Text Testimonials

Supriya Tigadi, M.D.
University of Connecticut Cardiology Fellowship Alumni Class of 2019
Non-Invasive Cardiologist
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Pat and Jim Calhoun Cardiology Center
UConn Health

I am currently a faculty member at UConn Health. I have a particular interest in cardiovascular imaging. University of Connecticut cardiology fellowship program has a great combination of academic practice at UConn health in Farmington and flavors of private practice at Saint Francis Hospital in the Hartford area. UConn has a robust cardiac catheterization lab that gets referrals from all over the county. Electrophysiology training at both the hospitals is very solid.

Those of us who are interested in imaging are encouraged to achieve level three certification in echocardiography. Echo labs at both the hospitals are robust. Saint Francis hospital host a school of cardiac ultrasound with experienced echo techs that adds to the program. We also train in vascular imaging under the guidance of Dr Lee. We get cardiac CT and MRI exposure under the guidance of Drs Meng and Kim. Nuclear cardiology training is done under the guidance of Dr. Duvall at Hartford hospital - his teaching is exceptional.

UConn offers a very solid clinical cardiovascular training that prepares the candidate for the career they choose. Flexibility during the third year of training allows one to pursue ones area of interest whether it be cardiovascular imaging, interventional cardiology or electrophysiology. I highly recommend UConn for cardiovascular fellowship training.

Aniruddha Singh, M.D.
University of Connecticut Cardiology Fellowship Alumni Class of 2015
General Cardiologist
Assistant Professor of Medicine
University of Kentucky School of Medicine (Bowling Green Program)

I am a cardiologist in a busy private practice (group of 7 cardiologists) in south-central Kentucky. I am also an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Kentucky (UK) School of Medicine and one of the key faculties for the general cardiovascular program. I am the Internal Medicine site director for the third year UK medical students. I have tried to stay active in research. I am the chairperson of our local research foundation. I am also an Adjunct Assistant Research Professor at Vanderbilt University. I am currently involved as a PI in multiple clinical trials.

I would like to recognize the contribution of UConn cardiology fellowship in laying a solid foundation for my clinical and research work. There were abundant clinical training opportunities available between UConn John Dempsey Hospital and Saint Francis Hospital with a wide variety of clinical pathology. I was exposed to complex diagnoses and rare conditions, and at the same time had autonomy in patient management. Attendings were very approachable and professional. They took care of fellows as their family. I remember on several occasions when Drs. Schulman, Soucier, and Clark volunteered to come in during after hours to help me. In terms of procedure, the number of cardiac catheterizations, TEEs, etc. we do were much more than what was needed to “meet the numbers”. Attendings including Dr. Meng took special interest in teaching cardiac MRI. Drs. Azrin and Lee taught me radial access technique and let me do several cardiac catheterizations as a first operator which has been immensely helpful. Drs. Pickett, Schmitt, and Tolat taught EKGs, reading monitors and PPM/ICD interrogations which has helped me to run the EP clinic for my office. Drs. Soucier and Arora were instrumental in teaching bedside exam in heart failure, a skill that I use in my practice every day.

Overall, didactics were solid. Fellows were encouraged to be involved in scholarly activities. Drs. Schulman and Meng at UConn and Dr. Soucier at Saint Francis were supportive as program director/associate program director. I feel very lucky to have went to UConn for my fellowship and have recommended this program to several friends and trainees. I am confident that no one who decides to pursue his or her training at UConn would be disappointed!

Saneka Chakravarty, M.D.
University of Connecticut Cardiology Fellowship Alumni Class of 2015
General Cardiologist
University Hospital Portage Medical Center at Ravenna, Ohio

UConn’s cardiology fellowship program lets you learn the nuances of academic practice from academic physicians and private practice from private physicians. There are very few programs I know that offer you this perspective. In my current career, I draw inspiration from both. It gives me unique advantage.

1. If you want flexibility in schedules to be trained in non-invasive imaging without spending an additional year, this is the place to be. I maintain four cardiovascular boards after spending three years in training.
2. If you want mentors that are more like friends, and a supportive culture, this is the place to be. Did I mention I completed my three-year fellowship as a (almost) single new mom?
3. If you want to stay around, there are plenty of job opportunities in the area. You invariably get an offer in your 3rd year to join one of the practices or other.

Raj Malay, M.D., FACC
University of Connecticut Cardiology Fellowship Alumni Class of 2007
General Cardiologist
Meritas Health in Kansas City, MO

In the words of Ben Franklin "Tell me and I forget, teach me and I remember, involve me and I learn". These words best illustrates my experience at UConn cardiology fellowship. Mentors like Drs. Azrin, Clark, Hager, Kelsey, Liang, Schulman, Silverman, and Soucier seamlessly treats fellows like colleagues while teaching and silently molding their future. I had the pleasure of learning from Dr. Therrien for a short while. Dr. Tolat, though not with the program, taught me the intricacies of complex arrhythmia.

I started my fellowship when my son was a year old. I had my struggles but the support I received from the faculty made all the difference in the world. This amazing faculty at UConn cardiology made me who I am today. They taught me to seek knowledge, even welcoming fellows to challenge them. I owe my career to UConn cardiology. I was at the right place at the right time.