Master Lectures
- From Eisenhower’s Heart Attack to modern cardiology
- Prometheus or the Future of Cardiology
- Pharmacotherapy of the Future: From Molecules to Genetic Tools
Medical Students
Thomas F. Lüscher was Chairman of Cardiology and Director of Cardiovascular Research and as such responsible for the lecture block on cardiovascular diseases for 4th year medical students. The lectures were given by the responsible professor as well as other faculty members from radiology, angiology, clinical chemistry, pharmacology and cardiac surgery. In addition, other lectures on cardiovascular pharmacology and grand rounds on cardiovascular medicine for candidates für the federal board examination in medicine were part of his responsibility.
For medical students, a textbook „Herz-Kreislauf" (Block lectures on cardiocvascular medicine) by Jan Steffel and Thomas F. Lüscher, Springer Heidelberg 2010, summarizing the entire field is available. Together with Jan Steffel, Thomas F. Lüscher is the co-editor of the textbook series "Module Innere Medizin" (Springer Verlag).
Furthermore, the department was responsible for the cardiovascular physiology courses for medical students in the second year.
Master Degrees, PhD and MD Programmes
A programme for a master degree in medicine as well as PhD and MD degrees in various areas of cardiovascular medicine and basic cardiovascular research research were provided by the department and its research groups. Indeed, numerous students from Switzerland and many countries have obtained their degrees in the department of cardiology over the last years.
Fellowship Programmes
The departement of cardiology offered a certified (accredited by the Swiss Physicians Society FMH, Bern Switzerland) training programme in cardiology for three years (the fourth year has to be done in another institition according to the rules of the FMH). Fifteen fellowship positions were available and coordinated by Christiane Gruner, MD, and Oliver Gämperli, MD and the chief fellow. The programme foresaw rotations in all aspects of cardiology including out-patient clinic, echocardiography, cardiac catheterization, heart failure and transplantation, arrhythmias and devices, coronary care unit, and emergency service.
Applicants for the fellowship programme should have experience in internal medicine (2 years including a rotation into an intensive care unit for 3-6 months) and preferably also in research.
On a weekly basis educational programmes were offered and in part also run by the fellows such as the journal club, the core curriculum cardiology, ECG seminars, research conferences and regular symposia on specific topics.
Academic Careers
The department of cardiology supported academic careers of young cardiologists and cardiovascular scientists. Indeed, thanks to an extensive inernational network cardiologsts board certified at the institution were sent to prestige institutions abroad for further training in clinical cardiology or research.
In the departement, more than 30 clinicians and scientists have obtained their „Privatdozent“ degree (Habilitation) since 1997.
Furthermore, through donations to the Foundation for Cardiovascular Research three assistant professorships have been created to allow established clinicians and investigators to persue their academic career.
Postgraduate Education
The department of cardiology offered a large postgraduate educational programme. The symposia, conferences and congresses were organized by the Education Center of the Zurich Heart House supported by the Foundation for Cardiovascular Research.