Modern management of paediatric cardiac and thoracic surgical patients demand a high standard of knowledge and skills, not only in adult and paediatric cardiothoracic surgery, but also in Paediatric Cardiology, Cardiac Electrophysiology, Interventional Cardiology, Anaesthesia, Intensive Care, Pulmonology and many other specialties and need a multidisciplinary, conceptual approach. Therefore, a highly specialized and comprehensive training is required for the surgeons who select to practice in this specialty.
Paediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery is a relatively new subspecialty that deals with the diagnosis, evaluation and surgical management of congenital heart disease, acquired diseases of the heart, lungs and chest in neonates and children. Paediatric Cardiothoracic surgeons undertake surgical treatment of a wide range of congenital heart disease ranging from cyanotic to non-cyanotic heart disease, and functionally biventricular and univentricular hearts and the operations tend to be major and often complex procedures. Many of these operations require support from advanced forms of technology, such as cardiopulmonary bypass, extra corporeal life support, invasive monitoring and minimally invasive equipment. Because of the complexity of the conditions and the extensiveness of the operations, most post-operative patients need care in an intensive therapy unit, and paediatric cardiothoracic surgeons need to be proficient in the intensive post operative care of these patients.
Paediatric Cardiothoracic Surgeons work closely with their colleagues in Cardiology, Respiratory Medicine, Anaesthesia and Intensive Care. They also have close professional relationships with other non-medical staff such as perfusionists, intensive care staff and operating department personnel.
A Paediatric Cardiothoracic Surgeon is a specialized doctor who has obtained additional education and experience in the multidisciplinary approach to the diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of Paediatric Cardiac and Thoracic patients, and who devotes his or her professional practice to these activities and to Paediatric Cardiothoracic research.
Once the selection is made, the candidate would come under the general purview of the Special Committee of the board of study in surgery (BOSS) that deals with Paediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery, which is the Specialty Board in Cardiothoracic and Thoracic Surgery (SBCTS).
Each candidate would be allocated to a board certified, PGIM accredited trainer for each component and would be guided by that trainer throughout the particular component of the training program.
The programme is designed to provide the type of training that would equip the trainee to surgically treat various types of congenital and acquired heart disease and thoracic diseases in the neonates, infants, children and adolescents through a multidisciplinary approach. It is expected that the fully trained specialist would be up-to-date with all recent developments in the field of Paediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery and would be in a position to provide holistic care for those patients who need the expertise of a specialist Paediatric Cardiothoracic Surgeon to minimize mortality and morbidity of such patients. The curriculum that has been planned and elucidated later on in this document has incorporated a multitude of training activities that need to be undertaken over the full period of training.
The candidate should have fulfilled following criteria to be eligible to enter the training program in Cardiothoracic Surgery.
- Passed the relevant MD Surgery Examination.
- Selection will be based on the merit list and available vacancies
Please refer to the relevant prospectus for the most up to date information. The prospectus of a particular programme contains official information pertaining to a programme approved by the Board of Management, University Senate and the University Grants Commission