF Program Brochure.
The PA residency, created in accordance with the published Accreditation Standards for Clinical Postgraduate PA Programs by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA), plans to apply for accreditation in the Summer of 2011. The program is based out of the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery's Emory University Hospital Midtown location in Atlanta, GA, with rotations at WellStar Kennestone Hospital and Emory University Hospital for thoracic aortic surgery, heart transplant, and ventricular assist devices, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston for congenital and pediatric cardiac surgery. The Department of Surgery's Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery is nationally renowned, performing over 2,200 adult cardiac cases, 900 thoracic cases, and 800 congenital heart cases annually.
To expedite the application process, please fill out the online, writable PDF application and click the submit button. If you do not currently use an email application such as Microsoft Outlook Express, Microsoft outlook, Eudora, or Mail, you may be prompted to save the form and email it as an attachment to Patty Joy, administrative assistant for the residency, at patty.joy@emoryhealthcare.org.
Curriculum Outline
Didactic Curriculum: Structured to provide the PA resident with a solid foundation of fundamental knowledge on which to develop and hone clinical acumen in the care of the cardiothoracic surgical patient, the didactic curriculum combines live lectures and conferences with a core web-based program via Blackboard.com of previously recorded video lectures complemented by reading assignments, Power Point presentations, and written examinations. The content is vast, encompassing topics in cardiovascular physiology and pathophysiology, thoracic surgery, critical care management, and the advanced surgical techniques associated with the treatment of coronary atherosclerosis, cardiac valvular disease, heart failure, and thoracic aortic diseases.
Clinical Curriculum: Developed to work in concert with the didactic portion, the clinical curriculum features strategically placed rotations in three Emory facilities that expose the PA resident to such cardiothoracic surgical procedures as coronary artery bypass, aortic valve replacement, mitral valve repair/replacement, thoracic aortic replacement, heart and lung transplant, ventricular assist device placement, and congenital heart surgery. PA residents will be expected to perform daily rounds, present patients articulately and accurately, describe and implement the plan of care, perform invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and participate and become proficient in all surgical aspects of the intraoperative care of the cardiothoracic surgical patient. The final goal is to foster and instruct the PA resident so that they develop proficient clinical skills in the pre-, peri-, and post-operative care of the cardiothoracic surgical patient.
University and Institutional Affiliations
Emory University: The Emory PA Postgraduate Cardiothoracic Surgical Residency program is affiliated with the Physician Assistant Division, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine.
Emory University Hospital Midtown (EUHM): A 511-bed community-based, tertiary care center in midtown Atlanta, EUHM is staffed by 600 Emory medical faculty and 800 community physicians. The hospital is well known for services in cardiology, cardiac surgery, gastroenterology, and emergency medicine.
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston (CHOA): A 225-bed pediatric referral center for Georgia and the Southeast, CHOA is one of the country's largest pediatric health systems. Affiliated with Emory University School of Medicine and staffed primarily by Emory physicians, the hospital is located adjacent to the University campus. Services include open heart surgery, renal dialysis, and bone marrow, corneal, kidney, heart/lung, and liver transplants.
Emory University Hospital (EUH): A 587-bed acute care facility, EUH is ranked one of "America's Best Hospitals" and is staffed exclusively by School of Medicine faculty who also are members of The Emory Clinic. The hospital is renowned as one of the nation's leaders in cardiology and cardiac surgery, oncology, heart and lung transplantation and the neurosciences.
Timetable
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January Start |
August Start |
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Application Deadline |
June 15 |
January 15 |
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Interview Notification |
July 1 |
February 1 |
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Interview Dates |
Last week of July |
Last week of February |
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Selection Notification |
2nd week of August |
2nd week of March |
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Commitment to Program |
September 1 |
April 1 |
Entry Requirements
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Applicants must be graduates of an ARC-PA accredited physician assistant program with a minimum of a 3.2 overall GPA. |
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Applicants must obtain Georgia licensure upon acceptance into the program and undergo a pre-employment background check. |
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Applicants must be NCCPA eligible or certified. New graduates accepted into the program are required to pass the NCCPA certification examination prior to matriculating into the residency program. |
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Applicants must hold current Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification. |
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Applicants must demonstrate a sincere and well-articulated desire to enter Cardiothoracic Surgery. |
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Applicants must appear in person for an interview. |
Credentials Awarded
Upon successful completion of the residency program, the PA resident will be awarded a Certificate of Completion signed by the Program Director, Medical Director, and the Chair of the Department of Surgery.
Financial Information
Annual Stipend: $50,000
Benefits: PA residents are eligible for the full and comprehensive benefits package afforded to all full-time PAs employed by The Emory Clinic, Inc., including medical, dental, and life insurance, retirement plan, educational reimbursement, disability, child and elder care, and comprehensive leave time. The residency program also provides the PA resident with all educational materials including textbooks, handouts, and Emory facility-based internet access. The PA resident is also allowed full access to Emory's library facilities and is provided with surgical loupes, lab coats, and reimbursement for professional organizational fees.
Faculty
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Christopher W. Nickum, DHSc, PA-C |
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Keith E. Causey, PA-C |
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John D. Puskas, MD |
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Robert A. Guyton, MD |
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Damon R. Denzin, MMSc, PA-C |
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Gene Coughlin, MMSc, PA-C |
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Contact
Emory PA Postgraduate Cardiothoracic Surgical Residency Program
Emory University Hospital Midtown
550 Peachtree Street
6th Floor Medical Office Tower
Atlanta, GA 30308
Tel. 404.686.2513
Fax: 404.686.4959
Please email any questions about the program to Christopher Nickum (listed above) at christopher.nickum@emoryhealthcare.org.
Applications and supporting documentation should be sent to Patty Joy, Administrative Assistant, at patty.joy@emoryhealthcare.org.
