Post-graduate education to train a new kind of specialist
Thoughtfully designed to enhance the traditional approach to Cardiovascular Medicine, the Integrative Cardiology Fellowship Program is focused on building the knowledge and experience needed to incorporate integrative modalities such as mindfulness, biofeedback, nutrition counseling, preventative care, nutraceuticals, and acupuncture. This is accomplished by a distinctive collaboration with UCI Health whereby the fellow has an opportunity for direct patient care, through inpatient and outpatient clinical encounters, and robust research endeavors with extensive network-wide resources. The curriculum is further developed by didactics from the UCI Cardiology Fellowship Program, the Scripps Clinic Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship Program Integrative Track, and the University of Arizona Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine to solidify the experience and develop foundational practice.
About the Program
The UCI Health School of Medicine, Division of Cardiology and Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute launched the Integrative Cardiology Fellowship in 2021 with philanthropic support.
Integrative cardiology is a developing field, which includes patient education of lifestyle changes and techniques like mindfulness with standard medical care. The focus of this fellowship is to train a new kind of specialist who has a better understanding of the importance of treating the whole person and has knowledge of resources offered by the field of integrative medicine.
The program is a one-year, non-ACGME accredited fellowship starting July 1 each academic year.
The University of California, Irvine has been a leader in the field of integrative cardiology under the leadership of Dr. Shaista Malik, Associate Vice Chancellor for Integrative Health and Founding Executive Director of the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute (SSIHI).
- Four cardiology faculty members practice in the field of integrative cardiology and have established clinics at the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute in Newport Beach.
- Additionally, SSIHI clinics afford opportunities to work with a multidisciplinary care team, including acupuncturists, dietitians, physical therapists, psychologists, naturopathic doctors, and integrative physicians specializing in pain management, weight management, and gastroenterology.
Research opportunities include involvement in the continued development of an Integrative Medicine registry/database as well as epidemiologic and clinical studies related to Preventive and Integrative Cardiology. Clinically, in addition to the aforementioned clinics and multidisciplinary care team collaborations with SSIHI, the fellow will also spend time on the general cardiology inpatient service to round out their experience. Didactics include general cardiology fellowship lectures as well as access to online integrative medicine educational material.
Fellowship Dates
July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025
Application Process
Graduates of Internal Medicine ACGME accredited programs are welcome to submit a letter of interest and CV by Feb. 15, 2024, to:
ssihieducation@hs.uci.edu
Irmina Gradus-Pizlo, MD, Director igpizlo@hs.uci.edu
Laurie Skorheim, Coordinator lskorhei@hs.uci.edu
Core Faculty
Cardiovascular Disease
Clinical Professor of Medicine
Associate Vice Chancellor, Preventive Cardiology and Cardiac Rehab Professor;
Research Administrator
Director, UCI Heart Disease Prevention Program (Preventive Cardiology), School of Medicine
Program Background
The University of California, Irvine has been a leader in the field of Integrative Cardiology under the leadership of Dr. Shaista Malik, Associate Vice Chancellor for Integrative Health and Founding Executive Director of the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute (SSIHI).
- Four cardiology faculty members practice in the field of integrative cardiology and have established clinics at the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute in Newport Beach.
- Additionally, SSIHI clinics afford opportunities to work with a multidisciplinary care team, including acupuncturists, dietitians, physical therapists, psychologists, naturopathic doctors, and integrative physicians specializing in pain management, weight management, and gastroenterology.
Integrative cardiology is becoming a highly sought-after field within cardiology, as many patients look to incorporate whole-person health into their wellbeing through combined traditional and integrative approaches. Having this background enables me to support this growing population and offer multimodal care to improve their cardiovascular health from all available avenues.
Vishal Patel, MD, Inaugural Integrative Cardiology Fellow
