European Association of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Fellowship Program: The Graduates’ Experience

Abstract

Objectives: In 2009, the European Association of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology and Intensive Care (EACTAIC) established a fellowship program to train highly qualified specialists in the field of cardiac anesthesia. For the further development of the program, a survey among graduates was distributed to get information about the individual motivation and career perspectives of fellows. Design: Online survey among graduates of the EACTAIC cardiothoracic and vascular anesthesia (CTVA) fellowship program. Setting: Twenty-four-item online survey after personal invitation from the EACTAIC office Participants: Forty-nine graduates. Interventions: None. Measurements and Main Results: The survey had a response rate of 77%. On average, graduates joined the EACTAIC fellowship program four years after completing their residency program. Participants felt well-prepared by the program regarding their clinical and nonclinical skills. The majority participated in research activities during the fellowship and continued to work in the field of CTVA. Ninety-two percent of the respondents found a job opportunity within a reasonable time after completing the training. Conclusions: Among the respondents, the survey showed a high satisfactory rate with the received training and good job opportunities after completing the fellowship. Further research should investigate the question of beneficial effects on research activities after completing the fellowship.