Cardiology

The Cardiology Department Teaching Unit at Vall d’Hebron Hospital is divided into nine operational units. These include Outpatients, conventional wards, the Day Hospital, the Coronary Care Unit, Intensive Coronary Care, Semi-critical Care, Echocardiography and Cardiac Imaging, Haemodynamics and Angiocardiography, Arrhythmia, Nuclear Cardiology and the Experimental Laboratory. It should be said that the Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, part of the Cardiology Department, is unique within Spain.

We work in multidiscipline areas to treat specific medical problems such as Marfan syndrome and Congenital Heart Disease, and are national leaders in both fields. Our activity is always patient-centred and aims to maximise outpatient care and general cardiology. To this end we regularly run clinical care and scientific sessions that involve all professionals in the Department.

During training, residents progressively increase their level of skill, from taking medical histories at the start of their training, for example, to the use of automatic defibrillators in the final phase of their residency. 

During the first year residents undertake shifts in Internal Medicine, with one shift a month in Cardiology. In the second and third year they do shifts in clinical cardiology within the Accident and Emergency Department. The fourth and fifth year include shifts in the Coronary Care Unit and Haemodynamics.     

In terms of training, there are sessions, seminars and courses, and residents’ participation in national and international congresses, conferences, seminars and courses is encouraged.

At the end of the cardiology residency, it is possible to continue training in research as part of the Riu Ortega programme for the Carlos III Health Institute. We also take part in undergraduate and postgraduate research staff training programmes run by the Generalitat of Catalonia’s Department for Education and Universities and the Ministry of Education.

Research activities  of note include collaboration with the International Doctorate School on myocardial consequences, in cooperation with the University of Giessen (PROMISE), funded by the German organisation DFG and BIOCAT.

Why should you specialise at Vall d’Hebron?

• Because the Multidiscipline Unit of Adult and Adolescent Congenital Heart Disease is a leader within Spain.
• Because we are a national point of reference through the development of the European Cardiology Society’s clinical practice guides for disorders such as valvulopathy, endocarditis, aortic pathology, coronary syndrome, syncope, congenital heart disease, acute coronary syndrome and pericardium disease.
• Because we are national and international pioneers who have been developing our own healthcare protocol for each cardiac pathology since 1981.
• Because we offer residents shifts in Cardiology within the Accident and Emergency Department, supported by a consultant and two residents in person, and a haemodynamics specialist who can be reached if necessary.
• Because in Cardiac Care we have a daily meeting with the previous shift attended by the team on duty, the Head of Department and the Heads of Unit.
• Because we have a daily Coronary Care Unit meeting at the end of every day, attended by staff doctors, residents, and the consultant and resident who have been on duty.
• Because we organize two weekly nuclear cardiology sessions, attended by the cardiologist in charge of the section, the cardiology resident and doctors from Nuclear Medicine.
• Because we carry out three cardiac imaging sessions a week, attended by the doctors training in the echocardiography and ergometry unit, during which cardiac MRI and CT scans are discussed, along with echocardiographic and magnetic resonance assessments of particular interest.
• Because we hold a weekly session on electro physiology and arrhythmia with paediatric cardiology and adult congenital heart disease.
• Because we deal with infectious endocarditis (in collaboration with Bacteriology, Infectious Diseases and Cardiac Surgery) in a dedicated weekly session.
• Because we hold weekly seminars in the Experimental Cardiology Laboratory, and fortnightly seminars from the Vall d’Hebron Research Institute.
• Because the top cardiologists and cardiovascular researchers in Spain and Europe take part in our clinical sessions, which are recognised by the SNS (National Health Service) Continuous Professional Development Commission, and the Catalan Council for Continuing Medical Education.
• Because every year we offer courses in echocardiography, pacemakers and arrhythmia, adult congenital heart disease and nuclear cardiology, and Advanced cardiopulmonary resuscitation courses organised for Cardiology residents, in addition to other courses.
• Because we encourage residents to take part in the National Cardiology Congress and the European Cardiology Congress during the final years of their residency.
• Because we enable residents to undertake part of their residency training in other centres, particularly in New York, Washington, London and Cologne.