The Electrophysiology Fellowship Program at UAB provides a comprehensive training experience in all aspects of electrophysiology.

Harish Doppalapudi, MD, Director
Email Address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

 Essential Skills

1. Noninvasive assessment of cardiac arrhythmias:

• Interpreting Holter monitors
• Reviewing transtelephonic event recorders
• Following up patients with transtelephonic pacemakers at The Kirklin Clinic

2. Permanent pacemakers

• Observe permanent pacemaker implantation
• Follow up patients with permanent Pacemakers at The Kirklin Clinic
• Develop a working knowledge of pacemaker management during the peri-operative period

3. Internal Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD)

• Observe ICD implantations
• Evaluate patients before and after ICD implantation
• Learn the indications, contraindications, complications, and techniques involved with ICD’s
• Follow- up patients with ICD implantation devices at The Kirklin Clinic

4. ICD management

Develop a working knowledge of ICD management during the peri-operative period (including time in the operating room when electrocautery devices may be used).


5. Invasive EP Procedures

• Evaluate patients before and after EP procedures
• Learn the indications, contraindications, and complications of these procedures.

6. Observe EP studies

• Assist in programmed stimulation with the programmable stimulator.
• Scrub in on selected cases to gain experience in the placement of pacing catheters.
• Participate in the interpretation of intracardiac electrograms for proper diagnosis of cardiac arrhythmias.
• Assist in programmed stimulation using a programmable stimulator.
• Learn techniques of programmed electrical stimulation for assessment of atrial arrhythmias including:
  • arrhythmias related to accessory pathways
  • AV nodal reentrant tachycardia,
  • atrial flutter
  • atrial fibrillation,
  • atrial tachycardias
• Learn the interpretation of intracardiac electrograms for the assessment of tachyarrhythmias & bradyarrhythmias.
• Learn the indications, contraindications, and complications of catheter ablation procedures.
• Learn the techniques of electrophysiologic recording and stimulation of ventricular arrhythmias (especially ventricular tachycardia).
• Learn the proper use of invasive EP techniques for the assessment of bradyarrhythmias including:
  • sinus node dysfunction
  • AV conduction disorders
• Attend all arrhythmia consultations from the inpatient services.
  • See the patient promptly
  • Review the history, physical, electrocardiographic findings, x-rays, and other diagnostic data with the electrophysiology faculty
  • See the patient on the day in which the consult is requested
  • Follow the patients’ course throughout their hospital stay.
• Know the techniques of history and physical examination relevant to cardiology and cardiac arrhythmias.

7. Outpatient Arrhythmia Consultations

• Participate in the outpatient arrhythmia clinics with the arrhythmia faculty members.
• Learn the techniques of
  • taking histories
  • physical examination
  • ECG interpretation
  • pacemaker follow-up & programming
  • ICD follow-up and programming, Holter monitoring,
  • transtelephonic event recording
  • use of antiarrhythmic drugs

8. Pharmacology of Antiarrhythmic Drugs

Understand the basic pharmacology of antiarrhythmic drugs. Specific aims of the training program include:

• Indications
• contraindications
• complications
• follow-up requirements of antiarrhythmic drug therapy

9. Basic Science of Electrophysiology

• Attend weekly EP conferences (Thursday morning from 7 to 8 AM), which alternate between:
  • basic science
  • clinical cases
• Present an interesting clinical case at the EP meetings
  • review the literature
  • accept instruction from the EP faculty members

10. Other Techniques
Learn the basic techniques and indications, contraindications, and complications of:

• temporary pacemaker insertion
• electrical and pharmacological cardioversions
• intracardiac tracings, including those following open-heart surgery

Educational Outcomes

Inpatient and outpatient management of supraventricular tachyarrhythmias

• Ventricular tachyarrhythmias
• Bradyarrhythmias
• permanent pacemaker follow-up & programming
• ICD follow-up and programming

Interpretation of intracardiac electrograms

• Temporary pacemaker insertion & programming

Noninvasive assessment of cardiac arrhythmias

• Holter monitoring
• Transtelephonic monitoring

Faculty

Current Fellows

Conferences

Application Process

• Interviews are scheduled after the first of the year with appointments beginning on July 1.
• For more information, see Application Information.

Contact Information

Harish Doppalapudi, MD, Director
Faculty Office Tower, Room 930
1530 3rd Avene South
Birmingham Alabama 35294-3400

Email Address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Office Phone: (205) 934-3614
Office Fax: (205) 934-3950

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