Cardio-Oncology Training Emphasis TOOLKIT: A Step-by-Step Guide
Updated: Mar 7, 2019
How to cite this toolkit: Brown, S. Cardio-Oncology Training Emphasis TOOLKIT: A Step-by-Step Guide.
http://www.cardioonctrain.com/blog; Accessed [Month, Year].
This toolkit closely follows the Companion article tilted “How To Incorporate Cardio-Oncology As A Training Emphasis in General Cardiology Fellowship” available here.
View Cardio-Oncology & Preventive Cardio-Oncology Training Emphasis Toolkit Series
View Cardio-Oncology & Preventive Cardio-Oncology Training Emphasis Article Series
Are you interested in training in the burgeoning field of Cardio-Oncology? Does your institution not have formal training in Cardio-Oncology? How will you prepare to go out and practice Cardio-Oncology safely and successfully? Is there a way to incorporate Cardio-Oncology as a Training Emphasis in your General Cardiology fellowship program? This toolkit provides a model to help you achieve that goal. Follow this guide step-by-step and let me know whether you find it helpful (drbrowncares@gmail.com, @drbrowncares). MAJOR STEPS First, read the Training Goals and Venues proposed by the International Cardio-Oncology Society (ICOS) (Table 1 in reference 1 below), and discuss these with the Director of Cardio-Oncology at your institution. Second, investigate options available to you at your institution in Cardio-Oncology among the outpatient, inpatient, and consult services, and also in research relevant to Cardio-Oncology. Third, determine how you will practically apply the essential components of the Training Goals and Venues in the setting of your particular location. Which goals will be achieved in outpatient, inpatient, and consult services, or through research? Fourth, map out a sample week, with a focus on Cardio-Oncology and Amyloid Clinics. Fifth, in designing your Training Emphasis, certainly also focus on the following key points. PATIENT CARE Sixth, achieve competency (per feedback of Cardio-Oncology specialists at your institution) while seeing at least 100 unique patients (reference 1 below). Monitor and quantify your unique patient encounters via Outpatient Clinics and Inpatient Consults. Seventh, ensure that you will see patients with a variety of needs, among a variety of cancers, and at various stages of survivorship. These stages include: at diagnosis prior to therapy initiation (#SurvivorAtDiagnosis, #Day1Survivorship), during therapy before and after any evidence of cardiovascular toxicity, and following the completion of therapy with or without any evidence of cardiovascular toxicity. Eighth, help to coordinate the understanding and plan of care for the patients as a Cardiology-Oncology team, by communicating via phone, email, and in-person with the primary Oncologist, Cardiovascular Radiologists, and other subspecialty Cardiologists relevant to the patients’ care such as Pericardial Disease and Pericardiocentesis specialists. EDUCATION Ninth, plan to attend the annual American College of Cardiology Course “Advancing Cardiovascular Care of the Oncology Patient” in Washington, DC in person once or preferably twice or even three times during your emphasis training. Tenth, avail yourself of Hematology & Oncology Core Curricula and Conferences, Hematology & Oncology Grand Rounds, Tumor Boards, and Cross-disciplinary Survivorship Group Meetings, as well as viewing any prior Cardio-Oncology Grand Rounds presentations (at least one regarding chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity and at least one regarding radiation-induced cardiotoxicity) at your institution. Eleventh, plan to present a poster on research, patient care, or education at the annual American College of Cardiology Course “Advancing Cardiovascular Care of the Oncology Patient” in Washington, DC. LEADERSHIP & TRAINING OTHERS Twelfth, recognize that Education in Cardio-Oncology should not be limited to educating only yourself. Thirteenth, consider joining the community and writing about your experience on www.cardioonctrain.com! Fourteenth, consider joining the Training in Cardio-Oncology Working Group for the American College of Cardiology Cardio-Oncology Section, if the opportunity becomes available. The Working Group is composed of leaders in Cardio-Oncology, with many members being Cardio-Oncology Fellowship Directors or Fellows who are currently training in Cardio-Oncology in formal fellowship programs or by incorporating Cardio-Oncology as a General Cardiology fellowship training emphasis. Fifteenth, arrange to provide interactive presentations on Cardio-Oncology imaging, clinical decision-making, and/or research at your local Cardiovascular Grand Rounds. Sixteenth, prepare and publish your work in reputable and if possible high impact journals, ensuring scholarship as a tangible outcome of your experiences in research, patient care, and education. CONTACT Feel free to contact Dr. Sherry-Ann Brown at anytime for discussions or presentations on the Cardio-Oncology Training Emphasis and using the toolkit. SOCIAL MEDIA HASHTAGS & HANDLES Mention the Twitter accounts and the hashtags below in your tweets, so we can all cheer you on, for #TogetherWeCan!
#PrevCardioOnc #SurvivorAtDiagnosis (c/o @GiselleSA_MDPhD) #Day1Survivorship (c/o a survivor on Twitter) #TogetherWeCan (c/o Twitter!) @drbrowncares @PrevCardioOnc drbrowncares@gmail.com
References
1. Lenihan et al. Cardio-Oncology Training: …. J Card Fail, 2016;22(6):465-71.
2. Brown S, Sandhu N, Herrmann J. Systems biology approaches to adverse drug effects: the example of cardio-oncology. Nat Rev Clin Oncol, 2015; 12:718–731.
3. Brown S, Nhola L, Herrmann J. Cardiovascular Toxicities of Small Molecule TKIs: An Opportunity for Systems-Based Approaches. Clin Pharm & Ther, 2017; 101(1):65-80.
4. Brown S, Sandhu N. Proposing and meeting the need for interdisciplinary cardio-oncology subspecialty training. J Card Fail, 2016;22(11):934-935.
5. Brown S. Somebody Tell Me. The Oncologist, 2019;23:1.
