A survey of American College of Cardiology trainees sheds light on the challenges faced by advanced heart failure and transplant cardiology (AHFTC) fellowships in filling their spots. The survey revealed that many fellows are interested in critical care and cardiogenic shock, but non-heart failure fellows prioritize factors like lifestyle, compensation, work schedule, and geographic location over patient acuity and complexity. The study also found that positive role models, research opportunities, and administrative opportunities were important career characteristics for both groups, while AHFTC fellows placed greater emphasis on these factors compared to non-AHFTC fellows. The survey results suggest that improving curricula in critical care and cardiogenic shock and addressing compensation models could help attract more fellows to AHFTC fellowships. The findings will be considered alongside data from specialists already working in the field to gain a better understanding of fellows’ perceptions and the reality of the field.
