This fellowship provides UK specialists the opportunity to gain experience in transradial intervention at the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Vancouver Island, Canada. Applicants must be UK specialists in their final 2 years of training and BCIS members. Successful candidates will complete over 500 procedures over 12 months under Drs. Della Siega and Nadra. Past fellows report excellent complex PCI experience in a relaxed city, with opportunities for research, outdoor activities, and training to become a consultant. The application deadline is April 11th, and interviews will be held on June 17th in London.

1. BCIS-Boston Scientific Interventional
Fellowship 2020
(Vancouver Island)
– start date July 2020

2. BCIS-Boston Scientific Fellowship 2020
This successful and established programme, now in its thirteenth year, has been developed to
provide UK based specialist registrars with an opportunity to gain experience in transradial
intervention at an internationally prominent high volume transradial centre. The successful candidate
will have the opportunity to gain valuable clinical experience for 12 months in a key Canadian
interventional centre; the Royal Jubilee Hospital in British Columbia, under the supervision of Dr
Anthony Della Siega and Dr Imad Nadra. Access to the fellowship will be limited to UK specialist
registrars in the final 2 years of training who are BCIS members and intend to specialise in
Interventional Cardiology
We are delighted to invite applications for the
2020 BCIS-Boston Scientific Interventional Fellowship
in Vancouver Island starting in July 2020
Dr Bethan Freestone
Consultant Cardiologist
Birmingham Heartlands Hospital
On behalf of BCIS Training and Education Group
Introduction
More Information
Vancouver Island
Application
Process
This post is funded by contributions from the host institution, an unrestricted educational grant
from Boston Scientific and BCIS. Please follow the links to the right to find further information
relating to the fellowship hosting centre, training and research opportunities within the programme,
and details of the application process.
This programme operates
with the full support and
endorsement of
Notes from
Recent Fellow
(Vancouver Island)

3. Vancouver Island Fellowship 2020
Supervising Consultants: Dr Anthony Della Siega (Victoria), Dr Beth Freestone (UK)
Royal Jubilee Hospital, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
This fellowship programme is linked to the Royal Jubilee Hospital, Victoria, British Columbia, under
the supervision of Dr Anthony Della Siega and Dr Imad Nadra, leading Canadian and International
Transradial Interventionalists. The hospital provides interventional cardiology services for a
population of 750,000 across Vancouver Island.
The cardiac laboratories carry out elective transradial interventional procedures during normal
business hours, as well as providing a 24 hour, 365 day primary PCI service. There is a 22 bed short
stay unit attached to the catheter laboratories, and the majority of angioplasty procedures are
performed on a day case basis.
At present there are seven interventionalists performing 1700 PCI procedures. Transradial access is
used for the majority of procedures. There is also an established TAVI programme.
Interventional fellowship programme
The programme for the UK based interventional fellow will consist of four full lab days and one
research day each week. The fellow can expect to complete at least 500 procedures, with a large
proportion being performed as solo operator (depending on individual experience and progress). A full
range of interventional devices are available for managing complex patients.
Multiple interventional research projects are underway including single and multi-centre projects. The
interventional fellow will be expected to develop a research project leading to presentation and
publication.
This programme operates
with the full support and
endorsement of
Introduction
More Information
Vancouver Island
Application
Process
Notes from
Recent Fellow
(Vancouver Island)

4. Notes from recent fellow
The BCIS-Boston Scientific Vancouver Island Interventional Fellowship provides an excellent opportunity for senior UK
trainees who want to complete their interventional training in a high-volume PCI centre.
The fellowship is based at the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria. The hospital has two dedicated PCI catheter
laboratories which serve the entire (0.8M) population of the island and you rotate between these labs. The centre
provides a 24/7 primary and emergency PCI service, and you will be on call on a one-in-four basis. However, you will
only be on call for interventional cases and the night shifts are generally quieter than most tertiary UK centres. You will
be expected to review all patents before and after their procedure but are not expected to perform any other routine
duties like clinics or ward rounds. There are weekly MDTs to discuss surgical cases and monthly (protected) general
cardiology teaching /update sessions. There are also weekly interventional rounds where the week’s challenging
cases are reviewed. The Victoria Heart Institute Foundation (Vic Heart) recruits patients to multiple large sponsored
trials and the fellows are expected to review these patients as part of their follow up.
The fellowship provides first-class PCI experience. Vancouver Island has an ageing population which ensures a high
level of case complexity. You will perform in excess of 500-600 interventional cases and approximately the same
number of diagnostic procedures during your year. These cases are almost exclusively performed as first or solo
operator (but always with supervision). Cases frequently involve physiological assessment, two-stent bifurcation
strategies, unprotected left main stem and graft intervention, and rotational /laser atherectomy. There is an established
CTO program and you will regularly be involved in CTO procedures of all levels of complexity. There is also an
established TAVI program with 2-3 lists per month. You will have the pleasure of working with a really fantastic group
of nurses, radiographers, CVTs and Consultants who are very supportive.
Victoria is a relaxed and friendly city, ideal if you plan to bring family with you. Vancouver Island and British Columbia
are blessed with stunning wilderness, amazing wildlife and beautiful beaches with lots of opportunities for outdoor
adventures. Vancouver, Seattle and Washington State are all within easy reach. The fellowship program is the perfect
opportunity to hone your skills in complex PCI, prepare yourself for life as a consultant, and have a lot of fun along the
way. Paul Morris, BCIS Fellow 2018-19 (paul.morris@sheffield.ac.uk)
Notes from
Dr Paul Morris during his fellowship post in
This programme operates
with the full support and
endorsement of
Introduction
More Information
Vancouver Island
Application
Process
Notes from
Recent Fellow
(Vancouver Island)

5. The Application Process
Access to the fellowship will be limited to UK trainees in their last two years of Specialist
Registrar training who intend to specialise in Interventional Cardiology and are BCIS
members. The supervising consultants act on behalf of the BCIS Training and Education
Group.
The successful candidate will be identified by means of formal interview. The interview panel
will be made up of several independent consultant cardiologists from multiple centres.
The fellowship will be awarded based upon the candidate’s career development, interventional
experience and performance at interview.
If you would like to register your interest in this opportunity, please submit by email
(bcis@bcs.com) a detailed curriculum vitae (this should include a personal statement
and procedural numbers) AND letters of support from two supervisory consultants to
Azeem Ahmad, BCIS Secretariat, Tel: +44 (0)20 7380 1918.
The deadline for applications is 5pm, 11 April 2019.
Shortlisted candidates will be informed by 25 April 2019.
N.B Interviews will take place on 17 June 2019, British Cardiovascular Society, 9 Fitzroy
Square, London W1T 5HW. The successful candidate will be required to enter into a
contract to take up their post in Vancouver island on 1st July 2020.
The fellowship bursary will be paid to the institution and not to an individual. The salary
support provided will be equivalent to that of a senior SpR. The fund in question will be at the
receiving institution in Canada and the candidate will be paid a regular salary in Canadian
Dollars from that fund. The selected fellow is in no way considered to be an employee of
Boston Scientific.
This programme operates
with the full support and
endorsement of
Introduction
More Information
Vancouver Island
Application
Process
Notes from
Recent Fellow
(Vancouver
Island)