Training Highlights

Faculty

We are a vibrant and expanding division with expertise across the full spectrum of pediatric cardiology. Our faculty are not only dedicated clinicians but also committed educators and researchers, each holding academic appointments within the UNMC Pediatric Cardiology division of the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Clinically, our team provides care at Children’s Nebraska and UNMC, where we are deeply integrated into the multidisciplinary pediatric heart team. Together, we strive to offer a rigorous, supportive training environment rooted in collaboration, mentorship and a shared commitment to the well-being of our patients and fellows.

General Overview

Our fellowship offers comprehensive clinical training across the full scope of pediatric cardiology. Fellows primarily train at Children’s Nebraska, with additional experience at UNMC, allowing for exposure to diverse patient populations and practice settings.

We benefit from strong clinical and procedural volumes, offering fellows ample opportunities for hands-on learning and direct involvement in patient care. Trainees gain experience managing a broad range of congenital and acquired heart conditions across inpatient, outpatient and procedural settings.

This immersive clinical experience is supported by a robust didactic curriculum that complements bedside learning. Core topics include congenital and acquired cardiology, along with essential training in communication, ethics, professionalism, healthcare finance and practice management—ensuring our fellows are well-prepared for both clinical excellence and leadership in the field.

Clinical Schedule & Structure

Each academic year is divided into 13 four-week blocks. Fellows take night call from home, with responsibilities distributed in a graduated fashion and decreasing over the three years of training. Weekend coverage includes both daytime and overnight shifts on Saturday and Sunday. Fellows receive four weeks of paid vacation annually, which may be taken during most rotations outside of inpatient service.

The majority of clinical training takes place at Children’s Nebraska, with additional time at the University of Nebraska Medical Center during Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD) rotations. Each fellow completes 26 blocks of clinical service and 12 blocks dedicated to research or scholarly activity. We prioritize flexibility within the schedule and work closely with fellows to tailor block assignments based on their individual interests and long-term career goals.

Continuity of care is a central component of training. Each fellow is assigned a weekly continuity clinic with a dedicated faculty preceptor who helps guide the outpatient experience. Fellows participate in both co-managed visits and their own primary patient panel, allowing them to build lasting relationships with families and grow in clinical independence. Fellows are also encouraged to join our outreach clinics across Nebraska, gaining valuable experience in community-based pediatric cardiology.

Services

• Adult congenital heart disease (Cramer, Erickson, Gonzalez, Tsai, Yetman)
• Electrophysiology and Genetic Arrhythmias (Erickson, Robinson, Sorensen)
• Exercise (Fletcher/Yetman)
• Fetal cardiology (Foy, Jantzen, Slater, Winter)
• Heart failure/transplant (Cole)
• Imaging (Echo: Cole, Christensen, Cramer, Fletcher, Foy, Gonzalez, Jantzen, Slater, Swanson, Winter, Yetman; CT/MR: Christensen, Fletcher, Swanson)
• Inpatient including intensive care (all faculty)
• Interventional and hemodynamic cardiac catheterization (Curzon, Delaney, Fletcher, Taylor)
• Preventive cardiology (Fletcher)
• Pulmonary hypertension (Fletcher)
• Research (Yetman; all faculty participate)