Cardiothoracic Anaesthesia Fellowship

Cardiothoracic anaesthesia (CTA) at Fiona Stanley Hospital is a consultant-led service dealing with a wide range of adult heart and lung diseases.

The cardiac workload includes the surgical management of coronary, valvular, aortic and myocardial diseases and, in collaboration with the Advanced Heart Failure Service, ventricular assist devices and heart transplantation. The CTA service also closely supports interventional cardiology, electrophysiology and the hospital’s Structural Heart Program.

Thoracic workload includes the cardiothoracic surgical management of pleural, pulmonary and mediastinal diseases, bronchoscopy and lung transplantation in collaboration with respiratory medicine and the advanced lung failure service.

We are also involved in the Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) service for respiratory and cardiac failure in conjunction with cardiothoracic surgery, intensive care medicine and clinical perfusion.

The service conducts clinical and preclinical research in partnership with the Heart and Lung Research Institute of WA Inc.

The CTA Fellowship is full time, cardiothoracic anaesthesia for 12 months commencing early February. CTA fellows are expected to become competent delivering anaesthesia with minimal supervision in all but the most difficult cardiothoracic cases.

Fellows are on-call for out-of-hours cardiac/thoracic anaesthesia on a 1-in-3 basis. Non-clinical duties include contribution to ongoing clinical and pre-clinical research, audit, as well as to regular departmental meetings and teaching of anaesthesia trainees. Self-initiated research is also encouraged.

There is extensive exposure to transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE). Fellows are expected to train in TOE and attain a formal qualification at diploma level or above from either an:

• an Australian or New Zealand university
• the National Board of Echocardiography (i.e. Examination of Special Competence in Adult Echocardiography or Examination of Special Competence in Advanced Perioperative Transesophageal Echocardiography).

We welcome applications from local, interstate and international institutions, with a demonstrable interest in cardiothoracic anaesthesia.

Fellowship Supervisor: Dr Warren Pavey