International Subspecialty Fellowship Training, the Path for Cardiologists of Tomorrow?: A European Perspective.

C ardiology as a specialty continues to rapidly evolve, and continuous technological advancements have altered and improved the approach to both diagnosis and treatment of cardiac diseases. In response, numerous subspecialties have arisen, and advanced fellowship training has now become the de facto career path after completion of general cardiology training to gain additional knowledge and advanced skills, which are acquired only in part during general cardiology training (1). When chosen wisely and carefully planned, a fellowship can play a vital role in enhancing a trainee’s professional profile, offer focused training with intense exposure, and typically also provide opportunities for research. In Europe, “the times they are a-changin,” with many young cardiologists now moving across the continent in search of subspecialty training. In this paper, we highlight the current status of such international subspecialty fellowships, focusing on their advantages and shortcomings, and we highlight the ongoing and increasingly important need for standardized accreditation of subspecialty fellowships across Europe.