June 10, 2015 | From the FIT Section
Section Update

Cardiology sat down with Shashank Sinha, MD, a fellow in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Michigan and chair of the Fellows in Training (FIT) Section Leadership Council, to discuss his paths to leadership, plans for the sections, and advice for FIT members looking to get involved.

1. What drew you to this leadership role?

The American College of Cardiology is the premier professional home for cardiologists and, as such, is truly unique among professional cardiovascular societies in the extraordinary opportunities it endows fellows-in-training (FITs). I consider myself very fortunate to have been selected as a member of the FIT Section Leadership Council and to succeed Michael W. Cullen, MD as its Chair for 2015-2016. I have been inspired by the enduring legacy of my predecessors – Dr. Cullen, Scott Lilly, MD, PhD, FACC, and Andrew Freeman, MD, FACC, just to name a few – for the remarkable growth and significant sphere of influence of the FIT Council. Under the visionary ACC Leadership of Patrick O'Gara, MD, MACC, and Kim Allan Williams, MD, FACC, the College has deeply invested in FITs through mentorship opportunities, leadership development, and research and travel awards.

Under Dr. Cullen's tenure, the FIT Council achieved several notable accomplishments over the past year: 1) a more extensive array of FIT-focused programming at ACC.15, including mentoring and networking opportunities with ACC Leadership; 2) newly established FIT positions on the ACCPAC Board, Imaging and Surgery Councils; and 3) opportunities for FIT contributions to the clinical content of ACC.org. Importantly, it truly takes a dedicated team to support the ACC's – and specifically, our Council's – mission. There is no greater honor than working with talented colleagues and ACC staff, especially Amalea Hijar and Kristin West. For these reasons, I am very excited for the opportunities and challenges ahead for our FIT Council this year.

2. How do you plan to guide the Member Section as Chair? Do you see areas for improvement or advancement that you'd like to pursue?

Our priorities for the 2015-2016 year are in synergy with those of the ACC Strategic Plan. Membership in the FIT Section is complimentary for all FITs. Our objective is to foster FIT engagement and active participation within the College. To that end, we would like to promote and expand leadership, mentorship and networking opportunities for FITs. We also wish to collaborate closely with other sections, including the Early Career Professionals and Women in Cardiology, on various initiatives of mutual interest. We seek to have FIT representation on every Section within the College and are thrilled that FIT positions have been created within the past year for the ACCPAC Board, Imaging and Surgery Councils.

We also would like to strongly encourage FIT involvement at the state or chapter level. One key initiative is especially promising due to the ardor and diligence of one of our Council members, Nkechi Ijioma, MD. We wish to enhance the scope of the FIT Jeopardy competition at ACC.16. This will provide an excellent opportunity for all chapters to host a FIT Jeopardy competition at their annual meeting in order to select their representative for the national competition at ACC.16.

In addition, it is very important for our FIT Council to give back. The Medical Resident Member Group is a newly established working group, under the direction of Aaron Kithcart, MD, which includes medical residents who have demonstrated an interest in pursuing cardiology fellowship training. Membership is complimentary for these soon-to-be FITs. Our working group will create opportunities for resident participation in the College's activities, provide valuable information and resources for residents throughout the fellowship application process, and cultivate mentoring relationships. After all, as FITs, we have been so fortunate to receive mentorship throughout our training that we are delighted to pay it forward.

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not extend my sincere gratitude to the ACC Leadership for their generosity. Through their unwavering support and financial patronage, we have seen a dramatic increase in travel awards to various ACC symposia, including the annual ACC Scientific Sessions, Legislative Conference and Cardiovascular Summit. We are also pleased that the ACC continues to recognize promising young scientific investigators with research and career development awards. Indeed, this strategic investment from our ACC Leadership may have the largest impact at this stage of our careers.

3. What kind of value do you hope fellows-in-training (FITs) receive from membership to the section?

We hope all FITs discover their passion – whether it is research, leadership, advocacy, or something else – within the College. The most important thing is to get involved. We promise there is something of significant value to all our members and, if there are unmet needs, we welcome your ideas and suggestions on how best to address those concerns.

We are very grateful that our ACC Leadership welcomes our input. Our voice can be heard in many venues. For instance, sixteen FITs this year will have the opportunity to contribute as inaugural Editorial Fellows to shape the brand-new ACC.org/FIT webpage under the leadership of Dr. Ijioma. FITs throughout the country are also cordially invited to contribute content to the clinical topics of various sections of ACC.org. In addition, Council member Akhil Narang, MD, posts regularly for the ACC in Touch Blog on a gamut of topics from an FIT perspective.

We also appreciate the crucial importance of mentorship in promoting our personal and professional success. Thus, we strongly believe all FITs should sign up for the ACC Mentoring Program, an important initiative of the Early Career Professionals Section. However, we recognize that for members to truly find value in this initiative, we will need to find additional forums for goal-oriented networking opportunities at various ACC conferences, perhaps through mentoring breakfasts or career development luncheons.

These are but a few examples of member value for FITs. Currently, we have several active working groups in the FIT Council for which we welcome contributions from FITs.

4. At this point in their careers, what do you think FITs should focus on? What kind of challenges do they face?

Cardiology is a dynamic discipline that changes rapidly. Not surprisingly, our training needs must constantly adapt to meet the new educational requirements necessary to maintain public trust in the delivery of timely, safe, and high-quality cardiovascular care. The recent changes to the Core Cardiovascular Training Statement (COCATS 4) embrace this spirit of continual transformation to meet evolving clinical needs. The development of a competency-based curriculum, emphasis on bidirectional feedback, and the establishment of task forces on multimodality imaging and critical care cardiology are just a few of the overarching concerns that are addressed in this most recent iteration of COCATS. These changes should lead to a more nuanced training experience for FITs and also achieve greater satisfaction – for patients, trainees, and faculty alike.

Our FIT Council was honored to submit an accompanying commentary, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology in which we examine the impact of COCATS 4 on the current training milieu, both for fellows and faculty, explore challenges and opportunities regarding implementation of these new guidelines, and ultimately reflect on what COCATS 4 means for our patients, both now and in the future.

Perhaps the most pressing challenge for FITs is how to prepare effectively for an evolving cardiovascular workforce. Many questions abound: How do you find the right job? How do you carve your own niche? How do you become a FACC? These are among the many questions that weigh heavily on FITs throughout their training. Depending on available resources, facilities, trainee skills and aspirations, COCATS 4 now empowers FITs with the flexibility to customize their clinical rotations and educational opportunities. However, FITs must also assimilate various non-clinical competencies. To that end, our FIT Council will markedly expand the FIT Career Resource Center. In collaboration with the Early Career Section, we have launched a non-clinical competencies toolkit, which will feature a series of webinars on pertinent – but often neglected – topics in our training, including tips on interviewing, negotiating contracts, financial planning, and selecting disability and malpractice insurance.

5. How has membership to the section impacted you and your career?

The experience thus far has been incredible. It has been my distinct pleasure and privilege to serve as a member, and now Chair, of the FIT Section Leadership Council. First and foremost, I have enjoyed meeting and interacting with people. The College supports an eclectic constituency – enthusiastic FITs, dedicated staff, distinguished faculty, and inspirational leaders. While all members possess their own unique narrative, several have encountered similar obstacles during their professional journeys. Their willingness to impart their wisdom and share their experiences is so critical to the success of young cardiologists. I have been very fortunate to build a multi-tiered mentorship team through the College. For instance, a serendipitous meeting with David Morrow, MD, MPH, FACC, director of the Levine Cardiac Unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital, at ACC.14 culminated in an opportunity to participate as an oral presenter during the ACC.15 Critical Care Cardiology Intensive. My experience has convinced me that cardiology is truly a small community – our robust ACC membership of more than 47,000 members notwithstanding. It is great to be a part of this extraordinary organization with a shared mission and purpose.

In addition to mentorship, I have received pragmatic advice and instruction through the "How to Become a Cardiovascular Investigator" course, taught by Valentin Fuster, MD, PhD, MACC, editor-in-chief of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Through the support of an FIT Travel Award, I have engaged in advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill at the annual ACC Legislative Conference, where we have discussed critical health policy issues facing our cardiovascular community, including graduate medical education (GME) funding. I have enjoyed leadership development and communication skills workshops through the annual ACC Leadership Forum, which have enhanced my appreciation for the organizational infrastructure of the College. Finally, I have participated in planning FIT-focused programming for the annual ACC Scientific Sessions, which has been very rewarding.

6. What is the best advice you've received thus far in your career?

I have been very fortunate to receive excellent guidance from several mentors throughout my training. Perhaps the sagest advice comes from my clinic preceptor and faculty mentor at the University of Michigan, Kim Eagle, MD, MACC, editor-in-chief of ACC.org, whose support and mentorship facilitated my appointment to the FIT Section Leadership Council. It is difficult to distill his pearls of wisdom to an adage or two, so here are five points I remember:

1. Work hard to find your passion for what you truly love.
2. Don't be afraid to seek out multiple mentors. It may require some initiative but will give rise to some very rewarding relationships throughout your lifetime.
3. Find your professional home (i.e., ACC), as it can serve as a valuable asset during your career.
4. Achieving work-life balance demands considerable daily prioritization. Organize your day into compartments to be as efficient as possible.
5. Every challenge is an opportunity in disguise. Embrace the challenges that lie ahead.

7. Is there anything else you would like to add?

I strongly encourage all FITs to become actively involved in the ACC, whether at the chapter or national level. I welcome your contribution to any of our various working groups and participation in any opportunities that emerge throughout the year. I invite your candid comments and suggestions on how the FIT Section Leadership Council can best serve you throughout your training and career. Email me at sssinha@med.umich.edu.