CVICU APP Fellowship

Vanderbilt University Medical Center•Nashville, TN

About The Position

The Cardiovascular Intensive Care Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Fellowship is a 12-month program beginning in July 2027, with two fellowship positions. Fellows work as integral members of interdisciplinary healthcare teams and participate in inpatient clinical experiences across the Surgical CVICU and Medical CVICU (or CCU). The program provides structured, progressive training to develop specialty-specific clinical reasoning, critical thinking, technical, and procedural skills for high-acuity cardiovascular critical care. Fellows care for complex cardiovascular patients, including patients requiring ECMO, ventricular assist devices, heart or lung transplantation, multi-organ transplantation, advanced heart failure therapies, and postoperative cardiac surgical management. Training includes didactic education, simulation, procedural learning, case reviews, evidence-based practice, mentorship, and competency-based milestones. Fellows build clinical responsibility and autonomy with individualized support, and may participate in quality improvement, research, education, committees, and professional conferences. The fellowship culminates in a cardiovascular critical care-focused scholarly or quality improvement project. The role primarily involves 13-hour day shifts, with some night shifts. New graduates and experienced providers are welcome. Interviews are expected in January or February.

Requirements

Master's or doctorate degree in nursing or physician assistant studies.
National board certification as an Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) or certification as a Physician Assistant (PA).
Tennessee license and Certificate of Fitness to Prescribe; eligible for NPI and DEA.
Foundational understanding of evidence-based practice, clinical knowledge, technical competence, sound clinical judgment, professional communication skills, and timely, compliant documentation.

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated ongoing interest in cardiovascular ICU care.
Relevant work experience is listed as less than one year; new graduates and experienced providers are welcome.

Responsibilities

Work collaboratively as an integral member of an interdisciplinary healthcare team.
Participate in clinical experiences across the Surgical CVICU and Medical CVICU (or CCU).
Develop and refine specialty-specific clinical reasoning, critical thinking, technical, and procedural skills for cardiovascular critical care.
Deliver safe, high-quality, patient- and family-centered care while practicing at the top of the applicable license.
Complete timely and compliant documentation and demonstrate professional communication and clinical judgment.
Participate in didactic education, simulation training, procedural learning, case reviews, and evidence-based practice experiences.
Complete a cardiovascular critical care-focused scholarly or quality improvement project.
Participate in quality improvement, research, education, committee involvement, and professional conference opportunities.