Fellows | Kaiser Permanente Undergraduate & Graduate Medical Education Northern California

There are 3 fellows each year with their own areas of interests and plans for the future. The program gives them a firm grounding in general cardiology, but also allows them the flexibility to focus on a specific sub-specialty, if desired.

Welcome: Chief Fellow

Welcome to the Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) Cardiology Fellowship Program! We appreciate your interest in our program and are excited to meet you. Our program provides rigorous, world-class clinical training in a flexible and deeply collegial environment to help prepare you for a career in any area of cardiology. We are a unique program that prides itself on several core attributes. 1) The breadth and depth of training in all aspects of cardiovascular care; 2) The focus and investment in each fellow’s personal and professional development; and 3) The strong camaraderie and collegiality among fellows and faculty.

Within the KPNC system, which serves nearly 5 million members across Northern California, patients requiring specialized cardiovascular care are funneled to our two cardiac specialty hubs in San Francisco and Santa Clara. Our hospitals and longitudinal clinics are enriched with a diverse population of patients with a variety of cardiac diseases. Throughout our training, we gain exposure to a wide variety of cardiovascular pathology, both inpatient and outpatient, and are trained in invasive procedures including cardiac catheterization, implantable devices, and advanced imaging (TEE, CT, MRI, structural), among others. Additionally, we are directly involved in subspecialty care such as adult congenital heart disease, pulmonary hypertension, advanced heart failure/mechanical circulatory support, pre- and post-transplant, women’s heart health, prevention and lipidology, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, cardiovascular genetics, and aortopathy. As such, our program equips graduates with comprehensive skills to independently practice as a general cardiologist or to move on to further subspeciality training.

Professional development is a central focus of our fellowship. Under the leadership of our Program Director, Dr. Jonathan Zaroff, each fellow receives personalized support and mentorship guided towards their specific needs and interests. For those inclined towards clinical or translational research, the Division of Research offers access to one of the largest research databases in the world, and our fellows are highly productive across many areas of scholarship. Additionally, we value other nonclinical interests, including medical education, quality improvement, and healthcare leadership. Whatever your interests may be, our faculty are excited to support you.

Finally, the strong camaraderie among our fellow and attending groups is truly distinctive. Whether collaborating clinically in the hospital or enjoying social engagements like happy hours or park hangouts, fellows and attendings foster genuine collegiality and support. We are viewed not just as trainees, but as integral colleagues and friends. We pride ourselves on the diversity and inclusivity of our fellows and the cardiology department more broadly and recognize it as a strength that helps us better care for our diverse patient population. As such, we encourage applicants of all backgrounds to apply.

Thank you for considering our program. In choosing to join us for this next phase of your career, you will no doubt receive exceptional preparation for a career as a world-class general cardiologist or a solid foundation for further sub-specialty training. Repeatedly, our fellows secure highly sought-after employment opportunities and positions in advanced training both locally and nationwide. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or any of the fellows with questions!

Looking forward to meeting you,
Michael Girouard, MD, MBA